West Hollywood City Councilwoman Abbe Land was joined by reproductive rights advocates for a press conference on Jan. 22 at West Hollywood City Hall in observance of the 42^nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Roe vs. Wade, which upheld the right for women to have an abortion.

West Hollywood Councilwoman Abbe Land was joined by abortion rights advocates for a press conference at which she stressed the need to continue the fight for women's reproductive rights. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The press conference came on the same day that the U.S. House of Representatives approved Republican-backed legislation that would prohibit federal funding for abortions for women using public health plans. Land referred to the legislation as one of the many battles that are still left to fight over abortion, and said while great strides have been made in California and West Hollywood, there is a need for people to continue the fight for a woman’s right to choose.

“It’s been four decades, 40 years-plus, and the fight continues,” Land said. “The Republican Congress [is] trying to set back the clock once again on women’s rights, trying to reduce the ability of a woman to access abortion that the Supreme Court guaranteed 42 years ago. I look forward to the day when we do not have to have a press conference for this law because there is no question that everyone can access the healthcare they need and that women, when they make the decision that they need to have an abortion, that they can get it in every state in this country, in every county, and that every doctor is trained to perform this type of procedure. But unfortunately, that day is not today.”

Land was joined by abortion rights activists including actress Annabeth Gish; Betsy Butler, interim executive director of the California Women’s Law Center; Dinah Stephens, director of public affairs for the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project, Los Angeles County; and Lauren Jow, communications officer for the Williams Institute.

Gish, who is know for roles in “Mystic Pizza”, “Double Jeopardy” and the television series “Pretty Little Liars” and “Sons of Anarchy”, said while there are many threats to abortion rights at the federal level, California has been at the forefront of protecting women’s rights.

“Here in California, it’s a different story. For three years in a row, we have passed legislation that actually increases access to reproductive care, including abortion and birth control,” Gish said. “That hasn’t happened by accident. It has happened because we here in California have demanded it. It’s the role of California to be a leader in the fight for reproductive justice. We cannot just rest on our laurels while women in other states struggle to access the care they need. It’s our job to prove that women’s healthcare can be prioritized.”

Land added that women and abortion rights supporters can count on West Hollywood city leaders to continue the fight for women’s right to choose. She encouraged people to contact their lawmakers and lobby them to oppose any efforts to repeal or restrict access to abortion.

“[In West Hollywood], we are sometimes a bubble in the middle of so much,” Land added. “In 1993, we were the first city to declare ourselves a pro-choice city. It speaks to the importance of policy makers.”