Dear Editor,
This is the year for Proposal 5.
Proposal 5, the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, which has been in the legislature since 2019, is almost certainly finally going to be voted on this year. If approved, it will give Vermont voters a chance to amend our constitution to include protections for reproductive rights.
I’m an 84-year-old male and I strongly support this legislation. People should have the right to determine how many children to have. Personally, my wife and I had three children, and the last was born in 1969. With agreement from my wife, I decided shortly after the third child to “get fixed.” I have had no regrets in making that decision, and we have two grandchildren. The Reproductive Liberty Amendment will protect the rights of current and future generations.
Giving people the opportunity to decide whether they should have a child at a particular point in their lives is going to affect millions of people. Approximately one in four women have had an abortion! It is an inherent right that they should be able to determine for their own health, the welfare of a possible offspring, and very importantly the impact on other lives.
Please urge your legislators to support Proposal 5 for the reproductive rights of everyone in Vermont.
Sincerely,
George Plumb,
Washington, Vt.