FACTS:
*Latina women represent 18 percent of the population but account for 21 percent of women seeking an abortion.
*By comparison, Black people, who made up 12.5 percent of the population, accounted for 38 percent of reported abortions.
*Non-Hispanic white people, who made up about 60 percent of the population, it was 33 percent.
There is a myth that Latinas, because of their Catholicism, would refuse to have an abortion if they had an unwanted pregnancy.
However, recent reports show that both myths do not match reality.
Latina women represent 18 percent of the population but account for 21 percent of women seeking an abortion.
By comparison, Black people, who made up 12.5 percent of the population, accounted for 38 percent of reported abortions, and for non-Hispanic white people, who made up about 60 percent of the population, it was 33 percent.
Part of that has to do with age: Latinos are much younger than white Americans, with an average age of 28, compared to 43 for white Americans. More Latino Americans may seek abortion care—and may be more affected by abortion bans—simply because a greater proportion of them are in their prime reproductive years. Younger Latinos certainly appear very concerned with access: Pollsters have found a higher level of support for abortion among Latinos under the age of 35.
Latinos are religious — but that doesn’t mean they’re anti-abortion
A common misconception is that because such a large proportion of the Latino population is Christian, Latinos are more likely to oppose abortion. Pollsters and strategists for both parties say that’s a myth for three reasons: Latinos aren’t as Christian as they once were, most Latinos don’t belong to Christian sects that advocate for political anti-abortion policies, and there are numerous factors beyond religion that shape Latino views on abortion.
Write a Reply or Comment
You should Sign In or Sign Up account to post comment.