Navigating the Rollbacks in Protection of Reproductive and LGBTQI+ Rights in the US hero image

Navigating the Rollbacks in Protection of Reproductive and LGBTQI+ Rights in the US

A Guide for Financial Institutions

June 20, 2024
Authors
  • Paloma Muñoz Quick portrait

    Paloma Muñoz Quick

    Director, Human Rights Standards, BSR

  • Ife Ogunleye portrait

    Ife Ogunleye

    Manager, Technology Sectors, BSR

  • Samone Nigam

    Manager, Technology and Human Rights, BSR

The US has been undergoing a systematic rollback of reproductive and LGBTQI+ rights. Two years after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion is illegal in 14 states and healthcare providers and others who help patients face criminal penalties. At least 23 states limit or ban access to gender-affirming care, while hundreds of other anti-LGBTQI+ equality bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2023. 

Financial services companies and other businesses that process healthcare-related payments must grapple with the repercussions of this fragmented legal landscape. Healthcare bans and restrictions complicate the operating environments for business and raise material risks. They also have a chilling effect on companies concerned with operating responsibly. Financial institutions are now exposed to complex ethical dilemmas, such as how to comply with the law while respecting the reproductive and LGBTQI+ rights of their customers, users, and workforce.  

BSR’s new report, Navigating Rollbacks in Reproductive and LGBTQI+ Rights in the US: A Guide for Financial Institutions, is a practical resource for financial institutions and anyone seeking to engage them on reproductive and LGBTQI+ rights in the US context. The guide includes insights on: 

  • The rollbacks of legal protections for abortion and LGBTQI+ rights across the US;  
  • How financial institutions may impact abortion and LGBTQI+ rights, specifically discussing data practices, handling of law enforcement requests, financial de-risking activities, lobbying efforts, and discriminatory or inequitable provision of financial services;  
  • Material risks that result from failing to respect reproductive and LGBTQI+ rights; and 
  • Practical recommendations and case studies for navigating compliance with the law while respecting human rights. 

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