Letter: Vote your values on Tuesday

On Nov. 8, voters across NH will have an opportunity to respond at the voting booth to recent attacks on women’s rights and freedoms. From the Supreme Court and Congress to the New Hampshire legislature and Executive Council, we have seen attacks on women’s freedom, rights, and access to health care. Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade and the federal right to abortion, attacks on reproductive freedom in our NH legislature are more dangerous than ever. Two years ago New Hampshire legislators passed, and Gov. Sununu signed into law, an abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother. The Executive Council voted four times to defund three family planning clinics and recently voted to defund after-school sex-ed and teen-parent resource programs that have effectively reduced teen pregnancies in New Hampshire.

This is impacting not just women’s health and freedom but their economic self-determination. There is no reason a politician, federal, state, or local, should be involved in anyone’s personal health care decision. As we’ve seen, when legislators try to regulate women’s health, it ends up harming women. The vast majority of Granite Staters agree: Women can make decisions for themselves. With their doctor. Without a NH legislator weighing in. As CEO of NH Women’s Foundation, I ask you to use the power of your vote to choose federal and state candidates who stand up to extremists, support women’s rights, freedom, and autonomy, and won’t put barriers between you and your healthcare.

Tanna Clews

Portsmouth