Anti-abortion side also wants to insist on playing God at the end of life and keeping people barely alive for extended periods under inhumane conditions against family and medical team wishes, as well as keeping death penalty in action. Anyone notice the nutty execution methods being used recently like gassing and firing squad? This is because the severe restrictions on legal medications-they can't get drugs. I believe it was Arkansas that recently batch executed folks because the drugs they had were about to expire, and they can't get more. Don't need surgery. It's time the hypocrisy got called out on outright hating people of all sorts, be they women, LGBTQ, BIPOC, disabled, or other.
Thank you! I subscribe to some fairly obscure stuff, and there's a lot of things many advocates would like to know but they don't have time to dig through EVERYTHING.
Yesterday, the New York Times had an interview with Stephen Breyer about his new book, which reportedly spends a lot of time on the travesty of the Dobbs decision, and his concerns about the direction of the Supreme Court. I was struck by the naivete of his comment: "Are they really going to allow women to die on the table because they won’t allow an abortion which would save her life? I mean, really, no one would do that. And they wouldn’t do that." Does he really not see that they not only would, but in fact ARE doing just that?
Jessica—I love you to death and I read every word you write, but I had to wince when I read the words, ”abortion is terribly popular.” Abortion is not popular; the right to abortion, or to make one’s own reproductive health care decisions is popular. I just worry that that kind of verbiage might come back to bite you. My objection, which I’ve registered before, to the title “Abortion Every Day” is for the same reason.
We should not be afraid of the word abortion. Precise language helps promote abortion rights and helps remove stigma around abortions and abortion advocacy. Abortions are in fact a popular option.
I think she said "incredibly popular" and abortion is very popular. It's a popular topic, medical decision, career field and more. There is no one universal abortion experience but that doesn't mean it can't be good and popular
I can see where you're coming from Deb49, but at the same time, I think it is because we're conditioned to think it is evil. I don't believe it is, at all. I actually never thought of the title of this Substack as being over the top advocating abortions everyday, but simply reporting on them every day. There's a fine line. It advocates for the continued right - every day - to abortion. My two cents.
My comment was more about not giving the other side ammunition. I’d hate to see Jessica in their crosshairs—at least, not for the stuff I was commenting about. And no, I certainly don’t think abortion is evil—I’ve worked in an abortion facility and had one myself. Forced birth and its advocates are evil.
I worry about the vulnerability of various Substack authors, if tfg wins or more likely - tries to steal the election *again*, and succeeds, he'll go after them &/or ppl like them, who stand against the authoritarian theocracy he is for.
Yes. Anyone who has spoken out will be in danger at some point during 2025. We have to hope they don't have the ability to get everyone. We know what they would do if they could.
Please watch the TikTok video of Mark Robinson at the women's Republican luncheon in 2020- unbelievable, he says he wants to go back to the olden days when women didn't vote. I wonder how far back he wants to go, before the Civil War... LOL. That won't play out well for him.
I realize there are quite a few Republican women who would probably don't care if they lose their right to vote because their spirits are broken and they've been indoctrinated into patriarchy since little girls, and they don't speak or even have opinions unless they first get approval from their "man"........but certainly many of the women at that luncheon would have been shocked and in sharp disagreement.
I look forward to Josh Stein using this to help him campaign against this radical idiot mark. Mark is just a gun toting factory worker that accidentally ended up in politics. The black male version of Lauren Boebert.
I can't even stand that particular term anymore "trumping". Or "trumped*. The Donald has literally ruined it for me. Like how I threw up on peach schnapps as a teenager and to this day I can't eat peaches. 🤣
I agree and I rarely use it anymore. In the context of this particular sentence it seemed appropriate, because the two meanings reinforce one another here, as opposed to when it usually just introduces him into a sentence in which he doesn't belong.
