Abortion rights advocates argue women need access to health care in post-Roe v. Wade era

Abortion rights rally for Amendment 4 campaign in Orlando.

Abortion rights advocates gathered for a virtual press conference supporting the November abortion rights initiative to mark the two-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned.

“None of us can really understand the complicated lives of the people around us,” advocate Anna Hochkammer said during the event.

Nobody sees a woman’s hidden health issues or the details of her personal life when she makes a decision to get an abortion, added Hochkammer, Executive Director of Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition and a Pine Crest council member in Miami-Dade County.

She said “a level of compassion and empathy for the complexity of human lives” is why she believes women need to make their own choices over their bodies.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, several states, including Florida, have passed abortion bans. Florida approved a 15-week abortion ban, then OK’d a six-week ban, which kicked in last month. Advocates argue the current law is almost a total ban since many women don’t know they are pregnant at six weeks.

Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis started the Florida Freedom Fund targeting Amendment 4, which would protect abortion rights, as well as Amendment 3, which would legalize marijuana.

“Once voters figure out how radical both of those are, they’re going to fail,” DeSantis said earlier this Spring, regarding the two ballot initiatives.

Hollywood City Commissioner Traci Callari, a practicing Catholic who works as a nurse, joined Hochkammer on Thursday’s call as they talked about why they support Amendment 4. The discussion touched on their faith and why they believe the government should not control what access women have.

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is opposed to Amendment 4 and telling its members to vote against it.

“This is one of those topics that people just don’t like to talk about,” Callari said. “We’re people, and we make mistakes. And in my belief, God forgives. … We’re all sinners, and regardless of what your sin is, you’re the one at the end of the day that has to answer on that.”