rePROs Fight Back (Jennie Wetter)
Explorez tous les épisodes de rePROs Fight Back
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08 Feb 2022 | Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion: Abortion Storytellers Part 1 | 01:14:57 | |
“We believe that everyone who has abortions deserves unconditional love and support. We believe that people who have abortions deserve to be in every space where decisions are being made. To borrow from the disability justice movement, there should be nothing about us without us. We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.” -We Testify.
For this incredibly special part one of our storytellers podcast series, tune in to hear the abortion stories of Anna, Sarah Lopez, Nick, and Stephanie Gomez—abortion storytellers from We Testify.
Links
Sign up to receive We Testify newsletters
Take Action
Follow We Testify on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date on their essential work. You can also sign up to receive We Testify newsletters here.
You can also to get involved with We Testify, find more abortion stories, or share your abortion story.
Love the episode art? Find more of graphic artist Sage M. Coffey’s work here! You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 26 Mar 2019 | The Future of Roe: Upcoming Cases Challenging Abortion Rights | 00:33:52 | |
We have previously talked about how the Trump administration is working to reshape the federal judiciary by implementing anti-choice and anti-science judges throughout the judiciary system in the U.S. Today, Brigitte Amiri with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) talks to us about important abortion-related cases that are currently working their way through the court system, and how these cases may have the ability to impact abortion access around the country. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 22 Feb 2022 | Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion: Abortion Storytellers Part 2 | 01:06:13 | |
“We believe that everyone who has abortions deserves unconditional love and support. We believe that people who have abortions deserve to be in every space where decisions are being made. To borrow from the disability justice movement, there should be nothing about us without us. We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.” -We Testify.
For this incredibly special part two of our storytellers podcast series, tune in to hear the abortion stories of Kelsea McLain, Jack Qu’emi, and Veronika—abortion storytellers from We Testify.
Links
Sign up to receive We Testify newsletters Passing the Women’s Health Protection Act Would Be Magical
Take Action
Follow We Testify on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date on their essential work. You can also sign up to receive We Testify newsletters here.
You can also to get involved with We Testify, find more abortion stories, or share your abortion story.
Love the episode art? Find more of graphic artist Sage M. Coffey’s work here!
The Senate will be voting on the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) on February 28th. Call your Senators and tell them to support passing WHPA!! You can call the Senate Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 08 Mar 2022 | SB8 Made it Even Harder for Young People to Get an Abortion in Texas | 00:39:11 | |
Young people face all the same barriers that adults face in accessing abortion care, but in states like Texas, youth also face a parental consent law. Rosann Mariappuram, Executive Director of Jane’s Due Process, sits down to talk with us about this extra barrier to care, and what it looks like after the passage of the six-week abortion ban, SB8.
While also having to navigate the labyrinth of general, state-based abortion restrictions (such as mandatory ultrasounds, 24-hour waiting periods, a lack of abortion clinics in the state, and taking time off work and school), those under 18 in Texas must also receive parental or guardian consent when accessing abortion care. For many young people this can be an especially difficult challenge. If consent cannot be obtained, young people must go through a judicial bypass, or speaking with a judge to obtain a court order to receive an abortion.
Judicial bypass processes often involve extremely invasive questions meant to gauge young people’s “intelligence or emotional stability.” Judges ask questions about the pregnancy, family life, grades, and other personal concerns. Texas’s passage of the six-week abortion ban, SB8, has complicated the judicial bypass process. The process, which already required two to three weeks of careful legal counseling, is forcing Jane’s Due Process staff to work under a tighter schedule. Still, this legislation has left many teens unattended in their need for abortion care; in fact, during the first month of SB8’s passage, abortion care in the state dropped by 50%, and 70-90% for young people.
Sex education is not required in the state of Texas, but if sex education is taught, the current curriculum does not necessitate the sharing of information on contraception and abortion, nor does the curriculum require LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Texas also has some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the U.S., especially for Black women. New research has shown that, while Black women make up only 11% of Texas births, they make up 30% of maternal deaths.
With no inclusive and supportive sex education and an extremely troubling maternal mortality status, Texas does not prove a hospitable state for exercising one’s reproductive health. Abortion is incredibly difficult to access, especially after the passage of the six-week ban. Many patients are being forced to travel outside of the state and spend considerable amounts of money on transportation methods and overnight accommodations, while abortion funds and clinics are continuing to face increasing barriers to providing care, emotional and mental stress, and legal repercussions. Follow Jane’s Due Process on Facebook and Twitter here and stay up-to-date on their important work.
Show love to abortion funds! You can find the abortion fund nearest you here. There’s many ways to help, including donating, volunteering, and fundraising!
You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 22 Mar 2022 | Faith and Repro: What Does Judaism say About Reproductive Rights and LGBTQ+ Rights | 00:49:58 | |
From abortion, to birth control, to LGBTQ+ issues, the Jewish faith informs many advocates, leaders, and believer’s work on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Rabbi Danya Ruttenburg, Scholar in Residence at the National Council of Jewish Women, sits down with us to talk about the ways Judaism and reproductive health and rights intersect.
Judaism teaches that abortion is permitted and is often required if the life of the pregnant person is threatened. Some stories in Jewish texts make it explicitly clear that, if the head has not emerged from the body, the life of the pregnant person takes precedent. Other stories in ancient texts describe the permitted use of medication abortion. In Jewish communities, these are the stories that inform conversations relating to conception, personhood, and the question of when life begins.
In the more patriarchal communities in Judaism, many practitioners approach Rabbis for permission to use birth control and continue to tie birth control usage to marriage status. Still, while Judaism has threads of pro-natalism and patriarchy within it, contraception is a much less hot-button topic than in Catholicism. In fact, when it comes to birth control, many methods are described in the Talmud. These methods include the mokh (an absorbent, wool insert) as well as the kos shel ikkarin (an herbal mix made up of roots).
Many scholars argue that mentions of LGBTQ+ issues in Jewish writings are consistently up to interpretation. Still, Jewish texts mention upwards of six or seven different sex and gender identities, and instead of rejecting, banishing, or ignoring, Judaism seeks to find ways to welcome gender nonconforming or gender non-binary people.
Links National Council of Jewish Women on Twitter National Council of Jewish Women on Facebook Rabbi Danya Ruttenburg’s Twitter Thread
Take Action Follow the National Council of Jewish Women on Facebook and Twitter!
To learn more about the ways LGBTQ+ issues and Judaism intersect, find transtorah.org here.
If you are a faith leader, take the initative to listen to LGBTQ+ and repro voices. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 09 Apr 2019 | Decriminalization as a Public Health Issue | 00:54:47 | |
Criminalization drives stigma, harms public health, and violates human rights. The imposition of criminal penalties exist across the U.S. and around the world, and it creates barriers to adequate and comprehensive health care for many populations. Beirne Roose-Snyder from the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) and Preston Mitchum from Advocates for Youth sit down with us to discuss how criminalization negatively impacts access to multiple types of care for the most vulnerable in our society. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 05 Apr 2022 | The Relentless Assault on Transgender Health and Rights | 00:42:22 | |
Across the country, measures are being introduced to restrict gender-affirming healthcare, ban LGBTQ+ books, and prevent trans girls and women from participating in sports. Katelyn Burns, the first openly trans Capitol Hill reporter in U.S. history, freelance journalist, MSNBC columnist, and co-host of podcast Cancel Me Daddy, sits down to talk with us about recent and increasing attacks on the health and rights of transgender people across the U.S.
Conservatives around the country have stepped up their attacks on trans rights with the attacks falling into a couple of different buckets. Conservative lawmakers are working to ban books about LGBTQ+ orientations and identities in schools and libraries. Florida has recently passed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which explicitly bans classroom discussion about LGBTQ+ issues, further empowers parents to sue school districts, and requires schools to disclose to parents when their child receives mental health services. At the same time, more than a dozen states have passed legislation that limit transgender girls competing in school sports. A total of 15 states this year have enacted or are considering laws that would limit or ban gender-affirming care—including puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy—for transgender youth. In Texas, the most recent law attacking gender-affirming care has arranged for the state’s Department of Family and Child Services to class provision of gender-affirming care to someone under 18 as child abuse.
Even with all of these attacks on trans rights it’s not all terrible news, on the Transgender Day of Visibility, the White House unveiled a host of meaningful policy rollouts, including having an “X” as one’s gender marker on one’s U.S. passport, working with airlines and the TSA on deprioritizing gender altogether when it comes to air travel, and the replacement of gender binary airport security scanners.
Links Human Rights Campaign rally information White House Release on Transgender Day of Visibility The massive Republican push to ban trans athletes, explained Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill would erase families like mine You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 12 Apr 2022 | BMHW22: The Current Status of Black Maternal Health in the U.S. | 00:31:41 | |
It’s officially Black Maternal Health Week 2022! Dr. Jamila Taylor, Director of Healthcare Reform and Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation, sits down to talk with us about the current status of Black maternal health in the U.S., as well as what access to abortion, pregnancy and delivery care, and COVID-19 services look like for Black pregnant people and other people of color in this country.
Even though the United States spends more per capita on health care than any other country, the maternal mortality rate is steadily worsening. Just last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that Black women are three times more likely to die from maternal health issues and maternal morbidity than white women. These rates have steadily increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Social and structural inequality as well as racism in the healthcare system continue to contribute to the poor health outcomes of Black women. Racism in healthcare can result in physical and mental health impacts, weathering (wear and tear on the body), and increased likelihood of experiencing complications during the pregnancy and birthing process.
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the ways in which marginalized communities continue to be further marginalized when it comes to healthcare access. The pandemic’s restrictions on those allowed inside hospitals and clinics impacted Black birthing people’s abilities to bring along companions into medical settings, like a friend, family member, or doula to serve as an additional patient advocate.
Already, the U.S. is experiencing a maternal mortality and morbidity crisis, but tacking on extreme attacks to abortion care will worsen health outcomes. A possible overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court in June will leave the United States woefully unprepared for a worsening maternal mortality crisis, exacerbated by a lack of access to abortion care for millions. States that are most likely to pass the most draconian abortion restrictions are the states with the highest maternal mortality rates, mostly concentrated in the American south.
The Momnibus package, which has been led by Congresswoman Lauren Underwood and Congresswoman Alma Adams, is a package of 12 bills that address almost every dimension of the Black maternal health crisis. This package of legislation addresses a variety of intersectional Black maternal health concerns, including the social determinants of health, vaccinations, climate, housing, insurance coverage and more. Passage of the Momnibus would make a momentous difference in addressing the U.S. Black maternal health crisis.
Links The Century Foundation on Twitter The Century Foundation on Facebook You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 19 Apr 2022 | How Intimate Partner Violence is a Reproductive Justice Issue: A Personal Conversation | 00:39:59 | |
Trigger Warning: In this episode we talk about intimate partner violence. If you need help or to talk to someone you can call or chat the National Domestic Violence Hotline at https://www.thehotline.org/ 1-800-799-SAFE or the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) at https://www.rainn.org/ 1-800-656-HOPE.
Intimate partner violence (IPV), or abuse or aggression in intimate or romantic relationships, takes many forms, including physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, financial violence, and psychological aggression. Monica Edwards, Federal Policy Manager at Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity (URGE), talks to us about the ways in which IPV and reproductive health, rights, and justice intersect, and the communities most impacted by IPV.
SisterSong’s definition of reproductive justice is “human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” Forms of IPV that are directly connected to reproductive health and reproductive justice include tampering with contraception, contraceptive coercion, and “stealthing,” (the removal of a condom during sexual intercourse without a partner’s consent), among other forms. Those seeking abortion care may be unable to do so because they are in an IPV situation, and research from the Turnaway Study has shown that those who cannot access an abortion are more likely to stay with abusive partners. Those who are experiencing violence—intimate partner violence, police violence, violence from the state, etc.—are not living in safe and sustainable communities, and therefore cannot fulfill their reproductive justice.
It is important to note that IPV directly impacts different communities in different ways. A recent study has found that homicide is the leading cause of maternal mortality for pregnant people in the United States. Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) experience IPV disproportionately. Young people—whether teens or young adults—can experience IPV or what’s known as “teen dating violence,” and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 1 in 12 teens experience dating violence and 1 in 12 teens experienced sexual dating violence.
How do we address these issues that demand immediate attention? Having open, honest, and intersectional conversations that uplift and center the experiences of communities that are consistently oppressed. This rule is as true for intimate partner violence as it is for reproductive health and abortion and contraception access.
Links You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 23 Apr 2019 | Voting Rights as a Reproductive Justice Issue | 00:41:43 | |
Everybody who is of voting age has the right to register to vote, vote in an election, and have their votes accurately tallied. It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about it, but voting rights are an important part of reproductive health, rights, and justice. Marcela Howell, President and CEO of In Our Own Voice: the National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, sits down with us to discuss why exercising your right to vote is critical in achieving reproductive justice for all. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 03 May 2022 | Papua New Guinea: Providing Reproductive Health Care in a Highly Stigmatized Environment | 00:43:35 | |
Note: We recorded this episode prior to the leaked document showing the Supreme Courts intent to overturn the right to abortion. While unfortunately we don’t talk about it in the episode we will be recording an emergency episode soon to talk about what happened.
Women and girls in the Pacific region face a variety of barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare. Geographic isolation, lack of bodily autonomy, and some of the world’s highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence contribute to high maternal mortality, low contraceptive prevalence and pervasive gender inequality. Myths and misconceptions around sex, reproduction and gender norms are rife, creating stigma and further impacting access to SRHR services. Kelly Durrant, External Relations Director at MSI Asia Pacific, speaks to us about addressing some of these challenges.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is the largest country in the pacific and the third largest island nation globally, home to approximately 9 million people—85% of which live in rural locations. Even before the pandemic, the country battled high rates of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal and child mortality, and inadequate primary healthcare in rural areas. MSI Asia Pacific has worked in Papua New Guinea since 2006, and is the largest – and in many provinces, the only – SRHR provider in the country. Teams of MSI-trained healthcare workers, community mobilizers and educators travel by plane, boat, or jeep to reach remote communities that are often inaccessible by road. In many cases, these outreach visits are the only way that these communities can access high-quality information, counselling and services to meet their sexual and reproductive healthcare needs and chose if and when to have children. Limited exposure to sexual and reproductive health education in tandem with social expectations related to the role of women in society means providers in the country must work to bust myths and address stigma related to contraception. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated poor health outcomes.
The country also has some of the worst rates of gender-based violence globally, with some statistics estimating that 2 out of 3 women in PNG have experienced gender-based violence, rates of which have been worsened by the pandemic. MSI Asia Pacific works at a government level, community level, and individual level, to advocate for policy change, increase education, confront bias, and better deliver care. Involving faith leaders and men and boys in sexual and reproductive health education (balanced carefully with women and girl’s autonomy to make their own reproductive decisions) de-stigmatizes services.
Links You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 05 May 2022 | Emergency Podcast: SCOTUS Looks Ready to Completely Overturn Roe | 00:54:24 | |
On May 2nd, 2022, a Politico article was released that contained a leaked copy of the Supreme Court’s draft decision of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that would most likely have been released formally in June or July of this year. The leaked decision, penned by Justice Samuel Alito, overturns Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that guaranteed the constitutionality of abortion in the U.S. Caroline Reilly, Reporting Fellow with Rewire News Group, sits down to talk with us about the recent leaked draft and what this decision means for the future of abortion in America.
The leaked draft ultimately upholds Mississippi’s 15-week ban at the heart of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, overturns Roe v. Wade, and overturns Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, which ruled that patients cannot face “undue burden” when attempting to access an abortion. Technically and currently, abortion is still legal in all 50 states. This draft is not a ruling, but a window into what the Supreme Court is possibly planning to decide regarding the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case.
If the Supreme Court indeed rules in line with the leaked draft, it will mean abortion will be illegal in half of the country. 26 states are likely to ban abortion if Roe is overturned. Those states and others will also likely take the opportunity to pass additional legislation that severely restrict or ban abortion care. This will lead to broad swaths of the country where abortion is inaccessible, and smatterings of states where abortion is accessible— leading to overwhelmed reproductive healthcare infrastructure in the states that do offer abortion care.
As the U.S. faces these unprecedented attacks, we must remember that abortion is healthcare, abortion is freedom, and abortion is autonomy, and that the majority of Americans support upholding Roe. The fight to ensure access to basic, timely, and critical reproductive healthcare will continue.
