Moments ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled to allow exemptions for a broad range of employers seeking to deny birth control to employees as part of employer-sponsored health coverage, ultimately restricting access to birth control for thousands of Americans.

In response to today’s ruling, Rachel Fleischer, Executive Director of Young Invincibles, issued the following statement:

“Employers should not be given free rein to make health care decisions for their employees based on their own irrelevant personal beliefs, yet today’s decision confirms they can do just that. Contraception coverage, which should be covered at no cost under the Affordable Care Act, will now be in jeopardy for tens of thousands of Americans.

This ruling allows nearly any employer to exempt themselves from covering access to birth control to their employees – a pillar of the basic preventive care coverage requirements established by the Affordable Care Act.

Make no mistake, this is gender and racial discrimination at a national level. Those most harmed by this decision will be the less wealthy, and those with less access to reproductive care, historically Black and brown communities.

This is the latest attempt by the Trump Administration to limit access to affordable health care and step on anyone’s right to reproductive freedom. Reproductive coverage is a fundamental right, but as the Trump Administration and the Courts showed us today, it’s one we’re going to have to keep fighting for.

At Young Invincibles, we will continue to fight to ensure that our nation’s young people have access to the health care they need and deserve.”