Thinking and speaking about abortion access. In the first section of this document, I'm going to highlight some information that's been forthcoming regarding various considerations that are often ignored , lost, or unknown to many people in conversations about the overturning of Roe Summaries includes links to some Tweets and threads you might find helpful if you’d like additional information. 1. W omen are not the only people who can get pregnant. Conversely, not all women can get pregnant. Reproductive rights spans a lot more than a cis het, able - bodied white woman’s ability to get an abortion. Additionally, the overturning of Roe v. Wade affects a lot more than reproductive rights , in part because of how the decision was written 2. Forced sterilization via vasectomies — whether a serious suggestion or a thought experiment — is a suggestion that fails to take into account the real history of forced sterilization of marginalized peoples or the fact that forced sterilization is also antithetical to reproductive rights. Additionally, while sometimes reversible under certain conditions, vasectomies are by no means universally reversal . Finally, forced sterilization is not a magic bullet that will fix the need for abortion: for example, it fails to take i nto account the many people who want children but choose abortion due to medical complications ( Here’s an ad ditional thread from a historian of vasectomy .) 3. Everything in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale has happened in real life to various marginalized peoples at various points in history and in various places, yet Handmaid's Tale imagery tends to be used by predominantly cishet, able - bodied white women only when cishet, able - bodied white women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are under attack 4. The Underground Railroad wa s a specific network organized and so named for a specific purpose. The term “Underground Railroad” should not be coopted for abortion rights , which erases the history of the Unde rground Railroad while ignoring terminology actually used by abortion rights activists. 5. While you may have the urge to offer shelter and transportation right now to people seeking abortions, be wary of offering this publicly online, or at all . It's better to support abortion funds and experienced on - the - ground activists 6. While moving is a valid option for those who can manage it, for many people it isn’t f easible for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to poverty and disability. Moving domestically is unlikely to solve the problem anyway, particularly if an abortion - friendly state is surrounded by anti - abortion states. It’s probably more difficult to get an abortion in an abortion - friendly state than you think it is D isabled people not only may lack the benefits and support they may have in their current home when they move but are actively barred from citizenship around the world Vulnerable people live everywhere , not just in blue states. And since gerrymandering is a thing (I can tell you from experience, living in a gerrymandered - to - hell state that for some ungodly reason is still considered a swing state despite being deeply red ), you absolutely cannot assume people in a ny state have brought this on themselves through their voting habits. 7. Whether or not you consider them “real Christians,” the people who brought about this downfall and have been celebrating it weaponize Christianity and Christian institutions in many diff erent ways. Ignoring that with “not all Christians” or “they’re not real Christians” sentiments ignores the important and devastating role Christian institution s play in oppression . Add itionally, broad statements about “religion” as an oppressor ignore the important ways in which Christianity and other major religions differ on reproductive rights issues It is specif ically Christianity that is being weaponized in the United States to attack reproductive and other important rights. How to protest safely. In this section, I'm going to summarize information I've found on protesting, including equipment, clothing, and saf ety protocols. Again, as I'm not remotely an authority, I'll link to some threads where experienced protesters go into more detail about this information. 