Links Center for Reproductive Rights “If Roe Fell” map Take Action Items
Follow Caroline Reilly on Twitter and Rewire News Group on Facebook and Twitter! If you can, donate to Rewire News Group, which is one of the only publications based in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
If you hav You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 17 May 2022 | How are States Prepping for the Fall of Roe? | 00:31:10 | |
In the 2022 state legislative session, over 500 abortion restrictions were introduced, with many extreme and restrictive anti-abortion bills passing. Rachel Sussman, Vice President of State Policy and Advocacy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, talks to us about what the recent Supreme Court leak that threatens Roe v. Wade means for multiple states in the South and Midwest United States.
Many states have gotten a head start on introducing harmful anti-abortion legislation. In fact, Oklahoma and Idaho have enacted copycats of Texas’s S.8.—a bill that bans abortion after only six weeks of pregnancy and allows for private citizens to enforce the law against each other through legal action. Oklahoma’s law is officially in effect (PPFA has asked for a stay on the law and is waiting on the decision), while the Idaho law has been stopped at the state court level. Florida, Kentucky, and Arizona have all enacted 15-week abortion bans which will go into effect with the upholding of the case at the center of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In addition, Louisiana is contemplating a law that would allow patients to be charged with homicide (which comes with the death penalty in the state) if they receive an abortion. The bill could also criminalize emergency contraception, invitro fertilization, and birth control. (Since we recorded Louisiana lawmakers have taken a step back from this bill for now.)
There are 26 states that are positioned to ban abortion with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, mostly throughout the Midwest and the South. This will leave entire regions of the country geographically stranded when it comes to access to abortion care. Abortion providers, clinics, and funds in states that will continue to provide abortion care will undoubtedly experience extreme logistical and structural challenges while attempting to absorb the patients traveling from out-of-state. Still, there are several states that are working to support and protect abortion in direct opposition to the Supreme Court’s leaked decision. New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, and Connecticut have all voted to expand the type of medical practitioners who can provide abortions (such as nurse practitioners). Meanwhile, Oregon, California, and Connecticut are discussing usage of state dollars to directly support patients in accessing care.
Links National Network of Abortion Funds Find advocacy opportunities at bansoff.org and follow PPFA on Twitter and Facebook. If you are in You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 31 May 2022 | An Ask Me Anything Conversation on the Current Moment in Repro | 00:59:11 | |
From how we are preparing for the forthcoming Supreme Court ruling to how we are dealing with burnout, Tarah Demant, Interim National Director of Programs, Advocacy, and Government Affairs at Amnesty International USA, shares her thoughts on the current moment in reproductive health, rights, and justice and asks host Jennie Wetter a plethora of ask me anything (AMA) questions! Amnesty International USA on Twitter Amnesty International USA on Facebook Take Action Items If you need an abortion check out this website to find the clinic closest to you. Support your local abortion fund! This resource by Helmi Henkin which will connect you to your local abortion fund. Follow Tarah Demant on Twitter and follow Amnesty International USA on Twitter and Facebook! Do what you need to do to recharge. Whether that’s logging off social media, taking part in a beloved hobby, or participating in a rally, take care of yourself in whatever way that you need to. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 14 Jun 2022 | The Loss of Abortion Rights Will Send Reverberations Through Many Spheres | 00:46:48 | |
As the future of Roe looks increasingly shaky, the implications of its overturning could result in a number of outcomes some of which may not immediately occur to many of us. Pamela Merritt, Executive Director of Medical Students for Choice, talks to us about what the likely overturning of Roe v. Wade may mean for criminalization, health outcomes, and abortion education and training for medical students and residents.
As the fall of Roe looms, the criminalization of pregnancy outcomes, sexual and reproductive health, and self-managed abortion may become more commonplace. Already, criminalization has crept closer and closer; Texas’s SB8 allows for anyone to sue for those who “aid and abet” in abortion access or care. In a country in which people of color are already hyper-surveilled, these outcomes will be disproportionately felt by Black communities and other communities of color. In an international context, Poland is currently seeking to create a registry of pregnant people using self-reported and investigated information.
For so many, being able to decide whether or not to carry a pregnancy to term may be a life-or-death decision or can result in extreme health outcomes. For Black pregnant people in the U.S., maternal mortality rates are four times higher than the general population. Putting abortion out of reach means contributing to the persistent maternal health crisis. Abortion bans also impact fertility, access to in vitro fertilization, and the ability to treat fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic issues. Miscarriage management and treatment of ectopic pregnancies may be up for debate among risk-averse hospital ethics boards.
Roe’s future will have an unknown impact on abortion training and education among medical students and residents. In states that are poised to ban or limit abortion, will residency programs teaching on abortion care and family planning may lose accreditation? Will accrediting programs change their standards of care based on the American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologist’s best practices? Likely, in 5 to 20 years, patterns of geographic access to care may become clearer, where providers are legally safer practicing abortion in some areas of the country compared to others.
Links Medical Students for Choice on Facebook Medical Students for Choice on Twitter National Advocates for Pregnant Women
Take Action Firstly, recognize y You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 26 Jun 2022 | Emergency Pod: The Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade | 00:40:07 | |
On Friday the Supreme Court released their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization where they rejected 50 years of precedent by overturning Roe v. Wade. The decision eliminates the federal right to abortion access and sends it back to the states to decide. This will decimate abortion access in this country, as 26 states are likely to ban abortion in the wake of this decision. Kylie Cheung, staff writer at Jezebel, joins us to talk about the decision and what it means going forward.
Links:
Welcome to the ‘Total Chaos’ Era of Abortion Access
Kylie Cheung Reporting at Jezebel
If you need an abortion I Need An Abortion will help you find the clinic closest to you.
Information about self managed abortion
Donate to independent clinics through Keep Our Clinics
Protect your digital security with Digital Defense Fund You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 28 Jun 2022 | Rev. Katey Zeh on Her New Book A Complicated Choice: Making Space for Grief and Healing in the Pro-Choice Movement | 00:45:27 | |
The ways in which abortion is often publicly debated can result in the harmful depiction of the experience of ending a pregnancy in overly simplistic terms. Rev. Katey Zeh, CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and Author of A Complicated Choice: Making Space for Grief and Healing in the Pro-Choice Movement, talks to us about her new book, the myths and stigma that people must wade through when getting an abortion, and the vast amount of feelings and experiences many people may have when accessing care.
A Complicated Choice chronicles the complicated feelings that people have around their abortion experiences. Overall, the book highlights how people can make decisions surrounding abortion and have a lot of nuanced, complex feelings around it—but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t the right decision. In addition, many people experience internalized abortion stigma, due to far-reaching myths and rhetoric spread by those who are anti-abortion. This stigma can often display itself as a sense of isolation in one’s experience.
White Christian nationalism intertwines greatly with the stigmatization of and logistical attacks against abortion. Steeped in racism, sexism, classism, and Christian nationalism, these abortion attacks disproportionately harm Black people, Indigenous people, other people of color, the LGBTQ+ community young people, etc.
Find Reverend Katey Zeh’s book at your local bookstore or on bookshop.org
Links A Complicated Choice by Katey Zeh Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice on Twitter Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice on Facebook Religion and Repro Learning Center
Follow the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice on Twitter and Facebook!
Support your local abortion fund. You can find those nearest you here.
If you are interested in the intersection of faith and abortion, y You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 05 Jul 2022 | A Look at the Post-Roe Chaos | 00:44:51 | |
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the federal right to abortion was eliminated and sent back to individual states. The United States is now seeing a state-by-state patchwork of laws, court challenges, and disparate barriers to abortion access. Garnet Henderson, independent journalist and host and producer of ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion, sits down to talk with us about the on-the-ground chaos after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and myths around adoption as an alternative for abortion. Clinic staff and abortion providers have been working overtime to try and see as many patients as possible before the eventual overturning of Roe, with some clinics even opening their doors earlier in the day. Texas’s robust network, working to help many people get funds to cover their procedure and transportation out of state, was shut down on the day of the decision. At a clinic in Alabama, 100 patients who had already jumped through the state’s unnecessary barriers and were pre-approved to receive care that day had to be turned away as soon as the Supreme Court ruling was released. Trigger bans and pre-Roe bans are being passed and challenged around the country, contributing to further, fractured confusion and differing levels of accessibility. A popular anti-abortion talking point is to say that adoption is a suitable alternative to abortion. This is fundamentally untrue; first and foremost, not very many people at all choose to place a child up for adoption after birth, even when the pregnancy was not planned. In general, pregnancy is incredibly difficult and dangerous, particularly for Black people and other people of color. Adoption is an alternative to parenting, not to pregnancy—adoption doesn’t account for the outcome of someone who simply doesn’t want to be pregnant not being pregnant. Adoption can also be a very emotional complex and painful experience for the birth parent and the child, meaning that adoption isn’t an easy or given alterative to a wanted abortion. Links ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion What This Later-Abortion Story Tells Us About a Post-Roe Future Take Action Find ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion here and follow on Instagram and Twitter. You can also follow Garnet on Twitter here. If you can, donate to your local abortion You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 12 Jul 2022 | Nobody Puts Abortion in a Corner: Abortion in Film and TV | 00:36:49 | |
Television and film often allow people to make sense of the world. With abortion being center stage in many national conversations and with so many myths circulating about this type of care, it is especially important that TV and film represent abortion stories accurately. Steph Herold, researcher studying abortion in television and film at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), sits down to talk with us about abortion depictions onscreen and what Hollywood could include in storytelling to be more representative of those seeking abortion care.
Television and films have been telling abortion stories for a very long time, but sometimes the depictions aren’t realistic. Often, abortion is portrayed as a risky or unsafe procedure (which is fundamentally untrue—it’s one of the safest medical procedures a person can receive). In addition, characters that receive abortions in television and film don’t often reflect those who receive abortions in real life; most abortion patients in real life are people of color, struggling to make ends meet, many of whom are already parents, yet the character onscreen who receives an abortion is often a young, white, single woman. In addition, characters don’t face barriers to the care they need, including waiting periods, traveling, financial concerns, and gestational bans. Lastly, medication abortion is largely underrepresented onscreen.
Still, over the last couple of years, TV and film have done a better job at telling compassionate and accurate abortion stories. 2020 saw the most abortion stories told on television in a year, and included Never, Rarely, Sometimes Always, Unpregnant, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Premature and St. Francis. Each showed a person accessing different types of abortion with the support of a friend or family member. More characters of color are accessing abortion on TV, including Olivia Pope on Scandal, a queer, Black character on the Bold Type, and Vic on Station 19.
Links
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Follow ANSIRH on Twitter and Facebook.
Visit abortiononscreen.org and find a list of over 500 TV shows and film that feature an abortion plotline. Watch these pieces of media and consider whether or not the abortion stories are representative—and have conversations about them! You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 07 May 2019 | Reproductive Health and Rights Challenges in Nigeria | 00:43:07 | |
The law in Nigeria only allows abortion in the case of a woman’s life being in danger. Studies in Nigeria have shown that this restrictive law actually increases rates of abortion rather than lowering them. Hauwa Shekarau, the country director with Ipas Nigeria, talks to us about the current and major task of working to reduce maternal deaths due to unsafe abortions, reduce complications from unsafe abortions, and enable women to have access to quality reproductive healthcare in Nigeria. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 26 Jul 2022 | How Has the Biden Administration and Congress Responded to the Abortion Crisis? | 00:42:06 | |
There has been a flurry of executive and Congressional action after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Leila Abolfazli, Director of Federal Reproductive Rights at the National Women’s Law Center, sits down to talk with us about executive and Congressional measures being taken on abortion rights in the United States. The executive order issued by the Biden administration is split into four main sections that: 1) directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on actions to take; 2) convenes private, pro-bono attorneys and Bar associations in an effort to represent patients, providers, and other third parties who lawfully seeking or providing reproductive health care; 3) asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to protect people’s online data when seeking information about or seeking abortion care; and 4) outlines other laws that HHS can support, including strengthening the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and creating an HHS-Gender Policy Council taskforce that coordinates federal agency response to abortion. You can find additional information about this executive order here. Congress held five hearings after the release of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling in the House Oversight Committee, House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Judiciary Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee. The House passed a bill called the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, which would ensure protection of those crossing state lines to receive an abortion. In addition, the House passed the Women’s Health Protection Act which would cement a federal right to abortion. The Respect for Marriage Act passed in the House would protect same-sex marriage, while the Right to Contraception Act passed in the House would protect the right to birth control access. Lastly, the Senate voted on emergency funding for Title X clinics—family planning clinics across the United States that provides millions of people You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 09 Aug 2022 | Need an Abortion? Here are Some Resources and Things to Consider | 00:38:56 | |
Abortion is still legal in more than half of U.S. states, but many people may not be able to access the care they need in the states they live in. As criminalization of pregnancy and abortion becomes increasingly normalized, there are a number of legal considerations to keep in mind when looking for care remembering that those already marginalized are most at risk for criminalization. Rafa Kidvai, Director of the Legal Defense Fund at If/When/How and Liz Ling, Senior Helpline Counsel at If/When/How, talk to us about the new landscape of abortion access in the U.S. and how someone can go about safely and reliably accessing an abortion.
If you’re pregnant and looking for abortion care, you can start with abortionfinder.org and Ineedana.com to find out what type of care is available closest to you. Regardless of where you are, be cognizant of your digital privacy—be aware of your search history, who you are sharing information with, and how often you are sharing information. Pregnancy and abortion criminalization may be bolstered by law enforcement obtaining copies of digital receipts.
Once you are in front of a medical professional, ask as many questions as you may have. Again, be aware of the people around you at this time and those that may be trustworthy with information regarding your abortion care. Be aware of your digital footprint and turn off your location services on your phone when you go to a clinic. After an abortion, it’s again important to remember who you are sharing information with. If you are contacted or detained by law enforcement, call the Repro Legal Helpline and do not speak without a lawyer present. You can also contact the helpline if you are helping someone access care and need advice or guidance.
If/When/How’s Repro Legal Helpline is a completely free and confidential resource for anyone who may have questions about reproductive justice—including what your rights are and what state laws are so that you feel fully informed in making a decision. You can receive information on what legal risks you may face based on if and how you choose to end a pregnancy, as well as options and legal barriers that you may specifically face in certain states if you are a young person. The Repro Legal Defense Fund raises bail for those who are criminalized for pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and self-managed abortion. The defense fund, in addition, pays legal and attorney fees, engages a network of expert witnesses, and creates arguments against junk science that often underlies pregnancy and abortion criminalization.
Links
You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 23 Aug 2022 | Two Months Post-Roe: What Does Abortion Access Look Like in the U.S.? | 00:34:00 | |
With the landscape of abortion access changing almost daily in the United States, hundreds of thousands of people are not receiving the basic healthcare they need. Danika Severino Wynn, midwife and VP of Abortion Access with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, talks to us about the current state of abortion access in the U.S. and how different states and communities are disproportionately feeling the harm of restrictions and bans.
It may come as no surprise, but in states where abortion bans are already in place, abortion care is extremely difficult to access. Many are having to piece together information about how and where to receive care before driving or flying out-of-state. At the same time, purposeful misinformation is pushed by anti-abortion advocates and politicians in order to shame and confuse patients. In states where abortion hasn’t been banned, providers, clinics, and abortion funds are having to overextend their capacity to provide care and support for those traveling from out-of-state. This results in longer wait times for appointments, which is particularly troubling for time-sensitive abortion care.
Other sexual and reproductive healthcare is being impacted by these bans, as well. In states where abortion is severely restricted or banned, Planned Parenthood is still on-the-ground and providing a range of sexual and reproductive health care, including birth control prescriptions, cancer screenings, STI testing/screening, and more. In states where abortion is still legal and are seeing increased volume of patients, there are some increased wait times for services, but don’t worry-- Planned Parenthood is still working diligently to ensure appointments are scheduled and kept.
Links Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Twitter Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Facebook Abortionfinder.org
Take Action Follow Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Twitter and Facebook.
Go to bansoff.org or text ACCESS to 22422 to learn more about how to fight back.
There is power in storytelling. Speak up using a hashtag on social media or share your story through Planned Parenthood.
