These policies severely restrict standard-of-care services that are vital, and often life-saving, for millions of our UC patients. Underserved populations are particularly vulnerable to restrictions on care; healthcare systems that prohibit contraception and abortion significantly widen health inequities across the state of California.
We believe religious directives that prohibit essential services for women and LGBTQ+ people are antithetical to our UC values, our public, secular mission, and our commitment to equity, nondiscrimination, and care of the underserved. These restrictive systems of care harm vulnerable populations; UC affiliations with these entities elevate the needs of some patients at the expense of discriminating against others.
We are UC faculty, staff, students, trainees, and alumni sending a letter to UC President Michael Drake to oppose UC affiliations with health systems that prohibit critical services for women and LGBTQ+ people.