Politics
Abortion access changed dramatically on Jan. 22, 1973.
With Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decided that people had the constitutional right to decide whether or not to terminate a pregnancy, completely changing the landscape of abortion access in the states. But ever since that day — Jan. 22, 1973, to be exact — anti-choice advocates have been hard at work to keep people from receiving this healthcare. The anniversary of Roe v. Wade serves as a helpful reminder to donate to reproductive justice organizations that help people exercise their right to choose in a political environment that’s, uh, kinda hostile.
Many people alive today don’t have direct experience with what life was like before Roe. Before 1973, it was up to individual states to decide if abortion would be legal within their borders — kind of like how state legislatures today push the Roe’s limits by passing increasingly restrictive abortion bans. One woman told Bustle in 2017 that, after becoming pregnant in 1971, she borrowed $400 from her landlord and drove from Vermont to New York to have an abortion. “I taught myself as much as I could about preventing pregnancy, but I didn’t dare go to the doctor for condoms or the birth control pill or anything,” the woman, Linda, told Bustle. “I just read everything I could about avoiding getting pregnant.”
Today, even though Roe is the law of the land, too many people still struggle to finance abortions, or need support to travel to get the procedure done, and that’s where reproductive rights organizations come in. If you have the time or money, consider supporting their missions to help people get the care they need.
1
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood provides a number of services to women all around America. In fact, they served 2.4 million patients in 2016 alone. "Planned Parenthood provides essential preventive healthcare for people across the U.S, including abortion services and other essential services such as contraception, STI screening and treatment, and cancer screening," Dr. Marisa Nádas, an OB-GYN at Jacobi Medical Center, NY and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, tells Bustle. "If Planned Parenthood were no longer able to provide services, access to abortion would drop drastically across the country." Donate here.
2
The National Network Of Abortion Funds
The National Network of Abortion Funds distributes money so that people can access safe abortions. With intersectionality, autonomy, collective power, and compassion at the center of their message, they're an easy organization to get behind. Donate here.
3
The National Abortion Federation
The National Abortion Federation want to "help keep choice a reality" by support abortion providers across the country. "Our members include individuals, private and non-profit clinics, Planned Parenthood affiliates, women’s health centers, physicians’ offices, and hospitals who together care for approximately half the women who choose abortion in the U.S. and Canada each year," the website explains. Donate here.
4
Abortion Care Network
The Abortion Care Network's mission is to ensure access, provide excellent care, and end harassment of abortion providers. Your donation will go towards supporting independent abortion providers — and it's easy to to donate on their website.
5
Center For Reproductive Rights
The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) is at the forefront of the legal fight for abortion at home and abroad. "We are the only global legal advocacy organization dedicated to reproductive rights, with expertise in both U.S. constitutional and international human rights law," the CRR's official website explains. "Our groundbreaking cases before national courts, United Nations committees, and regional human rights bodies have expanded access to reproductive healthcare, including birth control, safe abortion, prenatal and obstetric care, and unbiased information." Donate here.
6
Women With A Vision
A social justice non-profit in the greater New Orleans area, this group has been helping women of color since 1989. They focus everything from sex workers' rights to drug policy reform to reproductive outreach. "We envision an environment in which there is no war against women’s bodies, in which women have spaces to come together and share their stories, in which women are empowered to make decisions concerning their own bodies and lives, and in which women have the necessary support to realize their hopes, dreams, and full potential." Donate here.
7
NARAL Pro-Choice America
If you want a voice on your side lobbying in Congress, NARAL Pro-Choice America does just that. They are fighting for policy that protects everyone's reproductive rights — what more can you ask for? Donate here.
You can also direct your support to local abortion providers; they might also be able to use your volunteer skills, if you're in a position to donate time rather than money. There are so many reproductive rights organizations that could use your support — this is just a sampling.
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