2023 Recap
2023 was filled with highs and lows. There were some successes in local elections to protect abortion rights, while the country was pushing back against pro-choice legislature as a whole. Here is what Teens for Choice focused on each month in our blog posts.
January
To start off the year, we spotlighted three impactful organizations and their work for the reproductive rights movement: Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and Keep Our Clinics. Read individually about them and how you can support their work by clicking on their links.
February
In February, Staff Writer Terran wrote about the Born Alive Bill. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is a bill that states that doctors need to offer medical attention to any fetus that survives an abortion. If the doctors fail to comply, they will face fines and prison time. Although on the surface it may seem like a step of “good faith” from the Republican Party to enhance health care for infants and mothers, on a deeper level, the “Born Alive” bill shows where Republicans stand on the topic of abortion. The central premise of the bill was taken from a long string of cases in the 1970s where a doctor was facing manslaughter charges on account of refusing to give a fetus, born alive after an abortion, medical attention. Furthermore, in a fact-checking article from Planned Parenthood, Senior Vice President Jacqueline Ayers states: “This bill is deliberately misleading and offensive to pregnant people and the doctors and nurses who provide their care. [...] Let’s be clear: Doctors are already required to provide appropriate medical care by law. This is not how medical care works. It’s wrong, irresponsible, and dangerous to suggest otherwise.”
We also focused on the importance of Abortion Pills: How you can access them and what they are. The pill acts as an “anti-hormone” which blocks the egg from connecting with the genetic material and fertilizing to form an embryo. The first pill contains a drug called mifepristone, which essentially hampers the body’s production of progesterone, a hormone which is needed for a healthy pregnancy. Thus, the first pill stops the pregnancy from advancing, and the second pill, misoprostol, induces bleeding and cramping to clear the uterus. Abortion pills are safe and highly effective up to the eleventh week of pregnancy. However, with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion pills have come under scrutiny. Many conservative states are trying to restrict individuals’ access to the pill by making it difficult to get a prescription for mifepristone. Consequently, there has been an increase of mailed abortion pills. If you are in need of an abortion pill, read about what steps to take here.
March
In March, we reflected upon a lawsuit in Texas regarding abortion rights and Women’s History Month.
Current Events in Texas Regarding an Abortion Lawsuit
There was a critical lawsuit in Texas that could shape the way that reproductive care is offered, with state-level and national repercussions. The Zurawski lawsuit was filed by five women who struggled to receive proper reproductive care in the state of Texas. Their lawsuit seeks to obtain a more clear and specific answer to the question of when an abortion can be obtained to save someone’s life or to prevent serious medical complications. The plaintiffs in this case are being represented by private lawyers from the Center of Reproductive Rights. The president of the Center of Reproductive Rights said in a press conference, “We filed this lawsuit so that patients will not be hindered, delayed or denied necessary care — including abortion care.” This lawsuit is extremely important in clarifying the ambiguity that lies within Texas’ laws and to prevent womens’ lives from being at risk during pregnancy.
Update from the Center of Reproductive Rights: “In a ruling August 4, a Texas district judge issued an injunction blocking Texas's 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.” Read more about the lawsuit by heading to The Center for Reproductive Rights.
Reflecting on Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month is a month dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the influential women who have made history and changed our society. The theme for March 2023 was “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Story.” The National Women’s History Alliance, an organization which spearheaded the movement to dedicate March to women’s history, writes, “Women’s stories, and the larger human story, expand our understanding and strengthen our connections with each other.” In recognition of Women’s History Month, I wanted to use this month of appreciation to reflect on the women’s suffrage movement and its legacy. Establishing the right to vote for all women was a challenging and a long process. Before the 19th Amendment was passed, most states allowed women voting access and “partial voting.” After the 19th Amendment was ratified, most people thought that this granted voting access for all; however, this only prohibited states from discriminating against sexes. African-American, indigenous, and Asian-American women still did not have the same opportunities to be a part of our democracy. They faced literacy tests and poll taxes, and some even struggled to receive citizenship. Continued activism, including activism through media and arts, was crucial in helping to expand voting access to disenfranchised populations. Millions of women across the country fought with perseverance for over 50 years to reach their goal of universal suffrage. Although there are some controversies associated with this movement, it is foundational in the history of the United States and should be recognized and appreciated during Women’s History Month.
April
In April, Judge Janet Protasiewicz won the Supreme Court Seat in Wisconsin. This was a crucial election as Justice Protasiewicz is the first liberal justice in fifteen years to take this seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court. The election produced one of the largest voting turnouts Wisconsin has witnessed, as 1.8 million people voted. This is an astonishing win in terms of voter turnout, and displaying the determination people have to protect abortion rights. In Wisconsin, reproductive rights have been under a distinct threat. After Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of last year, a nineteenth century abortion law – which makes it illegal to perform an abortion unless it is to save the mother’s life – was enacted. Close to two million people came out and voted to overturn this unjust law that dated back to 1849.
