FIGHT THE SUPREME COURT MAKE ABORTION SAFE AND LEGAL EVERYWHERE
The Supreme Court of the United States has overturned Roe v. Wade. Here is what you can do to make a difference:
VOTE! Find out who is coming up for re-election in your congressional district and vote accordingly. Check If you are registered to vote at https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/
Support those politicians that are pro-choice. Help them get elected. Join their campaign team. Volunteer some time to sign people up to vote. Bring attention to these candidates on social media.
Add your voice. Join/organize protests and demonstrations. There is power in numbers!
Write letters to the editor of your local paper.
Organize a pro-abortion rally. Invite your local media to cover the action, and post photos and videos on social media using the hashtag #BansOffOurBodies and #MyBodyMyRights and tagging your Senators.
Elect people to office who are pro-choice. If they don not agree with the decision the SCOTUS has made, it will be easier to convince them to overturn it.
Write letters to your congress people. Both in the House and the Senate. Let them know you do not agree with the ruling of the Supreme Court and urge them to take action. If they are in support of the SCOTUS decision, let them know that you will be voting against them when they come up for reelection. Visit congress.gov and enter your address to find your representatives.
PROTEST VS. DEMONSTRATION What you need to know These words are often used interchangeably. They do not mean the same thing!
A demonstration is great for bringing attention to a cause. However, a demonstration is a one off event. A protest is an ongoing effort. In the end a continued actions will have a better effect.
Consider all the marches and hunger strikes during the women’s suffrage movement, the marches and sit ins during the Civil Rights Movement.
Forced pregnancy is defined as when person becomes pregnant without having sought or desired it, and abortion is denied, hindered, delayed or made difficult. Some of these pregnancies are caused by a lack of sexual education, access to contraception, or mistake, but many of them, especially among young girls, are caused by sexual violence, often perpetrated by relatives or acquaintances.
When abortion is illegal or inaccessible, often young peoples’ lives are at risk through clandestine abortions or having to give birth. Being so young, most are neither physically nor emotionally mature enough to carry a pregnancy to full term, give birth, or become mothers. And yet, without access to safe and legal abortion, they are forced to do so, compounding the harm from the sexual violence they’ve already suffered. Laws and policies that strip women and girls of their fundamental human right to make their own decisions about their reproductive health, lives and futures can absolutely amount to torture. ~ United Nations
#HYPOCRACY The United States is a party to several international treaties that recognize the rights to life, to privacy and bodily autonomy and integrity, nondiscrimination, and freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, among others. ***** ***** The United Nations declared forced pregnancy a human rights violation. The Supreme Court, and every state politician who is restricting the right to abortion, is guilty of a human rights violation. Forcing an individual to carry a unwanted pregnancy
Restricts body autonomy. A fetus has been given more rights than a pregnant person. There is not other circumstance where a person is denied a right to control over their body. Pregnant people are more likely to stay with an abusive partner if they are pregnant, putting the child in danger of being abused later. Some states have given rapists full parental rights. This chains victims, and their children to their rapist. 63% of rapes are not reported for various reasons including police bias and belief they will not help, fear of retaliation, and associated stigma. Chaining someone to an abuser in any way is cruel and it affects their mental health.
The prevalence of suicidal thoughts and self-harm in the year before and after giving birth nearly tripled among childbearing people between 2006 and 2017. The greatest increases were seen among Black, low-income, and younger individuals, along with people with comorbid anxiety and depression or serious mental illness. ~ JAMA
~ Myths busted ~
NEED ABORTION ACCESS? The following QR will take you to the Planned Parenthood abortion access finder.
Have you had an abortion? Did it have a positive impact on your life? It is important that your story is heard! I am collecting personal stories for a book that will showcase how abortion has improved and saved lives. I also want to know what obstacles stood in your way. You do not have to share your name. Please contact me at ghackwor@gmu.edu if you are interested in participating or for more information.
