Texas Judge Blocks Abortion Ban, But Only for Very Limited Pregnancy Complications (Updated!)

Here’s another edition of Hard to Believe It’s Only Tuesday, a weekly roundup of the top headlines, tweets (for now!), toks, takes, and more in abortion news. You can always email me ([email protected]) or DM me on instagram with action items, takes, and news clips. This post is probably too long for email, so click on the links up there ^ above the headline to open in your browser or the Substack app. You don’t want to miss this week’s Good Night and Good Dunk!

The big takeaway: I don’t know! Everything! I’m having a whiskey!!!!

The Top Headlines

• UPDATE, MONDAY 7 AUG: Per repro legal twitter, the stay on Friday’s ruling in the Texas is due to the nature of the AG’s office filing an interlocutory appeal on a temporary injunction. Legal things. UPDATE, SUNDAY 6 AUG: Saturday afternoon, the Texas AG’s office appealed the district judge’s ruling, claiming that in doing so, that ruling is put on hold. I’m trying to determine if there’s anything credible to this (the Texas AG’s office is … not a credible entity). I’ll update y’all if I find out more. ORIGINAL: Heck of a late Friday news dump: Just before I hit send on this week’s newsletter, we found out a district court judge in Texas (Travis County, i.e., Austin) has temporarily enjoined Texas’ abortion bans “as they apply to dangerous pregnancy complications, clarifying that doctors can use their own medical judgment to determine when to provide abortion care in emergency situations.” Here’s a rundown from the Dallas Morning News, and from earlier, here’s more from the Missouri Independent on how this kind of lawsuit from pregnant people denied abortions could be a model for other litigation. Plus: A reality check from Dr. Ushma Upadhyay: “I'm not celebrating yet. It looks like the outcome of this court decision could be more exceptions in hospitals, which we know in practice rarely translate into abortions when needed.”

• “Study cited by Texas judge in abortion-pill case under investigation” (News from the States) — Honestly! Nobody from the Lozier Institute ever needs to be taken seriously, ever.

• “Inside the Party Switch That Blew Up North Carolina Politics” (NYT) — Ostensible pro-choice Democrat Tricia Cotham is a lying liar, tell a friend.

• “These Black Women Are Running For Office To Save Reproductive Rights” (Essence)

• “Olympic Boxer Convicted of Killing Pregnant Girlfriend Who Wouldn’t Have an Abortion” (Jezebel) — This is just awful and it all comes down to this: nobody gets to say who stays pregnant besides the pregnant person. Period. Forever. Amen.

• “Republicans Are Trying to Tank a Lifesaving HIV Program Over Abortion” (Jezebel)

• “Maternal care deserts overlap with lack of abortion access, analysis shows” (ABC News)

• “Idaho Republicans Are Directly Asking Hospitals for Abortion Records” (Jezebel)

• “How some Republican officials are trying to make sure abortion isn’t directly on the ballot” (The 19th) and “The Most Important Vote for Abortion Rights in the U.S. So Far This Year” (Slate)

• “In Wisconsin, Women’s Health Care Is Constricted by an 1849 Law. These Doctors Are Aghast.” (KFF Health News)

• “Doctors Emerge as Political Force in Battle Over Abortion Laws in Ohio and Elsewhere” (ProPublica)

• “Space Command HQ decision not tied to senator or abortion, White House says” (Reuters) — SURE, JAN DOT GIF

• “Ohio man indicted for allegedly threatening to burn down Planned Parenthood, feds say” (NBC News)

• “The Democrat running against the woman who ended Roe” (The 19th)

• “Democrats’ last anti-abortion lawmaker gets leadership endorsements” (Politico) — The Democrat in question is Texas’ Henry Cuellar of Laredo. This fucking guy!

• “Having an Abortion at Home? There’s a Hotline for That” (Cosmopolitan)

• “The future of abortion in Florida could hinge on Hispanic voters” (The 19th)

• 🇺🇸 What politicians and politicos on the national stage are doing and saying about abortion in advance of the ‘24 election:

  • “Harris asks Iowans to be vigilant in the face of a ‘full-on attack’ on freedom” (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

  • “DeSantis’ latest comments slammed by anti-abortion group as ‘unacceptable’” (Politico) and “Leading anti-abortion group rips DeSantis for not pushing for national ban” (AP) — As I noted on Twitter, a “national ban” is still not enough for these chucklefucks. The goal is to treat abortion as homicide!