Donate to PPFA and to abortion funds! You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 06 Sep 2022 | The US's Systemic Failure to Address the Sexual Violence Crisis in Indigenous Communities | 01:05:46 | |
Trigger Warning: In this episode we talk about sexual violence against Native women. If you need help or to talk to someone here are some resources you can call or chat: the StrongHearts Native Helpline at https://strongheartshelpline.org/ 1-844-7NATIVE, National Domestic Violence Hotline at https://www.thehotline.org/ 1-800-799-SAFE or the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) at https://www.rainn.org/ 1-800-656-HOPE. 1 in 2 Indigenous women have experienced sexual violence. Even with this staggeringly high statistic, it’s near impossible for Indigenous women to access the care and support needed. Juskwa Burnett, Indigenous Advocate, Moccasins of Hope, talks to us about her experience working with Indigenous sexual violence survivors and the ways in which sexual violence impacts her community. In addition, Tarah Demant, Interim National Director of Programs, Advocacy, and Government Affairs with Amnesty International USA, sits down to talk to us about healthcare and judicial barriers faced by Indigenous women as it relates to sexual violence and Amensty International USA’s new report detailing the barriers erected by the U.S. government when it comes to Alaska Native and American Indian women’s access to healthcare and support after experiencing disproportionate rates of sexual violence. The United States’ response to this epidemic of sexual violence is confusing and maze-like, preventing Indigenous women from being able to access the healthcare they need or get justice for crimes committed. This complex system results in confusion and chaos, and further exacerbates the sexual violence epidemic faced by Indigenous women. The root of this problem is based in the US’s erosion of tribal authority, allowing for these extremely unfortunate circumstances to flourish, despite the fact that this country is obligated to protect Indigenous communities under the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. When Indigenous women require healthcare and services after experiencing sexual violence, many simply can’t access it. Health centers are located far away from villages and reservations, and Indian Health Services (IHS) is federally underfunded to a point where it is an open question whether or not a rape kit will be available. The justice system in Indian country is also massively federally underfunded and complicated, leading to a lack of prosecution for sexual violence crimes. Amnesty International USA on Twitter Amnesty International USA on Facebook The never-ending maze: continued failure to protect indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 20 Sep 2022 | Apparently Overturning Roe Wasn't Enough: A National Abortion Ban has Been Proposed | 00:35:18 | |
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) last week proposed a national abortion ban that would impact patient’s access to abortion care across the United States. Erin Matson, Co-founder and Executive Director of Reproaction, sits down to talk with us about this introduced 15-week abortion ban in the U.S. Senate this week and what this could mean for Americans.
The overturn of Roe v. Wade has fundamentally changed abortion access in the United States, with abortion bans in individual states preventing care and forcing patients to travel in order to access an abortion. These pieces of legislation—designed to control reproduction and bodily autonomy—are heavily influenced by white supremacy, enforced gender roles, and reproductive oppression. When the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision was leaked and eventually ruled, many anti-abortion voices argued that this move would simply “send the issue back to the states”; clearly, this isn’t the case. With Justice Clarence Thomas’ statements inviting challenges to birth control and same-sex marriage, this proposed national abortion ban points clearly to a future in which Republicans and other anti-abortion legislators would have no problem outlawing other basic human rights tied to bodily autonomy and personal decision making.
In addition, none of the language used in Senator Lindsey Graham’s bill is factual or based in science or medicine. Instead, this language is instituted for the purpose of stigmatizing and banning abortion and other forms of reproductive healthcare. 15 weeks does not allow for many people to discover they are pregnant, raise money to pay for the abortion, get time off work, arrange childcare or transportation, or account at all for changed circumstances during pregnancy.
Links Plan C
Take Action
Center the needs of the people in your community! Abortion funds are such wonderful pillars of support, and they often need donations and, in some cases, volunteering.
Learn more about self-managed abortion and abortion pills. Educate yourself on how to use mifepristone and misoprostol (or just misoprostol You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 04 Oct 2022 | Becca Andrews on Her New Book No Choice: The Destruction of Roe v. Wade and the Fight to Protect a Fundamental American Right | 00:44:09 | |
What was access to abortion like before Roe v. Wade, and what will access to abortion look like after its overturning? Becca Andrews, reporter at Reckon News, talks to us about her new book No Choice: The Destruction of Roe v. Wade and the Fight to Protect a Fundamental American Right, including what communities will be hardest hit by the Supreme Court’s decision, as well as the inspiring, groundbreaking work that leaders, activists, and providers are doing around the country to ensure that patients are able to access essential abortion care.
The history of reproductive coercion has been and continues to be rampant in the United States, disproportionately targeted towards people of color and non-cisgendered folks. This unjust thread, foundational to the beginnings of the U.S., continues to weave through access to reproductive healthcare and modern medicine in general. The Janes, the Clergy Consultative Service on Abortion, and the Society for Humane Abortion were collectives that supported, counseled on, referred to, and facilitated access to abortion care before the Supreme Court’s 1973 implementation of Roe.
However, Roe’s legal protections were not around long before they started to be chipped away at; Roe had not even been in place for 50 years before its repeal. Throughout Roe’s standing, many white women’s reproductive health and rights advocacy did not extend to include all who have a right to care. This was made expressly evident through the application of (and lack of fight against) the Hyde amendment, which systematically prevents those receiving Medicaid coverage from accessing an abortion. In addition, the multi-layered barriers—such as a lack of access to childcare and transportation, inability to take time off of work, and lack of access to funds for the procedure and associated costs—coalesced overtime to make an unnavigable labyrinth to accessing care that was particularly felt by those with low-incomes, people of color, young people, LGBTQI+ folks, and immigrant communities.
Links No Choice: The Destruction of Roe v. Wade and the Fight to Protect a Fundamental American Right
Take Action Items
Support Becca by purchasing her book, No Choice: The Destruction of Roe v. Wade and the Fight to Protect a Fundamental American Right!
You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 18 Oct 2022 | A Deep-Dive on The Global Anti-Gender Movement | 00:49:57 | |
The anti-gender and anti-rights movement is a loosely connected set of groups and money, sometimes working in tandem with governments, who are looking to claw back LGBTQI+ rights and abortion rights that have been realized around the world. Bierne Roose-Snyder, Senior Policy Fellow for the Council for Global Equality, sits down to talk with us about how these movements came to be and the danger they pose to human rights and democratic systems. The anti-gender and anti-rights movement simultaneously works on a global and domestic scale. Misinformation and information flooding has contributed greatly to the anti-gender and anti-rights movement, undermining expertise and civil society, and creating a world in which no factual information can be trusted. From a domestic perspective, this can be very closely intertwined with authoritarian and anti-democratic movements. In a move to diminish civil society, the anti-gender movement will often target organizations that promote or support LGBTQI+ rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, or other human rights—whether through formal complaints or targeted harassment and abuse. For example, in Uganda, the anti-gender government targeted Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), a Kampala-based LGBTQI+ human rights nonprofit. Similarly, Boston Children’s Hospital has faced an extreme increase of threats and harassment for providing gender-affirming healthcare. The sexual and reproductive health and rights movement and the LGBTQI+ movement are being out funded by the anti-gender, anti-rights movement at incredible rates. In addition, U.S. religious institutions are not required to report their funding activities. Between 2013 and 2017, LGBTQI movements worldwide received 1.2 billion dollars in funding, while the anti-gender movement received 3.7 billion in funding.
Links Council for Global Equality on Twitter Council for Global Equality on Facebook Power Over Rights – Center for Feminist Foreign Policy Rights at Risk – Observatory on the Universality of Rights Exporting Disinformation - Mozilla Foundation Manufacturing Moral Panic – Global Philanthropy Project
Take Action Follow the Council for Global Equality on Twitter and Facebook to stay up-to-date on their important work. Early, loud, visible mobilization for solidarity is incredibly powerful against the anti-gender and anti-rights mov You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 01 Nov 2022 | Talking About Abortion: The Language and Imagery We Use Matters | 00:35:02 | |
During the Trump administration, multiple myths and pieces of misinformation about abortion were widely circulated. While states were gearing up to pass the first round of near total `abortion bans, Physicians for Reproductive Health was building a comprehensive guide to gold-standard language when talking about abortion care. Kelsey Rhodes, leader of communications work at Physicians for Reproductive Health, sits down to discuss how to talk about abortion in the most inclusive, compassionate, and fact-based way and why it’s important.
Gender inclusivity is incredibly important when talking about any type of healthcare, and particularly so in sexual and reproductive healthcare. Women, indeed, do need to be able to receive full-spectrum reproductive health care, but they do not represent every single person that should be able to access this type of care. Language that only centers “mothers,” and “women,” leave out folks of other gender orientations that also receive and deserve this kind of care, including transgender and nonbinary folks. The fight for abortion rights and transgender rights often intersects, and many abortion providers also provider gender-affirming care. Speaking about abortion means intentionally including the experiences of transgender and nonbinary individuals.
The sound that people will hear at six weeks of gestation (if they are forced to listen to their ultrasound) is the medically proven electro cardiac activity of cells that one day could become a heart. The anti-abortion movement used that sound to signify “life” at six weeks of gestation, underlying the term “heartbeat ban.” “Heartbeat ban” gets repeated frequently by anti-abortion legislators, and by journalists who are reporting on new state-based legislation that restricts abortion. This term is intentionally used to create an emotional, visceral response. Journalists have a responsibility to report accurate information about abortion care and fact-check against myths like “abortion reversal,”
The coat hanger image refers to a time in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, in which people who wished to end their own pregnancies turned to clandestine methods of abortion because they could not access care. Using coat hanger imagery now does not reflect the time in history we are in now, which includes incredibly safe, scientifically advanced, modern methods of abortion care, such as medication abortion. Using coat hanger imagery paints a false picture of the physical safety and reliability of abortion care today, especially self-managed abortion. Similarly, Handmaid’s Tale imagery advances a fictional narrative that doesn’t accurately reflect how systems of oppression in this country disproportionately impact Black, brown, queer, and immigrant communities. The story centers white women and equates a fictional world to the real-time, lived experiences of those whose reproductive health and rights are being systematically oppressed across the country. Links Physicians for Reproductive Health on Twitter You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 15 Nov 2022 | The Green Wave: How Abortion Rights Are Spreading Through Latin America | 00:34:06 | |
The green wave, a liberal feminist movement started in Argentina, increased mobilization in 2020 in to decriminalize and destigmatize abortion across multiple countries in Latin America. Catalina Martínez Coral, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Center for Reproductive Rights and leading member of the movement that decriminalized abortion in Colombia, sits down with us to talk about the inspirational movement, the human rights gains made across Latin America, and what the U.S. can learn from green wave activists.
Starting in 2020 in Argentina, hundreds of thousands of activists took to the streets outside of Congressional buildings on a weekly basis to demand abortion rights. Still, before the green wave spilled over from Argentina into Mexico and Colombia (which later affirmed the right to abortion), Latin America and the Caribbean was one of most restrictive environments worldwide for the access of abortion services. Currently, seven countries in the region have a total ban on abortion (El Salvador, Jamaica, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Suriname). In these countries today, and in countries that had previously criminalized abortion, many people face or have faced limited exceptions to abortion access (abortion in the case of rape, to save the life of an individual, etc.), provider bias, stigma, and more.
U.S. advocates can learn a lot from the green wave movement and its incredible activists. First and foremost, the U.S. must begin by incorporating human rights standards as part of domestic work. Second, the U.S. can continue to strengthen the abortion rights movement and its mobilization to make as much noise as possible around important, just, human rights issues.
Links Center for Reproductive Rights on Twitter Center for Reproductive Rights on Facebook Centro de Derechos Reproductivos on Twitter
Take Action Items Follow Center for Reproductive Rights on Twitter and Facebook, and Centro de Derechos Reproductivos on Twitter. . Share Green Wave stories on social media! Similarly, support Green Wave activists at in-person strikes and events both in the U.S. and in Latin America.
Continue to have conversations with friends and family about abortion as a human right. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 21 May 2019 | Reproductive Justice and Intersectionality | 00:40:35 | |
The language and the words we use to describe essential sexual and reproductive health services and issues is extremely important. For women of color, the ability to realize and control their reproductive health and autonomy is often impacted by other factors like race, poverty, sexism, and more. Jessica Pinckney, Vice President of Government Affairs at In Our Own Voice: the National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda talks to us about reproductive justice as an all-encompassing human rights framework that seeks to ensure choice for all. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 29 Nov 2022 | Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Hero Origin Stories: Round 5 | 00:55:15 | |
Longtime supporters of rePROs Fight Back know what time of year it is… tune in for a reprisal of our most popular series, SRHR Hero Origin Stories! If you haven’t already, checked out our previous episodes, SRHR Hero Origin Stories, SRHR Hero Origin Stories: Round 2, SRHR Hero Origin Stories: Round 3, and SRHR Hero Origin Stories: Round 4, where we talked to a number of amazing heroes in the field of reproductive health, rights, and about how they began working in this space. This time, hear from Rev. Katey Zeh, Executive Director of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and Pamela Merritt, Executive Director of Medical Students for Choice.
Guests include:
Rev. Katey Zeh, Executive Director – Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Pamela Merritt, Executive Director – Medical Students for Choice
Take Action: Follow these organizations on social media and keep up-to-date on their amazing work!
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice on Facebook and Twitter Medical Students for Choice on Facebook and Twitter You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 22 May 2019 | Emergency Podcast: What's Going On With All These Abortion Bans? | 00:37:20 | |
Over the past couple of weeks, state legislatures around the U.S. have been passing six week bans, otherwise known as “heartbeat bans”. These extreme and unconstitutional abortion laws seek to ban the legal procedure once a fetal heart tone in an embryo is detected, which can be as early as six weeks in pregnancy. Jessica Pieklo, Vice President of Law and Courts at Rewire.news and co-host of the Boom! Lawyered podcast, and Imani Gandy, Senior Legal Analyst with Rewire.news, co-host of the Boom! Lawyered podcast, and founder of Angry Black Lady Chronicles, talk to us about this emergency situation and why these “heartbeat bans” are so severe and dangerous. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 06 Dec 2022 | Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Hero Origin Stories- Round 5 (Part 2) | 00:43:32 | |
Longtime supporters of rePROs Fight Back know what time of year it is… tune in for a reprisal of our most popular series, SRHR Hero Origin Stories! If you haven’t already, check out our previous episodes, SRHR Hero Origin Stories, SRHR Hero Origin Stories: Round 2, SRHR Hero Origin Stories: Round 3, SRHR Hero Origin Stories: Round 4, and SRHR Hero Origin Stories Round 5 (Part 1) where we talked to a number of amazing heroes in the field of reproductive health, rights, and about how they began working in this space. This time, hear from Tarah Demant at Amnesty International USA, Gayatri Patel at the Women’s Refugee Commission, and Jennie Wetter, host of rePROs Fight Back.
Guests include:
Gayatri Patel at the Women’s Refugee Commission
Tarah Demant at Amnesty International USA
Jennie Wetter at rePROs Fight Back
Links
Amnesty International USA on Facebook and Twitter
Women’s Refugee Commission on Facebook and Twitter You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 13 Dec 2022 | Abortion Funds: Your Ability to Access an Abortion Shouldn't Depend on What's in Your Wallet | 00:37:18 | |
Abortion funds work overtime to help patients hurdle financial and logistical barriers to abortion access, and their work has gotten increasingly more difficult after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Oriaku Njoku, Executive Director of the National Network of Abortion Funds, sits down with us to talk about the power of abortion funds, what they do for communities, and how they facilitate access to abortion care across the country.
An abortion fund acts as mutual aid, facilitating and providing access to logistical help for those seeking abortion care. This help may include financial support, transportation, patient education, and more. Patients often reach out to a fund after they’ve scheduled an appointment, and the fund will work closely with the patient to come up with the financial difference needed to receive medical services (which is $500 on average). Funds work with other funds across the United States to ensure that money, resources, and support are given to those seeking an abortion.
Oftentimes, people that reach out to abortion funds for assistance are those in already marginalized communities, such as Black folks, Indigenous people, non-Black people of color, young people, those living rurally, etc. Those living in rural Mississippi-- a state that only had one abortion clinic before the overturning of Roe v. Wade—have compounding and intersectional factors that make accessing abortion care increasingly difficult, such as transportation, geography, income, race, ethnicity, and pre-existing abortion restrictions in the state, among others. In fact, over 90% of those living in the Southeast United States live in a county without an abortion provider.
At the core of abortion funds is reproductive justice, or the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities, as defined by Sister Song Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. It is important to understand the difference between the reproductive health, rights, and justice frameworks and what it means to have human rights and social justice at the center of these conversations.
Links National Network of Abortion Funds on Twitter National Network of Abortion Funds on Facebook Take Action It’s the holiday season, which means it’s the perfect time to challenge misinformed opinions around abortion and other reproductive healthcare when they occur at the dinner table. Talking about abortion destigmatizes and normalizes care, so let’s make sure we have these conversations now and year-round.
Donate to abortion funds! You can find NNAF’s donation page here, where donations can be made to specific funds or be split across their network of 90 funds!
