Plus: I’m begging y’all to stop posting about legally risky abortion activism
Here’s another edition of Hard to Believe It’s Only Tuesday, a weekly roundup of the top headlines, tweets (for now!), toks, takes, and more in abortion news. You can always email me (andrea.grimes@gmail.com) or DM me on instagram with action items, takes, and news clips.
The big takeaway: Reveal just published another excellent/horrifying investigation from Laura C. Morel on the nightmarish lack of oversight and regulation of crisis pregnancy centers. Tread carefully if you’re squeamish about germs.
The Top Headlines
“Muslim-American opinions on abortion are complex. What does Islam actually say?” (NPR)
“Jane’s Revenge: Biden’s justice department uses abortion access law to indict pro-choice vandals” (Rolling Stone) — More on this primo Biden Administration dipshittery in the Tweets section below.
“RNC calls on candidates to ‘go on offense’ on anti-abortion laws in 2024” (The Hill)
“What it takes to give abortion seekers (actually good) advice online” (New York)
What’s happening around medication abortion access:
“Iowa Republicans file legislation making it a felony to manufacture, prescribe abortion drug” (The Hill)
“Senators ask mifepristone manufacturer to list miscarriage as a use for abortion pill” (The 19th)
“GOP attorneys general warn CVS, Walgreens against mailing abortion pill in their states” (CNBC)
“A Trump-appointed Texas judge could force a major abortion pill off the market” (NPR)
“Survey finds widespread confusion around medication abortion in post-Roe U.S.” (CNN)
What’s happening with abortion laws, bans, and restrictions at the state and local levels:
“Republicans aim to decimate abortion access in post-Roe haven states” (WaPo)
“The fate of Utah’s abortion law could rest on lawmakers changing the rules on injunctions” (KUER)
“Virginia House Republicans won’t consider Youngkin’s abortion ban proposal” (WRIC)
“Tennessee bill would imprison people for three years if they ‘lie’ about rape to get an abortion” (Jezebel)
“Gov. Tim Walz signs law strengthening abortion rights in Minnesota” (StarTribune)
“Attorney general asks [South Carolina] court to reconsider abortion ruling” (AP) — The state Supreme Court struck down South Carolina’s six-week abortion ban in January, and the AG is asking for a rehearing.
“Nebraska lawmakers put off vote on ‘heartbeat’ abortion ban” (AP)
“In mostly abortion-free Mississippi, court battle continues” (AP) — The court battle in question is the anti-abortion American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologist’s lawsuit over Mississippi’s anti-abortion trigger law, passed in 2007, and a 1998 ruling that protects abortion as a right under the state’s Constitution.
The Takes
Repro legal scholar Mary Ziegler is in CNN warning of anti-abortion efforts to exploit the 1873 Comstock Act in an attempt to defeat abortion-friendly (or friendlier) state protections: “If the Supreme Court interprets the Comstock Act to ban the mailing of abortion pills, the Biden administration’s Department of Justice would likely not make enforcement of the act a priority. That would sharpen the already-high stakes of the 2024 election, especially for blue states. A Republican president could take a very different position on enforcing of the Comstock Act, with dire consequences. For those in blue states, this growing focus on the Comstock Act should be a wakeup call. Now is the time to begin working toward the repeal of the law.”
The Tweets/Toks/Grams
IDGAF, I am going to link to my own thread about not posting about legally risky abortion shit online!! Don’t do this!!
Emory University’s Hayley McMahon tweets a short thread on the Biden DOJ’s decision to use the FACE Act (intended to protect clinics from anti-abortion harassment and violence) to prosecute pro-choice graffiti-ists.
The FACE Act is almost never used to charge anti-abortion protesters who literally break in to abortion clinics — but now Biden’s DOJ is using it to charge people for graffiti on a crisis pregnancy center, thereby RECOGNIZING IT AS A MEDICAL FACILITY. Disgraceful & ridiculous.Two Defendants Indicted for Civil Rights Conspiracy and FACE Act Offenses Targeting Pregnancy Resource Centers https://t.co/TUJFWFZRMd
DOJ Civil Rights @CivilRights@RHAVote connects some important dots on later abortion here:
“In general, Americans do not know much about abortion, but the gap between belief and reality is particularly large when it comes to later abortion.” This is particularly crucial when we understand how much the DEMAND for this care is growing, as a direct result of bans.D’s are increasingly supportive of legal abortion in ALL cases. But many blue states still ban abortion at fetal viability. Is later abortion still a political third rail in D-controlled states? We’ll see how things go in Maine and Minnesota this year. https://t.co/DCcoh6lHPt https://t.co/L7jjPG2Mpj
Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux @ameliatd
The Fuck Are We Supposed to Do About It?
