I am living in the northeast where teacher’s unions have been fighting tirelessly for properly funding schools to deal with the current crises in education that was born out of decades of austerity and cuts while the burden of what schools are asked to shoulder has increased at the rate of wealth inequality and declines in societal structures and mental health. Urban schools like the one I work in have been the canaries in the coal mine. Now suburban schools are feeling it too. We are reminded that this country relies on a mostly female teaching force to sacrifice themselves on the alter of their jobs and when I they ask for just compensation for that responsibility they are demonized as the ones abandoning kids. Sound familiar?
Massachusetts has an unjust law on the books making it illegal for public sector workers to strike as if we are the fire department and those wishing to put us back in our place as their servants have said that the cities and towns can’t shoulder the burden and if we did it would require in funding and tax increases therefore we should accept less. If you don’t have the money to fund schools you don’t say too bad, you demand funding!
How does this relate? Because again what we say we value is a lie. We value mothers unless or until they seek to have maternity leave and affordable childcare. We value teachers unless or until they say hey, we are drowning here and then we are greedy teachers in search of an easy buck.
The idea that teachers are essential but should take scraps doesn’t sound that different from the lies these anti abortion folks are selling. People will willingly believe lies about women because misogyny is built into our DNA.
Fuck this shit, if I’m gonna go out, I’m going out swinging.
As deeply as I will always believe in abortion as a fundamental right, framing thr right to abortion as an economic issue could really resonate with people.
After all, if you cannot control your fertility, how free is any woman, or any couple? Having to financially provide for one 's family impacts one's "freedom" to leave a job in order to take a better, career advancing position, to pursue educational/vocational opportunities, etc.
I taught AP world history and there was a stimulus question from the college board using primary source documents that clearly proves that women being able to control their fertility was a giant global societal shift leading to wealth and opportunity for not only individual women but society. The economic link is crystal clear. But as Jessica reminds us. That’s not what any of this is really about. For those seeking to restrict it has always been about sex and women’s agency around their sexuality.
Lack of reproductive freedom will impact EVERYONE - female and Male. It takes sperm to make a baby. Does anyone REALLY think that men won’t have to PAY for these children they are producing???
Men get arrested, extradited and locked up for not paying child support and that child support can go back to and include the cost of the hospital delivery of these children.
I know because my boyfriend has been in this situation.
You can run but you can’t hide from paying for these kids.
So understand men - “your body my choice and your pocketbook jackass!!” The laws are already on the books. No adjustment needed.
Deadbeat dads - the laws are there and everyone else isn’t paying for your kids!!!
Deadbeat dads or opt out dads are fine. Getting someone to pay is hard when in many places they can just relinquish rights or there’s suffering one risks if they pull that trigger. I was listening to a radio show about a year back reporting how abusive men keep women they impregnate under their control or who retaliate using it as a weapon. Basically if you sue me for child support I’ll sue you for custody and visitation rights and fuck you up. How many of us wouldn’t just give up to protect our kids? Especially outside a marriage contract, it’s the Wild West out there.
I agree with everything you just said. Nevertheless, I don’t think the extremists who are forcing their beliefs regarding “when life begins” on the rest of America or the MAGA men who are boasting their toxic masculinity understand that it takes sperm belonging to some man to make a child and someone has to pay.
Children cost money. The government under Trump doesn’t seem to be interested in supporting the children they are forcing on women - but someone has to pay.
Project 2025 is ugly - it’s embraces the nightmare relationships you describe.
An alternative is what happened under the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauseceu. Look it up. The dictator prevented abortion and contraception. The results were nightmarish. Children were abandoned en masse. The orphanages were overflowing and dead disabled children were found by peacekeepers and others who went in after Ceauseceu was overthrown and executed.
HEADS UP - if you have a “patient portal” through your obgyn, READ the fine print. Outside entities (elections have consequences) can access your health care information. There are really no downsides - it’s in the fine print!
