Hard to Believe It's Only Tuesday: GOP Proposes National Abortion Ban

Here’s another edition of Hard to Believe It’s Only Tuesday, a weekly roundup of the top headlines, tweets, toks, takes, and more in abortion news. Remember: you can always email me ([email protected]) or @/DM me on twitter with action items — rallies, trainings, fundraisers, block-walks, petitions, etc. — to include in the The Fuck Are We Supposed To Do About It? section!

The big takeaway: Barely sentient can of biscuits Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) has proposed a nationwide abortion ban. While some Republicans are trying to walk back, flip-flop, and/or scrub out any mention of their long-term, widespread support for abortion bans, Graham just went ahead and said fuck it, let’s announce a wildly unpopular idea that contradicts everything the GOP has said in the last year about overturning Roe and sending abortion legality “back to the states.”

The Top Headlines

• It’s mostly political angles on Graham’s nationwide abortion ban:

  • “Graham’s abortion ban stuns Senate GOP” (Politico)

  • “Abortion ban legislation adds to political challenge for GOP” (AP)

  • “Lindsey Graham’s national abortion ban bill makes the midterm stakes very clear” (Vox) — from the story: “Republicans are no longer favored to win control of the Senate and are preparing for the prospect of a narrow majority in the House. But even if they reclaim the Senate, the bill would need 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, a significantly tougher task considering not even all Senate Republicans are in favor of restricting abortion. Republicans could also potentially choose to eliminate the filibuster to pass the ban.”

• “After decades of silence, art about abortion (cautiously) enters the establishment” (NYT)

• "‘Do no harm’: OB-GYNs weigh the legal impact of abortion bans” (NYT)

• What’s happening with state bans and restrictions:

  • “The first abortion ban passed after Roe takes effect Thursday in Indiana” (NPR) — Thursday as in 9/15. Indianans turned out to protest at Gov. Eric Holcomb’s residence.

  • “Judge temporarily blocks Ohio law banning most abortions” (AP)

  • “West Virginia lawmakers pass near-total abortion ban” (Mountain State Spotlight) — West Virginians turned out in protest (some were arrested) of the bill, which will go into law as soon as the governor signs it. West Virginia doctors are concerned about the ban’s impact on pregnancy care and maternal mortality.

  • “First Kansas, next Michigan and beyond as abortion ballot measures spread” (NYT)

• What’s happening with clinics and providers:

  • “Abortion clinic moves up the street to escape Tennessee’s ban” (Reuters)

  • “Explainer: States scramble as US abortion landscape shifts” (AP)

The Tweets

• Georgia State Sen. Dr. Michelle Au is not having it from perennial dipshit Matt Yglesias:

• Rewire News tweets a series of video interviews with Alabama-based OB-GYN Dr. Leah Torres about why she’s decided to stay and fight in an abortion-hostile state:

The Takes

• The Nation’s justice correspondent, Elie Mystal, writes that the national abortion ban is “a preview of worse things to come,” to wit: “Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell stepped in to say that he would not commit to putting Graham’s bill on the floor should Republicans retake the Senate. The charade of McConnell and Graham pretending that they didn’t choreograph their moves is like the cast of West Side Story pretending they just showed up for a dance fight without spending six months in rehearsals. McConnell’s refusal to commit does two things: It allows Republicans running for office in competitive districts to say that a national abortion ban isn’t on the table (which it is) while also allowing Republicans running for office in “semi-fascist” districts to say that the real national abortion ban will be far more draconian than what’s been proposed (which it will be).”

• Slate legal writer Mark Joseph Stern on the “perverse, potentially lethal consequences” of the national abortion ban: “ … Graham’s legislation disproportionately affects those in the most dire circumstances, when a second-trimester abortion may spare them severe and excruciating health crises. For now, these patients can still flee to blue states for urgent medical care if these abortions are banned in their home states. If Graham and Republican congressional candidates who support his bill have their way, those who cannot afford to travel internationally will have nowhere left to escape.”

• Lauren Rankin in DAME magazine warning against the “suddenly moderate” Republican: “Republicans may be attempting to publicly inch themselves closer to the center on the issue of abortion, but privately, nothing has changed. There’s no turning back for them on abortion, or voting rights, or trans rights. This is who they are—they’ve told us time and again. The question is, will we still believe them?”