You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 27 Dec 2022 | The US Healthcare System is Already Failing People -- Abortion Bans Make it Worse | 00:37:16 | |
The Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade has, in many states, decimated access to abortion care and prevented abortion providers from treating patients. Dr. Leah Torres, Obstetrician/Gynecologist practicing in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, sits down to talk with us about the state of abortion access in Alabama and how the United States’ healthcare system layout is generally preventing access to quality care. Currently, there is no abortion access in Alabama. Prior to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the rate of people dying in pregnancy and childbirth in Alabama was twice the national average. Lack of abortion access will only make these extremely upsetting numbers worse. In addition, the United States’ current healthcare system is compounding these dangers for pregnant and birthing people in this country. From transgender healthcare to abortion to vaccination, the politicization of modern medicine comes from the select few embedded in our current healthcare system who have money and power to gain by exploiting the framework and those who seek care within it. Some states, such Alabama, continuously refuse to expand their Medicaid program blocking insurance coverage for those who need it most, while also limiting which providers and clinics can receive Title X funding. Medical students continue to face barriers to training in abortion care. Many residency programs state the miscarriage management training is the same as abortion care training, which is not true. Fellowships, which offer training in certain areas, are often years-long. This means after medical school and residency, many who want to learn about abortion care feel the need to take on another two-year long fellowship in family planning. A lack of sex education across the United States and the gatekeeping of comprehensive information about healthcare intensifies the inability to realize sexual and reproductive health care. When powerful institutions control the narrative about our health and bodies, often informed by “religious freedom,” this can lead to interpersonal relationship problems and mis- and dis-information. While this may seem big-picture, it has a very pin-pointed impact, leading to providers like Dr. Torres to treat individual patients who are coming in for treatment because of lack of access to education and basic care elsewhere. Many who seek care at Catholic hospitals (entities that don’t often make their religious affiliation clear), may not receive the reproductive healthcare they want or need because of religious directives. Links: Dr. Leah Torres on Twitter You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 10 Jan 2023 | How the Overturning of Roe has Impacted the Latina Community | 00:36:41 | |
New research from the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice shows that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has devastated Latinas the most among people of color. In fact, nearly 6.5 million Latinas—42% of all Latinas ages 15-49—living in the 26 states that have banned or are likely to ban abortion. Elizabeth Estrada, New York Field and Advocacy Manger for NLIRJ, sits down with us to talk about what abortion access looked like for Latinas, immigrant communities, young people, and those in rural areas before and after the fall of Roe.
Before the Dobbs decision even came down, abortion was not inherently accessible for Latinas in the U.S. In April of 2022, Lizelle Herrera, a woman in the Rio Grande Valley, experienced criminalization and incarceration for a self-managed abortion. Additionally, Texas’s six-week abortion ban, S.B. 8, has been hugely restrictive for many in the American southwest. These extremes have been a reality for marginalized communities already facing barriers to care long before Roe v. Wade was overturned.
With the Dobbs decision now in effect, many states do not offer abortion care, forcing people to travel out-of-state if they can find an appointment. States, in response, are seeking to criminalize that travel. For those who are undocumented or are perhaps living in border towns in the United States, there are already a host of challenges getting to a clinic in one’s own state, let alone traveling far and wide within the country. Already facing increased surveillance, the presence of police and border control can often result in reproductive healthcare access being unrealized.
Despite abortion being a widely popular issue among Latinx people, there is, unfortunately, a mass of mis- and disinformation targeted at the community. Content on social media sites can be targeted based on demographics in an effort to intentionally mislead people, often into using crisis pregnancy centers—brick-and-mortar organizations that frame themselves as medical providers but actually do not offer abortion care, instead often coercing and shaming patients into keeping pregnancies. That’s why it’s important to talk openly with our loved ones, share personal stories that dispel myths (if you feel comfortable and safe), become involved in grassroots work, and lobby our elected officials.
Links National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice on Twitter National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice on Facebook Impact of Roe Overturning on Latinas from NLIRJ and National Partnership for Women and Families More information on the HEAL for Immigrant Fam You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 24 Jan 2023 | The FDA Just Made it Easier to Access Medication Abortion (Some Exceptions May Apply) | 00:35:17 | |
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration announced that retail pharmacies in the US would be able to receive certification to dispense medication abortion drugs. Greer Donley, Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, sits down to talk with us about the FDA’s recent changes to regulations around medication abortion, including the current status of access, possible challenges, and how far these new changes really go.
Since the FDA approval of mifepristone—one of two medications currently used in a medication abortion—in 2000, access has been harshly regulated. Usually, FDA-approved medications are easily prescribed by licensed providers and dispensed at a pharmacy, but mifepristone faces additional barriers, including a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) protocol. REMS restrictions are reserved for dangerous medication, and include a certification process for the clinician, requires that the medication be dispensed in person in the clinic, hospital, or medical office, and that patients must fill out a consent form. Every major medical association and major expert in the field has branded REMS restrictions for mifepristone completely unnecessary, as it is an incredibly safe drug to take—safer than Penicillin, Viagra, and Tylenol.
During the pandemic, the FDA temporarily lifted the in-person restriction, as making people physically go pick-up medication abortion pills put them at unnecessary risk of COVID-19 transmission. The Supreme Court overturned this decision, but the Biden administration’s newly elected FDA Commissioner, in response, announced that they would not enforce the in-person dispensing requirement completely. A few weeks ago, the FDA began formalizing this announcement, laying out the reversal of in-person dispensing requirement and the allowance of some pharmacies to dispense medication abortion after a certification process. These changes will not have any effect in states that currently ban abortion, as state laws will stop pharmacies and prescribers from dispensing mifepristone. Even with the formalization of this rule, it is unclear how many pharmacies will go through the certification process to be able to dispense the drug. In addition, once pharmacies do become certified, patients will still need to find a certified provider to write than a prescription, and states will still have to follow state laws that restrict abortion.
There is a current legal challenge working its way through district court which would ban access to mifepristone. This case was incited by an anti-abortion group suing the FDA in Texas in an effort to revive the Comstock Act; this act, passed near 150 years ago, bans mailing “obscene materials,” the definition of which is being applied to abortion pills. This lawsuit is completely meritless, yet it is still making its way through district court where the only judges are anti-abortion Trump-appointees. In the U.S., more than 50 percent of abortions are medication abortion, and with Dobbs’ disruption of abortion care, this will be incredibly harmful to acces You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 07 Feb 2023 | Not Everyone is Impacted Equally by Abortion Bans-- Dobbs Made it Much Worse | 00:52:03 | |
People’s ability to access healthcare and achieve positive health outcomes should not depend on who they are, but unfortunately, and all too often, it does. In the United States, this is particularly true for Black, brown, Indigenous, and low-income individuals. Abortion is healthcare, and it is just as difficult to access for disproportionally impacted people as other forms of healthcare. Liza Fuentes, Senior Research Scientist with the Guttmacher Institute, talks to us about health inequities in the current healthcare system and how abortion is unequally accessed around the country
Even before Roe v. Wade was overturned, there were health inequities in abortion care, which has been true since the founding of this country. Resources that people need to decide if, when, and how to become pregnant and give birth include safe and affordable housing and communities, food and living wages, health insurance, and other elements of reproductive justice. Health disparity data exists mostly for Black, brown, Indigenous, and low-income women, AND it is important to note that anyone who cannot realize their sexual and reproductive health care—including transgender folks, non-binary folks, people living with disabilities, and young people—will then have disparate access to resources, services, and family planning care.
This translates into abortion restrictions. Almost 70 abortion clinics in the U.S. have closed since Dobbs overturned Roe, mostly in the South and Midwest. Thousands of people are now in a position where they have to spend thousands of dollars to leave their state, or self-manage an abortion in their state, or continue their pregnancy. Those who are still able to get an abortion in these states include those with high incomes, with access to the most resources (including credit cards, savings account, support systems, time). What are the social identities that define the spectrum along which that money is distributed? Age, class, race, disability, immigration status, and income. The Hyde amendment, one of the most pervasive, restrictive, and disruptive amendments to abortion care, targeted low-income women outright.
There are a few examples of protections post-Roe. Many governors and state legislatures—including Illinois, Oregon, New York, and Connecticut— have incorporated abortion rights at into the state constitution. Cities and counties are carving out budgets for abortion access, and even providing medication abortion in public health clinics and departments.
Links Guttmacher Institute on Facebook Guttmacher Institute on Twitter You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 21 Feb 2023 | State Attacks on Transgender Health and Rights are Out of Control | 00:41:03 | |
Less than two months into 2023, 325 bills aimed at the health and rights of transgender folks have been introduced in state legislatures around the country— more bills than the last four legislative years put together. Erin Reed, a queer legislative researcher and activist covering transgender legislation and life around the world, gives us an update on transgender health and rights in America, including what attacks to look out for and actions to take to protect bodily autonomy and human rights. Bans on healthcare for trans youth, drag show bans, systemic abuse in schools, bathroom bills: these are just some of the vicious measures that have impacted the daily health and life of transgender and gender non-conforming Americans. 1/3 of bills introduced this year—97 bills—are designed to limit or ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. Often misrepresented as an interference to serious surgeries for minors, these laws end up restricting life-saving care, such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Arkansas, Alabama, Utah, and South Dakota have passed healthcare bans, with many moving through other state legislatures. 20 states have passed bans on transgender youth competing in sports, with 40 similar bills introduced just this year. And, despite anti-rights legislators claiming that their bills introduced to ban drag shows are meant to “protect children”, bills attacking drag shows ultimately stifle “male and female impersonators” or the performance, monologue, or dance of people dressed in clothing opposite to their assigned gender at birth. It’s important to remember that many of the same tactics used in these attacks can be found in attacks to reproductive health and rights. Both the health and rights of trans folks and reproductive health and rights are issues rooted in bodily autonomy that often intersect with each other. The sliver of good news? Even in the harshest state where these bills are being proposed, Democrats are holding the line in protection. Progressive states are continuing to increase support of the transgender community in response to anti-trans legislation around the country. In addition, sports ban bills seem to be losing traction. The Anti-Trans State Of The States by Erin Reed You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 04 Jun 2019 | Advocating for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Across Africa | 00:30:14 | |
In Malawi, 2 in 5 sexually active unmarried women have an unmet need for contraception. In Zimbabwe, fewer than half of adolescents have comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS. And each year, one million Tanzanian women have an unintended pregnancy. Thandie Msukuma from Malawi, Dr. Lilian Benjamin Mwakyosi from Tanzania, and Hilda Zenda from Zimbabwe, advocates from the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), sit down with us to talk about what we can do to expand access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care for young people in these African countries. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 07 Mar 2023 | Can One Fringe Judge Really Eliminate Medication Abortion in the US? | 00:44:30 | |
Medication abortion is safer than Tylenol, and it’s certainly safer than carrying a pregnancy to term. So why is there a case out of Texas that claims medication abortion is dangerous and must be banned? Jessica Mason Pieklo, Senior Vice President and Executive Editor at Rewire News Group and Co-Host of the Boom! Lawyered podcast, sits down to talk with us about the frivolous framework of this case and how it threatens nationwide access to abortion pills.
The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. The FDA is out of the northern district of Texas, where anti-abortion advocates are arguing that, 20 years after the fact that the Food and Drug Administration has ruled on the safety and efficacy of mifepristone (one of two drugs used in a medication abortion), the drug is in fact dangerous and must be pulled from the market. This case sits in front of Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump-appointed judge who has a vast history of anti-LGBTQ+, anti-reproductive health and rights rulings, including blocking contraception access for Texas teens under the Title X program on the grounds of parental religious objection.
This case has the potential to reach into abortion-protective states by prohibiting the FDA from keeping the drug on the market, meaning your location in California, Washington, New York, or other like-minded states will not protect you from this direct attack on medication abortion. The introduction and legitimization of this case creates confusion about the status of abortion access in one’s state, leading many to not feel that they can access care. There is also a likelihood that the FDA can ignore this ruling and be within their rights to do so; the FDA’s enforcement power is discretionary and has the power itself to approve and remove drugs from the market—a power that federal courts do not hold. Anti-abortion advocacy groups are also attempting to block abortion providers (using intentionally vague language) like Plan C, Aid Access, and Choix, from providing abortion or even education about or advocating for abortion.
Links Jessica Mason Pieklo on Twitter FDA Just Made it Easier to Access Medication Abortion Podcast The Texas judge who could take down the abortion pill Boom! Lawyered: Big Pharma Could Save One of the Abortion Pills (Yikes!)
You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 21 Mar 2023 | Connecting the Dots Between SRHR and Gender Equality | 00:39:55 | |
Gender inequality can lead to women and girl’s having lower income and educational attainment and decreased autonomy and political power. Bridget Kelly, Director of Research for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at the Population Institute, sits down to talk with us about the report Connecting the Dots: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights as Prerequisites for Global Gender Equality and Empowerment and how the empowerment and advancement of the rights of women and girls is explicitly tied to sexual and reproductive health and rights. According to Fòs Feminista, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) refers to comprehensive family planning and contraceptive services (including emergency contraception, maternal health, prevention and treatment of infertility, safe abortion and post-abortion care, prevention, care, and treatment, of STIs, HIV, and AIDS (and reproductive health cancers and infections) and the prevention and treatment of gender-based violence (including the elimination of harmful practices like female genital mutilation and cutting and child, early, and forced marriage). All of these elements must be met in order for comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare to be fully realized and for gender equality to be advanced worldwide. The empowerment and advancement of rights of women and girls is an agreed upon global sustainable development goal, and, as the largest funder and implementer of worldwide global health assistance the U.S. plays an incredibly important role in advancing these outcomes. Still, U.S. policymakers often fail to recognize that this goal is impacted by the accessibility of comprehensive SRHR. U.S. support for various components of the SRHR agenda flows through multiple budget and appropriation channels, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact current expenditure for SRHR. But, examining funding levels for the current family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) funding program shows that there should be a commitment of $1.74 billion to international family planning and reproductive health programming, including $116 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). FP/RH programming, for the last 13 years, has been flat funded at $608 million. The Biden administration’s budget request, released in mid-March of 2023, shows an increase to roughly $657.5 million. While the current administration recognizes the need for FP/RH funding, it isn’t enough to meet the need. Unfortunately, there was not a request to pull back the Helms amendment, which dictates that U.S. government foreign assistance funds cannot be used for “the performance of abortion as a method of family planning.” Links Connecting the Dots: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights as Pre You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 04 Apr 2023 | The Global Gag Rule May be Gone (For Now) But Its Harm Continues | 00:33:35 | |
The Global Gag Rule (GGR) prevents foreign non-governmental organizations that receive U.S. foreign assistance funds from providing, advocating for, counseling on, or referring for abortion services even when done with their non-U.S. funds. Bergen Cooper, Director of Policy Research at Fòs Feminista and Kat Olivera, Associate Director for U.S. Global Policy at Fòs Feminista, sit down to talk to us about the unmitigated harm caused by the GGR and why permanent repeal of this rule is needed immediately. The Global Gag Rule, or the Mexico City Policy as introduced in 1984 by President Ronald Raegan, which is a presidential memorandum that is either reinstated or revoked depending on party lines. During the Trump administration, the Global Gag Rule was expanded and rebranded as the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy, and Biden revoked the GGR early in his tenure. Still, even when the GGR is not in effect, it can be impactful. When the policy is put into place, purposeful communications are made to ensure cooperation; when the policy is revoked, communications are one-off. In fact, Fòs Feminista’s research team found an alarming breakdown in communication between the U.S. government and relevant global stakeholders. It was found that, this particularly damaging game of telephone resulted in the prolonging of the policy’s implementation and unnecessarily prevented people from accessing legal abortions.
The Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights Act (The Global HER Act) is a bicameral piece of legislation that would repeal the Global Gag Rule permanently. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has the potential to embolden anti-abortion policies like the GGR, which is why it’s important to take advantage of our remaining time left with the Biden administration, the Senate majority, and the House to continue priming the Global Her Act and permanent repeal of the GGR. Especially when many countries’ own national laws and policies permit for the funding and provision of abortion care, the United States’ restriction of providers speech and services abroad is racist and unconscionable. The failure of the administration, Congress, and other government actors to monitor for and ensure compliance with the GGR revocation and provide clear communication only perpetuates the policy’s harm.
Links Information on Reintroduction of the Global HER Act The Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Index
Contact your Congresspeople and tell them to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule by supporting and passing the Global HER Act. If your Congressperson is alrea You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 11 Apr 2023 | Emergency Pod: Explaining the Chaos of the Recent Mifepristone Rulings | 00:37:21 | |
On Friday, April 8, 2023, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued an unprecedented ruling out of Texas that has the ability to impact medication abortion access nationwide. Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate covering courts and the law, sits down to talk to us about the recent ruling on mifepristone, what the FDA can do, and what this currently means for medication abortion access in the U.S.
