Food insecurity is linked to poverty, racial inequity, and social injustice. To create a more just society, one in which food justice is prioritized, we must also prioritize women’s rights as human rights. This includes the right to bodily autonomy.
Rooted in our commitment to social justice, Food Lifeline cannot ignore the connections between accessible, equitable health care and access to adequate, nutritious food. Fundamentally, we believe food is a human right, and that in the wealthiest country in the world, no person or community should live with food insecurity.
Our organization stands with women, girls, and all birthing people in Washington state and across the country in full support of the right to safe, affordable, and accessible reproductive healthcare.
At Food Lifeline, we recognize that to end hunger, we must address its root causes which include poverty, racial inequity, and social injustice. We are building a food system that shifts power to communities, and supports and creates equity, justice, opportunity, access, and health for all. Without reproductive justice, the most vulnerable and marginalized within our society – people who have systematically faced barriers to abortion, reproductive health services, and social mobility – will lose bodily autonomy, financial resiliency, and economic self-sufficiency.
Let us be clear: this decision hurts women, children, birthing people, and families across our country. It is an egregious display in the interest in restricting a person’s reproductive choices rather than ensuring accessible, equitable health care. Food Lifeline will prioritize women’s rights for their bodily autonomy, and will uplift, empower, and stand alongside them in the fight for equality. Though this is a significant step backward, we will move forward together in creating a future that achieves access to nutritious food for all, dignity for all, and agency for all.
