ISSUE 46: July 2022

Editors’ Note

Dear Readers,

The biggest news since our last special issue is that a judge has blocked Louisiana's trigger laws from going into effect, allowing abortions to be provided in Louisiana, at least for now. This is also true for a law in Texas.

For those of you who weren't able to attend our "Making Sense of a Post-Roe Louisiana" event yesterday, here is the resources document that we created and will continue to add to as we learn of new resources. It is primarily geared toward the Tulane community, but should also be useful more broadly. Please don't hesitate to reach out with additions. Special thanks to the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for co-sponsoring that event with us and to Lakeesha Harris and Michelle Erenberg of Lift Louisiana for attending and sharing their expertise. We plan to send out an FAQ sheet from the event. Keep your eye out for follow-up events as well!

In this issue, we have two spotlight articles written by current Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health interns. Alecia Hobdy (Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast) has written about the tragic death of a Tulane undergraduate due to a botched abortion in the pre-Roe era, and she discusses how this relates to the Dobbs decision. Kelly Jackson (Women with a Vision) profiles the crucial reproductive justice work that WWAV has done and continues to do on a local and national scale.

As always, we have included research, news, events, and opportunities to get involved in reproductive rights, health, and justice work below. Scroll down for info about a Lift Louisiana event happening this evening!

We welcome your feedback and contributions. Please email klain@tulane.edu or cdaniel5@tulane.edu with any suggestions.

Sincerely,

Kelsey Lain, School of Science and Engineering, Class of 2023
Clare Daniel, Ph.D., Newcomb Institute, Tulane University
Aliyah Daniels, ReproNews co-founder and editor emeritus, Class of 2018

SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE

Turning Back the Hands of Time: The Dobbs Decision
Alecia Hobdy, School of Science & Engineering, ‘23

As a Tulane student, I was shocked to learn about the death of June Wall. She was a first-year student in the Newcomb College Class of 1963 who died due to a botched abortion she received from an 84-year-old woman with previous convictions of performing abortions illegally and in an unsafe manner. June Wall died as a result of the pre-Roe legal systems: a lack of safe abortion options.

Recently, a 2018 Mississippi state law, at issue in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, that outlaws most abortion procedures after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy was challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Mississippi abortion restriction was upheld as the court completely overturned Roe v. Wade. Overturning this landmark precedent spells disaster for women in Mississippi and more than 20 additional states. Female residents of these states will be subject to severe abortion restrictions that could include outright bans of abortion procedures. This results in a system where women are forced into making inconceivably difficult choices. This increases the likelihood that hundreds of thousands of pregnant people won’t be able to find appropriate abortion care. The Dobbs decision puts college women like me in the same place as June Wall—seeking good medical help in places where there might not be any.

Self-managed abortion can end a pregnancy safely and purely on the terms of the pregnant person. The phrase "self-managed abortion" is frequently used to refer to when a person decides to induce an abortion outside of a medical facility. People can exercise bodily autonomy and take charge of their health and well-being by giving them the resources and knowledge to manage their abortions. There are many different options including self-sourcing pills, and procedures supported at home by a doula or other certified home provider. Regardless of the method, timing, or location of the procedure, access to safe abortion care makes communities healthier and women deserve to seek it without judgment.

There are tons of resources on finding safe and supportive abortion care. This is an integral part of preventing cases like that of June Wall. On the surface, June Wall was me. A female college student at what is now Tulane University. The only difference is that I will hopefully have safe options. I have people to turn to. I have spaces that will provide me with educated advice. June Wall did not have such privileges and it ultimately led to her death. However, I may be subject to new forms of criminalization. That is why the Dobbs decision is so important. In 2022, we are supposed to be moving forward, yet it seems as if we are doing the exact opposite. The United States of America has reversed the decades of work for women’s reproductive rights, and the cost is the safety and lives of millions.

Making an Impact at Women With a Vision
Kelly Jackson, School of Liberal Arts, ‘23

Women With A Vision, Inc (WWAV) is a community-based nonprofit that seeks to serve through harm reduction and public health frameworks. It was founded in 1989 as a response to the HIV epidemic and its disproportionate impact on communities of color. Since its inception, Women With A Vision has expanded to provide care and education on reproductive justice, sex work, practicing safe sex, and decriminalization. In 2017, Women With A Vision became a partner organization of In Our Own Voice, a national Black reproductive justice organization dedicated to amplifying the voices of Black RJ organizations across the country. In Our Own Voice and Women With A Vision work within a Black Feminist framework to advocate for social change in order to achieve autonomy for all peoples, specifically Black women and femmes, surrounding their sexual and reproductive health. This is not only done through activist projects, but it is also achieved through harm reduction by providing necessary resources, such as Plan B and contraceptives.

