In case you missed it: I spoke about abortion rights with Chris Hayes on MSNBC last night. You can watch the segment here. :)
In the states…
Despite the almost-laughable level of hypocrisy from Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker—who is running an anti-abortion campaign, but paid for an ex-girlfriend’s abortion—Republicans have continued to rally around him. The chair of the Republican National Committee called the report a “character assassination”; Florida Senator Rick Scott said it was a “smear”; and former president Donald Trump said Walker was being “slandered and maligned.” Lovely.
And because there is no lack of ridiculous anti-abortion men to choose from, check out this moment in the debate for Utah’s 3rd congressional district where Republican Rep. John Curtis said he understands that it “stinks” for women that it’s mostly male legislators creating laws about abortion: “I wish, as a man, I didn’t have to make this decision. I wish women could make this decision.” DO YOU NOW???
Seriously, why are men so bad at this? New Jersey Republican Tom Kean keeps stumbling over questions about whether or not he supports abortion rights—saying he “supports a woman’s right to choose,” except in cases of rape and incest?? After many asks for clarifications later, Kean finally said, “Up to about 20 weeks, a person, a woman, can…have an abortion for any reason. Post that time, those exceptions would include rape, incest, life, health of the mother or the baby.” So the answer is no, he doesn’t support abortion rights. See, that wasn’t so hard!
An Ohio judge is hearing arguments today about whether a block on the state’s abortion ban should stand (the current block expires on Oct. 12). Pro-choicers in the state are feeling optimistic because in his first order, the judge ruled that there is a “fundamental right to abortion under Ohio’s Constitution.”
This op-ed from a survivor of domestic violence in Colorado is an important reminder about how abortion bans put women’s lives in danger in more ways than one; Mountain State Spotlight highlights where abortion is on the ballot in West Virginia; and the University of Idaho is doing its best to convince people that their anti-birth control and abortion speech guidance is a nothingburger.
Speaking of Idaho, the state Supreme Court heard arguments over the state’s abortion ban yesterday, where the Justices asked questions about why the law would allow rapists’ family members to sue abortion providers and about the lack of protections for women’s health. A key moment: When Justice John Stegner asked Deputy Attorney General Megan Larrondo whether the ‘life’ of the fetus is more important than a pregnant person’s health, and Larrondo said the statute is focused on life rather than health. Justice Stegner replied, “So you’re saying we don’t care about the woman’s health.”
Tennessee maternal fetal medicine physician, Leilah Zahedi-Spung, on having to deny cancer patients abortions:
“It’s awful for patients. And then you have to say, ‘By the way, the state of Tennessee doesn’t think you’re dying enough, so for you to get the care you need now that you’ve made this tough decision, you have to go to an abortion clinic out of state.”
At an Arizona debate last night, Republican Senate hopeful Blake Masters tried to avoid questions about his past comments on abortion (like when he called it “demonic”), but Sen. Mark Kelly called him out in the exact right way: “I think we all know guys like this, guys that think they know better than everyone about everything. You think you know better than women and doctors about abortion.” We do all know guys like this.
Speaking of Arizona, the story of a 14 year-old denied the arthritis medication that allows her to attend school because she was of “childbearing age” was already awful—but seeing images of the sweet girl just about broke my heart.
In an Iowa debate last night, Republican Sen. Zach Nunn said he supports exceptions for abortion bans for rape, incest and fetal abnormalities—consider this your regular reminder that abortion exceptions are not real.
More from Republicans doing their best to dodge abortion questions; check out this moment at the Illinois gubernatorial debate:
Planned Parenthood’s political arm announced that it is investing $5 million into North Carolina races; the money is part of a $50 million national campaign to protect abortion in nine key states. The Associated Press reports that it’s the largest-ever electoral program in the organization’s history.
Barnard College in New York will start offering medication abortion next fall. From a statement from the college dean and the chief health officer: “Barnard applies a reproductive justice and gender-affirming framework to all of its student health and well-being services, and particularly to reproductive healthcare. In the post-Roe context, we are bolstering these services.”
And Indiana University announced that staff insurance policies—which already cover contraception and abortion—will now offer up to $2,000 for travel expenses, should someone need to leave the state for abortion care.
In Connecticut, candidates for Attorney General answered questions about abortion, and their responses are incredibly telling. Take note of how clear and unequivocal current Attorney General William Tong is about protecting abortion rights, while his Republican opponent does her best to seem moderate while saying absolutely nothing.
Jamarah Amani, director of the Southern Birth Justice Network in Florida, wrote an op-ed calling out the health companies who have donated money to anti-abortion causes:
To every corporation proclaiming a commitment to social responsibility: It can no longer be performative. You must use your vast resources to restore the marginalized communities that have been harmed by restricting access to essential healthcare. Put your money where your mouth is, and make a commitment to exclusively support lawmakers who are addressing racial justice and health equity.
And the new Miss USA, from Texas, is speaking up against the state’s abortion ban: “I personally believe that she should be able to make that decision on abortion, and not the government or anybody else.”
In the nation…
NPR has a must-read piece about the danger that childbirth poses to teenagers and children:
Going through with a vaginal birth could cause lasting damage to a teen's pelvic area and rectum. So, teenage childbirth often ends in cesarean section, causing uterine scarring that almost guarantees she will need to give birth via cesarean section if she has more children.
"Adolescents are at increased risk for low-birth-weight babies, high blood pressure in pregnancy, preeclampsia, higher complications from sexually transmitted diseases, and increased rate of infant death," said Dr. Anne Waldrop, a maternal-fetal medicine fellow at Stanford University.
Reporters also spoke to several young mothers about the physical trauma they went through during their pregnancies; it’s difficult to read, but important. Especially as Republicans try to order that it’s just fine for children to give birth.
NPR also has a short segment on how abortion bans are limiting medical students’ opportunities to learn the vital procedure.
This is dystopian: Doctors who provide abortions are now buying insurance policies that include coverage for legal costs in case they are prosecuted for ending a pregnancy.
The New York Times reports on how abortion bans pose a particular risk to older mothers, who are more likely to have high-risk pregnancies or develop fetal abnormalities; The Guardian looks at the different midterm ballot measures on abortion and how pro-choice activists are hoping to replicate their win in Kansas; and The Telegraph reports on anti-abortion surveillance efforts in the U.S. and beyond.
Stat News points out that the telehealth regulations loosened because of COVID are being rolled back—which could impact companies seeking to make medication abortion more widely available. (Now they don’t just have bans to deal with, but state medical boards.)
You love to see it…
French writer Annie Ernaux, a staunch advocate for abortion, was awarded Nobel Prize in literature this year. Her first book, “Cleaned Out,” was about having an illegal abortion before it was legalized in France. Ernaux said at a press conference, “I will fight to my last breath so that women can choose to be a mother, or not to be. It’s a fundamental right.”
I’ve written about Elevated Access before—a group of volunteer pilots offering free flights to people who need to leave their state for abortion care. Now they’re operating in Oklahoma (and looking for more volunteers if you know any pro-choice pilots!)
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