Online: Learn about self-managed abortion support and care during the Midwest Access Coalition’s virtual training with Larada Lee-Wallace on Wednesday, February 15th.
Texas: The Afiya Center’s #RJVoter advocacy week starts Tuesday, February 28th. Check out their Instagram for more, including a community forum, advocacy training, and an advocacy day.
Anywhere: The Frontera Fund invites folks to write a “love letter” to support Texans traveling out of state to access abortion care. Everyone loves someone who’s had an abortion!
Anywhere: Listen to folks from Frontera Fund and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice talk about “abortion access on a militarized border” on the new Lilith Fund podcast, Gaslit. The latest episode is in Spanish — links here. English is forthcoming.
Georgia: Sign the Amplify Georgia Collaborative’s petition to support the Georgia Reproductive Freedom Act.
Anywhere: Use All Above All*’s online form to express your support for the EACH act in Congress.
Anywhere: Via @RHAVote, the Valley Abortion Group is new all-trimester abortion facility fundraising to open in New Mexico — donate to the GoFundMe here.
Anywhere, for health care providers: UCSF’s Dobbs Impact Study is looking at instances of “poor-quality medical care since the Dobbs decision,” and they’re encouraging providers to submit de-identified stories.
Texas:
Join the Texas Abortion Hype Squad.
Jane’s Due Process is looking for volunteers in Bryan, College Station, San Angelo, and Lubbock to distribute repro kits containing emergency contraception and other essentials. Sign up here — and they’re looking for local businesses to volunteer as pick-up sites, too.
Anywhere, best practices edition:
Physicians for Reproductive Health has updated guidance on discussing and reporting on later abortion care.
The Repro Legal Defense Fund and the Community Justice Exchange have an extensive, attractive, and fact-filled guide to abortion criminalization in both English and Spanish.
Check out the “Pro Choice, But” campaign to better understand how to talk with folks who are, well, pro-choice … but.
Read the National Immigration Law Center’s know-your-rights-guide to abortion access for immigrants and share widely.
Familiarize yourself with this Digital Defense Fund guide to keeping your abortion private and secure, or check out the If/When/How Repro Legal Helpline guide to internet safety.
Read this guide on using trans-inclusive language from ARC-Southeast and the Transgender Law Center.
REPRO Rising Virginia has a thorough guide to updating your protest signs to make sure you’re using the most forward-thinking, respectful, and impactful language around abortion.
Here’s a big list of action items and info created by @RHAVote, and another big list of action items and info created by Alison Turkos.
California, Texas, or Georgia: SisterLove, Inc. is looking for English- or Spanish-speakers between the ages of 15 and 49 who “recently found out [they] were pregnant’” as part of a paid study through the University of Pittsburgh. Here’s the intake survey to find out if you qualify.
Sign and share:
Texas: Avow Texas’ petition demands county district attorneys pledge not to prosecute people for providing abortions, or because of a pregnancy outcome.
Anywhere: All Above All*’s petition asks President Biden take immediate steps to ensure abortion justice for immigrants.
Anywhere: Declare an Abortion Provider Appreciation Day in your community using this toolkit from the National Institute for Reproductive Health.
From your wallet: Buy something off the wishlist of an independent clinic, abortion fund, or clinic defense group, or donate to support abortion funds. This link distributes your donation to 90+ funds around the country. Or donate to support independent abortion providers!
That’s all for this week. I’m sure I’ve missed something you’d like to see featured in this roundup, for I am but one woman with a computer and an abortion-news-induced drinking problem. Holler at me — andrea.grimes@gmail.com, or DM me on Instagram, and I’ll try to add follow-ups as I’m able.
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