Women With A Vision also would like to emphasize the importance of family planning and community care as access to reproductive care is limited or prohibited. When organizing on issues surrounding reproductive justice, and currently, in political debates over abortion access and care, it is important to adopt a Black reproductive justice framework. An intersectional mindset is imperative as different systems of oppression overlap to create a complex, restrictive environment that makes it difficult for communities of color to seek out or receive healthcare. In this vein, Women With A Vision also would like to lift up our advocacy focused on decriminalization. This is done through legislative activism and integrated voter engagement as well as community support and outreach through programs such as the Syringe Access Program and our Narcan Training Program. If you would like to learn more about Women With A Vision, please visit our website www.wwav-no.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND RESOURCES

An Intersectional Approach to Abortion Justice

Abortion Resources

Podcast: The Anti-Abortion Movement is ‘Not Stopping Here’
"In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, there are countless questions about what comes next. Will people who travel out of state for abortions face arrest? Will the doctors who counsel them be prosecuted? And will California be able to maintain its status as an abortion haven in a post-Roe world? Carole Joffe is a UCSF professor and an expert on the societal impacts of reproductive health care. She joins host Dominic Fracassa to talk about the consequences of ending Roe, and why she’s worried the anti-abortion movement isn’t done yet."

Free E-Book: "We Organize to Change Everything: Fighting for Abortion Access and Reproductive Justice"
"The likely loss of a federal right to abortion in the United States is horrifying. But should Roe fall, many things won’t change: even prior to this year’s stunning onslaught of bans and restrictions, abortion care wasn’t available in 85% of US counties. How have we come to lose one of the crowning achievements of the 1970s women’s liberation movement? How can we make sure that reproductive care is accessible to anyone who needs it, legal or not? And how can we win reproductive freedom and justice for all?

A collaboration between acclaimed socialist feminist magazine Lux and Verso, We Organize to Change Everything examines the fight for abortion from the 1970s to the present, bringing together the voices of clinic defenders, health care providers, and the networks of feminist activists helping pregnant people obtain care from Mississippi to Mexico. Contributors also consider the intimate connection of abortion rights to forced sterilization and structural racism, incarceration and criminalization, Indigenous people’s sovereignty, transgender rights, and the growing threat of a white supremacist far right. Looking outside of the US to the Americas, the collection shows how US activists can draw inspiration, lessons, and strategy from the dynamic feminist movement across Central and South America.

Most importantly, this collection describes what a fighting movement for reproductive justice could look like - one that fights for the right to parent as we wish or not parent at all, and rejects the criminalization of anyone’s body."

Podcast: "Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade"
"In the early 1970s, the future of abortion in America was far from settled. Some states were pushing to liberalize their laws. In others, women could be prosecuted for terminating a pregnancy. Unexpected and dramatic battles raged across the country, shaping the landscape of abortion—even before Roe v. Wade was decided.

For the seventh season of Slate’s Slow Burn, host Susan Matthews explores the path to Roe—a time when more Republicans than Democrats supported abortion rights. You’ll hear the forgotten story of the first woman ever to be convicted of manslaughter for having an abortion, the unlikely Catholic power couple who helped ignite the pro-life movement, and a rookie Supreme Court justice who got assigned the opinion of a lifetime."

Tulane Child And Family Lab Mom Power Study
The Tulane Child and Family Lab is recruiting Moms of kids aged 3-5 who qualify for WIC, FITAP, Medicaid or Headstart to be a part of Mom Power! This program is a 10-week intervention in the form of a support group or informational mailing focused on reducing maternal stress and improving maternal and child mental health. Participants can earn between $150-$300 and interested Mothers should contact Anna at 504-206-2910 or at childandfamilylab@gmail.com

Call for Abstracts!
"The goal of this conference is to explore the range of topics addressed in reproductive ethics. We welcome individuals from all professional fields to create a rich and robust discussion.

We are seeking abstracts for individual presentations, 3-4 person panels, and posters. Please limit abstracts to 250 words for presentations and posters and 500 words for panels. Given recent events, we’ve created a special submission category for abortion, so indicate if you’d like your submission to be considered for this.

Abstracts should be sent to repro.ethics@utmb.edu by August 1, 2022. Submissions will receive a response by September 30."

IWES Black Women First Leadership Council
"IWES was selected to participate in a national study that focuses on improving care for cis and trans Black women living with HIV. We're searching for a team of community members, those with lived experiences and other leaders, who represent cis and trans Black women living with HIV Greater New Orleans. Perks of council membership include professional training opportunities, leadership development, professional headshots, and meals during meetings."

