6 weeks ago I was drowning in summer assignments from my high school. 6 weeks ago I headed to Staples to buy my notebooks, planner, and folders for my senior year. 6 weeks ago I thought about what I’d wear for my first day of school. 6 weeks ago I attended a graduation party for my friend who was leaving for college. You’re telling me that if I was in Texas and raped at that party, got pregnant, and did not get an abortion by today, my right to an abortion is no longer legal? What if my healthcare provider feared legal consequences stated under SB8 and refused to carry out my abortion? I’d have to go through my--already demanding and stressful--senior year of high school with a newborn? The terrifying answer to these questions is yes, at least for people in Texas.
In 2019, several states tried banning abortions after 6 or 8 weeks. Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Missouri signed this ban on abortions into law, but these laws are not currently in effect. On September 1, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott *dry heave* signed Senate Bill 8 (SB8) into effect, banning abortions beyond 6 weeks of pregnancy. Republican lawmakers in Ohio, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, and South Dakota plan to replicate the Texas ruling, The Heartbeat Act, in their states in an effort to “sAvE a HeArtBeat.” God, I hate these people.
What is even more infuriating about SB8 is the fact that it was written in such a way that makes it extremely difficult to challenge the law in court. The law makes private citizens the enforcers of the law rather than the government, making SB8--almost--invincible from legal opposition. The downfall of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that “protects a pregnant person’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction,” has been a long time coming, but it is clearly in jeopardy now more than ever before. As we embark on a legal battle to protect the right to an abortion and women’s rights as a whole, we must highlight some outstanding organizations leading the fight.
Recognized as the top-ranking nonprofit by philanthropic experts, Planned Parenthood provides vital sexual and reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of people worldwide. With the new Texas abortion ban in full effect, Planned Parenthood is committed to fighting this law in court. Even before this unconstitutional law was passed, they were dedicated to providing healthcare and abortion access to all, no matter what. With over 600 health centers across the United States, Planned Parenthood continues to advocate for high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people regardless of insurance status or socioeconomic background.
The Lilith Fund recognizes the importance of reproductive health while acknowledging its costly price tag. They “provide financial assistance and emotional support while building community spaces for people who need abortions in Texas—unapologetically, with compassion and conviction.” They place a focus on honoring the dignity of Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color, striving to dismantle systems of oppression and replacing them with racial justice. Pre-Texas abortion ban, The Lilith Fund’s clients were primarily people of color. More than half of its clients already had children, half did not have paying work, and more than 40% did not have insurance. These facts posed no obstacle for the organization, in fact, they only motivated The Lilith Fund to reach more individuals. In the weeks leading up to the passing of SB8, The Lilith Fund ignored its budget to help as many people as it could.
After the passing of House Bill 2 (HB2) in 2013, the law that required all Texas facilities performing abortions to meet hospital-like standards, several abortion facilities closed in rural and low-income regions of the state. Fund Texas Choice “helps Texans equitably access abortion through safe, confidential, and comprehensive travel services and practical support,” noting that for some Texans in the westernmost parts of the state, the nearest abortion facility is a 5-hour drive away. Deciding to have an abortion is hard enough as is, and now with the action being “illegal” after 6 weeks, making that decision is even harder. Fund Texas Choice tries to decrease fear of legal consequences on the patient side by boldly stating on their website “Thankfully, the pregnant person is not liable, either criminally or civilly. Nevertheless, Fund Texas Choice continues to serve pregnant people who are seeking abortion-related services and information. We do so in compliance with the law to the best of our understanding.”
The devastating reality for so many teens seeking an abortion is that they may not have their parent’s consent. Jane’s Due Process “helps young people in Texas navigate parental consent laws and confidentially access abortion and birth control.” This teen-focused organization is working towards a future “where young people in Texas have full reproductive freedom and autonomy over their healthcare decisions.” They are so mindful of the role that unsupportive parents play in their child’s decision to seek an abortion that when I was browsing their website, a message appeared at the top of my screen saying “Safety Alert: Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet usage might be monitored, call Jane’s Due Process at 1-866-999-5263 or text 1-866-999-5263. If you need to exit this website in a hurry, hit the ESCAPE key twice.” That message confirmed their commitment to protecting young people seeking abortion beyond the walls of a clinic.
When defending abortion rights, the legendary Ruth Bader Ginsburg said it best; “this is something central to a woman's life, to her dignity. It's a decision that she must make for herself. And when government controls that decision for her, she's being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices.” As we’re all fully adult human beings, capable of making our own healthcare decisions without the interference of gross men in Congress, we have a responsibility to protect the right to an abortion and women’s rights in general. It is my body, and therefore, my choice.
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