When my wife and I decided to begin a family, our journey was far from simple. Like so many families across the country, we struggled to conceive naturally, and used In vitro fertilization (IVF) to have our son. My wife and I spent nearly a decade trying to get pregnant. We faced countless financial obstacles and inadequate information as we worked to navigate the healthcare system together.
Along the way, we found community in the programs that offered support and care during such a tumultuous time. From expensive tests to late diagnoses, it became clear that our medical system was not designed to support the needs of women and their reproductive health. As my wife’s pain was continually ignored by doctors, I began to empathize with and internalize her helplessness and feelings of inadequacy after every miscarriage. That personal fight has come to the forefront in New York State, where voters can vote "yes" on Prop 1 in November to protect our right to reproductive health care, including IVF, contraception and abortion.
As heartbreaking as this process was, it provided me, as a man, with a new perspective on the current state of reproductive healthcare. Reproductive and maternal healthcare should stem from a place of empathy, understanding and a commitment to do better for women and couples in this country who struggle with conceiving. This personal experience made me realize that men, too, have a stake in reproductive healthcare. It’s an issue that touches us deeply, whether as partners, fathers or individuals facing our own reproductive health issues.
This realization has fueled my advocacy for reproductive healthcare and underscores why it is vital for men to be involved. We need more men to engage in this conversation and push to support women and families facing reproductive challenges and choices. This November in New York, we can do just that by voting “yes” on Prop 1 — an amendment to permanently protect the right to reproductive healthcare, including IVF, birth control and abortion in our state constitution.
Thanks to current laws in New York, IVF is legal today in our home state. Yet across the country, we have seen attacks on IVF and other critical reproductive healthcare options. This is especially alarming for Black communities, given that we are more likely to receive inadequate healthcare and Black women face significantly higher rates of maternal mortality. With Prop 1, men can pick up the fight to permanently protect reproductive healthcare in New York.
Today in New York, reproductive rights are protected by state laws in New York, but laws can easily change depending on who is in power. While our state is known for being at the forefront of protecting these rights, including passing New York’s Reproductive Health Act in 2019, it is clear that power could shift to reflect a more pro-life agenda on any ballot. Despite the fact that the vast majority of Americans support reproductive rights, including abortion, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has allowed nearly half the states in the country to enact severe restrictions or outright bans on reproductive healthcare.
My path to parenthood with my wife was one of perseverance, countless doctor appointments, and finally, our incredible son, Senator. Yet that path could have been far more challenging in a different state, or at a different time. In Alabama, where the Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered children, the state's largest hospital paused IVF treatments, leaving countless hopeful families distraught. The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Alabama Fertility Specialists also paused treatments in an effort to ensure doctors and patients were protected from possible legal risks. I can only imagine the heartache and pain experienced by families who were waiting to begin IVF, only to learn politicians had blocked their chance to have a child.
Prop 1 puts the power in the hands of New Yorkers to ensure that our rights and reproductive freedoms can’t be rolled back. If passed, this amendment will add permanent protections for reproductive rights and pregnancy outcomes to the state constitution. This means the state cannot pass laws, or discriminate, against any New Yorker for their decision to have an abortion, or any other pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage.
As we continue the fight to ensure New Yorkers have equal access to healthcare, this work must include passing Prop 1 this November. As my wife and I raise our young son, I have a responsibility to ensure we protect the rights of the next generation of New Yorkers. Voting "yes" on Prop 1 will ensure New Yorkers' rights and reproductive freedoms are secure not just today, but in the future. When we pass Prop 1, we will send a clear signal to the country that this state is committed to protecting every New Yorkers' rights and reproductive freedoms—permanently.
