on Roe: what comes next
Are you worried and doomscrolling after last night's news? Me too! Here's a thread of resources and ways to contribute or get involved. Welcome to repro justice work!
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A note: I am unapologetically pro-abortion, on demand and for any reason. My credentials: I've been a public health professional in reproductive health and an abortion doula with abortion collectives in three states; my master's thesis was on midwifery-led provision of abortion. I don't have all the answers but am always happy to be a resource and answer questions.
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1 - First and most importantly — ABORTION IS STILL LEGAL. If you have an appointment for an abortion - keep it! If you need an abortion - you can still get one!
2 - Know that while this news is heavy, it's not unexpected. Those of us in this space have known this was coming for years, and many, many brilliant activists, organizers, storytellers, and abortion providers have been planning for this for ages, most of them Black and brown reproductive justice leaders on the ground. While it doesn't lessen the grief or anger, know that you are coming into an already strong fight. Please follow their lead — find out what efforts are already happening in your communities instead of starting your own.
3 - Not sure what's going on or how we got here? Start with Access, a podcast about abortion. Here is a thread of relevant episodes on Dobbs v. Jackson, including Supreme Court background, relevant precedence (Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey). Other resources: Rewire News Group, Robin Marty's New Handbook for a Post-Roe America (link here or here).
4 - Find out what the laws on abortion in your state will be when Roe is overturned. Guttmacher is the best resource here. When Roe falls, 26 states are certain or likely to overturn abortion, depending on their current or outdated laws on the books -- in Michigan, a 1931 law banning abortion in all circumstances will immediately go into effect. Find out what your state legislators are doing to save abortion access, and turn the pressure on. Colorado just passed a law protecting abortion; Connecticut's bill is widely considered one of the best.
5 - The most immediate thing you can do is to help people get abortions. Donate to an abortion fund or to your local independent abortion clinic before giving to Planned Parenthood or NARAL or any other big organization. People already have to travel out of state to get abortions; help them. Become a clinic escort at your local clinic, or train to be an abortion doula. Find mutual aid networks or doula collectives in your communities giving rides, sheltering people, supporting abortion providers, and show up.
6 - Tell your abortion story! People with uteruses and people without -- tell the stories about how your abortion or your partner's abortion made you a better parent, helped you live the life you want. Tell stories of grief, celebration, matter-of-factness, a big deal or no big deal. If you don't have an abortion story, be a safe person for people to share with you. Know that you already know and love someone who has had an abortion — everyone loves someone who's had an abortion, whether or not you know it.
7 - As you share information in the coming months, stay away from coat hanger imagery and "auntie networks," and do not under any circumstances talk about forming an "Underground Railroad" for abortion. Instead, elevate the voices of Black and brown reproductive justice leaders. Remember that people of all genders get abortions; use gender-inclusive language like “pregnant people” or “people with uteruses.” Adoption is not an alternative to abortion, and disability is often thrown as a reason that veers into eugenics — understand the nuances, complexities, and intersections, and respect people’s lived experiences first. Share information about self managed abortion (another resource), which is a safe way to have an abortion (safe abortions will not stop when Roe falls!). Please do not stockpile or hoard mife/miso unless you are connected to community supports for distribution.
8 - Here is the FDA-approved regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol, up to 70 days LMP (after last menstrual period):
day 1: 200 mg of Mifeprex taken by mouth
24 to 48 hours after taking Mifeprex: 800 mcg of misoprostol taken buccally (in the cheek pouch)
7-14 days after taking Mifeprex: follow up with the healthcare provider
Stay hydrated, expect moderate-heavy bleeding and cramps, seek medical care for: soaking 2 pads/hour for more than an hour, blood clots larger than a lemon, fever lasting more than 4 hours, no bleeding at all OR feeling ill for more than 24 hours after taking misoprostol, severe pain after 24 hours even with ibuprofen. (h/t) Pills taken buccally or orally cannot be detected in the bloodstream and are indistinguishable from a miscarriage; pills taken vaginally can leave a residue that can be detected. This is NOT medical advice — I am a public health professional, doula, and sex educator, not a health care provider — this is the FDA-approved regimen for medication abortions. For more information: English (bit.ly/MEDAB), Spanish (http://bit.ly/MEDABespanol).
9 - If you have questions, ASK! It's easy to panic and jump in flailing, but you're joining a long and robust history of abortion activism — take a breath, roll up your sleeves, pitch in to what's already happening.
10 - Finally, if you think this doesn't apply to you, it does. Trans people, sex workers, and people having abortions have always been the canaries in the coal mine — this is just the next step in an ongoing and interconnected onslaught, from FOSTA/SESTA to state-level anti-trans and anti-abortion bills over the last decade. The leaked opinion mentions Loving, Lawrence, Obergefell — cases that protect queer people and people of color — and indicates what might be next. Contraception has long been on the table too. The right to abortion is protected under the right to privacy; Roe falling has major implications beyond abortion.
Our fights are intertwined, and we have each other.
image credit to @liberaljane