The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. The FDA was overseen by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who has a vast history of anti-LGBTQ+, anti-reproductive health and rights rulings, including blocking contraceptive access for Texas teens under the Title X program on the grounds of parental religious objection. For a deep-dive into the case itself, you can find more information in our recent podcast episode.
Never before has a federal judge claimed the authority to revoke or suspend the FDA’s approval for a drug. This ruling has also positioned the pharmaceutical industry to become much more involved in conversations surrounding abortion rights, due to their recognition of the threat at the core of this ruling—that endless cases could attempt to block medications on the hypothetical grounds that they could harm somebody else’s patient in the future. This precedent undoubtedly threatens gender-affirming medications and other medications, as well.
The decision included a number of anti-science, anti-medicine rhetoric to justify the ruling. The complication rate of medication abortion is incredibly low, and the serious complication rate is near zero. Yet Judge Kacsmaryk cited a “study” funded by an anti-abortion, far-right institute claiming mifepristone causes harm to patients. Judge Kacsmaryk used language rooted in “fetal personhood,” throughout the ruling. In addition, Judge Kacsmaryk referenced the Comstock Act—an antiquated, Victorian-era law that banned the mailing of “sexual materials, birth control, or abortion-causing drugs” and is very carefully applied to avoid unconstitutionality –in the ruling to support his claims.
Judge Thomas Rice’s ruling out of Washington state ruled that the FDA continue allowing mifepristone in the 17 states and D.C. which brought the case, leading to a stay on the FDA’s ability to alter mifepristone’s status while deliberation occurred, and resulting in a preemptive measure intended to conflict with Kacsmaryk’s decision. The FDA is now under two competing court orders. The FDA does have enforcement discretion, meaning even if Judge Kacsmaryk’s stay goes into effect, it may not have to necessarily mean that the FDA has to comply.
Links The Lawless Ruling Against the Abortion Pill Has Already Prompted a Constitutional Crisis You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 18 Apr 2023 | Pre-Dobbs, Many Stories of Suffering Came from Catholic Hospitals. Now, They're Everywhere. | 00:41:24 | |
Catholic hospitals and existing religious restrictions on abortion are currently co-existing with post-Roe abortion bans across the U.S. And, in states where abortion is still accessible, Catholic hospitals are still a sizable barrier to accessing compassionate, evidence-based medical care. Amy Littlefield, Abortion Access Correspondent at the Nation, sits down with us to discuss how trauma previously seen at Catholic hospitals when trying to access sexual and reproductive healthcare is now being seen on a more general scale. Catholic hospitals up 1 in 6 acute-care hospital beds and generally follow rules written by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. These rules ban abortion, fail to promote or condone contraceptive practices, ban direct sterilization of men and women, and deny care to transgender patients. Patients often don’t know they requesting care from a Catholic hospital, or that the few hospitals in their area have a religious affiliation or have merged with health systems that have a religious affiliation. For a deeper dive into care offered by Catholic hospitals, find the past podcast episode here. Links You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 02 May 2023 | Overcoming Barriers to Ensure Access to Reproductive Health Care in Vietnam | 00:27:17 | |
During the last three decades, Vietnam’s general public has achieved an all-time high in contraceptive prevalence rates. However, many still face barriers in accessing their choice of contraceptive methods or provider. Hang Nguyen, Country Director for Marie Stopes International (MSI) Reproductive Choices in Vietnam, sits down to talk with us about those who are most impacted by these obstacles and how MSI is working to overcome them.
MSI, a UK-based non-profit, specializes in and delivers sexual and reproductive health care and family planning in 37 countries. MSI’s Vietnam program began in 1989, and continues to deliver reproductive healthcare—including contraceptive, abortion, and diagnosis, prevention, and treatment services—to more than 200,000 patients a year, including ethnic-minorities, factory workers, and young people; MSI Vietnam’s factory program brings SRHR care and services to factory workers in more than 80 factories in the Ho Chi Minh area.
Contraception is not yet covered by Vietnam’s national health service, and while anyone can technically access contraception from any pharmacy or health clinic, factory workers still see very low rates of usage. This is often attributed to factory worker’s schedule of long and demanding hours, costs of new contraceptive methods, and travel time for those in remote, mountainous areas. MSI has developed and launched a service voucher program to facilitate young women and girls, as well as factory workers, to access contraceptive services at a time convenient to them.
Links
Take Action Follow MSI on Twitter and Facebook. You can also find information on MSI Vietnam here. Donate to MSI and help keep this work going. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 16 May 2023 | Just Let Trans Girls Play Sports | 00:41:35 | |
More than half of states in the United States have banned transgender women and girls from female sports, including at the middle and high school age. Katelyn Burns, columnist for MSNBC and Xtra Magazine and co-host of the podcast Cancel Me Daddy, sits down with us to talk about a new Title IX rule proposed by the Biden administration and what it covers—and doesn’t cover—when it comes to the protection of trans students.
Around the US, states have been increasingly introducing and passing legislation that singles out transgender women and girls and prevents them from playing on sports teams. In Kentucky, for example, the only 11-year-old trans girl playing a school sport in the entire state helped to start a girl’s field hockey team at her school; the state’s ban on trans athletes now singularly impacts her, preventing her completely from playing on the team that she created.
During the Obama administration, Title IX for the very first time included guidance on transgender students, which stated that educational and recreational opportunities (including sports) cannot be denied to transgender students that would be given to cisgender students. Guidance under the Trump administration was revised to be more unhelpful and discriminatory. Now, the Biden administration has revised the guidelines; unlike the Obama-era guidelines, these guidelines do include exclusions for trans girls playing sports against cisgender girls. This guidance does make it more difficult for states to institute blanket sports bans, but still does not explicitly disavow discrimination against transgender students.
Links Katelyn Burns on Xtra Magazine Katelyn Burns: The massive Republican push to ban trans athletes, explained Katelyn Burns: The unfalsifiability of the anti-trans sports movement Katelyn Burns: Biden’s Hollow Trans Sports Policy Appeases The Right Take Action Items
First and foremost, follow Katelyn Burns on Twitter. You can also find more information on Katelyn’s co-hosted podcast, Cancel Me Daddy, here.
Challenge your own perspectives on transgender student’s participation in sports. Consider the last time you heard of an openly trans women playing on a men’s sports team.
You can find more of Katelyn’s opinion pieces with You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 30 May 2023 | A Closer Look at the Court Cases that Expanded Abortion Access in Mexico and Colombia | 01:14:33 | |
Since the start of the Green Wave movement, multiple countries across Latin America have liberalized their abortion laws. Ivonne Garza, Senior Associate at the O’Neill Institute for National Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center and Natialia Acevedo Guerrero, Senior Consultant with the Health and Human Rights Initiative at the O’Neill Institute, sit down to talk with us about recent court cases in Colombia and Mexico and how they have expanded access to abortion care across the region.
The Green Wave, a liberal feminist movement which started in Argentina, increased mobilization in 2020 to decriminalize and destigmatize abortion across multiple countries in Latin America. This social movement paved the way for leaders to take abortion considerations to the top courts and set the groundwork for judicial and legislative change.
In September 2021, three court cases changed the legal framework for abortion in the Federation of Mexico. The first case addressed the constitutionality of abortion regulations on states’ criminal codes and recognized the right to choose “without exception,” which includes abortion, sex education, family planning decision making, and more. The second case ruled that states were not allowed to regulate protections to the right to life that go beyond what the Mexican Constitution currently outlines. Lastly, the third case analyzed “conscientious objection” in the healthcare system and ruled it an individual right of medical personnel, but also that it could be limited to protect other fundamental rights.
In 2006, Colombia’s court referred to abortion in a favorable way. In this year, abortion was decriminalized in moments of when the pregnant person’s health and life at risk, pregnancy as a result of rape and incest, and when the fetus is incompatible with life. In 2022, the Colombian Court studied a new lawsuit that asked for the complete decriminalization of abortion in the country. Through four arguments, including 1) the proportionality of abortion criminalization; 2) the freedom and conscious of women and reproductive decisions; 3) the criminalization of abortion and the right to equality; and 4) the preventative purpose of criminal law, the Court concluded that the criminalization of abortion was in tension with the country’s affirmed right to health and reproductive rights.
Both countries provide an opportunity for U.S. advocates to learn. By studying the history of Mexican and Colombian Court decisions, U.S. leaders can take away elements related to discrimination, equality, intersectional approaches, and legal frameworks that may be helpful for the fight for abortion rights at home.
Links You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 18 Jun 2019 | Let’s Talk Faith and Reproductive Health and Rights (Yes, It Can Be Done!) | 00:38:15 | |
Often when we have conversations that feature both reproductive health and rights and faith, it seems the two subjects are diametrically opposed. But thanks to the large amount of diversity in the faith community, many individuals, communities, and organizations are supportive of bridging the gap between faith and reproductive health and rights! Reverend Katey Zeh, Executive Director for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, host of the Kindreds Podcast, and author of the book Women Rise Up: Sacred Stories of Resistance for Today’s Revolution, sits down with us to discuss why it’s important for people of faith to show public support for reproductive health and rights. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 13 Jun 2023 | In the Year Post-Dobbs, Anti-Abortion Violence Has Increased | 00:39:57 | |
One year after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that served as the platform for Roe v. Wade’s overturning, 15 states have now banned all or most abortions. Garnet Henderson, Senior Multiplatform Reporter for Rewire News Group and host and producer of ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion, sits down to talk with us about the country-wide need for abortion care and violence against providers and clinics, all of which has increased since last June.
The 15 states that have banned all or most abortions are the bans that are currently in effect, with others likely to go into effect in the coming year. For people in the South and Midwest, where it was already more difficult to get an abortion, access to abortion care requires driving hundreds of miles or taking a flight. With abortion access curtailed, maternal mortality will rise--especially for Black mothers, who are in the midst of a maternal mortality crisis caused by racism in the U.S. health system.
Since Roe’s overturning, there has been a marked increase in assault, battery, stalking, bomb threats, bioterrorism threats, clinic invasions, and obstruction. Responses from law enforcement continues to be insufficient.
The focus must be on pregnant people currently navigating a near impossible situation. Mis- and dis-information being spread by anti-abortion groups, violence against clinics and providers, and silence from major medical is only making it worse.
Links Garnet Henderson for Rewire News Group ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion Video Reveals Anti-Abortion Groups Expected ‘Dobbs’ Backlash That Never Came Anti-Abortion and Fascist Violence Are One and the Same. Clinics Are Paying the Price.
Take Action Follow Garnet Henderson on Twitter and Rewire News Group and stay up-to-date with her publications. You can also find ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion here.
Get plugged in with your local abortion fund! Follow them on social media (don’t call their hotline, please! That’s for patients). Donate and volunteer when needed. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 20 Jun 2023 | A Human Rights Crisis: Uganda's New Anti-LGBTQ+ Law | 00:57:20 | |
At the end of May, Uganda’s president signed into law a piece of legislation that criminalizes the LGBTQI+ community it includes that death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” creates new crimes around “promotion of homosexuality,” and 10 years in prison for attempted same-sex conduct. Ophelia Kemigisha, human rights lawyer and feminist activist from Uganda, and Beirne Roose-Snyder, Senior Policy Fellow for the Council for Global Equality, sit down to talk with us about Uganda’s new anti-LGBTQI+ law and what human rights advocates can do to work against it.
Many evangelical, conservative American organizations and activists have been working in Uganda to plant the seeds for this recent, horrific law. An anti-homosexuality bill in the country in 2013 (which included the death penalty provision) began a U.S.-discussion on human rights and American involvement in Uganda. The law was repealed due to technical language— not substance—and since then, conservative American and Ugandan actors have continued crafting anti-LGBTQI+ legislation and contributing to extreme stigmatization. For a deeper dive on the global anti-gender movement, find the past podcast with Beirne here.
New to this bill, though, include the criminalization of the “promotion” and “normalization” of homosexuality; this includes, for example, seven years in prison for providing housing to those who you know are gay. The law also lumps in the ability to love a partner of one’s own choice with harrowing crimes, including sexual assault. Misinformation surrounding this bill has been rife, and real harm is currently taking place in Uganda. People are afraid to speak and live openly; patients with HIV are scared to approach healthcare providers for treatment; healthcare professionals are scared to interact with the LGBTQI+ community. It is the responsibility of human rights advocates to hold the line and clearly communicate that this legislation is unconscionable.
Legislation like Uganda’s is not happening in a vacuum; pushes for similar laws are happening across the African continent and across the world. As a human rights activist, make noise about how urgent it is to fight this bill—it is a domino.
Links Convening for Equality Twitter Convening for Equality’s Statement after Uganda’s Passage of The Anti-LGBTQI+ Law The Council for Global Equality on Twitter The Council for Global Equality on Facebook A Deep-Dive on The Global Anti-Gender Movement You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 27 Jun 2023 | One Year Ago We Lost the Right to Abortion: Where Are We Now? | 00:36:34 | |
June 24th, 2023 marked one-year since the overturning of Roe v. Wade via the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case. Between July and December 2022, an estimated 66,000 people have not been able to access abortion care in their home state. Becca Andrews, reporter at Reckon News and author of No Choice: The Destruction of Roe v. Wade and the Fight to Protect a Fundamental American Right, talks to us about the myriad of ways in which the abortion landscape has changed in the past year, including the ways anti-abortion ideology has led to a chipping away at democracy.
The lives of providers, clinic staff, patients, abortion storytellers, abortion fund workers, reproductive health, rights, and justice advocates and reporters have changed dramatically in the past year. In abortion hostile states, many providers and clinic staff have been prevented from providing care or are hesitant to provide care due to vague legal limits. Reporters like Becca, who follow stories on abortion access and care, are being silenced algorithmically on social media. Abortion fund workers scramble, against extreme time frames and travel requirements, to put together funding for procedures and transportation.
The denial of human rights is leading to a steady building of authoritarianism. States are telling patients and doctors what care they can access or provide, newsrooms (particularly those that are local and state-based) are shrinking, and mis-and disinformation is rapidly spreading (Reminder: the disinformation that informs anti-abortion sentiment also informs the anti-LGBTQI+, anti-democracy, and anti-science sentiment). Without access to information and up-to-date news or social media, people do not have immediate interaction with necessary knowledge and the national conversation is stifled more broadly. This prevents them from fully realizing their human right to sexual and reproductive health care. Take Action
Follow Becca Andrews on Twitter, find her pieces on Reckon News, and check out her book.
Set up reoccurring donations to BIPOC- and low-income and queer-led abortion funds. These grassroots organizations are providing safe, dependable mutual aid for those who are particularly in need.
Support organizations like We Testify, who are erasing abortion stigma one story at a time.
As appropriations season ramps up, tell your Congress members that reproductive health and rights is funded—that UNFPA, Title X, international family planning is funded, and the Helms amendment and Hyde amendment is repealed. The Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 11 Jul 2023 | The U.S. is on the Wrong Side of Global Abortion Trends | 00:55:16 | |
Abortion rates around the world have stayed the same since the 1990s—except in countries where abortion restrictions have been newly introduced. Tarah Demant, Interim National Director of Programs, Advocacy and Government Affairs at Amnesty International USA, sits down to talk with us about the countries that have recently introduced abortion restrictions, the countries that have protected abortion care for decades, and what the future of global abortion access looks like moving forward.
The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 was a major loss for abortion rights. Even still, in the last 50 years, there is an unmistakable trend of the liberalization of abortion laws across the world. In fact, the vast majority of countries permit abortion in at least some circumstance, and these countries continue to move toward further liberalization of abortion laws. In all, 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws, with only four countries having rolled back their abortion laws since 1994. The countries that have rolled back abortion laws include the United States, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Poland. In each of these countries, maternal deaths rates, criminalization of people seeking healthcare, and rapidly spreading chilling effects among providers, has increased.
The Dobbs case has been and will continue be used as a framework for general anti-rights policy around the world. Similarly, the U.S.’ narrative lead on anti-abortion ideology has the ability to influence other countries’ narratives and political confidence to pass equally restrictive laws. Dobbs and its ideology has also coincided with an emboldening of the global anti-gender and anti-LGBTQI+ movement.
Links Amnesty International USA on Twitter Amnesty International USA on Facebook Fos Feminista Fact Sheet: The Global Impact of the Dobbs Decision
Take Action Items
Follow Amnesty International on Twitter and Facebook.
Stay engaged and take heart. The majority of people around the world—3 out of 5—believe that abortion should be legal. Talk about abortion, how it’s normal, safe, healthcare and a human right.
If you have money to give, give to an abortion fund! If donating isn’t an option, figure out a way to become involved—whether going to events, volunteering, or more!