1. Leave your phone at home . Don’t just turn off location tracking or turn your phone off; leave your phone at home, along with any other tracking technology. The author of this thread has also released a zine on mobile phone security for activists and agitators 2. If police start talking to you, do not engage. Ask “am I free to leave?” If yes, leave without a word. If no, ask for a lawyer and clam up You still have Miranda rights . A SCOTUS case just prior to the overturning of Roe stated that you can no longer automatically sue if police fail to read you your Miranda rights. However, t he rights themselves have not been overturned . You DO have the right to an attorney and you DO have the right to remain silent. Know your rights! Use your rights! Don’t let people online who don’t know exactly what that particular SCOTUS decision was about confuse y ou into thinking you have to talk to cops! 3. Know your protest rights (infographic). You are allowed to protest peacefully outside buildings and ma rch in the street, without a permit, provided you ’ re not obstructing traffic or the en trances to bu ildings. You are also allowed to r ecord videos , a lthough activists further down this list may recommend NOT recording anything in photo or video form If you are ar rested, know your Miranda rights and don ’ t say anything. I f you are not arrested, walk away. ACLU ’s websi te has additional information about protesters ’ rights , broken down by whe ther you are organiz ing , attend ing , record ing , or stopped by police. 4. What to wear, what to bring , and what to leave at home (infographic with a more detailed thread breaking down each item of the infographic). Alt text for the infographic Generally speaking, wear nondescript and comfortable clothes and shoes, bring water, cover up any identifying markings (e.g. tattoos, brightly colored hair ), and leav e technology at home. Print any maps in advance and have plans for where to meet back up with friends in case of emergency or after leavin g the protest. 5. A thread of basic gear, basic tech, tactics, and what to do after a protest . Per the thread, be sure to check the QRTs and comments for additional and updated information! T his thread is has some advice in common with the previous thread but goes into a lot more detail and is more intensive. 6. A current map of protests , which seems to be updated regularly/semi - automatically. You can search by city, zip, or date of event, or add your event to your map. If there are no protests nearby, you may consider planning one. However, in this case, make sure you do plenty of research and planning, know what your objectives are, and connect with experienced activist s a nd protest ers if at all possible. Civi cus has a good starting gui de o n strate gies for a sustainable protest , included as part of a toolkit for protest resilience 7. The d ocument in (2) below also includes a section on protesting. What you can do other than protesting. Not everyone is a protester , and that 's okay. There are things that need doing other than protesting or ground - level activism — important support work that helps activists , protest ers, and people in need of abortions. I was going to put more in this s ection myself , but the document linked in (2) is comprehensive and far more detailed than an ything I could create , as it was written by an abortion rights activist. So while I have provided some action items and links here, the bulk of the suggestions can be found in (2) by clicking the linked d ocument. 1. Do nate. a. Local funds generally have fewer resources yet are in a better position to provide and connect people with abortion services, so go local as much as possible rather than donating to national organizations like Planned Parenthood. i. Donate through NNAF Abortion Funds to split a donation among up to 93 different local funds in different areas. You can split the donation up differently to provide more funds to certain pr oviders, such as those in your area. While NNAF is a natio nal organization, t hey ar e a good option for donation because the donations go to local funds and allow donors to donate to many different funds at once. ii. A list of abortion funds to donate to, alphabetized by location . Includes social media links where applicable, as well as weblinks. This document also opens with some general information 1. Another list by location that may be easier to navigate if you want to skip the general information and get right into the state - by - state funds. iii. A website with lists of local funds and reproductive justice organizations to donate to . Includes funds by location, Black - led organizations, Latinx - led organizations, and directories to help you find abortion providers near you iv. Funds in the Deep South that may not be linked above v. Clinics with direct fundraisers to open new locations or move across state lines b. Donate to organizations that help people actually get to their appointments , e.g. by providing transportation , childcare, or a place to stay. c. Donate to organizations that train abortion doulas 2. Check out this document for detailed information about how to show up for abortion access . I t’s easy to navigate thanks to the top list of links that take you straight to whichever section of the document you’re interested in , which include actions like ... a. L earning more about self - managed medication abortions or making appointments at clinics b. D on ating c. T alking about ab or tion d. S har ing on soc ial media about abortion e. S peaking to kids about what ’ s happening f. D oing something politically g. R esearching background information on abortion access h. B uying abortion merch