Me - I’m old and my info was repeatedly compromised - right out a commercial - pathetic - so I don’t give a 💩.
But with this election and the private equity companies taking over healthcare - BE AWARE!!!
Thank you so much for covering the MMRC in Georgia! Everyone who was so up in arms about abortion rights leading up to the election seems to pay no mind to stories like these. I appreciate your work!
I have a confession and apology to make. I subscribed to this newsletter in order to learn to understand your point of view. After a short time, I have begun to realize that I have been living in a "bubble" as was not aware of many things. However, "ignorance is no excuse."
Until recently, when I read your quote, "Your body: MY choice!," I did not know such an inhumane "person" existed. Forgive me. From a distance I recall hearing "music" with references to treating women like "hoes," but I didn't know perhaps they meant it.
You have written a story entitled "Abortion Bans are Designed to Kill." If I understand correctly, you are accusing the authors and supporters of these Abortion Bills of "Premeditated Murder" -- that they WANT women to die or, at the least, they don't care [I have never met such a person]. And you have provided statements and quotes that appear to back up your claims, at least in some cases. I will agree that any law that is so vague or imprecise as to allow doubt concerning whether a woman's life should be "saved at all costs" should be immediately annulled and rewritten to insure doctors of their priorities and responsibilities in this matter. I agree that no woman should have to die, even as an "unintended consequence."
Your passion, focus, and strong convictions are much to be admired. I can only ask you to at least consider as I am attempting to do, what Paul Harvey used to call "The Rest of The Story." This is more than just "differences of opinion:" LIVES are at stake. Let us agree at once to END THE KILLING!
Thank you for the apology. This is why women are furious. We have been treated as empty “baby vessels” rather than full human beings in our own right.
If people want fewer “abortions” offer pregnant women help and incentives to stay pregnant!
Canada used to pay a “baby bonus”
Ever consider that??
Women/Girls need the healthcare mandated to bring about a healthy baby. Women need postpartum care. Postpartum depression is a real thing. It’’s unhealthy for the woman and potentially dangerous for the child. PTSD is treated as a serious condition (potentially dangerous) in returning soldiers - postpartum depression is biological result of having a child - so deal with it and ensure healthy women and children.
The way the incoming administration is treating pregnancies are akin to “puppy mills”. No consideration is given to healthy children and women - just drop more babies out. But cut the FOOD programs to feed them!! Brilliant
Romania went through this under the dictatorship of Ceausescu resulted in child being dumped. Look it up.
If the United States administration wants more babies then do it the intelligent way and stop listening to the religious fanatics that are only pushing their version of Christianity.
I am a Christian who has had a Near Death Experience and seen Heaven. John 10:9
I believe that life begins when the child can draw a breath separate from its mother.
We have the freedom of religion in this country. That needs to be respected.
Treat women and girls with dignity that the Lord demanded (as you would want ME to treat you) and all things can be worked out.
They do know why birth rates are decreasing. And remember the leaked Alito draft where he had a footnote citing CDC study about woman seeking to adopt children “i.e.they were in demand for a child” but the “domestic supply of infants” relinquished at birth had become almost nonexistent. And some members of my local GOP believe adoption is the “ humane compromise” for victims of rape/incest.Some days I have no words….but then I’m able to regain my “voice” and keep fighting for repro rights
Tell those "humane compromise" folks that the maternal mortality rate in the US is the worst in the developed world. Women can DIE from pregnancy. Do they think that women/girls want to take that chance if they were raped and/or their bodies are too young and immature to handle pregnancy?
The smartest thing for women of child bearing years who do not yet have children to do, is to emigrate. Having no women to impregnate will mess up the Lebensborn like birther plans of the Christian Nationalists who are taking over the USA.
There has now been five Senate and House elections since 2016. Every federal republican Senator in office now knew what they were getting into and have taken the oath of loyalty to trump despite knowing exactly who he is. They are little man-boy bullies and playground mean girls. A fine collection of narcissists, opportunists, sociopaths, psychopaths, and what have you, with no empathy or moral compass. I wish there were a Hell just so they could end up there.