Reach out to your local council members and elected officials, and make sure they know that abortion access is important to you as a constituent. You can also call your federal elected officials! The Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 25 Jul 2023 | A Birth Control Pill Will Soon Be Available Over the Counter. Yes, Really! | 00:28:20 | |
On July 13th, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Opill, a progestin-only birth control pill, for over-the-counter sale. The United States will now join over 100 countries where birth control pills are available without a prescription. Victoria Nichols, Project Director with Free the Pill, sits down to talk to us about what this approval means for birth control equity and access for those in the US.
Currently in the United States, over the counter birth control is still not available on the shelves (but it will occur soon!). Up until that point becomes a reality, patients have had to navigate a prescription model, meaning that providers must prescribe birth control during an in-person appointment at a healthcare facility. This model has always featured barriers to access, requiring a patient to take time off work, find transportation, pay co-pays or out-of-pocket costs, and more.
Efforts to move away from the prescription model and make the birth control pill available over-the-counter have been decades in the making, featuring youth activists, medical providers, and reproductive justice advocates working in coalition. The FDA approval is a reflection and culmination of this dedicated, long-term work.
Now that the FDA has decided that the birth control pill can be accessed over-the-counter, this softens many barriers to access. People seeking the birth control pill will not have to make an appointment with a doctor, wait months for that appointment, seek time off school and work, or worry about the costs of a doctor’s visit. It is expected the birth control pill will be available on-the-shelf in early 2024.
Links Advocates for Youth’s Free the Pill Youth Council
Take Action Items First and foremost, follow Free the Pill on Twitter and Facebook and stay up-to-date on their amazing work. You can also sign up for email updates from Free the Pill here.
Advocates for Youth features a Free the Pill Youth Council, which works in communities across the country to expand access to an affordable birth control pill.
Talk to people in your life about birth control, health equity, and the importance of eliminating barriers to access! You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 08 Aug 2023 | How has the Work of Abortion Funds Changed Post-Roe? | 00:28:02 | |
Patients needed abortion funds even before the fall of Roe v. Wade in order to access care, but those needs have skyrocketed after Dobbs and as the abortion access landscape becomes more fractured. Tyler Barbarin, Director of Grants and Development for the Louisiana Abortion Fund, sits down to talk with us about how abortion funds are working overtime to help people access the care they need in the United States.
An abortion fund acts as mutual aid, facilitating and providing access to logistical help for those seeking abortion care. Before the fall of Roe, abortion was still incredibly difficult to access in multiple regions of the country. Abortion funds coordinated logistics, organized travel, scheduled appointments, counseled patients before and after medical visits, and fundraised for access costs. In the current legal environment, abortion funds and their ability to assist patients varies from state-to-state. In Louisiana, for example, abortion is illegal, so abortion funds in the state may look like coordinating travel to and care in states where abortion access is still possible. The logistical, informational, and financial barriers that people now face are astronomically larger due to multi-state travel being introduced to the abortion access landscape.
Many—particularly cisgendered, straight white women—will have the resources and support to access an abortion even in environments that make it increasingly difficult to do so. Those who are most impacted by abortion-restrictive registration are BIPOC folks, those with limited or low incomes, and those who are already parents. And, despite abortion fund’s best efforts to assist, some barriers to abortion care will now be completely insurmountable to some, especially those who are most marginalized.
Links Louisiana Abortion Fund You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 22 Aug 2023 | The New Dept. of Defense Abortion Policy and the Anti-Abortion Backlash | 00:29:21 | |
There have been and continue to be significant bans on abortion in the military (with limited exceptions), through TRICARE and at military treatment facilities. This means most military service members and dependents who need abortion care cannot access it through the military. Jackii Wang, Senior Legislative Analyst with the National Women’s Law Center, sits down to talk with us about a new policy memorandum that expands abortion access for military service members and their dependents.
Post Dobbs, the Department of Defense and the Biden administration have announced a number of changes, some of which have gone into effect. These include providing travel and transportation allowances for traveling off base for an abortion, standardizing “administrative absence,” and extending the deadline to disclose a pregnancy to a commander. These policies have been met with fierce backlash from anti-abortion actors, including those in the Senate who are upholding nominations for military posts.
Links National Women’s Law Center on Facebook National Women’s Law Center on Twitter Plan C
Take Action
Follow the National Women’s Law Center on Twitter and Facebook.
Have conversations with people in your life about the news surrounding abortion and the military. As politicians continue to attack access, discuss why it’s important to continue to protect care. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 05 Sep 2023 | The Sharp Increase in Reproductive Violence Post-Dobbs | 00:31:24 | |
Trigger Warning: In this episode we talk about intimate partner violence. If you need help or to talk to someone you can call or chat the National Domestic Violence Hotline at https://www.thehotline.org/ 1-800-799-SAFE or the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) at https://www.rainn.org/ 1-800-656-HOPE.
Over the course of a single year, more than 12 million people are victims of intimate partner violence in the United States. In the year since the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the National Domestic Violence Hotline has seen a 98 percent increase in survivors mentioning reproductive coercion as part of their experience as compared to the year before. Marium Durrani, Vice President of Policy at the National Domestic Violence Hotline sits down to talk with us about the rise of intimate partner violence and domestic violence after the overturning of Roe.
Reproductive coercion, violence, or abuse involves behaviors that intend to maintain power and control related to reproductive health in a relationship. When this type of abuse occurs, an individual’s ability to control their own life, body, and safety is called into question. This type of abuse has greatly increased since the Dobbs decision, and the ability to access sexual and reproductive healthcare-- including abortion-- faces more barriers. Interference by a partner to be economically independent, move freely, and communicate freely, may also prevent a person from accessing care.
Links National Domestic Violence Hotline on Twitter National Domestic Violence Hotline on Facebook Plan C
Take Action Follow the National Domestic Violence Hotline on Twitter and Facebook. If you are experiencing intimate partner violence, domestic violence, or reproductive violence, you can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline via call 1-800-799-SAFE, text to 88788, or chat on the website. Find more information here. If you can, donate to your local or national domestic violence organizations. In an effort to shift the cultural narrative, share information about intimate partner violence, domestic violence, reproductive You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 12 Sep 2023 | "rePROs Fight Back" trailer | 00:01:48 | |
Love Podcasts? Love bodily autonomy? Want to get engaged in the fight for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice? Then this is the podcast for you. Each episode host Jennie Wetter has a guest on to do a deep dive into issues ranging from abortion, birth control, trans rights, abortion, child marriage, sex education, LGBTQ+ rights, and did we mention abortion. Join us to learn more about the fight for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice and what you can do to fight back. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 02 Jul 2019 | Abortion Rights are Under Attack: Support Abortion Funds | 00:27:49 | |
Abortion funds are grassroots organizations that are locally rooted and predominately volunteer-powered. They aid in removing financial and logistical barriers that people face when trying to access abortion care, while simultaneously advocating against the political and cultural barriers that make their work necessary. Abortion funds pay for abortions, pay for and organize transportation to appointments, arrange childcare and housing, and some even provide emotional support through doula access. Yamani Hernandez, Executive Director of the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF), talks to us about the importance of abortion funds during a time where abortion access across the U.S. is facing a blatant attack. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 19 Sep 2023 | Lauren Rankin On Her New Book, Bodies on the Line: At the Front Lines of the Fight to Protect Abortion in America | 00:38:24 | |
Starting in the late 1970s, people have been serving as clinic escorts at abortion clinics, guarding and protecting patients from anti-abortion protestors. Since then, volunteer clinic escorts have devised several strategies for making sure patients access the care they need and continue to use their bodies as shields against anti-abortion protestors every day. Lauren Rankin, writer, consultant, and author of Bodies on the Line, sits down to talk with us about the history of clinic escorting and the continued need for such a vital community-based practice.
Anti-abortion protestors often camp out in front of abortion clinics, where they harass, threaten, and attempt to coerce those who are attending appointments. Clinic escorting has often involved walking the patient to the door, standing between a patient and a protestor, and calming a patient through conversation.
Unfortunately, the federal government has shown time and time again that meaningful abortion protections will be challenging to pass. But there is hope—you can push local elected officials in your community to recognize the importance of abortion care.
Find Lauren Rankin’s book at your local bookstore or on bookshop.org.
Links Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force Plan C
Take Action Check out Lauren’s book, Bodies on the Line, here! You can also keep up with Lauren’s work but following her on Twitter.
Rally for abortion protections in your community. If you are interested in becoming a clinic escort and you live in a state where abortion is still legal, reach out to your local clinic and see if there is a pre-existing escort group. If not, make your own!
You can also contact the abortion fund near you and see if there is anything that they need. You can also donate here. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 26 Sep 2023 | The Impacts of Dobbs Ripple Around the World | 00:39:26 | |
The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade no doubt impacted countless people in the U.S. But there are even some far-reaching impacts in other countries. Bergen Cooper, Director of Policy research with Fòs Feminista, talks to us about a new organizational report that details Dobb’s ripple effects around the world. We also hear from Sharon Vilegwa, Daniel Arango, Dr. Souvik Pyne, and Ijeoma Egwuatu, global partners with Fòs Feminista, about how the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision has resulted in on-the-ground impacts in Colombia, Kenya, India, and Nigeria.
After the Dobbs ruling, there has been an increase in misinformation and negative narratives surrounding abortion, as well as the review of safe abortion as a constitutional right in Kenya. In Colombia, anti-rights actors feel empowered by Roe’s overturning. Myths and stigma surrounding safe abortion continues to ramp up in India. Dobbs has been used to support arguments against safe abortion legal guidelines in Nigeria. While Dobbs does not have legal impacts abroad, its effects bolster the anti-abortion and anti-rights movement.
LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE Fòs Feminista on Twitter The Global Impact of the Dobbs Decision on Abortion Laws, Policies, Legislation, Narratives, and Movements: Findings from Colombia, India, Kenya, and Nigeria
Take Action:
Make sure to follow Fòs Feminista on Twitter and Facebook and stay up-to-date on their work.
Dive deeper into the new report-- The Global Impact of the Dobbs Decision on Abortion Laws, Policies, Legislation, Narratives, and Movements: Findings from Colombia, India, Kenya, and Nigeria -- featuring reflections from Colombia, Kenya, India, and Nigeria. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 03 Oct 2023 | Hannah Matthews on Her New Book, You or Someone You Love: Reflections from an Abortion Doula | 00:41:27 | |
As an abortion care worker and doula, Hannah Matthews has seen a plethora of abortion journeys and responses. And while statistically nearly everyone knows someone who has or will access an abortion in their lifetime, one-note narratives bolster assumptions and we are awash in a sea of anti-abortion stigma. Hannah Matthews, abortion clinic worker, community care worker, doula, and author, sits down to talk with us about her new book, You or Someone You Love: Reflections from an Abortion Doula, and how to better support those accessing abortion.
Feelings on abortion can be varied. Hannah offers up a guide to the emotional and physical realities of providing true and flexible support to people accessing abortion. The book offers real abortion stories, highlighting a genuinely diverse landscape of abortion care across gender, race, and class lines. In addition, we talk about maintaining hope in the seemingly constant fight for abortion rights.
Links You or Someone You Love: Reflections from an Abortion Doula Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings Plan C
Take Action
Follow Hannah on Twitter and her website stay up-to-date on her work.
Find You or Someone You Love: Reflections from an Abortion Doula on bookshop.org.
If you are interested in becoming an abortion doula, familiarize yourself with the reproductive justice needs in your community through being in contact with your local abortion fund and abortion clinics. Look into abortion doula trainings that may be connected to your local funds.
Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings and Cornerstone feature helpful training and resources.
All Options and Exhale You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 10 Oct 2023 | Let's Talk About Why Gestational Bans and Exceptions Need To Go | 00:33:49 | |
Abortions later in pregnancy can occur for a variety of reasons, and the later in pregnancy an abortion is needed, the more barriers patients face in accessing care. Many people in the U.S. who are seeking an abortion are also struggling to piece together resources to pay for care which pushes the timeline for access back farther each week. Dr. Diane Horvath, OBGYN, and Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Partners in Abortion Care, sits down to talk with us about the truths and misconceptions about abortions later in pregnancy.
Gestational bans and “exceptions” within abortion law are common barriers that prevent people who are early in their pregnancy from accessing care and increase stigma. These barriers disproportionately impact those who are already most marginalized in accessing abortion care—including BIPOC, LGBTQI+ folks, young people, people with disabilities, and more. No matter what, abortion is healthcare and should be accessible when it is required. No one other than the pregnant person should be able to make a decision about when they access an abortion, especially if external factors have proved difficult to hurdle.
Links Partners in Abortion Care Merchandise
Take Action Follow Dr. Horvath on Twitter and stay up-to-date on her work.
Buy super cute swag that supports Partners in Abortion Care.
If you can, give money to abortion funds. They are facilitating not only abortion care, but support in accessing that care. You can also fundraise for your local funds, too!
Hold your local elected officials accountable. Reproductive health, rights, and justice is directly intertwined with a plethora of issue areas, many of which elected officials vote on. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 17 Oct 2023 | The Fight for Medical Privacy in Latin America and Its Implications for Abortion Rights | 00:32:47 | |
The Green Wave movement has swept through Latin America and has increased the liberalization of abortion law. Still, criminalization, and medical privacy and medical secrecy concerns can impact someone’s access to care or have patients and professionals facing prison sentences. Gloria Orrego-Hoyos, fellow with the Health and Human Rights initiative at Georgetown Law’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, sits down to talk with us about the status of criminalization, medical privacy and medical secrecy when it comes to abortion across Latin America.
Some Latin American regions criminalize abortion to the extreme. In El Salvador, abortion carries a charge of “aggravated homicide” and can punished by up to 30 years in prison, while in Nicaragua, those who access an abortion face a sentence of up to two years in prison, with medical professionals facing sentences of up to six years in prison for administering care. Some medical professionals feel pressure to, and do end up, reporting abortions to the police. Many doctors are also afraid to provide care until the most dangerous point, due to the shadow of the criminal system.
Links Gloria Orrego-Hoyos on Twitter Plan C
Take Action Follow Gloria on Twitter to stay up-to-date on her incredible work. You can also follow the O’Neill Institute here.
If you ever find yourself on the other end of criminalization for accessing abortion care, you can contact the Repro Legal Helpline and the If/When/How’s Repro Legal Defense Fund.
Try to have conversations in your homes, in your places of work, and with your friends about abortion and access to basic healthcare in an effort to break stigma. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 24 Oct 2023 | Anti-Trans Advocates Are Following the Anti-Abortion Playbook Play for Play | 00:40:25 | |
The culture of fear that the anti-abortion movement uses also underlines the anti-queer and anti-transgender movement. Garnet Henderson, Senior Multiplatform Reporter for Rewire News Group and host and producer of ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion, sits down to talk with us about how these two movements are connected and how anti-rights actors may influence access to gender-affirming care in the near future.
A year since the dismantling of Roe v. Wade, 25 million women of reproductive age now and more nonbinary and transgender people live in states where the law increases barriers to abortion care. And, across the U.S. this year alone, 583 bills have been introduced in 49 states which are designed to block trans people from receiving healthcare, education, and other basic rights. Harassment and threats against healthcare providers, misinformation and disinformation, and fear-laden rhetoric are all increasingly overlapping elements of the anti-abortion and anti-trans movement. Using these tools, a collection of anti-rights actors are able to influence legislation, spread false information, and impact people’s access to basic healthcare.
Links Garnet Henderson on Twitter Anti-Trans Activists Are Trying to Scare Gender Care Providers Away Will Conservatives Use the ‘Crisis Pregnancy Center’ Playbook to Attack Trans People? Open Letter by New York Times contributors to New York Times on their coverage of transgender issues
Take Action Combat misinformation about transgender individuals and abortion care in your inner circles. If you hear people spreading stigma, fear, and mis- and disinformation about people and healthcare, challenge them.
Donate to mutual aid funds or any individual’s personal GoFundMe for gender affirming care.
If you live in a state that is challenging gender affirming care, show up to testify in person or reach out to your local legislature to combat any harmful legislation. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 31 Oct 2023 | Fight for Your Right to Access Abortion Through Your Union | 00:34:22 | |
In the wake of the Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion access has become dependent on one’s location. Accessing an abortion involves considerations like employer-sponsored healthcare coverage and taking time off of work. Barbara Camens, union side labor attorney, sits down to talk with us about the importance of access to affordable, comprehensive reproductive health care as part of the collective bargaining process.
25 million women if reproductive age now live in a state that bans or severely restricts abortion. In order to access abortion care, people need to travel to other states, which includes taking time off of work, possibly taking time off of work on short notice, incurring significantly higher medical costs under employer healthcare coverage, and more. As terms and conditions of employment, this means employers should be required to bargain in good faith with unions.