  • “Pence, Scott pile on DeSantis over stance on nationwide abortion restrictions” (Politico) — SEE MF’ING ABOVE

• ⚖️ What’s going on with abortion bans, legal challenges, and bills at the state and local levels:

  • 🟢 “Health care providers sue Alabama officials over threats of prosecution in abortion aid” (Alabama Reflector) — And here’s the official press release from the Yellowhammer Fund.

  • 🟢 “Hell Yes, Pennsylvania Finally Ends State Funding for Crisis Pregnancy Centers” (Jezebel)

  • 🟡 “Indiana’s near-total abortion isn’t going back into effect — yet” (Indiana Capital Chronicle) and “Indiana's abortion ban has been halted by another lawsuit” (AP) — So, as of Friday evening (Aug 4) the best I can figure is that all Indiana abortion providers, including all of its Planned Parenthood locations, have stopped offering abortion care services, though the state’s ban itself is not yet active. It’s possible abortion care could be available from providers such as hospitals. I really don’t know! I am sorry this so confusing.

  • 🔴 “Lawsuit asks Ohio Supreme Court to block abortion rights measure from November ballot” (Cleveland.com)

  • 🔴 “US appeals court reinstates Guam in-person abortion counseling law” (Reuters)

The Takes

• Los Angeles Times columnist Anita Chabria reports on actress Michelle Mitchenor’s experience with later abortion during a wanted pregnancy: “Mitchenor wants us to understand that ‘none of us are exempt from tragedy.’ And the choices we make in the face of that tragedy have to be our own, made in our own time and space.”

• Are you reading the ReproJobs newsletter??? You should be.

Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba

This week I’m excited for a lucky reader to win a (signed!) copy of Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Chicago organizers Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba, who absolutely revolutionized the way I think about making change. This isn’t an expressly abortion-related book, but it’s the best read I’ve ever laid eyes on when it comes to figuring out how to make change for communities, by communities, within communities — whatever size those communities take. Here they are together in this essential listen (and read, there’s a transcript!) via Movement Memos, via TruthOut.

I’ll draw a winner’s name from my subscriber list at random next week. Stay tuned!

The Tweets/Toks/Grams

• AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE! AS LATE AS NECESSARY!

The Fuck Are We Supposed to Do About It?

• 👕 SWAG OF THE WEEK! 👕

  • Support the Palmetto State Abortion Fund with some cheeky “abortion tourist” merch!

• 📱 Illinois: Here comes CARLA, the Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access!

• 🚗 Kentucky: The Kentucky Health Justice Network is looking for volunteer drivers and case managers.

• 📖 Anywhere: Sen. Elizabeth Warren and colleagues asked Physicians for Reproductive Health about the state of abortion access, and here’s what!

• 🥣 Chicago: The Chicago for Abortion Rights potluck is Sunday, August 8th!

• 📱 Anywhere: INeedAnA.com is looking for volunteers to screen abortion access data, apply by Tuesday, August 15th.

• ⛰️ Southwestern Virginia and Appalachia: The New River Abortion Access Fund is looking for volunteers!

• 📱 Online, for “any and all Muslims who have had abortions or want/need an abortion”: The Ad’iyah Collective’s next abortion support circle is Sunday, August 6.

• 📱 Online, for students: United States of Women, End Rape on Campus, and It’s On Us are hosting a training on on-campus abortion advocacy on Wednesday, August 9th.

• 🍺 Minneapolis: Join Just The Pill at Indeed Brewing Co. to drink beer and fund abortion on Wednesday, August 16th!

• 🥂 St. Louis: Abortion Access Missouri’s annual gala is Friday, September 29.

• 🧑🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏽 Anywhere: The Take Root: Red State Reproductive Justice 2023 conference in Louisville, KY is now open for proposals! This is an incredible organizing, collaborating, and community space for folks who are passionate about reproductive justice.