It rings true with what I have been reading in Project 2025, something I also recommend people read because you will look at the decisions being made not as isolated rando ideas, but as part of a concerted effort to turn the US into a third world nation. In fact, a gift as it were, to Putin from Trump. This is what Putin has been working for his whole life, and probably Xi as well, and the US is going to be handed to them on a platter. Here fascism expert Andrea Pitzer talks about what to expect as well, and what to do to be safer. It is important to hear what she is saying because she is laying out what Olga says in what it will look like in specific actions.
"Researchers found that adolescents who have access to abortion, or have abortions as teenagers, end up having much better financial and educational outcomes over the course of decades"
So, the MAGApublicians dropped Gaetz when it became clear that backing an animal who repeatedly paid for sex with a 17 year old child- a junior in high school- while taking penile erection drugs was a loosing proposition.
Now, their new bff is Hegseth who raped a woman in California at a republican convention. Despite a graphic police report and a rape kit and the fact that Hegseth paid the woman hush money so that he wouldn’t loose his job on Fox & Friends, Hegseth says the rape was consensual sex.
MAGApublicans hate women! We are nothing but chattel to them. Nothing says that more than their new campaign- Your body- My choice. They are utterly disgusting perverts.
I am living in the northeast where teacher’s unions have been fighting tirelessly for properly funding schools to deal with the current crises in education that was born out of decades of austerity and cuts while the burden of what schools are asked to shoulder has increased at the rate of wealth inequality and declines in societal structures and mental health. Urban schools like the one I work in have been the canaries in the coal mine. Now suburban schools are feeling it too. We are reminded that this country relies on a mostly female teaching force to sacrifice themselves on the alter of their jobs and when I they ask for just compensation for that responsibility they are demonized as the ones abandoning kids. Sound familiar?
Massachusetts has an unjust law on the books making it illegal for public sector workers to strike as if we are the fire department and those wishing to put us back in our place as their servants have said that the cities and towns can’t shoulder the burden and if we did it would require in funding and tax increases therefore we should accept less. If you don’t have the money to fund schools you don’t say too bad, you demand funding!
How does this relate? Because again what we say we value is a lie. We value mothers unless or until they seek to have maternity leave and affordable childcare. We value teachers unless or until they say hey, we are drowning here and then we are greedy teachers in search of an easy buck.
The idea that teachers are essential but should take scraps doesn’t sound that different from the lies these anti abortion folks are selling. People will willingly believe lies about women because misogyny is built into our DNA.
Fuck this shit, if I’m gonna go out, I’m going out swinging.
“Because again what we say we value is a lie.”
You said it best.
As deeply as I will always believe in abortion as a fundamental right, framing thr right to abortion as an economic issue could really resonate with people.
After all, if you cannot control your fertility, how free is any woman, or any couple? Having to financially provide for one 's family impacts one's "freedom" to leave a job in order to take a better, career advancing position, to pursue educational/vocational opportunities, etc.
I taught AP world history and there was a stimulus question from the college board using primary source documents that clearly proves that women being able to control their fertility was a giant global societal shift leading to wealth and opportunity for not only individual women but society. The economic link is crystal clear. But as Jessica reminds us. That’s not what any of this is really about. For those seeking to restrict it has always been about sex and women’s agency around their sexuality.
Lack of reproductive freedom will impact EVERYONE - female and Male. It takes sperm to make a baby. Does anyone REALLY think that men won’t have to PAY for these children they are producing???
Men get arrested, extradited and locked up for not paying child support and that child support can go back to and include the cost of the hospital delivery of these children.
I know because my boyfriend has been in this situation.
You can run but you can’t hide from paying for these kids.
So understand men - “your body my choice and your pocketbook jackass!!” The laws are already on the books. No adjustment needed.
