| Ohio Right to Life | |
| Established: | --> |
| Founder: | John C. Willke |
| Dissolved: | --> |
| Type: | Non-governmental organization |
| Purpose: | Activism |
| Headquarters: | Columbus, Ohio |
| Region Served: | --> |
| Languages: | --> |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Mike Gonidakis |
| Leader Title2: | Executive director |
| Leader Name2: | Peter Range |
| Publication: | --> |
| Parent Organisation: | --> |
Ohio Right to Life is an anti-abortion group based in Columbus, Ohio. It was established in 1967 by Jack Willke and his wife, Barbara. Its president is Michael Gonidakis, who Ohio Governor John Kasich appointed to the state medical board in 2012.
Ohio Right to Life was established in 1967 by Jack Willke and his wife, Barbara.[1] [2] It was incorporated as the Ohio Right to Life Society Inc., with its main offices located in Cleveland, shortly before a state abortion law change was approved by the Ohio House Health and Welfare Committee.[3]
The organization has drawn criticism from other anti-abortion groups for not supporting six-week abortion bans, which it considers to be too drastic a challenge to Roe v. Wade. Instead, they favor "chipping away" at Roe incrementally, beginning with laws banning abortion after 20 weeks' gestation.[4] In 2011, the organization and the Catholic Conference of Ohio opposed a "fetal heartbeat bill", HB 125, introduced in the legislature in 2011.[5] Because of its opposition to six-week abortion bans, Willke himself criticized the organization that year, saying, "...after nearly 40 years of abortion on demand, it's time to take a bold step forward."[6]
In 2017, the organization attempted to lobby the Ohio state legislature to ban dilation and evacuation, a procedure primarily used for second trimester abortions. The suggested ban would not have made exceptions for rape and incest. The suggested ban would have allowed the procedure in cases where it would save the life of the mother or allowed the procedure for miscarriages.[7]
Ohio Right to Life's president is Michael Gonidakis, who was appointed to the state medical board in 2012 by Governor John Kasich.[8] Peter Range is executive director as of 2023.[9]