Episode 6: The Hijacking of Our Reproductive Rights
I started freemom because I wanted to create a platform that gave women a chance to explore the big issues facing mothers today. I don’t think there is an issue bigger than the hijacking of our reproductive rights, right here and right now.
I am not a doctor or an educator or a politician. I am a mother who knows exactly how hard it is to conceive, give birth to, and bring up children. These are choices that I made, which is why becoming a mom has made me more pro-choice than I ever was before.
The right to choose our own destiny, to have control over our own bodies, and to decide what our lives will become is up to us and us alone. Having access to safe abortion options is having the right to basic healthcare. It’s simply not up to anyone to make a decision like that for us, one that will never come easily, regardless of the circumstance.
Let’s be clear. Ending abortion access will not save lives. Millions of women will have their physical and mental health destroyed. More women and children will sink into poverty. People will die. Pro-life is simply a guise, all that a Roe vs Wade reversal is about is control. This is the United States, a country built on a value system of freedom and independence, and yet here we are.
So what can we do about it? You may never need an abortion, or you might live in a pro-choice state, or maybe the reality of a government that makes decisions about women’s bodies hasn’t sunk in yet. Well, if you’re a mother, you might have a daughter who may someday need this life-saving care. You might have a son who you’ve raised to be responsible and to stand by the decisions he has made. You might have a sister, co-worker, or friend who is in this fight because motherhood was not in the cards at this time or in this way and it’s her right to make that decision.
So here is what you can do:
Donate to the ACLU or the Center for Reproductive Rights or your local Planned Parenthood. If you don’t have the money, donate your time. If you don’t have that either, put a sign in your yard or a post on your Instagram feed. There are so many ways to get behind the people fighting for this cause. Energy alone goes a long way.
Call, email, and write to your local legislators - especially if you’re in one of half of the United States that would either ban abortion or limit access to the procedure if Roe v. Wade is overturned. If you live in a pro-choice state, say thank you to the people who are fighting for your neighbors and friends.
Hit the streets. If you’re in a city, join a rally. If you aren’t, start your own. If a rally isn’t your thing, find a way to make your voice heard your way. Your local mom group or school is a great place to start brainstorming.
If you’re an artist, make signs for local businesses to put in their windows. If you’re a writer, offer to help people who need the words but don’t know what to say. If you’re a therapist, offer comfort to your local community. If you’re a doctor, open a line of communication to your patients who have questions. If you’re a librarian or a bookstore owner, create a display of relevant, educational literature. If you’re a teacher, help parents to navigate these conversations with their kids. And if you’re a mom, talk to your people. Abortion might not be an age-appropriate conversation in your household, but children are never too young to learn the value of standing up for what’s right. Every single person in this country should have the ability to decide their own future, make their own decisions, and put themselves and their health first. If we can’t teach our children these basic principles, who will?
Thank you for listening. We will be back next week with another great conversation for you, but until then, if you’re here, you’re a freemom - and that is the only way it should ever be.