• 📱 North Texas: The Texas Equal Access Fund is looking for bilingual Spanish-speaking volunteers for their text line. Here’s where to sign up.

• 📞 Anywhere: Apply to be an All-Options talkline volunteer!

• 📥 Anywhere: Looking for a job in repro? ReproJobs can help you spruce up your resume!

• 🧑🏾‍⚕️ Anywhere, for medical residents training in abortion care: Obstetricians for Reproductive Justice and others will fund residents who need to travel out of state for abortion care training through December 2023 (or retroactively since July 1, 2022). Here’s how to apply.

• 🤠 Texas: Local teen-friendly businesses in in Bryan, College Station, Lubbock, or San Angelo can become pickup spots for repro kits assembled by Jane’s Due Process. Here’s the application form.

• 💸 From your wallet:

  • Donate to support the Austin Women’s Health Center and their essential repro health services, including miscarriage management and abortion referrals!

  • Donate to ensure Desert Star Family Planning in Phoenix can keep providing essential abortion care to folks in the Southwest!

  • Contribute to the Repro Worker Aid Fund (or apply to be a recipient!)

  • Donate $$ and pads to Just the Pill’s mobile clinic.

  • Donate to the Online Abortion Resource Squad, which supports the R/Abortion subreddit 24/7/365.

  • Donate to Elevated Access, which transports folks for abortion and gender-affirming care.

  • Find your local abortion fund and donate!

  • The Valley Abortion Group is a new all-trimester abortion facility fundraising to open in New Mexico — donate to the GoFundMe.

  • 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!

• ✍️ Sign and share:

  • Anywhere: Check out the SMAZine from Urge and LiberalJane.

  • Anywhere: Use All Above All*’s form to tell your congressperson to support the Abortion Justice Act.

  • Texas: Join the Frontera Fund in telling your Texas lawmakers that you’re not having it with the “border fence” and “migrant” surveillance.

  • Anywhere, but especially for Alabamans: Sign the Yellowhammer Fund’s petition against a bill that would allow the prosecution abortion and even some forms of pregnancy loss as homicide.

  • Anywhere: Sign this multi-org-backed petition demanding Google stop “collecting and retaining location data and aiding abortion prosecutors.”

  • Anywhere: sign the Fight for the Future petition to demand better digital safety and security on Slack!

  • Anywhere: Sign the RJ Response to Stop Cop City.

  • Anywhere: All Above All*’s petition to lift outdated restrictions on medication abortion.

  • Anywhere: UltraViolet’s petition calling on pharmacies to provide medication abortion access where it’s legal to do so.

• 📖 Anywhere, resources edition:

  • Read Dr. Autumn Asher BlackDeer’s report “Towards an Indigenous Reproductive Justice: Examining Attitudes on Abortion among American Indian and Alaska Native Communities.”

  • Who Not When’s guide to reporting on later abortion is just great.

  • Subscribe to the No Body Criminalized podcast from the Repro Legal Defense Fund’s Rafa Kidvai.

  • Read this solidarity + organizing brief from Interrupting Criminalization and a coalition of repro and anti-criminalization orgs.

  • I Need An A’s new “stories” section provides resources, support, and information for folks seeking abortion care.

  • Plan C Pills has published a self-managed abortion field guide in super fun, accessible zine form.

  • Physicians for Reproductive Health has a wide-ranging messaging guide to talking about a variety of issues, from later abortion to self-managed care to insurance coverage for abortion.

  • The Repro Legal Defense Fund and the Community Justice Exchange have an extensive, attractive, and fact-filled guide to abortion criminalization in both English and Spanish.

  • Check out the “Pro Choice, But” campaign to better understand how to talk with folks who are, well, pro-choice … but.

  • Read the National Immigration Law Center’s know-your-rights-guide to abortion access for immigrants and share widely.

  • Familiarize yourself with this Digital Defense Fund guide to keeping your abortion private and secure, or check out the If/When/How Repro Legal Helpline guide to internet safety.

  • Read this guide on using trans-inclusive language from ARC-Southeast and the Transgender Law Center.

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

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

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 Instagram, and I’ll try to add follow-ups as I’m able.