The Fuck Are We Supposed To Do About It?

• McAllen, TX: How about “a night of bbq, loteria, and jams” benefitting South Texans for Reproductive Justice? It’s Friday, September 16th at Bohemian Place.

• Austin, TX: Check out this porch concert benefitting the Buckle Bunnies Fund on Friday, September 16th.

• Anywhere: Friday, September 16th is the last day for the National Council of Jewish Women’s national abortion access week of action. There’s still stuff to do!

• Anywhere, but especially Alabama, California, Georgia, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas: URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity is putting togehter their ‘22-23 Our Folks: Voices of LGBTQ+ Youth of Color cohort, a “a seven month, fully remote internship that arms participants with skills in giving media interviews, writing for a variety of blogs & media outlets and using social media to amplify their work.” Cohort members are compensated monthly. Learn more here, and apply here by Monday, September 19th.

• Anywhere: If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice is hosting a Self-Managed Abortion 101 webinar (part of a series!) on Thursday, September 22nd. Register here by 5pm ET on 9/21.

• Everywhere: It’s time for the annual Taco or Bev Challenge (formerly the Taco or Beer Challenge) benefitting abortion funds! This event has a special place in my heart because I invented it way back in 2014. Now the National Network of Abortion Funds helms the challenge every year, and it just gets better and better. Eat a taco and/or drink a beverage and donate to abortion funds — and post about it on social using the hashtag #TOBC22!

• New York City: A Is For’s annual gala, Broadway Acts for Abortion, is coming up on Sunday, October 2nd.

• Austin: Eat delicious meals from L’Oca d’Oro’s Pasta Paisanos!: Collaborative Dinners for Abortion Rights series benefitting the Lilith Fund, on September 6th, October 4th, and November 1st.

• Anywhere: Nashville’s Beyond Roe Collective is hosting a virtual training on self-managed abortion on Saturday, October 15th.

• Anywhere: Dallas’ Afiya Center is reading Dorothy Roberts’ Killing the Black Body, and it’s not too late to join the virtual book club.

• California, Texas, or Georgia: SisterLove, Inc. is looking for English- or Spanish-speakers between the ages of 15 and 49 who “recently found out [they] were pregnant’” as part of a paid study through the University of Pittsburgh. Here’s the intake survey to find out if you qualify.

• Anywhere: Become a Plan C ambassador for medication abortion care.

• Anywhere, swag edition:

  • Get you a shirt celebrating young people’s abortion access, benefitting Jane’s Due Process!

  • Get you some gear from Two Little Pills, which works to scrub out dated, harmful coat hanger imagery in favor of celebrating safe medication abortion. Proceeds go to Elevated Access, a group of volunteer pilots working to make sure folks can get to the abortion and gender-affirming care they need.

  • Buy one of @PrisonCulture’s shirts supporting the National Network of Abortion Funds.

• Anywhere, best practices edition:

  • Check out the If/When/How Repro Legal Helpline guide to internet safety

  • Read this guide on using trans-inclusive language when talking about reproductive health care, from ARC-Southeast and the Transgender Law Center.

  • REPRO Rising Virginia has a positive, and positively thorough, guide to updating your protest signs to make sure you’re using the most forward-thinking, respectful, and impactful language around abortion.

  • Familiarize yourself with this Digital Defense Fund guide to keeping your abortion private and secure, and share it widely.

  • Here’s a big list of action items and info created by @RHAVote.

  • Here’s another big list of action items and info created by Alison Turkos.

• Anywhere: Folks in Austin, TX have created model language for city-based protections for abortion. Check out this TikTok, or flip through this Instagram FAQ slide show from Jane’s Due Process.

• Texas: sign and share Avow Texas’ petition demanding county district attorneys pledge not to prosecute people for providing abortions, or because of a pregnancy outcome. Or join the Texas Abortion Hype Squad!

• From your wallet: Buy something off the wishlist of an independent clinic, abortion fund, or clinic defense group, or donate to support abortion funds. This link distributes your donation to 90+ funds around the country. Or donate to support independent abortion providers!

That’s all for this week. I’m sure I’ve missed something you’d like to see featured in this roundup, for I am but one woman with a computer and an abortion-news-induced drinking problem. Holler at me — [email protected], or DM me on Twitter, and I’ll try to add follow-ups as I’m able.