He is truly scary! Also, look up Michele Morrow, the GOP pick for NC Superintendent of Public Education. She’s called for the public execution of “traitors” Obama, Biden, Fauci, Bill Gates, and too many others to list. She is a radical Christian extremist who home schooled her own kids, called public schools socialist indoctrination centers, & wants to abolish the federal & state Eduction departments. She boosts truly looney QAnon type conspiracy theories. Part of the GOP strategy to drag us back to the dark ages, is to destroy public education. This woman is running on “parents rights” and “getting critical race theory out of our schools.” I worry because my Mom, who lives in rural NC so all her local news stations are owned by Sinclair & there’s no print newspaper delivery, hadn’t heard anything about the crazy stuff during the primary. I’m worried that too many of these loons are slipping under the radar in red states because people aren’t getting information until it’s too late. That people like Robinson & Morrow could actually win in a purplish state like NC, is horrifying.
Yes I read about that Michelle bitch last week, she's just as evil, it's interesting that she's from North carolina, I wonder if she would like a Pay-per-view on Mark Robinson........lol
If tfg is elected, abortion will be banned one way or another, either thru the FDA (via Project 2025), Comstock act, or federal legislation.
Heather Cox Richardson's Substack https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-17-2024 talks about the Project 2025 plan for the next GOP administration, stating: The overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing the right to abortion must be gratefully celebrated, the document says, but the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision accomplishing that end “is just the beginning.”
100% correct it will be national ban on day one. His cabinet will be full of the Christian Taliban , they will rip this country into shreds with her goddamn biblical law.
You should check out Andra Watkins on substack, Project 2025. She writes specifically on the 1000 page manifesto they have, she decodes everything. Andra was raised within Christian nationalism, she knows to speak and the ideologies.
I write about a lot more than abortion there, but anti-abortion forced-birthers have their tentacles in so much more. This week, I’m covering what Project 2025 says about vaccines and biomedical research. Anti-abortion folks are all up in vaccine skepticism and refusal. They will decimate medical research on this planet.
Thanks for the heads up on Andra's Substack, Julie. I actually do want to hear more about Project 2025, so I can articulate it to others. People need to be aware of the GOP plans -- and horrified.
The Republicans in South Dakota legislature are fucking horrible...... completely undemocratic to cancel an entire ballot because what maybe 10 people withdraw their name, and you can bet that those are names of the anti-abortion people anyway who deliberately signed it to try to fuck it up later. And will South Dakota be doing this with all ballots, they can't just do it for this one it should be done for everything.
I wish the Dems would start talking about the Comstock Act and try repealing it. Not sure what they’re waiting for. On a separate note, I was sorry to hear that Olivia Rodrigo was harassed but not surprised. And last but not least, I want to see some “ban Viagra” memes and t-shirts.
Great article by Bruce Barry, the Tennessee Lookout. A man that understands how pregnancy works.... instead of thinking we can put a camera down our throat to view the fetus....... Refreshing.....
"16 weeks" might be the law... for about 5 minutes. All the worst red states have been rapid firing reproductive health restrictions. Trigger bans on top of vague legislation, on top of TRAP laws, on top of 'trafficking' laws. *Lawyers* are struggling to even keep up with what is legal and what isn't, made more complicated by these laws operating under their own little logic-free, no-law-just-vibes zone. For example, why can the Florida surgeon general scream to the high mountains that vaccines will make your dick fall off and measles isn't worth missing school over, but an OB in Texas is too afraid to say, "This pregnancy is likely to kill you."
Florida went with 15 weeks... and then passed a 6 week ban less than a year later, we're just waiting for the courts to decide on it. I think the most important thing to get across to low engagement voters is that whatever restrictions they think they personally might be ok with, that's not what's going to happen and we've got literally hundreds of state-level laws and bills and who knows how many statements of intention from Republican lawmakers and activists on exactly what the plan really is.
We need to reach men as well, last time I checked they don't like unplanned and unwanted pregnancies anymore than we do, they can easily just walk away and many do - - - but they can't get away from the financial responsibility.
My concern is that too many men, particularly older ones, who agree that abortion should be legal and believe women should have equal rights still don’t prioritize those things. Here in Maryland, I hear men call former Gov Larry Hogan who is running for senate a “moderate who wouldn’t be so bad” or a “reasonable” Republican. I have to remind them that he would still vote for laws that harm and kill women and there is NO moderate or reasonable Republican on women’s rights! And my social circle are all liberal to progressive.