The Safe Space Discord Server A network of volunteers from across the country is being assembled to help those who need care and boarding accommodations in the event of traveling out of state. If you want to help out email ghackwor@gmu.edu for more information. YOU WILL BE SAFE HERE!
SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade has noting to do a pro-life agenda and everything to do with control and oppression. Conservatives have been trying to turn back the clock to the 1950’s, the most religious time in America, since the 1960’s. The FDA approved the birth control pill spawning the Sexual Revolution and the Women’s Movement wasn’t far behind.
There has been pushback ever since women took control of their bodies and their sexuality. Forcing individuals to give birth in a country with pay disparities between genders, no universal health care, no paid maternity leave, a baby formula shortage, and frequent school shootings is not very pro-life. Pro-life means all life, not just the unborn. The human fetus has been granted a right no human being has, and that is to use another person’s body for their own benefit without express and ongoing consent.
This is also about a predominantly far right conservative Supreme Court abusing their place of power. Most of America did not want Roe v. Wade overturned. SCOTUS has made a decision based on their own personal and religious beliefs forcing them upon the entire nation furthering an agenda based in sexism, misogamy and religion. Supreme Court justices have also stated they are going after contraception and gay rights next.
This is not what government “for the people by the people” looks like.
Date ______________ Representative/Senator ______________, I am concerned about the ramifications of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and what this means for the future of Women’s Rights. Supreme Court justices have already said they want to use this as precedence to overturn gay marriage rights and outlaw contraception. Contraception is prescribed for more than preventing pregnancy. The medical care of any individual should be between them and their doctor without government oversite and restrictive laws. I understand that an act of Congress can overrule the decisions of the Supreme Court. I urge you to put pressure on Congress to do so. The United Nations has declared forced pregnancy a human rights violation. The states who are outlawing abortion, even in the case of medical necessity, such as ectopic pregnancy, are committing human rights violations as well as treading on the religious and personal beliefs of the people they are supposed to be serving. We live in a nation without universal health care, no paid maternity leave, a baby formula shortage, and frequent school shootings and now people – and I say people because this affects transgender men and non-binary persons as well - are being forced, against their will, to bring another life into the world. Is the government elected by the people for the people really without compassion? Pregnancy puts people at a higher risk of depression. Statistics show that abused people are more likely to stay in an abusive relationship if pregnant and remain in contact with that person. Pregnancy increases the chances that one is going to live in poverty and face food insecurity, file for bankruptcy, or even be evicted. Pregnancy is not a health-neutral state. Everything a person is at risk for while not pregnant increases when they are pregnant. Furthermore, there have been instances where states have given a convicted rapist full parental right tying the individual who was raped to their rapist. This is beyond cruel. Not only that, but the human fetus has been given a right that no person has, and that is to use someone’s body without express and ongoing consent. Again, I implore you, to influence the rest of Congress to overturn the decision of the Supreme Court and restore our right to body autonomy and to make the choices best for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Sincerely,
Delete all period tracking apps.
Pay cash for all purchases related to reproductive care. This includes contraceptives. Cash CAN NOT be traced. DO NOT trust companies like Amazon with your information.
If possible leave your phone at home while buying these things. At the least turn off location tracking before leaving the house.
Contraceptives have a shelf life—including condoms—DO NOT hoard them. Other people need them as well right now.
For any searches related to reproductive health use a VPN or the TOR browser (or Onion if you use iOS). If the government wants to prosecute someone they will pull their search history.
For end to end communications use encryption. This means an app like Signal for text messaging or Proton Mail for email. Enable disappearing messages or delete the data. Make sure it is not stored locally or on the cloud. Especially if you are crossing state lines or boarders where someone might want to watch you. Also, enable Bluetooth and turn on airplane mode.
Be careful who you tell about any travel plans. Do not post on social media or tell your doctor or nurse. HIPPA can not stop your medical records from being subpoena.
Remember, women are being arrested for miscarriages in some states. While it is not illegal to travel to get an abortion, that does not mean the state will not try to prosecute you for having one once they find out.
BE SMART AND STAY SAFE!