Happy Friday from AAF Head Writer Dooks! I wanted to pop in, say “Howdy!” and fill your sexy little brain with all the abortion news I’ve been collecting in between making dank memes and coming up with fun new ways to talk about repro rights. Plus, as a queer Arab Muslim, I could not resist the opportunity to type these next few paragraphs myself.
The Diva Known As Lady G Is Down!
This week I’ve been riding the high of knowing Lindsey Graham has made his way to the last gloryhole on the left. My Mitch McConnell advent calendar just got restocked with mini liquor bottles, and I’m ready for the next one, Lord!
While everyone else is trying to figure out exactly how gay Lindsey was, I want to focus on his absolutely deplorable abortion record, showing yet another reason this man’s life deserves NO CELEBRATIONS.
From introducing a national 15-week abortion ban after insisting abortion should be “left to the states,” to voting for abortion restrictions and anti-abortion judges and lawmakers time and time again, Lindsey spent years proving that “states’ rights” was always just a pit stop on the road to a nationwide ban.
Want to honor his demise? Adopt an independent abortion clinic! Send clinics some love in his name this week by shopping their wishlists with our Adopt-A-Clinic Program.
Does “Leave It to the States” Actually Mean “Leave It to the Anti-Abortion Lawmakers?”
Four years ago, Kansans voted to reject the anti-abortion “Value Them Both” amendment and hang on to constitutional protections for abortion. Yay, right? Well, today, anti-abortion lawmakers are trying to get around all that pesky democratic process by just changing the way Kansas Supreme Court justices are chosen.
Anti-abortion lawmakers in Kansas have been saying for ages that this was their next move, as a hand-picked court could revisit decisions that didn’t go their way the first time.
The good news is, it’s a long, laborious process to completely overhaul the will of the people, and we know there are folks in Kansas just like you and me who won’t hesitate to stand on business when their bodily autonomy is under attack.
But we saved the BIGGEST news of the week for your Buzzkills to break down.
Lizz and Moji have the lowdown on confirmation hearings of the low-life, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is working alongside anti-abortion conspiracy theorists, and promised UNDER OATH that if confirmed as AG, he would do their bidding and try and end medication abortion ONCE AND FOR ALL. We have the deets about the hearings, and your faithful Buzzkills dissect the latest scheme they’ve hatched to try and end mifepristone. It is so juicily whacktastic, Lizz wrote an op-ed this week for Rolling Stone about it.
And Boy Oh Boy Do They Have Guests!
Comedian and activist Jenny Yang stops by to talk about how she’s combined stand up comedy and standing up for immigrant rights by doing a comedy tour performed at immigrant grocery stores! The story is incredible, and when you hear about the impact she’s made bringing communities together after being devastated by ICE, you will be rushing to her website to get tickets. We need more inspiring stories of how people are helping one another, and Jenny is it!
Want more inspiration? Lizz and Moji also welcome Programs Director Kenya Martin from the abortion storytelling collective We Testify. She joins the Buzzkillahs to talk about how sharing our abortion experiences is one of the greatest tools we have to change hearts and minds, and that changing hearts and minds is the only way we change policy. Her experience in guiding folks to share abortion stories is so beautiful, and is helping abortion patients in so many ways. A true inspiration.
Now for Some Ways You Can Fight Back!
We’ve given you the really good and the absolute shit news for the week, so use that energy to get out in the community and do some good!
You Heard Kenya Talk About The Power Of Sharing Our Stories, Now We Would Love For You To Share Yours!
Your medication abortion story is the reality check needed to trounce 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.
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!
Protect Yourself – PERIODT.
Worried that your period-tracking app may be snitching on your snatch to Uncle Sam? Don’t miss Repro TLC and Euki’s workshop to learn key considerations for choosing or recommending a period tracking app, and examine data privacy and its impact on sexual and reproductive health service delivery and information provision. Join Period Tracking Apps: Key Considerations When Supporting Patients & Clients on Tuesday, July 21st at 6:30pm ET – registration link here!
Have Fun At Our Activist Events? Meet Our Intern Anika!
My takeaway? Joy can and MUST be part of this work! Through participating in trivia and listening to the performance with everyone, hearing so many different voices shout out answers and seeing comments pour in about how wonderful the music was, I felt uplifted by a sense of community that formed and reminded that I am far from alone in this work. Anyone and everyone should attend the next monthly Expose Fake Clinics Action Hour! You won’t regret it. In solidarity, Intern Anika
And guess what – we’ve got great news: you, too, can join the next Expose Fake Clinics Virtual Action Hour! Join us as we partner with our besties at Catholics for Choice on Wednesday, July 29th at 6pm ET – registration link here!
WANT MORE AAF? You Got It!
- For the latest abobo news, follow us errywhere you social @abortionfront
- Pod with us! Subscribe to our hilarious weekly abortion podcast Feminist Buzzkills Drops Fridays wherever you pod
Video Hilarity! Laugh ‘til ya pee watching our bounty of comedy videos
Thanks for catching up with me, friend! If you need some end-of-week inspo, I’m gonna spend the rest of the weekend shouting for abortion rights in my home city of Philly and listening to the new Saint Levant x Haifa Wehbe collab until my ears bleed. I highly recommend it.
In solidarity and laughter,
XO Alyssa “Dooks” Al-Dookhi and Team Abortion AF
