Texas Republican Just Thinks You Should Know When You Eat A Fetus

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. Today’s issue is too long for email — you’ll likely need to click on the headline link above to view the whole thing in your browser.

The big takeaway: There’s a lot to choose from! SCOTUS says it doesn’t know who leaked the Dobbs opinion to Politico. Abortion bans correlate with terrible maternal mortality outcomes and economic disempowerment. But as a person who is very rarely caught off-guard by anti-abortion fuckery, I feel it is my duty to draw your attention to Texas State Sen. Bob Hall’s new proposal to label foods that contain aborted fetal tissue, which is to say, non-existent foods. I have questions! Why merely label fetal-derived foods, rather than ban them outright? I can only conclude that Sen. Fetus Crackers (R-Rockwall) actively supports the informed consumption of human tissue. I desperately hope an enterprising reporter follows up to learn more. (Edited to add: thanks to many folks on twitter for pointing out the connections between Hall’s claims and classic antisemitic “blood libel” tropes.)

The Top Headlines

• “Report: Mothers in states with abortion bans nearly three times more likely to die” (Axios) — The Gender Equity Policy Institute’s report is another recent examination of evidence showing increased maternal mortality in geographies where abortion is highly restricted. Here’s more on findings from the Commonwealth Fund last December, and more from the immediate post-Dobbs aftermath.

• “States with abortion bans are also ‘economically disempowering’ people, report says” (The 19th) — More evidence that abortion bans correlate with policies and practices that, broadly, do a fuckload of harm to folks on a number of levels. Abortion is an economic issue, verse 933409850.

• “A Texas single mother’s abortion story” (New York) — In her own words, a Texan describes her experience self-managing her abortion with pills and the financial challenges she faces raising her family in a state that’s patently hostile to low-income parents. I think it’s especially worth highlighting the fears that Alauni (she uses a pseudonym) expresses around criminalization. Abortion bans are meant to incite terror, whether or not the strict letter of any given law permits prosecution. As always, folks who have concerns about their legal rights and self-managed abortion can contact If/When/How’s Repro Legal Helpline.

• “Websites selling abortion pills are sharing sensitive data with Google” (ProPublica) — This investigation showed that nine online pharmacies that offer medication abortion are using third-party trackers to collect details about their users and share them with “tech behemoth Google, its parent company, Alphabet, and other third parties, such as the online chat provider LiveChat.” Some of that data could “potentially identify” individual users, which is of course a massive safety threat for people self-managing their care if these entities were to be subpoenaed or, also likely, simply turn over information to law enforcement if asked.

• “Supreme Court says it hasn’t identified person who leaked draft abortion opinion” (NYT) — I mean, Sure, Jan. I have trouble believing investigators really, truly couldn’t nail this one down, especially since the official report is overall pretty damning when it comes to SCOTUS’ internal informational integrity.

• “The father of the abortion pill” (NYT) — A profile of 96-year-old Dr. Étienne-Émile Baulieu, who lead the way in developing mifepristone decades ago.

• “[Illinois] Planned Parenthood set on fire just two days after state passes abortion rights law” (ABC News)

• What’s happening with abortion bans, restrictions, and protections at the state and local levels:

  • “Religious leaders sue to overturn Missouri’s abortion ban” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

  • “Bill could bring changes to Arkansas abortion law” (KAIT) — Not a lot of coverage on this so far or else I’d have linked to a news story (“story”) that wasn’t an absolute abortion propaganda travesty but the upshot is that Arkansas Republicans are looking to classify abortion as homicide, opening up pregnant people to criminal prosecutions.

  • “Texas Republican wants food made of aborted fetuses labeled” (HuffPo) — (1) yes, you read that right and (2) nope not a thing. However, restrictions of this type would absolutely affect medical research, pharmaceuticals, etc.

  • “Right to abortion passes Minnesota House, heads to Senate” (Minnesota Reformer)

  • “North Dakota Legislature to tackle abortion questions as ban sits in limbo” (Bismarck Tribune)

  • “Bill aims to exempt abortion from Montana’s privacy protections” (Montana Public Radio)

  • “[Idaho] House committee passes tax penalties for abortion sanctuaries” (Boise State Public Radio)

  • “[Idaho] Republicans try to fix confusion over ectopic pregnancies and abortion” (Boise State Public Radio)

  • “Kansas voters sided with abortion rights in August. Republicans don’t care.” (Vox)

  • “New Mexico Democrats fight town’s abortion ban” (Reuters) and “Group hopes to force vote on anti-abortion ordinance” (The Eastern New Mexico News) — In re: striking down Texan anti-abortion activists’ efforts to ban abortion in Clovis, NM via city ordinance.

  • “[Maine] Democratic governor, leaders move to expand abortion access” (ABC News)

  • “Democrats who flipped statehouses in 2022 are prioritizing abortion access in 2023” (The 19th)

• What’s happening with providers, clinics, medical professionals, etc:

  • “Do the FDA’s new rules expand abortion pill access for people at the margins?” (Prism)

  • “Reversing abortion drug’s approval would harm public interest, U.S. FDA says” (Reuters)

  • “NYC will offer free abortion pills at four city-run sexual health clinics” (Gothamist) — Mayor Eric Adams once again proving that thing about stopped clocks.

