Alexandria's Abortion Access Resolution Draws Supporters, Opponents

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Amid interruptions from people opposed to abortion rights, Alexandria City Council approved a resolution Tuesday affirming actions to promote abortion access.

People holding signs both in support and against abortion rights were present for City Council's discussion and approval of the resolution. The resolution was introduced by Councilmember Kirk McPike in response to the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which reversed federal abortion protections under the 1973 Roe v. Wade. McPike said the resolution stems from discussions City Council had about reproductive health access after the Supreme Court opinion was leaked.

"Fortunately, right now, we are in Virginia, and in Virginia, abortion remains legal," McPike said. "And there's nothing we can do from this dais or this council to override state law. So if that changes, we will not be able to prevent that. But what we can do is work within the powers that we have as a city body to ask our city manager and our city attorney to take on active roles in helping us protect this right to reproductive choice here in our city."

The resolution calls on the Virginia General Assembly and Congress to take actions to protect abortion access and opposes any restrictions on abortion by either the federal government or the Virginia state government.

It also requests several actions on the city government level. The resolution directs the city attorney to get involved in ongoing or future litigation to protect abortion services in Alexandria. The city manager would be asked to work with the director of planning and zoning and the city attorney to review land-use regulations regarding clinics providing abortion services. Officials would be asked to propose zoning text amendments to provide administrative approvals for these clinics in commercial or mixed-use zones. In addition, the city manager would be directed to consider budget proposals for the next annual budget to ensure low-income residents have access to reproductive health services, safe abortion services and maternal and child health services.

Other councilmembers shared support for abortion rights.

Councilmember Alyia Gaskins noted her perspective was informed by being an elected official, Black woman, Christian and mother, and she is also pregnant with her second child. She said everyone should be able to make decisions that impact their bodies.

"It is each of our right to shape our families and to have access to the health care we need," said Gaskins. "These recent actions by the Supreme Court are an attack on that right, and it's coming in the midst of a time when we are dealing with a formula shortage, when we're dealing with significant inflation, where everything you need to support a child in this world costs more and more and more. It's coming at a time when we do not have guaranteed parental leave for women or for men, when childcare costs are extremely high."

Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and Councilmember Sarah Bagley spoke out against anti-abortion signs displayed in City Council Chambers.

"What I don't see is the woman whose life was saved because the ectopic pregnancy would have killed her," said Bagley. "What I don't see in these photos is the woman who desperately wanted a child and was told that the fetal abnormalities would never have survived birth. What I don't see in these photos is the woman who is stuck in an abusive relationship, has no way to raise this child, to care for it, and who is making a decision that she deems best for herself."

"I look at these and the same thing I'm thinking, where are the women whose choice it was, but maybe it wasn't a choice at all?" Jackson said. "Maybe the women that have had these abortions, it wasn't because they wanted to, it was because they couldn't carry it to term for whatever reason. But then those women now going to be considered murderers of their own children they wanted to carry. This isn't just a physical toll. This is an emotional one."

McPike noted people on both sides of the abortion issue were present but believes the resolution represents the majority of Alexandria residents. McPike was also present at an abortion rights rally held by Planned Parenthood last Friday along with Councilmember Sarah Bagley, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and state Sen. Adam Ebbin. McPike estimated over 100 people attended the rally outside the federal courthouse in Alexandria.

Mayor Justin Wilson said he normally doesn't prefer resolutions about topics city government has no significant impact on. But the mayor noted the resolution has specific actions within the city's scope.

Wilson highlighted one email he received asking City Council to take actions to support mothers and their children rather than the abortion resolution. He argued that the same people speaking out against the resolution have not been present for discussions about resources for mothers and children.

"Whether we are investing in prenatal care, early childhood education, our schools, we have, including this Council over the last couple years, steered an ever-growing amount of resources to protecting mothers and children in our community," said Wilson. "And I can't help but note that we were here in the spring making budgetary decisions about those supports for mothers and children, I didn't see a chamber full of people, I didn't see a lot of signs, I didn't get a couple hundred emails about it."

The approval of the resolution was unanimous. As councilmembers shared remarks on the resolution, numerous people who attended the meeting were removed from Council Chambers.