A religious charity seeks an exemption from a bill that would require it, and all other employers, to include coverage for prescription contraception in their health insurance plans for employees. An obstetrician, fearing that her patient will choose to have an abortion, refuses to inform her that prenatal tests have revealed a severe anomaly in the fetus she is carrying. A woman who wants to prevent pregnancy following unprotected sex with her husband goes to her local pharmacy to obtain emergency contraception, but the pharmacy refuses to fill her prescription because of a belief that the drug may destroy a fertilized egg.
At its core, religious freedom means that we are all free to make personal decisions based on our own beliefs and according to what is best for our health and the health of our families. It does not mean allowing particular religious groups to impose their religious beliefs and prohibitions on all of us.
Key Resources
> ACLU in Court to Challenge Religious Restrictions on Government-Funded Trafficking Victims’ Program
> Religious Liberty and Women's Health
> ACLU of Massachusetts v. Kathleen Sebelius, et al.
> Letter from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix to Catholic Healthcare West
> Sign the Pledge: I Stand In Support of Reproductive Rights!
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