Clergy for Choice Central Coast is a coalition of over 80 faith leaders from Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Unitarian Universalist, and other religious traditions in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. We believe that the intimate and personal decisions around reproductive health belong, not in the hands of politicians, but in the hearts of individuals making choices about their own lives.

Too often, people assume that religious leaders are united in their opposition to abortion and reproductive rights. But, just like an overwhelming majority of Americans, many of us affirm that these complex decisions are best handled in the privacy of a doctor’s office or, if they so choose, in counsel with their own minister, rabbi, priest, or other religious advisor. For example, Catholics for Choice remind us that 68% of Catholics did not want Roe overturned.

With Californians having received their ballots, we want to provide resources for voters who see reproductive rights as a top priority. From your local school boards and other local races, we recommend you go to the Planned Parenthood Central Coast Action Fund website for their Voter Guide, www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-central-coast-action-fund/elections  Reproductive freedom and abortion rights cross all parties and independents as elections have shown.

Finally, Clergy for Choice Central Coast agrees with this statement from the nationwide Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice: “Make no mistake: denying someone the inherent right to exercise their divinely given moral agency and bodily autonomy, and to make decisions about their family and future, is a violation of both human rights and religious freedom.”

Steering Committee for Clergy for Choice Central Coast,

Rev. Mark Asman, Santa Barbara

Rev. Caroline Hall, Los Osos

Rev. Julia Hamilton, Santa Barbara

Rabbi Micah Hyman, San Luis Obispo

Rabbi Michael Lotker, Camarillo

Rev. David Moore, Santa Barbara

Rev. Betty Stapleford, Thousand Oaks