SO EXCITED to be back from break! Okay, maybe it wasn’t the triumphant return I dreamed of on my two weeks off, but what can one expect from the abobosphere these days?
At least I am well rested to dive into the fuckery. Let’s gooooooooo!
DEATHS FROM ECTOPIC PREGNANCIES HAVE DOUBLED SINCE THE DOBBS DECISION
Yep, the week kicked off with the amazing folks at ProPublica dropping this bombshell, Deaths from ectopic pregnancies in the United States have nearly doubled, rising from about 100 deaths in a six-year period to nearly 200 deaths between 2020 and 2025. This story just further adds to my theory that Conservatives are tirelessly trying to make killing women their whole personality.
BUT THE BIGGEST STORY THIS WEEK has genuinely enormous stakes. On Wednesday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in Louisiana v. FDA — a case that could decide whether mifepristone remains available through telehealth, pharmacies, and the mail while the broader case continues.
THE CASE IN PLAIN ENGLISH
The FDA changed its mifepristone rules so patients no longer have to make an unnecessary in-person visit just to receive the medication. Louisiana wants a court to enforce those restrictions nationwide so that folks in The Bayou State can’t access ANY abortion AT ALL. But before the court can even consider that, Louisiana has to show it has a direct legal injury from the FDA’s policy, not just a deep, weird, authoritarian desire to control everyone else’s uterus.
AND HONEY, THE JUDGES HAD QUESTIONS.
Like: why are we here when the Supreme Court already put this exact restriction on hold? Can Louisiana blame the FDA for other states’ shield laws? What does abortion pill access have to do with DACA recipients, COVID-19, car companies, air quality, and the new White House Ballroom? Does a state get to try to kneecap abortion access for the whole country based on extremely wobbly math and vibes? The panel seemed especially interested in whether Louisiana actually has standing, and whether this is yet another attempt to get government by lawsuit.
So, what exactly did Louisiana argue? Why were the judges already side-eyeing the whole operation before its lawyer could finish clearing his throat? Why did the FDA lawyer appear determined to treat basic questions about the FDA like a pop quiz he forgot to study for? And can Danco and GenBioPro — the manufacturers behind mifepristone — save the day with actual facts, scientific evidence, and an understanding of their own goddamn case?
New Feminist Buzzkills Episode: Drops TODAY!
Now for Some Ways You Can Fight Back!
Now that we’ve given you the really good and the absolute shit news for the week, use that energy to get out in the community and do some good!
ALWAYS REMINDER: Mife Is, And Always Will Be, That Girl
AAF is full-on abortion pills, always. Visit Just a Pill for for the hits and information from our all-pill pop group, Mife & The Misotones! Share your experience with the Mife Stories Project.
And if you know us, you know we are not taking any of this lying down. We’ll be standing up, being loud as hell, pointing, laughing, and holding every opportunistic anti-abortion chode accountable. So (no spoilers!) keep your eyes peeled for AAF’s special brand of pro-abortion hell-raising.
If You’ve Used Abortion Pills, We Need Your Story.
Your medication abortion story is the reality check to the propaganda driving this hard turn into the 1800s! Drop your story at Mifestories.com, and help drag the truth into the light: mifepristone is safe, effective, and basic healthcare. And we all deserve access.
Mifestories.com
And then fill out our volunteer skill share form for even more ways to get involved!
Check Out Our Activist Calendar
Our Activist calendar is loaded with events and actions both nationally or in your community – pick your poison and get your boots on the ground!
Not feeling like you wanna dig around a calendar? We chose a highlight just for you!
FEATURED ACTIVIST EVENT THIS WEEK
No More Pregnancy Criminalization!
Our friends at Gender Justice want to leave you understanding the harmful consequences of drug testing during pregnancy for mothers, babies, and families, as well as the broader implications for patient care and public policy. Join their From the Delivery Room to the Courtroom: Evaluating and Challenging Drug Test Evidence in Pregnancy and Birth panel on Tuesday, September 15th at 3pm ET – registration link here!
As long as the courts stay in our shorts, Abortion AF will be there to help you trudge through the muck and keep your head above the flotsam of fascism.
