Hawaii was the first state to legalize abortion, but in 2022 it has yet to ensure that everyone has access. Out of the eight Hawaiian Islands, only two (Oahu and Maui) have abortion centers.
Every year, thousands of people have to travel to get an abortion. Some, due to limited budgets, can’t get one at all. People need abortions, but due to poverty, they are unable to get one because of the high cost.
About 260,000 of Hawaii’s residents live in areas so rural that they have to travel to get an abortion. Abortions can cost up to $1,000 and plane tickets more than $300. And that doesn’t even include hotels.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, we have been thinking more about what access to abortion means. It is simple: Everyone needs to be able to have a safe abortion, no matter where they live or how much money they have.
Estella Lundquist
Waikiki
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