06/28/2022
The faculty and staff within the Kinesiology Department at Seattle University drafted and support the following statement advocating for healthcare for all and specifically supporting female-identifying individuals in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent decision. Please see the video from our chair and the written statement for more details.
Written statement:
The Kinesiology Department believes in our motto, "Exercise for life, Exercise for Everyone". But really, the motto goes beyond exercise to what exercise supports: the greater concept of health and well-being. So if we believe that health and well-being are for everyone, and as a department we comprise females, allies, and members of under-represented communities who are most often impacted by health inequity policies...if we align with the Jesuit practice of Cura personalis (or care of the whole person) and Seattle University's progressive mission of Social Justice for all...then we cannot possibly, in good conscience, stay silent in our support of women's health in response to the Supreme Court's recent ruling against Roe v Wade.
There have been important arguments being made for the impact of the Court's decision on the physical health of females: increases in an already high maternal mortality rate and incidence of unsafe abortions. But the concept of health is more than just physical: it must encapsulate mental, emotional, and spiritual spaces and incorporate not just the individual but the family, community, and society in which the individual belongs. We know that the impact of overturning Roe v Wade does not stop at the physical: the immediate increase in mental anxiety and emotional distress to many in the female-identifying US population has been palpable. Evidence suggests that women who are denied access to abortions are more likely to experience mental anxiety, lower life satisfaction and lower self-esteem than those who are able to legally and safely obtain abortions. And we know that the impact on health does not stop with the individual: the lack of choice will have a profound impact on the health of families, on the sustainability of communities, and on the connections built (or destroyed) within society. According to robust economic models, legalized abortion reduces the prevalence of teen pregnancy and teen brides while increasing women's education, labor force participation, occupational prestige and earnings, all of which can have incredible influence on not just the women but the societies in which the women live.
The faculty and staff within the Seattle University Kinesiology Department strive to consistently be role models for our students, as we use evidence-based practice to prepare them to be caring, compassionate, and informed health care providers for all members of our greater community. We will leave the discussions surrounding politics and power to our colleagues in disciplines better positioned to debate. But from the perspective of health equity, of improving health and well-being for individuals and communities alike, and empowering an empathetic healthcare workforce...we point to the evidence that destabilizing legalized abortion will have horrific and holistic health implications across the majority of US citizens.
We do not have all of the answers or even a few solutions at this time, but to the individuals, communities, and societies who have been physically, mentally, or emotionally harmed by the Supreme Court's decisions we want you to know: we see you, we believe you and we support you. You are not alone.
