Roe v. Wade: What You Can Do

Hi again, friends and family.

On May 2nd, Politico published a leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. To be clear, at the moment, abortion is still legal and clinics are still open, it is not a final opinion. But this is really bad.

I am sending love to all of my pregnancy-capable friends, family and loved ones. I am also scared for our LGBTQIA friends whose marriages, healthcare and safety are also called into question by this draft opinion. It's bad and it's going to get worse.

You may want to know how to help. I am sharing some good information and resources here for those who are interested, with permission from a dear fellow advocate and ally who shared this with me.

What Will Happen Legally

If the Court's final decision looks anything like the leaked draft opinion, they'll overturn Roe, and abortion will be no longer protected at the federal level. States will be able to criminalize all abortion care.

26 states are then certain or very likely to completely ban abortion (see map below). This will result in an unprecedented public health crisis, on top of the one we already had going on, along with a rapid expansion of the criminalization of pregnant people.

What Will Happen In Your Communities, to People You Love

Abortion is a sensitive issue for a lot of people. There are strong feelings about what others should and shouldn't do, what's "reasonable" or too far in terms of laws. But we're not talking about feelings. This is about sending doctors to prison, about the government forcing people to submit to pregnancy and childbirth against their will.

We will not be returning to a pre-Roe scenario with "back-alley" abortions and coat hangers. Many abortion seekers will be able to self-manage their abortions using safe and effective FDA-approved medication abortion pills, even in hostile states. BUT, we also now have a much larger, more sophisticate law enforcement infrastructure that will surveil, prosecute, and punish people for abortions and pregnancy outcomes like miscarriages. In 2022, the risks are largely legal, not medical.

A lot of people will travel out-of-state, often hundreds of miles, to obtain an abortion in a clinic. Because 50 states worth of people will be trying to access care in the remaining half of states who haven't banned it, people will have to wait weeks or even months for an appointment. Everyone everywhere will have difficulty accessing timely abortion care. To put it in perspective, friends working at last-stop clinics are already reporting 3-5 week wait times just because of the ripple effects of a 6-week ban in Texas.

Most (75%) of abortion seekers are poor or low-income. Most (59%) are already parents. 1 in 4 pregnancy-capable people will have an abortion in their lifetime. You know and love people who have had abortions. If they haven't told you, consider whether you seem like a safe person to tell. Take that to heart and care enough to change.

What Can You Do?

The most impactful thing you can do at the moment is to donate money. I know, I know. If that isn't an option or if you want to do more, organize other people to donate money. The coolest among you will become monthly donors–even of a smaller amount, because it provides a stable cash flow for organizations which are largely volunteer-run.

Here's where it can go (bonus points if you do them all):

Give to local abortion funds in your state who help abortion seekers pay for procedures, made by the Abortion Link Fairy @helmsinki.
Give to practical support organizations, who help abortion seekers with travel, childcare, and other logistical needs.
Give to independent clinics, who are not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, but provide 6 in 10 abortions in the U.S., including all abortion care later in pregnancy.
Our current fave: Give to a new clinic in MD being started by two badass ladies, an OBGYN and a midwife, who will provide safe and compassionate care throughout pregnancy. They will be one of the closer clinics to the Southeast, and be a critical destination as bans sweep across those states. They need $$$!
Share This: a cool guide @alisonturkos made with more ideas, options and info
Offer to volunteer at a PSO, Fund, or your local clinic: Recently, someone I am close to volunteered to help a stranger from Texas traveling hundreds of miles away for care. They desperately needed someone local to check them in and out of a clinic. They were traveling alone and the clinic required a companion. It amounted to driving across town twice, not a big lift, but it meant that person could get the care they needed–it was potentially life-changing.

You'll note that none of the recommendations include giving to well-funded orgs like Planned Parenthood, starting your own thing when these networks exist or fighting with people on the internet. The informed advice is to prioritize mutual aid through local organizations.

Sure, But Then What?

You may be wondering what we can do to fix all of this? Surely somebody has a plan!

There's not much that can be done in the short-term other than helping people get care. There is no immediate political or legal solution due to the composure of the court, the makeup of the Senate, and GOP control of state governments. This will be our reality for a while.

The best we can do is really engage in state-level efforts, where abortion will be regulated (banned or protected): support the election of good state representatives, local prosecutors and judges who don't want to criminalize abortion care or pregnancy outcomes. Support efforts to protect voting rights. Encourage prosecutors not to go after pregnant people. To be clear, there is something to do in every state and not enough people doing it.