i. T aking action as a business leader j. T aking to the st reets for abortion access 3. Take a course to become an abortion doula . ( What does an abortion doula do? ) 4. In taking political action, demand specificity and clarity from lawmakers What if I need an abortion? This website has resources from hotlines to privacy/security information to information about different kin ds of abortion to links that can help you locate a provider. A bortion in different states (July 2022) This map has details not only about in which states aborti on is currently legal/illegal but detailed information about each state , along with definitions of terminology (e.g. “viability”). Detailed information can be seen by hovering over the map. However, I w ill also list the information below . States in red have total abortion bans; states in blue allow abortions until v iability or throu gh out pregnancy; states without color - cod ing have limited , potentially illegal, or legal - for - now status es. (See notes for details ) The map is current as of July 12 , 2022 If you live in a state where abortion has a limited, p otenti ally illegal, or lega l - for - now status, be sure to check the news for updates on abortion laws before seeking abortion care, as movement on abortion bans, blocking abortion ba ns, and reinstating abortion bans has be en swift and confusing. Alabama – banned except to save the life of the pregnant person ; 48 - hour wait period after mandatory counseling Alaska – legal throughout pregnancy and recognized as a right under the state constitution by the state SC Arizona – legal for now , with a ban at 15 weeks (except to save the life of the pregnant person) slated to take effect Septembe r 29 ; pro ponents of a pre - Roe total ban (except to save the life of the pregnant person) claim this pre - Roe law could still be enforced despite previously being found unconstitutional in 1983 an d a subsequent block b y courts, bu t the governor has said the new law supersedes the old one ; 24 - hour wait period after mandatory co unseling Arkansas – banned except to save the life of a pregnant person, with performing or attempting to perform an abortion punishable by up to 10 years in pr ison and $100,00 0 in fines ; 72 - hour wait period after mandatory cou nseling California – legal until viab ility; protected by state law; CA voters will vote in November on whether to add abortion protections as an a mendment to the sta te constitution Colorado – leg al throughout pr egnancy; protected by state law Connecticut – legal until viability; protected b y state law D. C. – legal throughout pregnancy; protected by district code Delaware – legal until viability; protected by state law Florida – state SC pre viously recognized a right to abortion under the state constitution, BUT a law banning abortions 15 weeks after last period (except to save the life of the pregnant person) took effect July 1 and may be upheld under the new, more conservative state SC Geor gia – legal for now until 20 weeks after fertilization (with 24 - hour wait period after mandatory conseling) ; a 6 - week ban (with exceptions for rape, incest, to save the life of the pregnant person, and in the cases of fatal fetal anomalies) has been temporarily blocked while it goes through the courts and ma y be decided on at any time Guam – unclear, as a 1990 law that had banned most forms of abo rtion was blocked from referendum by a circuit court ruling it u nconstitutional, so the law is no longer on the books or in ef fect but abortion is no longer federally protected ; a later law allowed abortion up to 13 weeks, or up to 26 weeks in cases of rape, incest, f atal fetal an omalies, or to save the life of the pregnant person. R egardless , as of 2018 Guam ha s no abortion providers on the island , so access is an issue even if legality is determined not to be. Hawaii – legal until viability; protected by state law Idaho – legal for now until viability, b u t a temporarily susp ended 6 - week ban ( with exceptions for rape, incest, and to save the life of the pregnant person), enforced by private right of action, could go in to effect, and a total ban (except for cases of rape, incest, and to save th e life of the pregnant person) was slated to go into effect 30 days after the overturning of Roe whether or not the 6 - week ban ’ s block ends ; 24 - hour wa it period after mandatory counseling Illinois – legal until viability; protected by state law Indiana – legal until 20 weeks after fertilization (with 18 - hour wait after mandatory counseling) , BUT due to some recent judiciary and legislative nonsense, bans could widen after a special legislati ve session that began on July 25, and access is not protected by state law Iowa – legal until 20 weeks after fertilization but could come under attack in the future, as the state SC recently reversed an earlier state ruling that recognized a right to abort ion under the state constitution ; temporari ly blocked law requires wait p eriod