JS Belgium stands in solidarity with all the women of America and the world
To our dear Comrades of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA),
We, Members and former Members of the Young Socialists Belgium (JS), are dismayed by the reversal of the far-reaching landmark Roe v. Wade decision on Friday June 24, 2022. As a partner organisation in the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY), we want to express our unequivocal support for and solidarity with all the women of the United States of America by writing this letter.
The right to an abortion, they said, arose from the fundamental right to access contraception, which was established in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965). Not in the least do we share your deepest concerns about the irreversible impact of SCOTUS’ decision on the most vulnerable women. Overturning Roe v. Wade signals a direct attack of the Conservatives on minorities and the working class. Not only does the outrageous reversal turn the clock backwards by 50 years, but most of all it also sets a dangerous precedent for opening re-investigation of other well-established US case-law, for example Lawrence v. Texas (2003) on the fundamental right to homosexual relations, as well as Obergefell v. Hodges (2013) on the fundamental right to marry between same-sex couples.
With all this in mind, we raise your attention about similar regressive developments on our continent. Until today, abortion is still considered illegal in Malta. In Poland, as of January 2021, abortion is only legal when the pregnancy is a threat to health or when the pregancy is the result of a criminal act. On the very same day when the decision of Roe v. Wade had been overturned, the right-wing majority of the Polish Parliament voted down a bill to legalise abortion.
Acquired rights must never be taken for granted. Never. We, JS Belgium, stand with you. We see you. We hear you. We are united. More than ever, we fully stand by your side in this struggle for abortion rights. Our ongoing struggle for fundamental human rights must be intersectional and international. We must honor our previous generation who fought for a better future for all of us. It is our civic duty to fight against the Conservative right-wing anti-abortion movement. “This is the final struggle. Let us gather together, and tomorrow. The Internationale. Will be the human race.”
Signed,
Siebe JONCKHEERE - International secretary of JS Belgium (2021 - now)
Oskar SEUNTJENS en Elise STICKER - Chair and Vice-Chair of JS Belgium (2021 - now)
Hannelore GOEMAN - Member of the Flemish Parliament and former Board member of JS Belgium
Caroline GENNEZ - Member of the Flemish Parliament and former Party Leader of Vooruit
Melissa DEPRAETERE - Member of the Belgian Federal Parliament and former member of JS Belgium
Maxim VEYS - Member of the Flemish Parliament and former International secretary of JS Belgium
Bieke VERLINDEN - Alderwoman of the City of Leuven and former member of JS Belgium
Lalynn WADERA - Alderwoman of the City of Leuven and former member of JS Belgium
Kaoutar OULICHKI - Former Chair of JS Belgium (2017 - 2019)
Jaro VERBERCK - Former Chair of JS Belgium (2019 - 2021)
Evelyn LOGGHE - Vice-President of YES and former International secretary of JS Belgium
Kasper VANPOUCKE - Former Vice-President of YES and former International secretary of JS Belgium
Yana GIOVANIS - Former International secretary of JS Belgium
Bram DHOOGHE - Former Board member of JS Belgium
Fahim DE LEENER - Former Board member of JS Belgium
Pieter BAETEN - Former member of JS Belgium
Nathalie VANVELTHOVEN - Board member of JS Belgium
Brent BELLEFROID - Board member of JS Belgium
Dries MARTENS - Board member of JS Belgium
Enrique VAN CAUWENBERGE - Board member of JS Belgium
Ewan POLS - Board member of JS Belgium
Steven ARENTS - Board member of JS Belgium
Tonia VAN LOMMEL - Board member of JS Belgium
Laura COOLS - Board member of JS Belgium
Iris VAN DER AUWERA - Board member of JS Belgium.