Emerson, Advocates Discuss Right to Contraception in Eau Claire

State Representative Jodi Emerson joined local advocates for a roundtable discussion on the right to contraception in Eau Claire this week.

The event on Wednesday marked the 61st anniversary of the landmark Griswold v. Connecticut U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which established the constitutional right to contraception. Those participating in the discussion at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire, however, expressed concerns over how recent Supreme Court decisions like overturning Roe v. Wade could impact that right in the future.

During the roundtable, State Representative Emerson highlighted how access to contraception isn’t just a significant healthcare issue, but also a significant economic decision.

“Well it really is about freedom,” she said. “And again, that’s not a left or right issue either. The freedom to make the choices for what happens to your body, when you want it to happen, is an economic decision. It’s a, you know, job decision, it impacts everything that we talk about in the state capitol, because having a child or not having a child or when you have a child is probably the biggest economic decision you ever make.”

State Representative Emerson also highlighted maintaining access to birth control specifically as an especially significant concern, noting the medications treat a variety of healthcare needs like migraine prevention or heavy periods.

“It shouldn’t matter if somebody needs birth control for birth control or for the various medical reasons that are associated with that, and there are a number of them,” she said. “That’s a decision between somebody and their doctor, somebody and their provider. It shouldn’t matter what the court has to say on that.”

State Representative Emerson also noted that Democratic lawmakers at the state and federal levels have introduced legislation seeking to codify access to contraception, though the bills have not advanced.