Introduction: Our Brand Statement
Following the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we want to make it abundantly clear that Marbela Cosmetics currently and will always support the reproductive rights of all. First let’s clarify, why is a health & beauty company getting political? Marbela’s mission is to help people love and nurture themselves. When the rights over one’s own body are obstructed, then our consumers can no longer put their care first. For that reason, we’re taking this personally. We are extremely disappointed by Justice Clarence Thomas’s statement on Lawrence, Griswold and Obergfell, three more cases that protect civil liberties of U.S. citizens which he hopes to overturn as well. As a woman-owned business, we want to be very clear that we support your reproductive rights, and we will fight, donate and educate alongside our consumers in order to help build a brighter future.
Education: Let's Get the Facts!
There has been lots of information flooding your screens, so here are some facts of this case so that you can come to your own conclusions about the topic.
First and most importantly, the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade stripped individuals of their federal protection to a safe and legal abortion, but it is not a federal ban on abortions. To clarify, this leaves the decision up to individual states to decide if they want to protect those rights within state laws.
Here is a breakdown of states that protect the right to a legal abortion:
- There are a few states in the U.S. that protect the right to a legal abortion and have gone further to expand upon those rights. The expansions include healthcare costs, time off work, etc. The states with expanded rights are as follows: Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut
- The following states also protect the right to a legal abortion: Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, Florida
Secondly, Justice Clarence Thomas, a conservative judge on the Supreme Court, made a statement threatening rights protected by three other SCOTUS decisions. The cases he cited in his statement are as follows: Griswold v. Connecticut (the court case which protects the right to contraception) Lawrence v. Texas (the court case that decriminalized same sex sexual relationships) and finally Obergefell v. Hodges (the court case which protects the right to same sex marriage). In other words, Roe v. Wade was only one of a few cases that Clarence Thomas believes “are all a part of the same constitutional fabric,” and he does not believe that those rights should be protected federally either. If the Supreme Court were to hypothetically overturn those cases, it would not be a federal ban on same sex relationships, marriages and contraception, but it would be left up to the states to decide if they would ban any of those rights.
It is crucial to do your research on how your state representatives feel about those cases as well because it is a possibility that those could be decisions of the state someday too.
Best Places to Donate to Protect a Woman's Right to Choice
It is safe to say that when it comes to politics, money talks. If you find yourself frustrated by the SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and are in a financial position to help, there are many organizations that are actively working to help protect a woman’s right to the most intimate decisions.
Since its establishment, Planned Parenthood has set out to protect the reproductive rights of all women. In fact, Marbela is donating 1% of profits on each order to Planned Parenthood.
Another great place to donate is the National Network of Abortion Funds (or NNAF for short).
Both Planned Parenthood and the NNAF have features on their website where you can either donate once or set up a monthly donation. In addition, both donation platforms are federally recognized, so you can feel sound knowing your money is going to protect the rights of anyone with a uterus. If you are not in a position to donate finances, donating time is always a great way to stand up for a cause you believe in. Whether that be having difficult conversations with family and spreading the word or going to protests and fighting alongside others who believe in protecting women’s rights, there is no “bad” donation, so do what you can and be mindful of others.
A Call to Action for All Georgian's and Customers Living in Red and Swing States
When people think of “getting out to vote”, they typically think of the Presidential elections that happen every four years. However, it is so important to emphasize the impact that the midterm elections have on a woman’s right to bodily autonomy. Because there is no federal protection for Roe v. Wade, it will be up to state governors to decide what legislation will go into effect in each state on abortion. That being said, it is critical to do your research on the gubernatorial candidates in all of your home states!
It is no secret that the state our home base is in, Georgia, is one of the swing states that the country will be watching this fall. For the first time since Jimmy Carter was elected president, Georgia appeared blue on your TVs as you were watching votes counted and states called in the 2020 election. This fall the gubernatorial candidates in the state of Georgia are Brian Kemp, the current governor of Georgia and his opponent is Stacey Abrams. While Brian Kemp's website does not address reproductive rights as one of his factors he will be running on in the fall, throughout his first term as governor he signed a “heartbeat bill,” in the state of Georgia. This bans abortions after the first heartbeat is detected, which is written into the bill at 6 weeks. Stacy Abrams on the other hand, lists the protection of reproductive rights for all as one of the topics she will be running on. She makes it very clear in the policy section of her website that she will protect a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion should she be elected in the fall. Truly, it takes little time to read campaign websites of the candidates running for governor in your state. Make sure you read into the policies that each individual will be running on and make the best decision backed by education and facts!
In Summary:
In conclusion, we want to make it crystal clear that Marbela supports the right to a safe and legal abortion for any woman who should need one; we support the reproductive rights of anyone with a uterus, regardless of how you identify. Our brand was built on the foundation of feeling your best from the inside out, and we realize that the journey to self confidence looks extremely different for everyone. We ask you to be compassionate and open to hearing opinions from people that do not look like you who are affected by this decision. That may be women of color, transgender individuals, or non binary people because this decision affects so many more people than cis gender white women. Finally, use your privilege to demand empathy, stand up for one another, stand with one another and know that Marbela supports the human right to bodily autonomy above all. We are stronger together.