Deadbeat dads - the laws are there and everyone else isn’t paying for your kids!!!
Deadbeat dads or opt out dads are fine. Getting someone to pay is hard when in many places they can just relinquish rights or there’s suffering one risks if they pull that trigger. I was listening to a radio show about a year back reporting how abusive men keep women they impregnate under their control or who retaliate using it as a weapon. Basically if you sue me for child support I’ll sue you for custody and visitation rights and fuck you up. How many of us wouldn’t just give up to protect our kids? Especially outside a marriage contract, it’s the Wild West out there.
I agree with everything you just said. Nevertheless, I don’t think the extremists who are forcing their beliefs regarding “when life begins” on the rest of America or the MAGA men who are boasting their toxic masculinity understand that it takes sperm belonging to some man to make a child and someone has to pay.
Children cost money. The government under Trump doesn’t seem to be interested in supporting the children they are forcing on women - but someone has to pay.
Project 2025 is ugly - it’s embraces the nightmare relationships you describe.
An alternative is what happened under the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauseceu. Look it up. The dictator prevented abortion and contraception. The results were nightmarish. Children were abandoned en masse. The orphanages were overflowing and dead disabled children were found by peacekeepers and others who went in after Ceauseceu was overthrown and executed.
Unfortunately once the convicted felon is sworn in, he probably will rescind rules to make men pay for the children that they create.
See my comment answering Kerry. Someone has to pay for the children that are created. The European world has seen how this works out before.
HEADS UP - if you have a “patient portal” through your obgyn, READ the fine print. Outside entities (elections have consequences) can access your health care information. There are really no downsides - it’s in the fine print!
Me - I’m old and my info was repeatedly compromised - right out a commercial - pathetic - so I don’t give a 💩.
But with this election and the private equity companies taking over healthcare - BE AWARE!!!
I think we should bag up our fecal waste and send it to Hawkins.
Even better, let us bag up Hawkins as the waste of space that she is.
Thank you so much for covering the MMRC in Georgia! Everyone who was so up in arms about abortion rights leading up to the election seems to pay no mind to stories like these. I appreciate your work!
I have a confession and apology to make. I subscribed to this newsletter in order to learn to understand your point of view. After a short time, I have begun to realize that I have been living in a "bubble" as was not aware of many things. However, "ignorance is no excuse."
Until recently, when I read your quote, "Your body: MY choice!," I did not know such an inhumane "person" existed. Forgive me. From a distance I recall hearing "music" with references to treating women like "hoes," but I didn't know perhaps they meant it.
You have written a story entitled "Abortion Bans are Designed to Kill." If I understand correctly, you are accusing the authors and supporters of these Abortion Bills of "Premeditated Murder" -- that they WANT women to die or, at the least, they don't care [I have never met such a person]. And you have provided statements and quotes that appear to back up your claims, at least in some cases. I will agree that any law that is so vague or imprecise as to allow doubt concerning whether a woman's life should be "saved at all costs" should be immediately annulled and rewritten to insure doctors of their priorities and responsibilities in this matter. I agree that no woman should have to die, even as an "unintended consequence."
Your passion, focus, and strong convictions are much to be admired. I can only ask you to at least consider as I am attempting to do, what Paul Harvey used to call "The Rest of The Story." This is more than just "differences of opinion:" LIVES are at stake. Let us agree at once to END THE KILLING!
Tim Cantrell
Thank you for the apology. This is why women are furious. We have been treated as empty “baby vessels” rather than full human beings in our own right.
If people want fewer “abortions” offer pregnant women help and incentives to stay pregnant!
Canada used to pay a “baby bonus”
Ever consider that??
Women/Girls need the healthcare mandated to bring about a healthy baby. Women need postpartum care. Postpartum depression is a real thing. It’’s unhealthy for the woman and potentially dangerous for the child. PTSD is treated as a serious condition (potentially dangerous) in returning soldiers - postpartum depression is biological result of having a child - so deal with it and ensure healthy women and children.
