Federal Abortion Rights

July 1, 2022

Statement from the Director about federal abortion rights

The Supreme Court decision last week to remove federal abortion rights has far-reaching and devastating consequences that cannot be ignored. It is aboutabortions and health care, but it is also about gender and autonomy, about both historical and current institutional control of bodies, especially those that are often also otherwise marginalized. And it is also about who gets to decide what constitutes a family, who has a right to make decisions about having and raising children, and who has access to resources and support. This past spring, SBAI organized a teach-in on the topic of reproductive justice, in which UR faculty and guest speakers shared with students, faculty, and community members thoughts about some of the ways in which abortion rights is part of this larger context in which race, disability, class, gender and sexuality all play key roles in reinforcing and creating vast discrepancies in power, choice and agency. This teach-in, our curriculum, our work with local communities - these are examples of how we have been and will continue to work for social justice on many fronts. I encourage students to participate in our fall courses, in which many aspects of this larger context will be explored. These courses include: Queer Love; Sex and Power; Sexuality in World Religion; Queer Theory; Madness, Marriage and Monstrosity; History of Masculinity; Mutilated Bodies: From Traditions to Cutting-Edge Technologies; Performing Islam; Guilt; Gender, Love and Families; Words have Power: Writing for Social Change; Civil Disobedience.

While I cannot speak for others, on a personal level, I can't deny that this decision has shifted the landscape, and I'm personally angry, frustrated, and exhausted. But I also know so many groups across the country are continuing to do the work. The National Women’s Studies Association is one of these groups, and I encourage you to read their statement on the overturning of Roe v. Wade. For those of you who want to contribute to the ongoing struggle to fight for our rights to our bodies, we are starting a list of actions and organizations on our website that may be of interest and we will continue to update it. And we continue to look for other ways to support, engage, and intervene and welcome suggestions from all of you on what you need.

Sincerely,

June J. Hwang
Director, Susan B. Anthony Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
University of Rochester

Resources:

Here is a list of resources compiled by the National Women's Studies Association (NWSA):

*Please note, the resources shared below are neither connected to nor endorsed by NWSA but are shared just in case someone needs a starting place to access healthcare or make a reproductive decision.

If you are seeking access to healthcare:

If you need help terminating your pregnancy:

  • AbortionFinder - With more than 750 health centers, AbortionFinder.org features the most comprehensive directory of trusted (and verified) abortion service providers in the United
  • Afiya Center - Their mission is to transform the lives, health, and overall wellbeing of Black women and girls by providing refuge, education, and They act to ignite the communal voices of Black women resulting in our full achievement of reproductive freedom.
  • AidAccess - consists of a team of doctors, activists, and advocates for abortion rights that help people access abortion or miscarriage They send the pill worldwide for $110/90€.
  • Bridge Collective - provides practical and responsive abortion services to Central Texas.
  • Buckle Bunnies Fund - provides practical support for people seeking They help with transportation, funds to help with hotels, lodging costs, and emergency contraceptive funds to go towards abortion.
  • Carafem - helps with abortion, birth control, and questions about reproductive healthcare. They do consultations online and send abortion pills in the mail.
  • Cobalt Abortion Fund - provides direct financial assistance to individuals seeking abortion Their mission is to work toward reproductive freedom for all people and provide financial assistance without judgment or question to people who seek an abortion but cannot pay the total cost.
  • Colorado Abortion Providers
  • Faith Aloud - compassionate religious and spiritual support for abortion and pregnancy options.
  • Frontera Fund - makes abortion accessible in the Rio Grande Valley (Texas) by providing financial and practical support regardless of immigration status, gender identity, ability, sexual orientation, race, class, age, or religious
  • HeyJane - Modern abortion care, without the clinic, Get fast, safe, and affordable abortion care from home. Chat with a medical provider within 36 Medications are shipped daily.
  • International Consortium on Emergency Contraception - Emergency Oral Contraceptive Doses for Birth Control, U.S.
  • Jane's Due Process - helps minors in Texas with judicial bypass for abortion, navigate parental consent laws and confidentially access abortion and birth They provide free legal support, 1-on-1 case management, and stigma-free information on sexual and reproductive health.
  • Justice Empowerment Network - focuses on abortion access in South Dakota.
  • Kentucky Health Justice Network - helps with both abortion care and gender-affirming care in Kentucky.
  • Lillith Fund - the oldest abortion fund in Texas, serving the central and southern regions of the state with direct financial assistance for abortions.
  • Northwest Abortion Access Fund - provides funds to help folks in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
  • Plan C Pills - provides up-to-date information on how people in the U.S. access abortion pills online.
  • Planned Parenthood
  • Westfund - focuses on Latino and low-income communities.
  • Women on Web - an online abortion service that can help you do a safe abortion with pills.

Additional Resources

  • Connect and Breathe is intentionally not a "pro-choice" or political org. Its purpose and mission are to provide a talkline service (with trained volunteers across the nation) for people who have had abortions.

*Please be safe and be aware of clinics (e.g. Crisis Pregnancy Centers) that give out dangerous misinformation on abortions and pregnancy.