The Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson that reversed the 1973 ruling on Roe v. Wade has far reaching implications that jeopardize the health and safety of people nationally, in the state of Virginia, and here in Fairfax County.

Policy decisions that perpetuate unequal access to resources and quality health care exacerbate the impact of poverty, especially for those who are forced to the economic and social margins of society. In the years before Roe v. Wade, many people were restricted in making their own health choices and were forced to spread ever thinning meager resources because of expanding families.

People who are denied autonomy in making their own healthcare decisions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction, lower self-esteem, decreased workforce participation, and decreased earnings – to name a few. Additionally, people who can become pregnant and experience intimate partner violence now have less autonomy and experience more barriers to making choices about their safety and well-being.

So often, people have opinions on the hard choices they will never have to make. How, when, with whom, and under what circumstances people choose to parent or not parent children are a deeply personal decision that each individual is entitled to privately make for themselves.

We, the Fairfax County Commission for Women, stand in solidarity with all women, girls, and people in Fairfax County when they are seeking to make personal life, reproductive, and healthcare decisions. For more information about the resources available in Fairfax County, please visit the Human Service Resources Guide. fairfaxcounty.gov/HSRG.