I hope that's true? Unfortunately, that hasn't been my experience. Men I encounter tend to fall into two main categories on this issue. The ones who take their cues from the women in their lives and/or educate themselves and the ones who assume it's not their problem. The ones who do not run the gamut of religious types, misogynists, incels, players, abusers, and I'm sure some are very fine people. I think the men who do listen to women can be better influenced by those women after I explain that this isn't just about abortion, it's about all female reproductive care. I'd think twice about approaching younger men specifically about this because either they agree with me already OR could possibly be dangerous. An uncomfortable amount of men truly don't believe birth control is their responsibility at all and/or specifically use reproductive coercion to exert control over women. (I might be overstating the prevalence of the second because it was attempted on me.) Also, the financial responsibility seems super easy to dodge in a lot of different scenarios?
I would definitely appreciate impressions from men here in the community for insights into messaging towards men!
I don't think the financial scenario is easy to dodge, their checks can and will be garnished. Even if they do not work but are taking disability, social security, that too can be garnished. Much of this goes back to education in my opinion. Too many of the Republican states have completely dumbed down sex education in public school, it's all about abstinence. Sex education in public schools should be far more in depth and talk about responsibility.
I wish I could help but I generally find men just as frustrating and toxic as any woman does. If I engage with family over the course of the year and I glean any insights I will report.
One thing I do think might work is if these laws can be portrayed as emasculating, by taking away a man's ability to do anything to help his wife/partner or daughters. We absolutely hate to reinforce the idea that women's bodies are any of men's business, their husband's/partner's or father's, but I think most men who are not completely terrible human beings (and I don't know what percentage that is) have an instinct to protect their family, especially female family members. So that could be a very effective angle.
Ok whew, it's not just me! You know, I thought about it some more and I think what I would focus on with men is raising salience. I tried that with an older gentlemen who was already pro choice but was upset about the "Biden crime family". My argument was even if that were true (I know), Biden will protect my rights and reverse course on this torture campaign and Trump will make it worse. Just because someone is pro-choice doesn't mean they always vote that way, so it's important to explain the stakes so they don't rationalize a vote for Trump.
Jessica posted a while back about how we have deaths, but we don't really have names and faces and stories to go along with it, and I think sadly that's what we need. It's too easy for people focusing on other issues to think this is much ado about nothing.
Every one of us feels like we're going crazy as we watch what's happening in our country; the gaslighting is so bad. The good thing about this community is it reminds us every day that we are not alone and that we are not crazy.
When blood libel proliferates the way that what the anti-abortion movement - and Donald Trump - say about reproductive health care is, it will end in atrocity. This all happened before 90 years ago.
The mainstream media is slowly seeing what Jessica reports everyday. Here's a no paywall link to Ruth Marcus in the Washington Post:
"More proof that the assault on reproductive freedom doesn’t stop with abortion: Now teens in Texas can’t obtain contraceptives without their parents being informed and granting approval. The inevitable result will be more unintended pregnancies and more desperate girls in a state where almost all abortions are banned."
"You can thank the state of Texas and the ultraconservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit for this situation. The sensible thing to do to prevent unwanted pregnancy is to make contraceptive access as easy and risk-free as possible. Forcing children to have children is not in anyone’s interest."
Haha, 'prevent unwanted pregnancy'. That was never anyone's goal. The goal was always to return control of women's bodies to their husbands and their fathers, and in the absence of those, to the state. The media, gullible and both-sidesy as ever, is just way too many days late and dollars short on that.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) held a virtual event in December 2023 "After Roe: Preventing Harassment and Violence Against Health Professionals Who Provide Reproductive Care." NASEM has extensive related materials online, https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/27518/interactive/?utm_source=NASEM+News+and+Publications&utm_campaign, including an interactive webpage, a summary of th.e proceedings, and information resources provided by the speakers. This was NASEM's fourth post-Dobbs event A free PDF download is available of a book, "The Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States,"
Anti-abortion side also wants to insist on playing God at the end of life and keeping people barely alive for extended periods under inhumane conditions against family and medical team wishes, as well as keeping death penalty in action. Anyone notice the nutty execution methods being used recently like gassing and firing squad? This is because the severe restrictions on legal medications-they can't get drugs. I believe it was Arkansas that recently batch executed folks because the drugs they had were about to expire, and they can't get more. Don't need surgery. It's time the hypocrisy got called out on outright hating people of all sorts, be they women, LGBTQ, BIPOC, disabled, or other.
