Planned Parenthood Great Rivers has named political organizer and health care advocate Margot Riphagen to lead the St. Louis-based organization.
Riphagen has been the organization’s vice president of external affairs since April and was a leader in the coalition of abortion rights supporters that led to Amendment 3 passing. Voters in November approved the ballot initiative that placed the right to an abortion in the Missouri Constitution, effectively overturning the state’s ban.
She takes over Monday, replacing Yamelsie Rodriguez, who stepped down as CEO last winter. Attorney Richard Muniz has been serving as the organization’s interim CEO.
Previously, Riphagen worked at NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri (now Abortion Action Missouri), a field director for a union for home health workers and as director of a union that represents medical residents.
St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Fentem spoke with Riphagen about what she hopes to achieve as the organization fights to restore access to abortion in the state after the passage of Amendment 3 in November.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Sarah Fentem: Voters passed Amendment 3, but abortions aren’t being performed in the state. What do you think will happen?
Margot Riphagen: While the Jackson County judge did block many of the state's current abortion laws and restrictions, she left the state's burdensome licensing requirements in place. So we filed a motion to reconsider because the state's licensing requirements discriminate specifically against abortion providers.
We plan on continuing to fight to reopen our doors for abortion access in the state of Missouri. And in the meantime, we are going to continue doing what we have been doing, which is making sure that folks have access just across the river at our state-of-the-art Fairview Heights health center.
Fentem: What happens if judges keep the disputed clinic requirements in place?
Riphagen: I want to be clear, Planned Parenthood does, will and always will follow the law.
[But] the laws unjustly target us, and it's politically motivated, and the anti-abortion folks know what they are doing and are passing these laws in order to create obstacles that are significant enough to be able to stop us from truly being able to provide that service.
So my goal is to continue this fight, to amplify this fight, to bring and to continue bringing in the voices of Missouri voters that overwhelmingly passed Amendment 3. From my perspective, what is different in this moment is the will of the people.
Fentem: I think some people who supported abortion rights were disappointed in Planned Parenthood’s support for Amendment 3, particularly about language around viability. Do you think that in order to maintain access to abortion in red states such as Missouri, the organization needs to make concessions to more conservative politicians and officials?
Riphagen: From my point of view, Amendment 3 was the right thing at the right time for the state of Missouri, which is why we had a broad coalition behind it.
It is why Missouri voters voted for it. So when I think about what this looks like going forward, we will continue to adapt. We will continue to listen to the voters, listen to the people of Missouri for what they truly need. Because it is about expanding access. It is about making sure that we are able to open our doors.
Amendment 3 had broad bipartisan support across the state. This was not a left-versus-right issue. When we were mobilizing voters in order to vote for Amendment 3, we were talking to folks across the spectrum, because fundamentally … it is a freedom issue. It is about folks being able to make their own decisions about their own bodies, and that is understood broadly by folks across the political spectrum.
Fentem: Some of the state’s politicians have talked about passing legislation that would put restrictions back on abortion procedures. Is that something you’re concerned about?
Riphagen: We are concerned about the fact that they are doing it, and we are concerned that they are ignoring the will of the voters. I am also confident that the will of the voters will prevail in this situation.
It’s the endless shenanigans of the Missouri legislature that will continue to be an obstacle, and we will continue to fight until we do. [I want to] break that Republican supermajority until we are able to be in a place where the will of the people truly is respected, because for us, this is also a democracy issue, right? The people have spoken. Let's move forward.
The people of Missouri understand that abortion access is a critical key to health care access in the state of Missouri, that it should not be politicized, that legislators have no room in our exam rooms. And our goal – and my goal – is to make sure that that voice is heard loudly and clearly.
Fentem: What are your biggest goals for the coming months?
Riphagen: To continue to provide high-quality, compassionate care … I remain unwavering in our commitment to provide the highest standard of care to our patients, and also with finding [ways] to innovate and provide access for those who need it no matter what.
The second priority is to fight back against anti-abortion politics. Looking ahead, we know that we face escalating challenges from anti-abortion politicians in Missouri and throughout the country. I'm sure you saw what happened in Rolla over the last few weeks. [The city council was considering an ordinance that could have hindered distribution of abortion medication.]
And then my last priority is really growing our deep roots in our communities. I believe, and I know that the strength of our organization comes from our connection to the people that we serve. My goal is to ensure we continue to deepen our relationships with communities across the region, especially those who have been historically underserved, overlooked or marginalized.
