Why do abortion bans disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities?
Abortion bans impact Black and Brown communities the hardest because of a mix of systemic inequalities:
Economic Barriers: Black and Latinx folks are more than twice as likely to live in poverty than white people. Traveling for an abortion, taking time off work (often unpaid), and paying for care is out of reach for many. Plus, over 60% of people seeking abortions are already parents, so they’re juggling child care and added expenses.
Limited Healthcare Access: Nearly 30% of Black women and 25% of Latinx women live in areas with no abortion providers. Add to that the fact that many rely on Medicaid (31% of Black women), which federal law doesn’t allow to cover most abortions, and options get really limited.
Higher Risks with Pregnancy: Black women are 3–4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Forced pregnancies in these communities just add more risks to an already deadly maternal health crisis.
Criminalization: Here’s where it gets even scarier. Abortion bans don’t just stop people from accessing care—they also invite scrutiny and punishment for pregnancy outcomes. Miscarried? Self-managed an abortion? You could face accusations, investigations, or even jail time. And because Black people make up 13% of the population but 38% of those incarcerated, there’s a huge risk that they’ll be unfairly targeted under these laws. Even healthcare providers could face prosecution for helping patients.
Where You Live Matters: States with the strictest abortion bans, like Mississippi or Alabama, have large Black and Brown populations but the weakest safety nets for healthcare and social support.
In short, these bans don’t just limit access to care—they make it way harder for Black and Brown people to thrive, turning already huge systemic challenges into even bigger ones.