#MyLASexEd
"Feminist Majority and LIFT Louisiana are reigniting the #MyLASexEd campaign to address the abysmal state of sex education in Louisiana. The campaign is focused on youth storytelling about their sex ed experience and sharing sexual health information. Student organizers will spread the word about the campaign in their communities and we will have a social media campaign to help educate people about the laws surrounding sex education.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are hiring #MyLASexEd Campaign Campus Ambassadors for the spring semester to collect stories on their campus and organize around sex education. We will be choosing soon so please submit the application as soon as possible. Apply Now!

For more information contact Gabby at mylasexed@liftlouisiana.org"

Tulane Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health
Click the link above to follow TulaneMCH and stay up to date on local legislation, jobs, and new research concerning maternal and child health.

FEATURED NEW RESEARCH

A Preview of the Dangerous Future of Abortion Bans — Texas Senate Bill 8, The New England Journal of Medicine, June 22, 2022

Trends in Abortion Care in the United States, 2017-2021, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, June 14, 2022

Contemporary Comstockery: Legal Restrictions On Medication Abortion, Journal of General Internal Medicine, June 10, 2022

The Giving Voice to Mothers Study Report: Communities Defining Quality and Safety in Pregnancy and Childbirth Care, University of British Columbia, June 2022

Comprehension of an Over-the-Counter Drug Facts Label Prototype for a Mifepristone and Misoprostol Medication Abortion Product, Obstetrics & Gynecology, May 5, 2022

The next two decades of mifepristone at FDA: History as destiny, Contraception, May 1, 2022

Homicide During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period in Louisiana, 2016-2017, JAMA Pediatrics, February 3, 2020

NEWS ITEMS

Campus/Local

National and International

America Before And After Roe, The New York Times, June 27, 2022

Roe Is Gone. How Will State Abortion Restrictions Affect IVF And More?, The Washington Post, June 25, 2022

Roe v. Wade Overturned: Here’s How Tech Companies And Internet Users Can Protect Privacy, CNBC, June 24, 2022

In Their Own Words: U.S. Supreme Court Justices On Overturning Roe V. Wade, Reuters, June 24, 2022

Supreme Court Ruling Will Upend Reproductive Rights For College Students And Complicate Medical Training, The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 24, 2022

We’re Not Going Back To The Time Before Roe. We’re Going Somewhere Worse, The New Yorker, June 24, 2022

The Motherhood Penalty Begins in College, Inside Higher Education, June 22, 2022

Abortion Involves Killing–And That’s OK!, The Nation, June 22, 2022

Without My Abortion, I Would Not Be New York’s Health Commissioner, Elle, June 21, 2022

Number of U.S. Abortions Increased 8 Percent During Trump Administration, Reversing 30-Year Trend: ‘The Need for Abortion Care Is Growing’, Ms., June 21, 2022

Alito’s Opinion Is a Blueprint For Rolling Back Civil Rights While Claiming To Protect Black Fetuses, Ms., June 17, 2022

City of New Orleans Announces Formal Establishment of Domestic Abuse Fatality Review Team, nola.gov, June 17, 2022

After Roe: A New Battlefield, NPR, June 16, 2022

In Hottest City On Earth, Mothers Bear Brunt Of Climate Change, Reuters, June 14, 2022

The Long Shadow Of Eugenics In America, The New York Times, June 8, 2022

Abortion Was Once Common Practice In America. A Small Group Of Doctors Changed That, NPR, June 6, 2022

16 Books On The Past, Present, And Future of Abortion, The Cut, June 6, 202

Egg Freezing’s BMI Problem, The Cut, June 6, 2022

"People Woke Up And Realized This Is Real": Blue States Are Readying For a Post-Roe World, Vanity Fair, June 1, 2022

Men Have a Lot to Lose When Roe Falls, New York Times, May 26, 2022

How Changes in Abortion Law Could Impact Community Health, NPR, May 25, 2022

‘Abortion: Add to Cart’ Envisions A Future For Safe Self-Managed Abortion Post-Roe, Ms., May 24, 2022

More Than Abortion Rides on SCOTUS In Dobbs, Bloomberg Law, May 10, 2022

EVENTS

Campus/Local

ProFrequency
Creative Community League
10am CST, Thursday

"Produced and hosted by Amy Irvin, ProFrequency is a weekly radio program that covers culture, reproductive and sexual health, and other feminist issues, utilizing recorded stories and live interviews with local advocates and artists. Co-host Amanda Sanfilippo (aka Dj Vjj) is a local sex educator who answers all your most burning sexual health questions. Join Creative Community League for ProFrequency at 10am CT on Thursdays on 102.3 WHIV FM New Orleans. Or stream it from https://whivfm.org/listen. For further info, follow the CCL on Instagram at @creativecommunityleague"

What You Need To Know About Louisiana's Trigger Ban
Lift Louisiana
6:30pm CST, June 29, 2022
"It is critical that we all become familiar with the state’s trigger abortion ban. Join us for a virtual meeting with legal experts to provide guidance and answer questions! Registration is required."

