#5SmartReads - June 27, 2022

Hitha on the future of abortion in America - and what we can do about it

“Inside, a decision that had been in the air for months was suddenly concrete: after more than forty years, the clinic would be closing. On the phone with one of the medical assistants, a pregnant woman screamed furiously, before dropping the phone, “I guess I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands, won’t I?”” 

There’s nothing I can say about this piece, which felt like a punch in the gut after I feel like I’ve already been pummeled.

All I can ask is that you take your time to read every single word.

Our healthcare workers are drained from the past two years of caring for patients during a global pandemic. The ones that care for pregnant patients in the states where abortion are legal are about to be pummeled yet again, and with no end in sight.

And they continue to rise to the challenge, having worked to create networks with their colleagues in states that will ban or severely limit abortion to care for those who need this procedure. But there are only so many of them, so many appointments available, and not every person who needs this procedure will be able to travel to receive it.

Please be extra kind to your OB-GYNs and their staff when you go in for your regular appointments.

The previous article mentioned the investments many reproductive healthcare providers are making for telemedicine and medical abortion, to help scale this availability as much as possible. And it looks like they have an ally in our Justice Department.

Granted, Attorney General Garland has yet to file any lawsuits against states banning or limiting access to mifepristone (which is also used in miscarriage care), and these lawsuits take a while to make their way through the courts. But for as long as we have a Democratic president, you’ll have a Health & Human Services Department and a Justice Department who will do everything they can to keep telemedicine abortion care legal and available.

Rhaki was born and I am alive because I was able to get an an abortion.

I needed one because of a miscarriage. But why any person needs an abortion is their business, and they should be able to get the care I received with the ease, speed, and compassion I had.

If you think that somehow banning elective abortion will preserve this kind of care for those who miscarry or have an ectopic pregnancy or whose life is threatened, you’re wrong. Banning abortion puts this necessary care at risk, as Dr. Nandi has outlined in this post. Access to IVF and fertility treatments and contraception will also be at risk.

But don’t take my word for it. The doctor is in and answered your questions on this topic.

If you’ve made it here and are asking yourself “well, what can we do now?”, thank you for sticking with me and let me answer that question.

First things first - we need to hold onto the House of Representatives and win seats in the Senate. But not just any seats - we need to elect candidates who have made it clear that they support a filibuster exceptions/reform. Those candidates are Cheri Beasley in North Carolina, Val Demings in Florida, Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin, John Fetterman in Pennsylvania, Tim Ryan in Ohio. If you live in these states, get your voting plan ready and volunteer and donate to their campaigns if you are able.

If we manage to do this, the first piece of legislation they must pass is to confirm the ERA as validly ratified. The Equal Rights Amendment could provide a new basis not just for reproductive healthcare, but also protect the hard-fought rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and the gender affirming healthcare that is already threatened in certain states.

If the Supreme Court insists that Congress and the people should act, then we will. Ratification of the ERA would be a good first step.

One small thing to bring a smile to your face (read the entire thread):

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