  • “Gov. Wes Moore releases $69 million withheld by Hogan, including funds for abortion care training” (The Baltimore Banner)

  • “Bristol abortion clinic owner: ‘I don’t need a welcome mat’” (Tennessee Lookout)

The Takes

• Listen to repro legal expert Mary Ziegler on NPR’s Fresh Air: “A lot of people, if they're not sure what is and is not OK, may make the decision to not come close to crossing the line. They may be scared away from exercising a right they do, in fact, have. But I think we're at a moment of really almost unprecedented uncertainty in the United States when it comes to abortion.”

The Tweets/Toks/Grams

• Repro lawyering org If/When/How tweets a handily illustrated thread once again reminding folks not to talk to cops about abortion (or anything): “The only game you should be playing with the police is the ‘Quiet Game.’”

• Columbia University’s Liz Reiner Platt tweets a thread via @LawRtsReligion rounding up the latest religion-related repro cases working their way through the courts.

• Here’s a live-tweet thread of oral arguments before the Indiana Supreme Court in the challenge to the state’s abortion ban. As Ohio-based organizer and strategist Mary Drummer notes: “The consequences of this ruling will affect the entire Midwest region. Right now abortion is available in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Kansas. It's still legal in Ohio, Nebraska, and Iowa, but there's a good chance bans will pass sometime this year.”

• Writer T.S. Mendola tweets a sharp thread on sustainability and succession in clinical abortion care, especially in later abortion care. Key: “Here's the big thought: if you're an abortion clinic owner and you're over 75, a major organizational & budgetary goal of the repro movement should be to help you retire, find someone to take over your clinic, and make a smooth, ethical succession plan.”Subscribe now

The Fuck Are We Supposed to Do About It?

• Anywhere: Via @RHAVote, the Valley Abortion Group is new all-trimester abortion facility fundraising to open in New Mexico — donate to the GoFundMe here.

• Ohio: Train to support the Protect Choice Ohio coalition’s efforts to get abortion rights enshrined in the Ohio constitution. Next training’s Sunday, January 22nd. RSVP here.

• Baltimore: Art + Feminism and the Baltimore Abortion Fund are hosting a Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon at Red Emma’s on Saturday, January 21.

• Omaha: Nebraska Abortion Resources and PP North Central States are hosting a repro rights advocacy training on Sunday, January 22nd.

• Orlando: The National March for Abortion Orlando is Sunday, January 22nd.

• Indianapolis: Indiana’s Our Choice coalition is honoring the 50th anniversary of Roe with an event featuring Dr. Katie McHugh on Sunday, January 22nd.

• Austin: Future Front Texas’ Texas Feminist Throwdown is Sunday, January 22nd. Sliding scale ticket sales benefit the Lilith Fund, Black Mamas ATX, and MOVE Texas.

• Alabama, Mississippi, Florida panhandle, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas: Folks living in the aforementioned states are eligible for the Yellowhammer Fund’s Catalysts for Reproductive Justice fellowship. The deadline to apply is Monday, January 23.

• New York City: Attend a one-night-only performance of “Spare Rib” on Monday January 23rd, benefitting Keep Our Clinics.

• Online: We Testify’s “Roe Should Be/Would Be 50” Zoom event with Grandmothers for Reproductive Rights is Thursday, January 26th.

• Iowa City, online: The Emma Goldman Clinic’s Roe anniversary event is a hybrid online/in-person to-do on Friday, January 27th.

• New York City: The Meteor is hosting a comedy + music + storytelling show featuring some famousfolk in support of NYAAF on Wednesday, February 1st.

• Ireland: The Abortion Rights Campaign and Alliance for Choice Derry are hosting an abortion stigma and pills workshop in Dublin on Saturday, February 4th.

• Texas: The Afiya Center’s #RJVoter advocacy week starts Tuesday, February 28th. Check out their Instagram for more, including a community forum, advocacy training, and an advocacy day.

• Anywhere, for Latina/x folks who speak Spanish: Help the Vitala Global Foundation test and improve the Aya Contigo app, which “accompanies and supports people virtually in real-time with information in Spanish on self-managed abortion with pills.”

• Anywhere, for health care providers: UCSF’s Dobbs Impact Study is looking at instances of “poor-quality medical care since the Dobbs decision,” and they’re encouraging providers to submit de-identified stories.

• Texas:

  • Join the Texas Abortion Hype Squad.

  • Jane’s Due Process is looking for volunteers in Bryan, College Station, San Angelo, and Lubbock to distribute repro kits containing emergency contraception and other essentials. Sign up here — and they’re looking for local businesses to volunteer as pick-up sites, too.

• Anywhere, best practices edition:

  • Physicians for Reproductive Health’s has updated guidance on discussing and reporting on HR 26, the federal anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers.

  • 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.

• 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.

• Sign and share:

  • Texas: Avow Texas’ petition demands county district attorneys pledge not to prosecute people for providing abortions, or because of a pregnancy outcome.

  • Anywhere: All Above All*’s petition asks President Biden take immediate steps to ensure abortion justice for immigrants.

• Anywhere: Declare an Abortion Provider Appreciation Day in your community using this toolkit from the National Institute for Reproductive Health.

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