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Will Fight For Our Equity

Forced-birth legislators aren’t just the stuff of faraway red states. Here in the 23rd district, Devin Carney has lost his way. He voted against the 2022 Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, even while several of his Republican colleagues joined with Democrats to pass this law. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, to protect my unimpeded access to medical care, I’ll be voting for Colin Heffernan for state representative — and exclusively for Democrats across the ballot.

The fact is, people of all ages, from preteens through elders, may need medical interventions that may be considered abortion or contraception by those who know little; yet these interventions may be necessary for many other purposes. Almost every woman I know is one of these people. The fact is, our medical needs cannot and should not be legislated by people we have never met and who know nothing about us, our bodies, or our circumstances. Like all other persons seeking medical care, our medical decisions should belong to us—not to the government, not to a judge, not to a police officer looking for a crime.

Poll after poll has shown that most Americans, and certainly most of us here in Connecticut, believe that these no-choice lawmakers are misguided. This issue is about much more than abortion. It’s about who we are and whether we will allow the government to interfere in our private medical decisions.

Americans believe in access to healthcare. We believe in privacy. And most of all we believe in equality. That’s what makes us, above all else, Americans. The National Organization of Women (NOW) and Planned Parenthood have endorsed Colin for state representative. Colin Heffernan will fight for our equality in Hartford. He and the Democratic Party will get my vote.

MaryAnn Iadarola

Old Saybrook