Olivia Rodrigos management team is leaving it up to the venues at shows to allow/disallow handing out Plan B, condoms, lube etc...
Thank you! I subscribe to some fairly obscure stuff, and there's a lot of things many advocates would like to know but they don't have time to dig through EVERYTHING.
Yesterday, the New York Times had an interview with Stephen Breyer about his new book, which reportedly spends a lot of time on the travesty of the Dobbs decision, and his concerns about the direction of the Supreme Court. I was struck by the naivete of his comment: "Are they really going to allow women to die on the table because they won’t allow an abortion which would save her life? I mean, really, no one would do that. And they wouldn’t do that." Does he really not see that they not only would, but in fact ARE doing just that?
Yes they are going to allow it. They already have.
Sure wish we had maternal mortality data since Dobbs.
This.
Jessica—I love you to death and I read every word you write, but I had to wince when I read the words, ”abortion is terribly popular.” Abortion is not popular; the right to abortion, or to make one’s own reproductive health care decisions is popular. I just worry that that kind of verbiage might come back to bite you. My objection, which I’ve registered before, to the title “Abortion Every Day” is for the same reason.
We should not be afraid of the word abortion. Precise language helps promote abortion rights and helps remove stigma around abortions and abortion advocacy. Abortions are in fact a popular option.
I think she said "incredibly popular" and abortion is very popular. It's a popular topic, medical decision, career field and more. There is no one universal abortion experience but that doesn't mean it can't be good and popular
There's no reason to be ashamed of the word, it's just a word.
I can see where you're coming from Deb49, but at the same time, I think it is because we're conditioned to think it is evil. I don't believe it is, at all. I actually never thought of the title of this Substack as being over the top advocating abortions everyday, but simply reporting on them every day. There's a fine line. It advocates for the continued right - every day - to abortion. My two cents.
My comment was more about not giving the other side ammunition. I’d hate to see Jessica in their crosshairs—at least, not for the stuff I was commenting about. And no, I certainly don’t think abortion is evil—I’ve worked in an abortion facility and had one myself. Forced birth and its advocates are evil.
I worry about the vulnerability of various Substack authors, if tfg wins or more likely - tries to steal the election *again*, and succeeds, he'll go after them &/or ppl like them, who stand against the authoritarian theocracy he is for.
Yes. Anyone who has spoken out will be in danger at some point during 2025. We have to hope they don't have the ability to get everyone. We know what they would do if they could.
I worry about that, too.
Thank you for being brave and putting yourself out there, Andra.
Please watch the TikTok video of Mark Robinson at the women's Republican luncheon in 2020- unbelievable, he says he wants to go back to the olden days when women didn't vote. I wonder how far back he wants to go, before the Civil War... LOL. That won't play out well for him.
I realize there are quite a few Republican women who would probably don't care if they lose their right to vote because their spirits are broken and they've been indoctrinated into patriarchy since little girls, and they don't speak or even have opinions unless they first get approval from their "man"........but certainly many of the women at that luncheon would have been shocked and in sharp disagreement.
I look forward to Josh Stein using this to help him campaign against this radical idiot mark. Mark is just a gun toting factory worker that accidentally ended up in politics. The black male version of Lauren Boebert.
Misogyny definitely seems to be trumping racism in our times.
I can't even stand that particular term anymore "trumping". Or "trumped*. The Donald has literally ruined it for me. Like how I threw up on peach schnapps as a teenager and to this day I can't eat peaches. 🤣
I agree and I rarely use it anymore. In the context of this particular sentence it seemed appropriate, because the two meanings reinforce one another here, as opposed to when it usually just introduces him into a sentence in which he doesn't belong.