with manda tory counseling Kansas – legal until 22 weeks after last period, with prior state SC recognition of the right to abo rtion under the state constitution; however, KS vot ers in A ugust will vote on an amend ment which, if passed, will repeal this recognition ; 24 - hour wait period after mandatory counseling Kentucky – banned except to save the life of the pregnant person; performing or attempting to perform an abortion is a Class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison ; 24 - hour wait period after m a ndatory cou nseling Louisiana – banned except to save the life of the pregnant person; penalties of the old law on the books were increased after the overturning of Roe , such that abortion providers can now receive up to 10 years in prison and up to $100,00 0 in fines ; 24 - hour wait period after mandatory cou nseling Maine – legal until viability ; protected by state law Maryland – legal until viab ility; protected by state law Massachusetts – legal until 24 weeks; protected by state law; e xecutive order signed June 24 to protect access Michigan – legal for now until viability, with 24 hour wait period after mandatory counseling; a pre - Roe law has been temporarily blocked while a case against it proceeds, but it could be reinstated. In the c ase of reinstatement, abortions would become illegal except to save the life of the pregnant person. Minnesota – legal until viability and recognized as a right under the state constitution by the state SC; executive order signed protecting people seeking or providing abortions in MN from legal repercussions in other states Mississippi – banned except for cases of rape or to save the life of the pregnant person ; 24 - hour wait period after mandatory counseling Missouri – banned except to save the life of the pregnant person ; 7 2 - hour wait period after m andatory cou nseling Montana – legal unt il viability and recognized as a right under the state constitution by the state SC Nebraska – legal for now until 20 weeks after fertilization, but not protected by state law AND the governor has said he will push for the legis lature to pass a total ban Nevada – legal until 24 we eks after fertilization; protected by state law; approved in a referen dum such that this cannot be changed without another vote of the people ; 24 - hour wait period after man datory cou nseling New Hampshire – legal until 24 weeks after last period, but not protected by state la w New Jersey – legal throughout pregnancy; protected by state law New Mexico – legal throughout pregnancy, but not protected by state law; though not recognized as a right in t he co nstit ution, the state SC did use the s tate ’ s Equal Rights Amendments to stri ke down restrictions on Medicaid abortion coverage New York – legal until 24 weeks after fertilization; protected by state law North Carolina – legal for now until viability (with 7 2 - hour wait period after mandatory cou nseling) , due to a number of complicated and conflicting laws; a ban after 20 weeks has been temporarily blocked, and a pre - Roe law modified by a post - Roe law isn’t in effect; executive order signed July 6 to protect access North Dakota – legal for now , but a trigger law banning all abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of t he pregnant person w ill go into effect as soon as the attorn ey g eneral ’ s office certifie s the release of the decision to the legislative council ; 24 - hour wa it period after mandat ory counseling Ohio – ban a t 6 weeks except to sav e the life of the pregnant person; 24 hour wait period after mandatory counseling Oklahoma – ban ned except to save the life of the pregnant person and enforced through private right of action; a previous law had also include d exceptions for rape and incest, but the trigger l aw that went into effect on June 24 does not seem to inc lu de these exceptions ; 72 - hour wait period after mandatory cou nseling Oregon – legal throughout pregnancy; pr otected by state law Pennsylvania – legal until 24 weeks after last period, but not protected by state law; 24 hour wait period after mandatory counseling required P uerto Rico – may be legal for now throughout pregnancy, but a new law passed by the Senate in June limits abortion to 22 weeks , with except ions to save the life of the pregnant person, in cases of fatal fetal an omalies, or if the physician otherwise determines that a fetus of 22 weeks or m ore is nonviable ; however, this law still needs to be passed by the House and signed by the governor to take effect Rhode Island – legal until viability; protected by state law So uth Carolina – ban at 6 weeks (with 24 - hour wait period after mandatory cou nseling) , except in cases of rape, incest, to save the life of the pregnant person, and in the case of fatal fetal anomalies, BUT a public hearing was held July 7 to consider banning all abortions from conception, except to save the li fe of the pregnant person, so bans could expand South Dakota – banne d except to save