Also, we wrote about the Battle over Mifepristone and the threat of banning it. Texan Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, appointed under President Trump, banned mifepristone stating that the FDA’s approval, 23 years ago, was a mistake. However, this ban didn’t last for long. An hour after the ruling was made, it caught the attention of the U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice. He blocked Judge Kacsmaryk’s decision which reasserted the FDA’s valid ruling and the safety of the drug. President Joe Biden said that he completely agrees with the FDA’s approval of mifepristone from 23 years prior and has stated that he will stop at nothing to continue the fight for access to mifepristone. Now, the case has made its way into the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (date set for May 17th), however, it is more than likely that the case will end up back in the Supreme Court. But this raises the question: who should be making the decision about whether drugs are safe and effective?
May
We explored the disparities in our healthcare system and how African American women face a higher mortality rate during childbirth. Over the past couple of years, disparities in access to healthcare have become more evident than ever in our society. These disparities can occur based on a number of economic, racial, ethnic, and geographical factors. For instance, in 2021 in the United States, non-Hispanic and Black women had an average of 69.9 deaths for every 100,000 live births. This was a significant increase from 2020 with 14.6 more deaths. This is a shocking statistic because our medicine and technology is advancing, but we still can not fix the gaps in our healthcare system.
June
In June, we published three blog posts. We talked about the concern of rising Judge Impartiality from Justice Clarence Thomas and his connections with a Republican billionaire. Justice Thomas has received a series of undisclosed gifts which raises concern about how this affects his cases. Are these benefactions bound to influence his supposedly unbiased view? Terran published an article about two inspiring activities who contributed to the field of reproductive and sexual health: Mary Calderone and Helen Rodriguez Trias. Then, in honor of Pride Month, we focused on two influential activists who paved the path of the LGBTQ+ movement in New York City: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.
July
In July, we collaborated with Be Filterless and focused on the importance of mental health and social media. We also talked about the importance of consent in relationships. Here are a few ways for teenagers to think about the role and importance of consent in relationships, sexual encounters, and medical decisions. Additionally, we reported on the current events between the Pentagon and Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville. He was at the center of a setback on Capitol Hill because he refused to pass a bill from the Pentagon to provide reproductive care for military members. However, Tuberville has still managed to blockade the bill. Read about current responses from Politico.
August
August was filled with two interviews from inspiring women. I had the privilege of sitting down with Heidi Sieck, the co-founder and chief empowerment officer of #VOTEPROCHOICE, for an interview about reproductive rights advocacy. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Diane Burrows from the League of Women Voters NYC. We spoke about her inspiring journey from a 38-year teaching career to becoming a driving force with the League. In our discussion, she shed light on the organization's mission, the challenges she faced throughout her career, and the importance of young people’s involvement in shaping a better future. Read about my discussion with Heidi Sieck here and with Diane Burrows here.
September
In September, we focused on the work that the Biden Administration has initiated to protect abortion rights. It has been a little bit over one year since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and the Biden administration has made significant efforts to safeguard and improve access to reproductive healthcare for all. Staff Writer Charlotte also published an article on pro-choice businesses. There are several large companies that support the reproductive rights movement through these difficult times. Many corporations – such as Apple, Amazon, and Dick’s Sporting Goods – have stepped up to support their employees who are affected by the ruling.
October
In October, we continued to focus on businesses that support the pro choice movement. Within the pro-choice community, you can show your pride and support of the movement by buying and wearing products that support reproductive justice. Many companies, artists, and small businesses direct part of their proceeds towards organizations that fight to protect reproductive rights or assist those who are in a vulnerable position. Additionally, we talked about the recent controversies about book banning. In recent years, our country has been divided about children’s education. Certain parents want to limit their children’s exposure to books relating to LGBTQ + issues.
November
November was an important time on Capitol Hill because House leader Kevin McCarthey was voted out of his role as Speaker of the House, spiraling into chaos. Staff Writer Terran wrote about the newly elected speaker, Mike Johnson, and how his role will affect reproductive rights.
December
To end the year, we discussed the successes of the November election in Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia. In 2024, we look forward to continuing to learn and share more about the ongoing, long-term fight to win back reproductive rights and what young people can do to get involved and make a difference. On behalf of the Teens for Choice team, thanks for reading and supporting our work, and stay posted for the launch of more projects!