He is truly scary! Also, look up Michele Morrow, the GOP pick for NC Superintendent of Public Education. She’s called for the public execution of “traitors” Obama, Biden, Fauci, Bill Gates, and too many others to list. She is a radical Christian extremist who home schooled her own kids, called public schools socialist indoctrination centers, & wants to abolish the federal & state Eduction departments. She boosts truly looney QAnon type conspiracy theories. Part of the GOP strategy to drag us back to the dark ages, is to destroy public education. This woman is running on “parents rights” and “getting critical race theory out of our schools.” I worry because my Mom, who lives in rural NC so all her local news stations are owned by Sinclair & there’s no print newspaper delivery, hadn’t heard anything about the crazy stuff during the primary. I’m worried that too many of these loons are slipping under the radar in red states because people aren’t getting information until it’s too late. That people like Robinson & Morrow could actually win in a purplish state like NC, is horrifying.
Yes I read about that Michelle bitch last week, she's just as evil, it's interesting that she's from North carolina, I wonder if she would like a Pay-per-view on Mark Robinson........lol
If tfg is elected, abortion will be banned one way or another, either thru the FDA (via Project 2025), Comstock act, or federal legislation.
Heather Cox Richardson's Substack https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/march-17-2024 talks about the Project 2025 plan for the next GOP administration, stating: The overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision recognizing the right to abortion must be gratefully celebrated, the document says, but the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision accomplishing that end “is just the beginning.”
100% correct it will be national ban on day one. His cabinet will be full of the Christian Taliban , they will rip this country into shreds with her goddamn biblical law.
You should check out Andra Watkins on substack, Project 2025. She writes specifically on the 1000 page manifesto they have, she decodes everything. Andra was raised within Christian nationalism, she knows to speak and the ideologies.
Thanks for the mention, Julie.
I write about a lot more than abortion there, but anti-abortion forced-birthers have their tentacles in so much more. This week, I’m covering what Project 2025 says about vaccines and biomedical research. Anti-abortion folks are all up in vaccine skepticism and refusal. They will decimate medical research on this planet.
Thanks for the heads up on Andra's Substack, Julie. I actually do want to hear more about Project 2025, so I can articulate it to others. People need to be aware of the GOP plans -- and horrified.
The Republicans in South Dakota legislature are fucking horrible...... completely undemocratic to cancel an entire ballot because what maybe 10 people withdraw their name, and you can bet that those are names of the anti-abortion people anyway who deliberately signed it to try to fuck it up later. And will South Dakota be doing this with all ballots, they can't just do it for this one it should be done for everything.
I wish the Dems would start talking about the Comstock Act and try repealing it. Not sure what they’re waiting for. On a separate note, I was sorry to hear that Olivia Rodrigo was harassed but not surprised. And last but not least, I want to see some “ban Viagra” memes and t-shirts.
Great article by Bruce Barry, the Tennessee Lookout. A man that understands how pregnancy works.... instead of thinking we can put a camera down our throat to view the fetus....... Refreshing.....
"16 weeks" might be the law... for about 5 minutes. All the worst red states have been rapid firing reproductive health restrictions. Trigger bans on top of vague legislation, on top of TRAP laws, on top of 'trafficking' laws. *Lawyers* are struggling to even keep up with what is legal and what isn't, made more complicated by these laws operating under their own little logic-free, no-law-just-vibes zone. For example, why can the Florida surgeon general scream to the high mountains that vaccines will make your dick fall off and measles isn't worth missing school over, but an OB in Texas is too afraid to say, "This pregnancy is likely to kill you."
Florida went with 15 weeks... and then passed a 6 week ban less than a year later, we're just waiting for the courts to decide on it. I think the most important thing to get across to low engagement voters is that whatever restrictions they think they personally might be ok with, that's not what's going to happen and we've got literally hundreds of state-level laws and bills and who knows how many statements of intention from Republican lawmakers and activists on exactly what the plan really is.
We need to reach men as well, last time I checked they don't like unplanned and unwanted pregnancies anymore than we do, they can easily just walk away and many do - - - but they can't get away from the financial responsibility.
My concern is that too many men, particularly older ones, who agree that abortion should be legal and believe women should have equal rights still don’t prioritize those things. Here in Maryland, I hear men call former Gov Larry Hogan who is running for senate a “moderate who wouldn’t be so bad” or a “reasonable” Republican. I have to remind them that he would still vote for laws that harm and kill women and there is NO moderate or reasonable Republican on women’s rights! And my social circle are all liberal to progressive.