the life of the pregnant person ; 72 - hour wait period after mandato ry counseling (e x cludes weekends and annual hol idays) Tennessee – legal for now until viability, BUT a trigger law was slated to go into effect 30 days after the overturning of Roe which would ban all abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, a nd to save the life of the pregnant person, and the state constitution bars protection of the right to abortion Texa s – ba n at six weeks except to save the l ife of the pregnant person, with enforcement through a private right of action, A ND a trigger law was slated to go into effect 30 days after the over turn ing of Roe which would ban all abor tions except to save the life of the pregnant person ; 24 - hour wait period after mandatory cou nseling Utah – banned except in cases of rape, incest, to save the life of the pregnant person, fatal fetal anomalies, or sever e brain ab n ormalities ; 72 - hour wait period after mandatory counseling (waived if patient is younger than 15 y ear s old or in cases of rape, incest, or feta l defe ct ) Vermont – legal throughout pregnancy; protected by state law Virginia – legal until the third trimester, but not protected by state l aw Washington – legal until viability; p rotected by state law West Virginia – potentially illegal due to a pre - Roe law that banned all abortions except to save the life of the pregnant person but was found unconstitutional in 1975; the state’s only clinic made a statement saying it will not be performin g the procedure, so for all intents and purposes abortion is at least unavailable in WV, if not actually illegal; if legal and available, 24 hour wait period after mandatory counseling Wisconsin – potentially illegal due to a pre - Roe law that banned all ab ortions except to save the life of the pregnant person; it has not been blocked by the courts, but the state’s attorney general has said he will not enforce it and urges local prosecutors to do the same Wyoming – banned exce pt in cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the pregnant person If you are aware of changes to any of the abov e information, please contact me so I can update the list with more current state limitations on abortion. M iscellaneous information. The Secretary of Health & Human Services released a letter reminding health care providers that the Department of Health and Human Services’s Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act preempts state laws barring abortion, i.e., if a pregnant person would die without an abortion, EMTALA overrides state bans because in such cases abortion is a life - saving procedure. Hospitals that fail to comply can be kicked off Medicaid. This doesn’ t mean we shouldn’t be worried, but it’s good to know. A thread on the real reasons people will die from a lack of access to abortion . (Spoiler alert: it’s not because of the presume d dangers of self - managed medication abortions, which are generally safe and effective.) Data collection has been and will be used to target people who have had, may have had, or are plan ning to have abortions. The ACLU has a great thread on how this happens, along with some advice for protecting your digital privacy: use privacy - first search engines, use encrypted apps wi th disappearing messages to make plans, and turn off both web and phone locations services and search history . Better still, as when attending protests, leave your phone at home when at tending pregnancy - or abortion - related medical appointments If you menstruate, delete period tracking apps that may be selling your data, such as Flo, and request that they delete yo ur data To continue tracking your period , either track on Clue (a Berlin - based app with a robust privacy policy) or track by hand using a codeword or symbol and digital calendar or a pen and paper. (Do NOT stop tracking your period! You should absolutely still tra ck your period!!!) If you do not menstruate, fuck with data by signing up for as many period tracking apps as you can and (systematically) bullshitting the dates of your theoretical cycle. While this will do nothing to h elp someone whose data is per sonally subp oenaed, it can make it more difficult for prosecutors to choose people to target based on batch es of data. For this to be mo st effec tive, a) it needs to be a LOT of people an d b) the data needs to be beli evable enough that accounts won ’ t be flagged as fake , e.g. a cis man who signs up for a period app needs to create false data that more or less mimics a real mens trual cycle This article has a great nuanced discussion of the useful ness of faking data in period trackers and includes sugge stions for maximum privacy if you really do menstrua te. ( It ’ s worth noting that c reating fake data seems t o have been h elpful in other areas , such as disrupting attempted anti - union/anti - strike hiring on the part of companies like Kroger Any programmers out there wan t to give this a try with period - tracking apps? )