Waiting for Texas (again)

All eyes are on the rogue Republic of Texas - again. Texas began operating illegally as its own independent country in regards to abortion rights when it passed SB8 in 2021 thereby unilaterally deciding to overturn Roe and create a vigilante brigade to police women. Now, we await a Texas judge’s decision to decide, again unliterally and without legal justification, that the abortion medication, Mifepristone, is not legal.

It’s a very sad moment in our history when the United Nations censures our country for human rights violations for banning abortions. There are some days when I can’t believe that this is happening in the United States of America and not a theocracy like Afghanistan.

BUT, there is no sense staying in that despairing headspace for too long because there is work to be done!

Here are some of the ways people are fighting hard to make access to repro health safe and legal.

Attorneys General push back. AGs in a dozen states have filed suit against the FDA to remove all of the restrictions on abortion medication. (Hmmm, I think I recall someone else advocating for that.) Good for those AGs going on offense!

If the judge rules in favor of outlawing mifepristone, it will be appealed. This issue will be litigated in courts for a very long time. The ensuring chaos serves the antis well because it makes people uncertain and afraid. But anyone who could become pregnant needs to do something right now, today -- get the abortion pill pack in their hands. AidAccess and Choix will provide the pills prior to pregnancy. Don’t wait!

Preparing to use Misoprostol alone. The standard abortion medication protocol involves two drugs: mifepristone and misoprostol. If mife is taken off the shelves, miso can be used alone. You didn’t think abortion providers would just throw up their hands and give up, did you? Well, maybe those red state AGs did, but abortion providers are preparing to recommend miso. This is a work around solution not approved by the FDA but proven safe and effective around the world.   

Things you can do today:

Boycott Walgreens. I’m not a huge fan of corporate boycotts. They are too often performative and ineffective. However, Walgreens’s decision not to offer abortion medication in states where abortion is legal is hypocritical, cowardly, and really bad for business. In three months, Walgreens went from announcing it would get certified by the FDA to dispense mife and miso to now refusing to dispense the medication in 20 states. It took two months and some yelling from conservative AGs for Walgreens to collapse into a puddle of cowardice. But you’re not really surprised are you? Corporate America is not known for its bravery and moral consistency.

This is an opportunity to change the script from what has happened over the last forty years. Politicians and companies have been cowed by the very loud voices of the antis who represent just a sliver of the population. We need to yell back louder, and we need to make it hurt their bottom line, the only thing they really care about. Gov Newsom has taken the lead by cancelling California’s contract with Walgreen’s.

The Women’s March is one org taking the lead on a Walgreens boycott. You can sign up here: https://action.womensmarch.com/efforts/boycott-walgreens

Support the Abortion Defense Network. We are in for a lot of cases fought in a lot of courts over the next several years. The Abortion Defense Network was created to ensure that abortion providers have great legal counsel. Please donate if you can and share the word.  

Fund Valley Abortion Group. Valley Abortion Group is aiming to become the first BIPOC-led and employee-owned abortion clinic in the United States. They have a fundraiser on GoFundMe to become Please support these amazing providers!

Plan C stickers. I had the opportunity to watch a documentary about Plan C at the Athena Film Festival last week. It was fantastic!! The filmmakers are on the film festival circuit right now and seeking distribution deals (more on that to come). To me, Plan C is the NorthStar of online information and access to abortion medication. And one very fun thing they offer are these stickers. I have them in my bag and plan to stick them on in public places where someone might want to know how to become “unpregnant.” Go and get some stickers today!

It’s time to get loud and active, friends!