I hope that's true? Unfortunately, that hasn't been my experience. Men I encounter tend to fall into two main categories on this issue. The ones who take their cues from the women in their lives and/or educate themselves and the ones who assume it's not their problem. The ones who do not run the gamut of religious types, misogynists, incels, players, abusers, and I'm sure some are very fine people. I think the men who do listen to women can be better influenced by those women after I explain that this isn't just about abortion, it's about all female reproductive care. I'd think twice about approaching younger men specifically about this because either they agree with me already OR could possibly be dangerous. An uncomfortable amount of men truly don't believe birth control is their responsibility at all and/or specifically use reproductive coercion to exert control over women. (I might be overstating the prevalence of the second because it was attempted on me.) Also, the financial responsibility seems super easy to dodge in a lot of different scenarios?
I would definitely appreciate impressions from men here in the community for insights into messaging towards men!
I don't think the financial scenario is easy to dodge, their checks can and will be garnished. Even if they do not work but are taking disability, social security, that too can be garnished. Much of this goes back to education in my opinion. Too many of the Republican states have completely dumbed down sex education in public school, it's all about abstinence. Sex education in public schools should be far more in depth and talk about responsibility.
I wish I could help but I generally find men just as frustrating and toxic as any woman does. If I engage with family over the course of the year and I glean any insights I will report.
One thing I do think might work is if these laws can be portrayed as emasculating, by taking away a man's ability to do anything to help his wife/partner or daughters. We absolutely hate to reinforce the idea that women's bodies are any of men's business, their husband's/partner's or father's, but I think most men who are not completely terrible human beings (and I don't know what percentage that is) have an instinct to protect their family, especially female family members. So that could be a very effective angle.
Ok whew, it's not just me! You know, I thought about it some more and I think what I would focus on with men is raising salience. I tried that with an older gentlemen who was already pro choice but was upset about the "Biden crime family". My argument was even if that were true (I know), Biden will protect my rights and reverse course on this torture campaign and Trump will make it worse. Just because someone is pro-choice doesn't mean they always vote that way, so it's important to explain the stakes so they don't rationalize a vote for Trump.
It sounds like Gavin Newsom and JB pritzker (think big PAC) need to develop another commercial aimed at and for educational benefit of men.
Jessica posted a while back about how we have deaths, but we don't really have names and faces and stories to go along with it, and I think sadly that's what we need. It's too easy for people focusing on other issues to think this is much ado about nothing.
Every one of us feels like we're going crazy as we watch what's happening in our country; the gaslighting is so bad. The good thing about this community is it reminds us every day that we are not alone and that we are not crazy.
When blood libel proliferates the way that what the anti-abortion movement - and Donald Trump - say about reproductive health care is, it will end in atrocity. This all happened before 90 years ago.
"No, it's the doctors, it's their fault." Really? Why don't they just blame the dog for farting like everyone else does?😁
The mainstream media is slowly seeing what Jessica reports everyday. Here's a no paywall link to Ruth Marcus in the Washington Post:
"More proof that the assault on reproductive freedom doesn’t stop with abortion: Now teens in Texas can’t obtain contraceptives without their parents being informed and granting approval. The inevitable result will be more unintended pregnancies and more desperate girls in a state where almost all abortions are banned."
"You can thank the state of Texas and the ultraconservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit for this situation. The sensible thing to do to prevent unwanted pregnancy is to make contraceptive access as easy and risk-free as possible. Forcing children to have children is not in anyone’s interest."
https://wapo.st/3ViMDyg
Haha, 'prevent unwanted pregnancy'. That was never anyone's goal. The goal was always to return control of women's bodies to their husbands and their fathers, and in the absence of those, to the state. The media, gullible and both-sidesy as ever, is just way too many days late and dollars short on that.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) held a virtual event in December 2023 "After Roe: Preventing Harassment and Violence Against Health Professionals Who Provide Reproductive Care." NASEM has extensive related materials online, https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/27518/interactive/?utm_source=NASEM+News+and+Publications&utm_campaign, including an interactive webpage, a summary of th.e proceedings, and information resources provided by the speakers. This was NASEM's fourth post-Dobbs event A free PDF download is available of a book, "The Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States,"
Really appreciate your posts with links, Dana!