Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is a left-of-center abortion advocacy group that advocates for left-of-center abortion policies as well as left-of-center positions on LGBT issues, illegal immigration, environmentalism, and “economic justice” in Kentucky.

The group is a state-level affiliate of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) and claims to represent members of various religious denominations who are support abortion and strongly oppose right-of-center positions on abortion including the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of the purported federal right to abortion under Roe v. Wade. The group is affiliated with other left-of-center abortion-supporting groups including the Anti-Defamation League, Catholics for Choice, and the National Council of Jewish Women. ¹

Background

Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is a state-level affiliate of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), which was formed in 1967 by an “underground network” of ministers and rabbis called the Clergy Consultation Service. Members of the coalition referred women to abortion clinics prior to the federal legalization of most abortions under the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. Following Roe v. Wade, the group was renamed the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights. In 1993, the group adopted its current name. ^{2 3}

Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice was formed with startup funding from the Playboy Foundation, a now-defunct foundation associated with the adult media brand Playboy Enterprises, and later the Ford Foundation. ⁴

Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice acts as the state chapter of the national organization and centers its focus on advocacy and promoting abortion access policies in Kentucky. Tax filings for the organization state that the group was formed in 1994. Like the national organization, the group states, “We believe that a woman’s right to make reproductive choices is sacred and fundamental to religious freedom” and opposes “government interference and coercion in family decisions about when and whether to have children.” The group hosts events and publishes opinion pieces stating support for abortion from the religious community and strongly opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The stated members of the organization mirror the national pro-abortion organizations and religious groups that are members of the national RCRC. ^{5 6}

Activities

Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice conducts pro-abortion advocacy and outreach efforts and strongly opposed a state law in Kentucky limiting most abortions after 15 weeks’ gestation following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The group stated to the media that it “plans to distribute stickers to inform people about the availability of medical abortions and to spread the word that abortions are still legal” after the state law was stayed by a federal judge in 2022. ⁷

In 2022, the group hosted a “jazz-themed wake” for Roe v. Wade ahead of the expected overturning of the decision that featured “New Orleans-styled jazz music and several speakers who support the current interpretation of the law.” ⁸

People

Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is chaired by Wayne Gnatuk, a retired pastor of the Presbyterian Church USA who worked in several congregations in the Louisville, Kentucky area. The group maintains a staff of two part-time employees working on outreach and development respectively. ⁹

Associated Religious Groups

Denominations the Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice lists as “supporting choice” include the Episcopal Church; Conservative, Reform, Humanist, and Reconstructionist Jewish denominations; the Metropolitan Community Church; and the Unitarian Universalist United Church of Christ. ¹⁰

KCRC lists as “caucuses/organizations” the ​American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, Catholics for Choice, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Disciples for Choice, the Episcopal Women’s Caucus, Jewish Women International, Lutheran Women’s Caucus, the National Council of Jewish Women, Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options (PARO), and the Presbyterian Mission Agency. ¹¹

1. “About KRCRC.” Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://krcrc.weebly.com/about-krcrc.html
2. “History.” Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Accessed October 13, 2023. http://rcrc.org/history/
3. Mark Tooley. “Aborting Churches.” National Review Online. February 10, 2006. Accessed October 13, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/2006/02/aborting-churches-mark-tooley/
4. Mark Tooley. “Aborting Churches.” National Review Online. February 10, 2006. Accessed October 13, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/2006/02/aborting-churches-mark-tooley/
5. “About KRCRC.” Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://krcrc.weebly.com/about-krcrc.html
6. “Kentucky religious coalition holds Jazz wake for Roe v Wade.” WLKY. May 23, 2022. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.wlky.com/article/kentucky-religious-group-holds-jazz-wake-for-roe-v-wade/40071585#
7. Hellman, Melissa and Simpson, April. “To imagine a world without Roe, look to Kentucky.” Center for Public Integrity. May 6, 2022. Accessed October 15, 2023.  https://publicintegrity.org/inside-publici/newsletters/watchdog-newsletter/world-without-roe-v-wade-abortion-look-to-kentucky/
8. “Kentucky religious coalition holds Jazz wake for Roe v Wade.” WLKY. May 23, 2022. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.wlky.com/article/kentucky-religious-group-holds-jazz-wake-for-roe-v-wade/40071585#
9. “Our Team.” Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://krcrc.weebly.com/our-team.html
10. “About KRCRC.” Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://krcrc.weebly.com/about-krcrc.html
11. “About KRCRC.” Kentucky Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://krcrc.weebly.com/about-krcrc.html