Links Abortion Model Collective Bargaining Agreement Language Plan C
Take Action If you are a member of a union, hold your union accountable for safeguarding legal, accessible abortion access and ensure that the issue is taken up in the collective bargaining process.
If you are not a member of a union, think about unions as obvious allies in the fight for progressive change. Alliances can be made between the labor movement and the reproductive rights movement, and tapping into that power can result in powerful change. Call on friends in the labor movement or reach out to people in the labor movement to have these discussions. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 09 Jul 2019 | Contraceptive Choice: Having Some Options is Good, but Having More Options is Better | 00:22:21 | |
It’s no secret that there are a wealth of contraceptive methods that exist today, including methods like the birth control pill, the hormonal or non-hormonal IUD, the implant, the patch, and many more! Still, there are people around the world whose contraception needs are simply not being met. Julia Bunting with the Population Council sits down with us to discuss the need to continue the development of innovative contraceptive methods, and how her organization is leading the charge. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 07 Nov 2023 | SCOTUS is Hearing a Case That Could Put Guns Back in the Hands of Domestic Abusers | 00:40:16 | |
Gun violence prevention and domestic violence are inextricably linked. And today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case, U.S. v Rahimi, that could potentially determine the constitutionality of a gun violence prevention law that has saved millions of lives. Sabrina Talukder, Director of the Women’s Initiative at the Center for American Progress, sits down to talk with us about this upcoming Supreme Court case and its implications for those experiencing domestic violence.
When there is a firearm in the home during a domestic violence incident, the risk of death increases by 500 percent. And in 2017, over 5.9 million women reported being shot by a gun by an intimate partner at some point in their life. A 1996 law prevented those with domestic violence records from attaining a firearm—and the law has been incredibly effective. But adherence to originalism in the Supreme Court may discard that law and put the health and lives of domestic abuse survivors at risk.
Links Center for American Progress Women on Twitter (they will be live Tweeting the case today) Center for American Progress on Twitter Center for American Progress on Facebook
Take Action
Make space for survivors who are telling their stories and listen to their experiences.
You can follow Center for American progress on Twitter and Facebook to keep up-to-date on their gun violence prevention work.
Read more about the concept of Originalism here. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 14 Nov 2023 | It's Time to Say #ThxBirthControl Because They are Coming for Birth Control | 00:34:25 | |
November 15, 2023, is #ThxBirthControl Day! Everyone deserves access to an array of birth control methods that works best for their body, their life, and their goals. Rachel Fey, Vice President of Policy and Strategic Partnerships at Power to Decide, sits down to talk with us about the importance of accessible contraception and why we should keep ab eye out for attacks to birth control.
Misinformation and disinformation about birth control has been circulating for a long time and continues to spread—particularly since the Dobbs decision. Supreme Court justices and Congresspeople have recently questioned the constitutionality and need for affordable and accessible birth control, which means now, more than ever, is the time to rally in support for this basic, necessary health care. Join us with Power to Decide in saying #ThxBirthControl!
Links Power to Decide’s Take Action Center Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit The Right to Contraception: State and Federal Actions, Misinformation, and the Courts
Follow Power to Decide on Twitter and Facebook.
Join in on #ThxBirthControl Day! Find social media toolkits, merchandise, and more information on this day here. You can find Power to Decide’s take action center here—sign up to stay informed about their work and urge Congress to support related legislation. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 28 Nov 2023 | AMA: You Had Questions, Jennie Has Answers | 00:41:32 | |
From the history of how the rePROs Fight Back podcast began to some behind-the-scenes sneak peaks, Tarah Demant, Interim National Director of Programs, Advocacy, and Government Affairs at Amnesty International USA, asks host Jennie Wetter a collection of ask me anything (AMA) questions.
Links Amnesty International USA on Twitter
Take Action
If you need an abortion, check out this website to find the clinic closest to you.
Support your local abortion fund! Find your local abortion fund via the National Network of Abortion Funds.
Follow Tarah Demant on Twitter and follow Amnesty International USA on Twitter and Facebook
As the holidays approach, remember to have conversations with your family members to your own comfortability. Feel free to push back in a big or small way. You can also wear abortion fund merchandise, like this, to break the stigma! You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 05 Dec 2023 | As the Holidays Arrive, Here's How to Navigate THOSE Conversations | 00:38:09 | |
As the holiday season continues and people sit down with their family and friends around dinner tables and fireplaces, personal question and general conversations about current events—some related to sexual and reproductive health and rights and transgender health and rights—may arise. Erin Matson, Co-founder, President, and CEO of Reproaction, sits down to talk with us about how to have difficult conversations, when to engage, and how to build up your boundaries during conversations, confrontations, and questions.
Links Plan C
Take Action Follow Reproaction on Twitter and Facebook and stay up-to-date on their work. You can also find Erin Matson on Twitter here.
If you want to show that you are an ally or help challenge stigma, you can get some merchandise like this on Bonfire and show your support!
Remember, engage in conversations to your own comfortability. Sometimes, we must protect our own mental and emotional wellbeing, safety, and security. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 12 Dec 2023 | Help! Help! I'm Being Suppressed (Digitally) | 00:41:32 | |
Even years before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, reproductive health and rights organizations were noticing that their abortion content posts were being removed, suspended, shadow banned, flagged, and subject to advertising suspension. Jane Eklund, Tech and Reproductive Rights Fellow at Amnesty International USA, sits down to talk with us about abortion content digital suppression on social media platforms. Across social media platforms, abortion-related content is often removed or interfered with in some way even though it does not violate the social media platform’s community guidelines. This can lead to decreased engagement, reach, and visibility for content related to abortion and that is often posted by sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations. Digital platforms have also become spaces were criminalization has increased; police have seized Facebook messages and Google searches to prosecute people for searching for and obtaining abortion care. Links Amnesty International USA on Facebook Amnesty International USA on Twitter
Take Action First and foremost, follow Amnesty International on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow reproductive health and rights on social media, including their back up accounts. Plan C, Women on Web, and Shout Your Abortion have very helpful information. Like, share, and interact with their content to increase their reach. Support digital campaigns from reproductive health and rights organizations, as well.
Make sure you talk about this issue—both abortion and abortion content suppression online. Suppression is silence, which makes space for stigmatization.
rePROs Fight Back has been named a finalist in two categories in the 3rdAnnual Anthem Awards. The winners of these awards are chosen by support from our community. You can “celebrate” or vote for rePROs Fight Back here: Human and Civil Rights Awareness and Media Awards and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awareness and Media. Finalists can be celebrated online from December 5th to December 21st at Celebrate.Anthemawards.com. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 16 Jul 2019 | Trans Rights Are Human Rights! #ProtectTransHealth | 00:33:49 | |
Since the day President Trump took office, there have been countless attacks on the health, rights, and well-being of transgender people. Katelyn Burns, a freelance journalist covering LGBTQ and reproductive health issues and the first openly transgender reporter on Capitol Hill joins us to talk about all the ways in which the current administration has undermined the health and rights of transgender individuals. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 19 Dec 2023 | Here's What a World That Achieves LGBTQ+ Justice Looks Like | 00:34:23 | |
The needs of LGBTQI+ people to live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives are as important as the are universally necessary. Vivian Topping, Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement at the Equality Federation sits down to talks with us about achieving LGBTQI+ justice, what a just world for LGBTQI+ folks looks like, and some hopes for the new year.
To support and enhance the lives of those in the LGBTQI+ community, people need access to healthcare, job training, stable housing, and more. Unfortunately, constant legislative attacks to LGBTQI+ people’s rights and safety means that the much-needed progress on these core areas is put on the backburner while acute and dangerous fires are put out. Anti-LGBTQI+ and anti-trans ideology and messaging from far-right groups can be so severe that it seeps into a variety of political and advocacy circles across the spectrum of issue areas.
The good news? Over the past year, many states have passed transgender sanctuary laws, while 491 anti-trans bills have also been defeated. As we head into 2024, be on the lookout for continued extremism and misinformation, and also note that loud and out-spoken community resistance.
Links Equality Federation on Twitter Equality Federation on Facebook
Take Action Items Follow the Equality Federation on Twitter and Facebook and stay up-to-date on their work.
Find your local Equality Federation partner, nearby events, and other ways to get involved here! When state equality groups and LGBTQI+ communities are asking you to show up—whether at protests, voting, calling representatives, etc., be there.
If you can, you can also give to your local LGBTQI+ organizations, especially through a reoccurring donation. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 02 Jan 2024 | New Year, New Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice | 00:37:24 | |
The Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice is a federal policy agenda that briefs every incoming administration on how to expand and protect domestic and global sexual and reproductive healthcare. Caitlin Horrigan, Senior Director of Global Advocacy for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Candace Gibson, Director of Government Relations at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, sit down to talk with us about the 2023 Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice and how it reflects the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Links Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice on Twitter National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice on Facebook Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Twitter Planned Parenthood Federation of America on Facebook
Take Action
Amplify the blueprint and the policy agenda it lays out in your communities and platforms. Share on social media, share with friends, family, and policy makers, and send to related (and non-related!) organizations.
Reach out to local, state, and federal elected officials and stress the importance of achieving the vision of SRHR for all. You can contact the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 09 Jan 2024 | So Many Sexual and Reproductive Health Court Cases, So Little Time | 00:47:21 | |
A variety of court cases, which have the ability to severely restrict, limit, and criminalize sexual and reproductive health care—such as abortion— are circulating throughout the U.S. Jessica Mason Pieklo, Senior Vice President and Executive Editor, at Rewire News Group and co-host of Rewire News Group's podcast Boom! Lawyered, sits down to talk with us about current court cases around the country and what these cases may mean for protecting basic SHRH care.
The pillars of these court cases include that of miscarriage criminalization, abortion ban exceptions, criminalizing medical providers, placing care limitations on emergency rooms, state abortion bans, and access to mifepristone; the decisions that come from these cases may have erect more barriers to care, spread additional stigma, and create legal concerns for patients and providers.
Links Jessica Mason Pieklo on Twitter SCOTUS Is Likely to Decide if Abortion Is Health Care Idaho's Reproductive Health Crisis and Christian Nationalism Ohio Woman Who Miscarried Faces Charge That She Abused Corpse Kate Cox sought an abortion in Texas. A court said no because she didn’t show her life was in danger
Take Action Follow Rewire.News on Twitter and Facebook, and find Jessica Mason Pieklo on Twitter here.
Take care of yourself. These court fights will require a long haul approach, and do what you need to do to engage in self-care. Make sure you are supporting direct aid services—donate, if possible, to your local abortion funds. In addition, amplify local voices, which most intimately understand the network of care. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 16 Jan 2024 | Need Help Getting an Abortion? r/abortion Has Answers | 00:47:47 | |
Abortion information, policies, and access is always changing. Ariella Messing, founder and Executive Director of the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS), sits down to talk with us about the r/abortion subreddit, a landscape of constantly shifting information, and navigating abortion mis- and disinformation on the internet.
The Online Abortion Resource Squad was born of a Slack channel and has since shifted to run the abortion subreddit, r/abortion. OARS has provided information throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, after the passage of Texas’s SB8, and after the Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Volunteers, including moderator volunteers who are on for 12-hours a day, undergo intensive training and point those seeking assistance on r/abortion towards information and resources.
Links Online Abortion Resource Squad Online Abortion Resource Squad on Twitter Online Abortion Resource Squad on LinkedIn
Take Action First and foremost, follow the Online Abortion Resource Squad on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also follow r/abortion on Reddit here.
Figure out whatever steps you would need to take to access an abortion in your community, and make sure you are intimately familiar with those steps. Next, apply the same steps for loved ones in your life. Learn the laws where you live. Talk to your doctor, talk to your local representatives, and talk to people in your communities about ways to strengthen abortion access.
If you see someone on Reddit who needs abortion help, send them to/abortion.
If possible, donate! You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 23 Jan 2024 | Good News: The Biden Administration Finalized New Refusal Rules | 00:29:49 | |
There are a number of provisions in federal statutes that allow providers and hospitals the ability to refuse to provide care, or the information a patient may need to get care elsewhere, if the provider objects on moral or religious grounds. Katie O’Connor, Director of Federal Abortion Policy at the National Women’s Law Center, sits down to talk with us about the history of refusal statutes and rules, what it looks like to be a patient up against refusals, and the new refusal rules out of the Biden administration. The Trump administration finalized rules that defined refusals and greatly expanded the amount of people in the healthcare systems that could potentially refuse care. The Biden administration’s new rules around refusals rescind the Trump rules, taking us back to the refusal of care statutes with no extended reach. Ideally, and in congruence with this, stripping the Weldon amendment from the Labor HHS appropriations bill and repealing the Hyde amendment would expand access to abortion. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 30 Jan 2024 | A Deep Dive into Idaho’s Increasingly Extremist Abortion Landscape | 00:33:22 | |
White supremacist, Christian nationalist extremists have infiltrated state government on all levels in Idaho, which has created the political environment that led to abortion bans in the state. Garnet Henderson, Senior Multiplatform Reporter for Rewire News Group and host and producer of ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion, sits down to talk to us about her 10-day reporting trip to the state of Idaho and what she uncovered. Idaho, which was one of the first states to ban abortion outright after the Dobbs decision, and implemented the “abortion trafficking” law (which is currently blocked as a legal challenge proceeds), faces a variety of abortion and pregnancy/childbirth barriers. Severe driving times, hospital closures in rural communities, a dissolved maternal mortality review board, stigma, and abortion bans themselves create a climate of fear and impact people’s reproductive decisions. Thankfully, Idaho has introduced a progressive voting campaign and recently voted to expand Medicaid. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 06 Feb 2024 | Project 2025 is a Road Map to a Conservative United States. Here’s What You Need to Know. | 00:53:07 | |
Politicizing independent institutions, spreading misinformation, aggrandizing and consolidating executive power, weakening checks and balances, quashing criticism and dissent, marginalizing and restricting rights of specific communities, corrupting election, and stoking violence are patterns right out of authoritarian playbook. These patterns are written all over Project 2025, an initiative out of the Heritage Foundation. Beirne Roose-Snyder, Senior Policy Fellow at the Council for Global Equality, sits down to talk with us about Project 2025—what is it, how it seeks to shape America, and what it means for LGBTQI+ rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Project 2025 is a broad vision about the future of the United States led by the Heritage Foundation. The project includes a 950-page map to achieving the project, which is centered maintaining a conservative President and, ultimately, continuing a conservative United States of America. Approximately 80 organizations have signed on to this project, and the targeting and restricting of LGBTQI+ rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights is overrepresented throughout the project and roadmap. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 23 Jul 2019 | Global Gag Rule Two Years In: What Are We Seeing? | 00:35:02 | |
The global gag rule, also known as the ‘Mexico City Policy,’ is a U.S. foreign policy that prohibits non-U.S., non-governmental organizations from using their own private funds to provide comprehensive abortion care, counseling for abortion, referral for abortion, or organizing/lobbying/conducting public campaigns in support of abortion on the condition of receiving global health funding. The rule has appeared under previous Republican administrations, but under the current administration it has been vastly expanded. Two years in to the expanded global gag rule, there are a plethora of negative effects. Vanessa Rios from the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) and Jade Maina from TICAH talk to us about IWHC’s new report and why the global gag rule must go. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 13 Feb 2024 | This Valentine’s Day, We’re Talking Pleasure! | 00:43:06 | |
As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re talking about the ultimate sexual and reproductive health and rights topic-- pleasure! Having researched how Black women experience and internalize pleasure, Lorraine Lacroix-Williamson, public health researcher, sits down to talk with us about sexual pleasure, how it fits into the sexual and reproductive health and rights umbrella, and how it relates to public health. Stigma, purity culture, mis- and dis-information and limited sex education act as barriers to honest feelings and conversations about sexual pleasure. These barriers disproportionately impact women; a 2018 study looking at national data found a huge discrepancy in orgasm experience. Heterosexual men experienced an orgasm 95% of the time they engaged in sexual activity, followed by gay men at 89% of the time and bisexual men at 88%. Lesbian women experienced orgasm 86% of the time, followed by bisexual women at 66%, and heterosexual women at 65%. The good news? There’s plenty of resources to use, things to learn, and ideas to explore to define what pleasure means to you. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 20 Feb 2024 | Roe Was Never Enough: A Conversation with Abortion Fund of Ohio’s Executive Director | 00:36:14 | |
For decades, abortion funds have worked tirelessly to bridge the gaps in access for people who needed abortion care. Their very existence highlights the fact that Roe failed to protect and address the needs of many communities marginalized by systems of oppression. Lexis Dotson-Dufault, Executive Director of the Abortion Fund of Ohio (AFO), sits down to talk with us about her first abortion, the importance of reproductive justice, and why Roe was never enough. Having grown up in a conservative environment, Lexis initially did not see abortion as an option when she discovered she was experiencing an unwanted pregnancy. Open and de-stigmatized conversations about abortion empowered Lexis to get the care that she needed. Now an abortion storyteller and champion herself, Lexis’s abortion story exemplifies that abortion storytelling changes and saves lives. As Executive Director of AFO—an organization grounded in reproductive justice—Lexis has borne first-hand witness to the profound impact of the Dobbs decision. In the journey towards collective liberation, it is imperative that we center the visionary leadership of Black reproductive justice activists and organizations and transform sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice in the United States.