Volunteer at Essence
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast
July 1 - 2, 2022
"During the 2022 Essence Festival here in NOLA! Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC) is partnering with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA) to provide volunteers at the Planned Parenthood Essence House at Octavia Gallery. This will be a place where Reproductive Justice issues that impact Black people are addressed. There will be panels, Planned Parenthood swag, and entertainment. We would greatly appreciate it, if you would complete this brief form!"

Upcoming National/Regional

Let's Talk About Sex
SisterSong & AfiyaCenter
August 25 - 28, 2022, Dallas, Texas
"Let's Talk About Sex! is the largest Reproductive Justice conference in the nation. This year we will feature panelists, speakers, activists, entertainers, and leaders throughout various social justice movements and across sectors who unapologetically stand up for our reproductive and sexual freedom.

LTAS 2022 will begin on August 24th with pre-conference institutes - invitation only. And our official programming will begin on August 25th and conclude on August 28th. Our intentionally curated workshops, plenaries, keynotes and events will inform, educate, tantalize, and inspire us to take action!

The 2022 Let’s Talk About Sex National Reproductive Justice Conference is for everyone and will be full of many firsts. It's our first hybrid (virtual and in-person) conference; our first conference in Texas; and our first conference to strategically align RJ with our other social justice movements in order to build our collective power.

SisterSong’s mission is to center the needs, experiences and leadership of communities and individuals who have been historically pushed to the margins. Our in-person convening will prioritize the attendance of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, gender non-conforming, those living with disabilities, and youth leaders. This critical moment in our movement demands it. We are investing in a meaningful virtual experience that will anchor our wider constituencies from across the country. Thank you in advance for allowing our in person gathering to focus on the most affected. "

Black Maternal Health Conference & Training Institute
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
September 17 - 18, 2022, Washington D.C.
"The BMHC22 theme, “Building for Liberation: Centering Black Mamas, Black Families and Black Systems of Care”, reflects BMMA’s work in centering Black women’s scholarship, maternity care work, and advocacy across the full spectrum of sexual, maternal, and reproductive health care, services, programs, and initiatives. Additionally, the 2022 theme reflects the critical need for learning about Black Feminist and womanist approaches to strengthening wellness structures within our communities and across the Diaspora as a revolutionary act in the pursuit of liberation, and in the global fight to END maternal mortality.

The 2022 Black Maternal Health Conference and Training InstituteTM meet a national need for a forum dedicated to Black Maternal Health and Black people working to improve our outcomes. To date, discussions about Black Maternal Health have been carved into existing reproductive, maternal, and public health conferences where there is little space for meaningful dialogue and limited framing on health equity and reproductive justice. BMMA has created that space with BMHC22 and we center Black Mamas’ voices and experiences in all activities. This conference is for us, by us!"

Reproductive Ethics Conference
Institute for Bioethics and Health Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch
January 12 - 13, 2022, Galveston, Texas
"The controversies and challenges of reproductive ethics arise from new technologies, political and ideological divisions, theology, and changing cultural norms. The goal of this conference is to explore the range of topics addressed in reproductive ethics. We welcome individuals from all professional fields to create a rich and robust discussion." Registration and further details coming soon!

See all events on the Tulane Reproductive Justice Calendar. This calendar is maintained by Kelsey Lain (Tulane School of Liberal Arts ‘23), so please email her your event information at klain@tulane.edu.

JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS

See Job + Opportunities Board

*We have recently changed the Repronews Job Board. Click here to give anonymous feedback on the new format.

JOIN YOUR SCHOOL’S STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Students United for Reproductive Justice, Newcomb Institute, Tulane University undergraduates
Students for Sexual Health Equity, Tulane University School of Public Health
Social Workers United for Reproductive Freedom, Tulane University School of Social Work
Medical Students for Choice, Tulane University Medical School
If/When/How, Tulane University Law School

Newcomb’s reproductive rights/health/justice-related activities are supported by the Donna and Richard Esteves Fund for Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health, the Bonnie and William Chapman Fund for Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health, and the M.B. and Edna Zale Foundation. Read about what our Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Interns are up to!

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Editors’ Note

Turning Back the Hands of Time: The Dobbs Decision Alecia Hobdy, School of Science & Engineering, ‘23

Making an Impact at Women With a Vision Kelly Jackson, School of Liberal Arts, ‘23

Turning Back the Hands of Time: The Dobbs Decision
Alecia Hobdy, School of Science & Engineering, ‘23

Making an Impact at Women With a Vision
Kelly Jackson, School of Liberal Arts, ‘23