It’s been several weeks since the US Supreme Court Overturned 50 Years of Established Precedent of reproductive rights. The cultural analysespersonal stories, and to research that might be the best description like horror stories have since predictably emerged to the top of the news cycle.
For example, by highlighting Texas as a model for things to come, several media outlets reported on a teen who found out she Pregnant with twins 48 hours before Texas abortion ban. Also known as the scientifically inaccurate Texas Heartbeat Actthe ban went into effect in September 2021. The teen wanted an abortion but couldn’t access it in her home state — a disastrous predicament many women will soon face, or are now facing.
In states where politicians are foaming at the seams to criminalize not only abortion but also failed pregnancies, a recent Washington Post op-ed highlights the real possibility of women experiencing miscarriage”will bleed to death on their bathroom floors if they are afraid of getting medical care” as a result of the Supreme Court ruling.
Most recently, the nation of a 10-year-old rape victim who was forced to travel across state lines to terminate her pregnancy. Ohio – her home state –bans abortions after any six weeksthat is, statistically, for a third of women even know they are pregnant.
since the Dobbs v. Jackson make a statementmore than half of all states are certain or probable come quickly to ban abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide. Nothing but 16 states and Washington, DC have laws protecting the right to abortion, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on national health issues. And it’s common knowledge that the Supreme Court’s decision… disproportionately affect women of color and low-income women.
When the news broke, I immediately donated to well-known reproductive rights organizations like Planned Parenthood, from whom I sought health care in my early 20s when I didn’t have the required insurance to keep up with cancer screenings and general reproductive care. But I soon wondered which states were under immediate threat and sought to learn about some of the more local and local efforts to provide reproductive health care to women living in such states. What follows is a short list of organizations seeking to help women in states that refuse to recognize them as autonomous people.
TEA (Texas Equal Access) Fund
According to their website and social media channels, the Texas Equal Access Fund strives to make abortion rights a reality. In the wake of the Texas abortion ban, they have… had this to say on Twitter:
TEA recognizes that abortions are essential health care and their donation page can be found here.
Right by you
Missouri was one of the first states to ban abortion in the days after Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, except for medical emergencies. In Missouri there are no exceptions for rape or incestand according to doctors in the state, “medical emergency” is not clearly defined by law.
advocacy group Right by you is described on its website as a “youth-focused line of text connecting Missourians to abortion care, birth care, adoption and parenting support, birth control, and information about their rights.” They do not provide direct funding to those seeking abortions; instead, their services are informative and seek to educate young people about the full range of reproductive health care options –including abortion care. They are actively looking for both funds and volunteers to help ensure Missourians’ access to reproductive health care. Those hoping that their donations will specifically help women who cannot afford abortions should consider donating to the Missouri Abortion Fund.
The Hoosier Abortion Fund
While abortion is still technically legal in Indiana, state legislators are bragging change course. The Hoosier Abortion Fund provides abortion services (as well as other pregnancy options) to women who need their services, including adoption services, pregnancy support, diaper programs, and parenting advice beyond abortion support services. Those in financial need just have to say so when they call their All-Options Talkline.
Women have options
Ohio bans abortion after six weeks — again, before most women even know or show signs of being pregnant — and don’t make any exceptions for rape or incest. According to abortionfonds.org—the nationwide network of abortion funds, run by individual members and supported by donations—Women have options (WHO) is an Ohio-based service that works with most clinics in the state. While they do not provide direct assistance to individuals, they provide grants to clinics that help patients in need of financial assistance.
The WHO, like most reproductive rights funds, relies on grants from organizations and individuals to keep afloat and provide the best possible care for women (and, as we saw in Ohio, pregnant children) in need. .
The Kansas Abortion Fund
Because every abortion fund is different, it is necessary to research how your donation is being spent. Some funds help women directly allow abortion, while others provide logistical and practical support for related expenses. In an interview with The Kansas City Star, Sandy Brown, president of the Kansas Abortion Fund, explained how her organization supports women: “Many funds have practical support, such as transportation, gas, childcare and shelter,” she said. “We’re working with the clinics to fund abortion for people who don’t have the money to pay for abortion care.”
The Kansas Abortion Fund could also use your help, in a state where antichoice activists are working on change the state constitution by abolishing the right to abortion care.
On the one hand, the need for these organizations is a maddening reminder of how, wherever you live, mistresses of our representatives always have access to safe abortions. But grassroots efforts are often needed to bring about change in the face of those determined to bring about the decline of society. And when it all gets a little too overwhelming, these organizations are also a reminder that there are countless people who are committed to the humanity of women. By donating we can do our part to help them.