Ruling on Hobby Lobby Draws Strong Outcry

Credit: Adam Fagen on Flickr, under Creative Commons 2.0

NEW YORK (WOMENSENEWS)–Women’s rights advocates are strongly objecting to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Monday ruling in the Hobby Lobby contraception case.

“This appalling decision by the Supreme Court further erodes a woman’s autonomy over her own body and healthcare,” said Christine Palm, communications director of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. “To invest corporations with the power to be a regulating force over private matters sets a very bad precedent, and it cannot be overlooked that this decision affects women, not the full spectrum of the workforce.”

“The decision to use birth control is a woman’s personal decision and her boss should not be able to interfere with her ability to access this important health benefit,” said Tanya Atkinson, vice president of Public Affairs and Education at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.

A Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that 61 percent of people support the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage requirement.

Twitter users reacted to the news via the hashtags #NotMyBossBusiness and #MyBodyMyChoice

Disappointed in SCOTUS’ decision today. No woman should be told how she should handle her health and body by her employer #NotMyBossBusiness

— Victoria Pierce (@hrh_victoria) June 30, 2014

For-profit corporations are NOT people. This precendent is dangerous. #SCOTUS @HobbyLobbyStore #NotMyBossBusiness

— Adrienne F (@moosafacles) June 30, 2014

SCOTUS’s #HobbyLobby decision is a major disappointment for women’s rights. Expected more #mybodymychoice

— Liz (@LizLawNYC) June 30, 2014

I am so livid. Is this ruling a joke. This is disgusting. I am a person. It is #MyBodyMyChoice #NotMyBossBusiness

— Blanca Florence?? (@blancacakes) June 30, 2014

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Hobby Lobby and other for-profit corporations can refuse to cover contraceptives, NPR reported June 30. Hobby Lobby’s owners objected to the Affordable Care Act’s contraception provision based on the grounds of religious freedom.

The court ruled 5-4 in the case but the decision will not take down the entire law, Politico reported. Seven of the justices rejected the Obama administration’s argument that for-profit companies cannot claim religious freedoms. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg were the only justices to argue that companies do not have such rights.

The White House reacted to the ruling and warned that women’s health will be jeopardized, The Associated Press reported. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that women should make personal health decisions for themselves.

The Obama administration is looking into how many women could be affected by the decision. Earnest added that Congress should take action to assist women affected by the decision.