You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 27 Feb 2024 | Gretchen Sisson on her New Book, Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood | 00:48:13 | |
Per year in the U.S., there are around 4 million births, between 850,000 - 1,000,0000 abortions, and 18,000 - 22,000 private domestic infant adoptions. Gretchen Sisson, Sociologist in Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) at the University of San Francisco and author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood, sits down to talk to us about the history of American domestic adoption, busts some adoption myths, and underlines how adoption and reproductive health and rights intertwine. Adoption is the U.S. has a long, complicated, and often painful history. In the modern day, adoption is often presented as an alternative to abortion, but Gretchen’s research showed that study participants rarely weighed an abortion vs. adoption; most often, people who couldn’t get an abortion then turned to adoption relinquishment as an option. There is no telling what the overturning of Roe will mean for the future of abortion and adoption in the U.S.—data on adoptions pre-Roe is still sparse. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 05 Mar 2024 | Alabama’s Supreme Court Ruling: IVF, Fetal Personhood, and a Ripple Effect | 00:35:40 | |
In a recent decision, the Alabama Supreme Court declared frozen embryos the same status as people. The decision, which is not grounded in law, references theology and the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case as a citation. Jessica Mason Pieklo, Senior Vice President and Executive Editor at Rewire News Group and cohost of Boom! Lawyered, sits down to talk with us about the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling, in vitro fertilization, and the concept of fetal personhood. This ruling stems from a legal situation in which an in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic worker dropped some embryo dishes, accidentally destroying them. This court case ruling has effectively shut down IVF therapy across the state, which will undoubtedly cause a ripple effect and disproportionately impact those who depend upon IVF for family planning. This ruling may also have implications for contraception—if life, according to Alabama, truly “begins at conception,” then IUDs, which purposefully interferes with implantation, may be at risk. Another upcoming Supreme Court case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, will prove threatening to medication abortion and telehealth generally. You can learn more here. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 12 Mar 2024 | Finding Progress and Joy in State-Level Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Policy | 00:32:27 | |
Particularly after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, reproductive health, rights, and justice can feel very doom-and-gloom. Yet, states around the country are continuing to undertake progressive and opportunistic legislative advancement. Jennifer Driver, Senior Director of Reproductive Rights with the State Innovation Exchange, sits down to talk with us about exciting state-level movement, how to successfully work with legislators, and what wins we may expect to see in the near future. Increasing contraceptive access, the removal of funding for crisis pregnancy centers, and the introduction of constitutional protections are just some examples of progressive state legislature that may expand and support sexual and reproductive health and rights. In addition, some bills focused around maternal health, doulas, and midwifery are sources of hopeful change. While it can often feel like SRHRJ is impacted by one bad policy after the next, let’s take a moment to celebrate the encouraging push for access across the country. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 19 Mar 2024 | Bridging Gaps in California's Abortion Access | 00:34:59 | |
California, a self-dubbed “reproductive freedom state,” scored an A+ on rePROs Fight Back’s forthcoming 50-state report card on reproductive health and rights. However, numerous barriers to abortion– a form of basic healthcare– persist in every state, California included. Jessica Pinckney Gil, Executive Director at ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, California's statewide abortion fund, sits down to talk with us about the fragmentary landscape of abortion access in the state through a reproductive justice lens and progress made in bridging gaps to care. Abortion is not accessible for many Californians, particularly low-income individuals and those living in rural areas, and fewer than two-thirds of counties in California have abortion clinics, leaving some residents hundreds of miles away from care. Transportation, childcare, unreliable internet access, and taking time off work can present insurmountable obstacles for many. Still, grassroots efforts and legislative initiatives are making strides toward improving abortion access in the state. The California Future of Abortion Council, a group of reproductive justice activists, researchers, providers, and patients, produced two reports featuring recommendations to improve and safeguard abortion access in the state. These recommendations have led to the introduction of 28 pro-abortion bills in the 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions and secured over $200 million in funding to expand abortion access in California. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 26 Mar 2024 | The 150-Year-Old Law that Could Impact Abortion Pill Access Today | 00:33:37 | |
The Comstock Act, a 150-year-old law named after “anti-vice” crusader Anthony Comstock, passed in 1873. It allowed enforcement power to investigate the U.S. mail for items of an “illicit,” “lewd,” or “immoral” purpose, including items related to abortion. Greer Donley, Associate Professor and Reproductive Justice Scholar at University of Pittsburgh Law School, sits down to talk with us about the Comstock Act—what is it, what it means, and how anti-abortion activists are working to revive it. Today, the courts are packed with extreme conservative judges and Trump-appointees who maintain a vested interest in maintaining the act as a strategy to ban abortion pills and procedural items sent through the mail. To combat the Comstock Act and its ability to further decimate reproductive health and rights, Comstock must be completely repealed, and a presidential administration that doesn’t enforce Comstock is necessary. The president, who also has the power of pardoning, can pre-pardon anyone later convicted within the 5-year statutory period of a Comstock-related crime before leaving office. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 30 Jul 2019 | Overcoming Barriers: Teens Accessing Reproductive Health Care in Zambia | 00:29:27 | |
Being a teenager can be scary and confusing, especially when it comes to your sexual and reproductive health. Teenagers in Zambia feel like they can’t approach their families or health clinics for information and services, especially when it comes to pregnancy and HIV prevention. Inonge Wina-Chinyama, an advocate with Marie Stopes International (MSI) Zambia, talks to us about how MSI is integrating HIV, contraception/ pregnancy prevention, and other general services in order to reach teenagers seeking sexual and reproductive health services in Zambia. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 02 Apr 2024 | Pregnancy Criminalization, Surveillance, and the Child Welfare System | 01:10:07 | |
Pregnancy criminalization—often rooted in fetal personhood laws and anti-drug sentiment—has a long history and applies criminal suspicions to those who have pregnancies resulting in miscarriages or stillbirths. Lourdes Rivera, President of Pregnancy Justice and Dr. Dorothy Roberts, professor of Africana Studies, Law, and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families—and How Abolition Can Build a Safer World, sit down to talk with us about pregnancy criminalization, the child welfare system, and how Roe’s overturning further impacts rates of criminalization. Themes of compelling people to give birth, the separation of families, and the criminalization of pregnancy reaches back to the United States’ slavery era. Pregnancy criminalization heavily unfolded during the U.S.’ crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980s, disproportionately targeting Black women and turning a public health matter into a criminal one. These reproductive liberties, which have been consistently attacked throughout U.S. history, are further constrained with the repeal of Roe. Mandatory reporters within the current child welfare system are much more likely to report Black women to child protection authorities, as well as impoverished patients. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 09 Apr 2024 | BMHW24 – Reproductive Justice, Black Maternal Health, and the Supreme Court | 00:46:05 | |
April 11-17, 2024, marks Black Maternal Health week. Dr. Monica McLemore, Professor of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing at the University of Washington and Director of the Manning Price Spratlen Center for Anti-Racism and Equity in Nursing sits down to talk with us about the state of maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S., the upcoming Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) Supreme Court case, and achieving comprehensive reproductive justice. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy related case than white women, with the CDC noting that 80% of pregnancy related deaths are preventable. As the Supreme Court gets ready to hear the EMTALA case, which could allow medical professionals to turn those in urgent or emergency need of an abortion away due to “conscience” concerns, maternal mortality and morbidity may increase as abortion becomes increasingly more difficult to access. As the wealthiest nation with the worst maternal health outcomes, the United States has the capacity to recognize the human right to choose if, when, and how to have children, access resources to plan one’s family, parent children in safe and sustainable communities, experience bodily autonomy and sexual pleasure, and provide holistic health care through a reproductive justice lens. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 16 Apr 2024 | Florida’s Six-Week Abortion Ban Will Devastate Access in the South | 00:26:22 | |
Florida—a state with the third largest population in the U.S. and the second largest abortion provider in the U.S.—has recently allowed a state Supreme Court decision that will ban abortion after six weeks gestation. Lauren Brenzel, Campaign Director with Floridians Protecting Freedom sits down to talk with us about the inner workings of this case and how it will further impact abortion access for those in the state and across the country. After this policy goes into effect on May 1st, 2024, patients in Florida (who can) will likely have to travel as far as New York and Illinois to receive abortion care. Florida’s Supreme Court decision follows up years of challenging legislative sessions that have dismantled public education, banned sex education, and prevented the expansion of Medicaid. A ballot initiative has been introduced that may remove the Supreme Court ruling in November. If you’d like to learn more about reproductive justice and voting rights, check out our past podcast episode here. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 23 Apr 2024 | How The Supreme Court Could Endanger Access to Emergency Abortion Care | 00:30:51 | |
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, is a statute passed by Congress in 1986 to ensure that nobody who is experiencing a medical emergency is turned away from receiving health care. But this week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments challenging EMTALA as it relates to emergency abortion care. Katie O’Connor, Director of Federal Abortion Policy at the National Women’s Law Center sits down to talk with us about the potential impacts of this ruling. Under EMTALA, an emergency medical condition is defined “as a condition in which, without immediate medical attention, a patient's health or life is in serious jeopardy.” The statute does not make exceptions for state law, the personal beliefs of providers, or hospitals of religious affiliation. For pregnant people, abortion care can be a very necessary, time-sensitive, and sometimes life-saving health service. State-level abortion bans are already forcing patients to travel hours and long distances to receive care, and providers to leave the hostile states they are practicing in. EMTALA’s ruling may narrow, even more, the already constricted landscape that patients and providers find themselves navigating in the United States—especially for those who are experiencing an emergency. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 30 Apr 2024 | The American Anti-Abortion Movement’s Terrifying Reach Across the World | 00:40:42 | |
Trigger warning: In this episode we talk about sexual assault and descriptions of unsafe abortions. Please engage with challenging content with caution. 45% of the 73 million abortions a year are unsafe. One of the reasons they are unsafe is due to U.S. policies that place restrictions on how family planning-related foreign assistance is used. Jodi Enda, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Correspondent for The Fuller Project, sits down to talk with us about the multiple tools used by the U.S.-- including the Helms amendment and the Global Gag Rule-- and how far their harmful reach truly extends. These unsafe abortions result in approximately 39,000 preventable maternal deaths and millions of complications each year. The U.S. is the biggest healthcare funder in the world, as well as the biggest funder of family planning assistance. Still, The Helms amendment and the Global Gag Rule both impact U.S. funding and U.S. global health assistance as it relates to abortion care, albeit in different ways. These foreign policies disproportionately impact access to abortion care for those who have experienced sexual violence, those who are in conflict and humanitarian settings, and those of low-incomes. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 07 May 2024 | You Deserve Reliable Information to Make Choices About Birth Control | 00:33:50 | |
Social media and limited national standards around sex education means sexual and reproductive health misinformation and disinformation can run rampant. Especially when it comes to birth control, the wrong information can lead to knowledge gaps and limit access to contraceptive care. Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, CEO of Power to Decide and practicing physician, sits down to talk with us about mis- and disinformation around birth control. Recent research from Power to Decide found that, while 38% of young people received information on contraception from social media, many of the same people wanted to receive that information from a health provider. Additional research found that 28% of young people who haven't received birth control information in the last year did not believe that birth control was safe. Examples of mis- and disinformation often include links between oral contraception and cancer, contraception and fertility, and the conflation of contraception and abortion (for example, many politicians compare emergency contraception and IUDs to abortifacients). Correcting mis- and disinformation surrounding contraception will open more doors for those requiring care and increase patient knowledge and confidence. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 14 May 2024 | The Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Crisis in Gaza | 00:28:39 | |
Sexual and reproductive health doesn’t disappear in humanitarian settings. People don’t stop needing obstetric care, getting pregnant, needing birth control, needing safe abortion care, or needing gender-based violence support in emergency situations. In fact, 65% of all maternal deaths, 50% of all newborn deaths, and 51% of all stillbirths occur in humanitarian settings. Judith Starkulla, Head of Office for UNFPA in Gaza, shares her thoughts on the SRHR needs of those in the region. UNFPA supplies medicine, dignity kits, gender-based violence services, and specialized healthcare to hospitals and individual patients. Currently, in Gaza, health infrastructure has been ruined and many people have nowhere to turn to for care. Only 3 maternity hospitals are functioning across Gaza, and they are overcrowded with people needing assistance. Stress, hunger, and fear are impacting mothers and children. Yet, UNFPA cannot deliver aid while Gaza continues to face bombardment and closed border crossings, and medicines and supplies have been destroyed by fire and explosions. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 21 May 2024 | Funding Abortion Care and Practical Support in a Hostile Landscape | 00:33:30 | |
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion funds have been working overtime to support skyrocketing amounts of patients in need. And while there was a large influx in donations to abortion funds after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Court case, those donations have waned in recent years. Lindsey Mullen, Co-Executive Director of the Alabama Cohosh Collaborative and Natalie Price, board member of the Fountain Street Choice Fund, sits down to talk with us about abortion funds, practical support funds, and their work and needs in the years after Dobbs. Targeted regulation of abortion provider (TRAP) laws are increasing after Dobbs. These laws often impact a clinic’s ability to keep staff or stay open, and many staff have lost their employment or seen their clinics close. Closures force patients to have to look and travel even farther for care-- sometimes outside state lines. Telehealth needs have been amplified, with many depending on telehealth care for self-managing their abortion, while some states continue to see their maternal health care desert grow due to a loss of practicing OB/GYNs. With waning financial support, it’s increasingly difficult for abortion funds and practical support funds to continue to provide people access and assistance. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 06 Aug 2019 | We Can't Forget about the Reproductive Health Needs of Adolescent Girls in Humanitarian Settings | 00:22:11 | |
Humanitarian settings refer to a place where there has been a man-made or natural disaster. When these disasters strike, populations are often forced to leave their communities or country, and are forced to resettle. While people indeed need food, shelter, and water in humanitarian settings, there are also special reproductive health needs that women and adolescent girls face. Julianne Deitch with the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) sits down with us to talk about these specific reproductive health needs for adolescent girls in humanitarian settings. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 28 May 2024 | Behind Closed Doors: Exposing and Addressing Harmful Gender-Based Practices in the United States | 00:36:45 | |
Despite often being dismissed as foreign or cultural problems, harmful gender-based practices exist in every community across the United States, affecting countless individuals. Maniza Habib, Research Associate at Population Institute and Amani Nelson, Research Fellow at Population Institute, sit down to talk with us about how to achieve legislative progress and a culturally informed approach to addressing these harms. Behind Closed Doors confronts the reality of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C); child, early, and forced marriage/union (CEFMU); femicide; and virginity testing, which all occur in the U.S. Many of these issues disproportionally impact LGBTQ+ individuals. With culturally competent legislation, survivor-entered resources, and comprehensive sex education, urgent action can be taken to address these harmful gender-based practices. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||
| 04 Jun 2024 | Krystale Littlejohn and Rickie Solinger on their New Book, Fighting Mad: Resisting the End of Roe v. Wade | 00:43:29 | |
Mourning, anger, and grief were top-line emotions after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Still, a recently released collection of essays and stories highlights the very real and inspiring on-the-ground work and experiences of reproductive justice leaders, health care professionals, patients, artists, legislators, and more in the wake of Roe’s overturning. Krystale Littlejohn and Rickie Solinger, editors of Fighting Mad: Resisting the End of Roe v. Wade, sits down to remind us about the fact that resistance is everywhere in the fight for abortion and reproductive justice in the United States. Criminalization, poor and inefficient media coverage of sexual and reproductive health, digital surveillance, religious tyranny, and fear and confusion among medical providers are all barriers in the sexual and reproductive health labyrinth in the U.S. that many have had to navigate. Fighting Mad’s essays explores the ways the SRHR patients, providers, advocates, and leaders have navigated these barriers, offering their reflections and perspectives for a better future. You might be interested in the Public Health is Dead podcast: https://www.publichealthisdead.com/ 9o03 Follow Us on Social: | |||