‘Religious Views in American Healthcare Uphold White Supremacy and Increase Poverty,’ Says Letter to the Editor

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When I learned about Providence St. Joseph Hospital’s egregious defiance of California state law in denying necessary emergency abortion care, as alleged by Attorney General Rob Bonta earlier this month, I was personally horrified as a parent, community member, and someone who works in anti-poverty. Providence’s reproductive health policies contribute to Humboldt County’s stubbornly high poverty rate of 19% living at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Line. Their near-monopoly on hospital services has the entire community on its knees by denying reproductive choice and imposing enormous financial burdens. Let’s take a look at how we in the U.S. got to this point in our abortion access crisis.

America’s relationship with abortion has been historically inconsistent. The early colonizers openly accepted the use of herbal abortifacients. There were no significant “moral qualms” about reproductive rights until the 20^th century. Prior to that abortion restrictions were directly linked to fears of “great replacement” and desperation to maintain White dominance. The Civil War had decimated 2.5% of the White male population and it propelled women into less traditional roles as they entered the workforce and institutions of higher education in growing numbers. Fertility rates dropped significantly between 1800 and 1900 from an average of seven children per family to four children. The term “race suicide” was coined to whip up White panic. Fears of losing the supremacy of Whiteness fanned the flames of forced birth mentality politically, so much so that by the 1930’s abortion was prohibited in the majority of states. These restrictions made necessary the underground network of abortion providers that would eventually build the movement that inspired the passage of Roe vs. Wade.

The alignment of forced birth mentality and religious conviction was largely influenced by the passage of Roe vs. Wade and other social changes in American life. The Supreme Court desegregated colleges and professional schools in the 1940’s. The Civil Rights Act desegregated public schools. The growth of private, often Christian affiliated, schools boomed in the South.

The imagined oppression of White conservatives and fear of losing power was fueled by shifting American attitudes around race and women’s rights. Post-Roe efforts to repeal bodily autonomy were initially a largely Catholic endeavor that would form the National Right to Life Committee who would heavily influence the passage of the Hyde Amendment that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion. Meanwhile, the forced birth movement attracted Mormon and Evangelical conservatives. Evangelicals began effectively politically organizing within the pews, and abortion became a favorite rallying cry. Dr. Anthea Butler, Chair of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania succinctly stated that “Evangelicals always use morality to put forth issues that will allow them to have political power.” And did they ever get it with help from forced birth mentality.

Is there a clear link between this modern “moral” panic and the “race suicide” panic of the 19^th century? One can pontificate on the earnest motivation of individual forced birthers for days. What can’t be disputed is the disproportionate impact of erased reproductive care access on oppressed peoples and all persons with a uterus. The passage of Roe ushered in increased rates of high school graduation and college admission among Black women. The passage of Roe resulted in a 28% decline in Black maternal mortality. Compared to similar countries, America is the most dangerous place to be pregnant and give birth. The National Institute of Health reports that Black women have a maternal mortality rate 2.9 times higher when compared to White women. The National Partnership for Women and Families 11-year study of 9 million deliveries found Black women had a 53% higher risk of dying in a hospital, regardless of their economic status. This is the undeniable impact of systemic White supremacy.

The abhorrent Dobbs ruling of 2022 is already deepening the disproportion. As of 2024, Black and Indigenous women ages 18-49 are more likely to live in states with abortion bans, have higher rates of uninsurance, and limited transportation options. The growing restrictions on abortion continue to be studied, but the state of Texas serves as the canary in a coal mine for a national ban. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers discovered that “in 2022, infant deaths in Texas increased by 12.9% compared to 2021, which was higher than the 1.8% increase in the rest of the United States. Maternal mortality rates in Texas have been increasing since 1999. Between 2020 and 2022, Texas had a maternal mortality rate of 35–51 deaths per 100,000 births. Texas is considered one of the worst states for women’s health and reproductive care.”

Numbers do not lie. Results from the 2022 UCSF Turnaway Study revealed that 72% of women who could not access abortion lived in poverty after five years compared to 55% for those who could access abortion. Those who could not access abortion services were more likely to be unable to afford basic living expenses, more likely to be in debt and had an 81% increase in reports of bankruptcy, eviction, and tax liens. I am angered daily that I was denied a tubal ligation when I birthed my youngest child at SJH in 2014 because of their religious oppression. Religious beliefs have no place in politics, public education, and healthcare in these Secular United States of America—and certainly not in our emergency rooms.

Heidi McHugh is a Eureka resident who wants Humboldt County to know that non-profit hospitals like Providence are bound to offer financial assistance in exchange for their tax status. A full 55% of Humboldt County residents are eligible for this assistance. If you would like help in obtaining assistance, DollarFor.Org has crushed $61 million dollars in hospital debt for Americans. Humboldt Abortion Access Advocates is collecting stories of people who went through experiences like this at St. Joe’s. If you want to share your story, do it at this link.