Secretary of Health and Human Services Becerra Visits Gender Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2023

CONTACT
Gabbi Pierce, Communications Manager
[email protected]
651.789.2090

On January 19, Xavier Becerra, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, visited Minnesota and asked Gender Justice to host a roundtable discussion on reproductive health care.

Leading up to what would have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Secretary Becerra visited while the PRO Act was moving through the legislature to emphasize the importance of protecting reproductive freedom and expanding access to health care at a state level, one of Gender Justice’s biggest priorities. Secretary Becerra congratulated us on Minnesota becoming a national leader for reproductive freedom, and we discussed the work ahead, including expanding access to medication abortion, combating anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers, and repealing the Hyde Amendment.

• Gender Justice Executive Director Megan Peterson shared an update about our lawsuit against a pharmacist who refused to fill our client’s medication abortion prescription because of his religious beliefs. Secretary Becerra was very interested in supporting the case and making sure people can get their prescriptions without delay.
• Deborah Juda from Just the Pill spoke about providing patients with reproductive health care at state borders using their mobile clinic.
• UnRestrict Minnesota Campaign Director Abena Abraham and Secretary Becerra, both immigrants, talked about the unique challenges that many immigrants face learning about sexual and reproductive health care and communicating about that with their families and communities.
• A Youth Advocate from Planned Parenthood spoke about the importance of comprehensive sexual education.
• Senator Erin Maye Quade shared an update from the legislature and Attorney General Keith Ellison explained the result of Doe v. MN, which removed Minnesota’s abortion restrictions.

To wrap up, we encouraged the President to say the word abortion more often and shared how grateful we are to work in partnership with the White House to advance gender equity!