Pro-Choice, Pro-Speech
This Abortion Provider Appreciation Day, we're hosting an "illegal" event
Dr. Shelley Sella—the first woman to openly practice third-trimester abortion care in the U.S.—was all set to give a speech to medical students at Texas Tech University. Then Turning Point USA and other far-right activists descended on the school, demanding they cancel her event. Their argument? Because abortion is illegal in Texas, talking about it at the state school should be too.
Similar attacks on abortion rights speech are escalating across the country: While Republican attorneys general sue over ad campaigns that share information about abortion pills, GOP lawmakers are advancing bills to ban abortion ads altogether. Multiple states want to outlaw pro-choice websites, and Texas has launched a suit against an abortion provider using comments she made to reporters. We’ve even watched a professor demoted after writing a pro-choice op-ed, and seen U.S. Congress move to restrict access to abortion information for young people.
But Abortion, Every Day is fighting back: tonight, Dr. Sella will give her “illegal” speech here.
Paying members will be able to join us live and ask questions, so consider this your sign to upgrade if you haven’t already. But don’t worry, we’ll send the speech to everyone after the event—whether you support AED with a paid subscription or not.
As government attacks on abortion speech ramp up and as tech companies censor pro-choice content, reliable information on abortion is more vital than ever. AED is working overtime to keep pro-choice speech available and accessible; so if you’re able, we’d love your support:
If you’re already a paying member, consider gifting a paid subscription to a loved one or donating directly to the newsletter. You can also purchase our new “Pro-Choice, Pro-Speech” t-shirts here ahead of the event. (They come in multiple styles and colors!)
Today also happens to be Abortion Provider Appreciation Day! This year has been an especially difficult one for reproductive health providers: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ is defunding clinics nationwide. Dozens of Planned Parenthood centers have closed, and 100 independent clinics have shuttered since the end of Roe.
As you listen to Dr. Sella’s talk tonight, remember that independent clinics make up 85% of those providing care at or after 22 weeks.
Abortion care—throughout pregnancy—opens up entire worlds of possibility, allowing us to live our lives on our own terms. None of that is possible without abortion providers, or without access to crucial information about the care they provide.
That’s why we’re so honored to host this event tonight.
If you’d like to learn more ahead of Dr. Sella’s talk, consider buying her book, revisiting our 2025 chat with her below, or checking out Patient Forward and Medical Students for Choice.
And if you haven’t upgraded and RSVP’d for the event, don’t forget to do that here. We hope to see you there!
Thank you so much! The last time I felt this fundamental fear was in the late 70's, early 80's. I am better at focusing that on things that are/feel productive for lack of a better word
Immense thanks for the important work you do to keep us updated!!