The way the incoming administration is treating pregnancies are akin to “puppy mills”. No consideration is given to healthy children and women - just drop more babies out. But cut the FOOD programs to feed them!! Brilliant
Romania went through this under the dictatorship of Ceausescu resulted in child being dumped. Look it up.
If the United States administration wants more babies then do it the intelligent way and stop listening to the religious fanatics that are only pushing their version of Christianity.
I am a Christian who has had a Near Death Experience and seen Heaven. John 10:9
I believe that life begins when the child can draw a breath separate from its mother.
We have the freedom of religion in this country. That needs to be respected.
Treat women and girls with dignity that the Lord demanded (as you would want ME to treat you) and all things can be worked out.
Thank you for listening.
In case you couldn't tell, I AM "Pro-Life."
But, is Joe Biden enshrining abortion rights into our constitution? That would have been great for him to take on.
And they wonder why birth rates are decreasing?
They do know why birth rates are decreasing. And remember the leaked Alito draft where he had a footnote citing CDC study about woman seeking to adopt children “i.e.they were in demand for a child” but the “domestic supply of infants” relinquished at birth had become almost nonexistent. And some members of my local GOP believe adoption is the “ humane compromise” for victims of rape/incest.Some days I have no words….but then I’m able to regain my “voice” and keep fighting for repro rights
Tell those "humane compromise" folks that the maternal mortality rate in the US is the worst in the developed world. Women can DIE from pregnancy. Do they think that women/girls want to take that chance if they were raped and/or their bodies are too young and immature to handle pregnancy?
The smartest thing for women of child bearing years who do not yet have children to do, is to emigrate. Having no women to impregnate will mess up the Lebensborn like birther plans of the Christian Nationalists who are taking over the USA.
There has now been five Senate and House elections since 2016. Every federal republican Senator in office now knew what they were getting into and have taken the oath of loyalty to trump despite knowing exactly who he is. They are little man-boy bullies and playground mean girls. A fine collection of narcissists, opportunists, sociopaths, psychopaths, and what have you, with no empathy or moral compass. I wish there were a Hell just so they could end up there.
This is what you should be preparing for according to Olga Lautman. https://open.substack.com/pub/olgalautman/p/now-that-america-elected-a-dictator?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
It rings true with what I have been reading in Project 2025, something I also recommend people read because you will look at the decisions being made not as isolated rando ideas, but as part of a concerted effort to turn the US into a third world nation. In fact, a gift as it were, to Putin from Trump. This is what Putin has been working for his whole life, and probably Xi as well, and the US is going to be handed to them on a platter. Here fascism expert Andrea Pitzer talks about what to expect as well, and what to do to be safer. It is important to hear what she is saying because she is laying out what Olga says in what it will look like in specific actions.
https://youtu.be/BwFZpROLvX4?si=vMCBnJVpzAcbSvHn
"Researchers found that adolescents who have access to abortion, or have abortions as teenagers, end up having much better financial and educational outcomes over the course of decades"
^^^^^ this is exactly what they DON'T want!!!
They want us subjugated.
👆👆👆👆👆👆👆🎯
Exactly. We need to stop framing this as "controlling women", because it really is about *oppressing* women.
So, the MAGApublicians dropped Gaetz when it became clear that backing an animal who repeatedly paid for sex with a 17 year old child- a junior in high school- while taking penile erection drugs was a loosing proposition.
Now, their new bff is Hegseth who raped a woman in California at a republican convention. Despite a graphic police report and a rape kit and the fact that Hegseth paid the woman hush money so that he wouldn’t loose his job on Fox & Friends, Hegseth says the rape was consensual sex.
MAGApublicans hate women! We are nothing but chattel to them. Nothing says that more than their new campaign- Your body- My choice. They are utterly disgusting perverts.
A party of sex offenders, pedophiles. Them claiming to be the party of "family values" is part of their many lies.