Your Personalized “It’s Not Over” Checklist, Aka How You Can Join the Fight Right Now
To be perfectly blunt? The Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade has left us f*cking mad as hell. But the good news is we don’t just have to sit back, doomscroll our days away, and wait for a slew of apocalyptic state-level shifts and trigger laws to go into effect. We all have the power—yes, even if it doesn’t really feel like it in this moment—to shake things up and effect change. **cracks knuckles and rolls up sleeves**
Perhaps you’ve always been in favor of abortion access, but you don’t consider yourself the “activist” type. Or maybe you’ve attended a few protests in the past, or you’ve been giving money to pro-choice organizations for years. The point is: No matter your experience with this type of stuff, pushing the reproductive freedom movement forward is anything but futile—especially now. Showing up takes energy, and at times, it might make you feel vulnerable, even uncomfortable, but the stakes are way too high to opt out. And if you look closely, there’s still hope to be had.
Here, we’ve put together a non-intimidating, step-by-step guide to help you get involved in the fight for reproductive justice in whatever way you can. If you have time and money, great, but if you have neither of those things, there are still meaningful ways to pitch in. Pull out your wallet, prepare thy picket sign, and continue reading for a bunch of productive ways to rage against the obscene.
IF YOU HAVE TIME | IF YOU HAVE MONEY | IF YOU HAVE NEITHER
So, You Wanna Volunteer Your Time...
First things first: March. Much like dating, protesting requires you to keep putting yourself out there. Stay on top of local actions with listings on We Won’t Go Back, or text FIGHTBACK to 826-23 for remote ways to rally.
Call your local abortion fund or practical support organization and ask them what they need. Start your search by checking out AbortionFinder.org for a full state-by-state guide. The key here is keeping things local. “There’s often an impulse to help out national organizations, and that comes at the expense of getting involved with local abortion funds that are severely under-resourced,” says Debasri Ghosh, managing director at the National Network of Abortion Funds. Once you do zero in on a local fund, you’re gonna need to be patient. A lot of abortion funds are, well, underfunded, not to mention overworked and largely volunteer-based, so it might take them a few days to get back to you.
Fill up your gas tank and set up that air mattress. According to Rachel Fey, vice president of policy and strategic partnerships at Power to Decide, all it takes is a spare bedroom or a car to make travel easier for those seeking abortion care. “Not only do many abortion funds and practical support organizations help people to fund their abortions, they also arrange transportation and lodging when people need to travel out of state for care—something many more people will likely soon need to do,” she says.
Follow funds, clinics, organizations, and activists on social media. Seriously, it’s that simple. “These are the accounts that are going to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date picture of what’s going on in your state,” says Madison Lyleroehr of the Midwest Access Coalition, and they’ll often post about volunteer opportunities. Psst—take a spin through @cosmopolitan’s “following” list if you’re looking for accounts to follow.
Research what’s going on at the college campus closest to you. Bedsider.org is helpful for tracking down info on birth control, abortion care, and STI testing, while INeedAnA.com is a comprehensive resource for abortion seekers—anyone can enter their location and receive real-time details about nearby clinics and funds that offer support. If abortion is no longer legal in your state, volunteer with an on-campus peer sexual education program or a local reproductive health organization (like Every Body Texas) to ensure that students continue to have access to affordable contraception.
Talk about reproductive rights with everyone in your life. Challenge your friends and family who don’t share your views. These talks will be tough, but tiptoeing around topics with loved ones doesn’t increase your chances of actually having a constructive conversation. Seek out abortion storytelling organizations like We Testify or Shout Your Abortion, where you can share your own story using their online submission form. “Actually saying the word ‘abortion’ helps to destigmatize the term,” explains Lyleroehr. Remember: Abortion isn’t a four-letter word. “If you support a woman’s choice to have an abortion but not enough to say the word out loud, then that’s problematic,” she says.
You Want to Put Your Hard-Earned Cash to Good Use...
If You’re Already Thinking About the Next Election...
Now’s a good time to do your pre-voting homework. It’s on you to figure out which candidates are putting their $$$ where their mouth is. Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO of the League of Women Voters, suggests visiting VOTE411.org (available in English and Spanish) to read up on where candidates stand on important topics like abortion and reproductive rights. And if you’re a wannabe candidate yourself (go, you!), brush up on our How to Run for Office guide.
Share this research with your friends, family, coworkers, sorority sisters, the cute barista, your dog walker, that grumpy upstairs neighbor, etc. In other words, help get out the vote for pro-choice candidates by making sure all the folks in your life know where potential politicians stand on these issues. Not everyone has the time or interest to go deep on local politics, but lucky for them, you’re game to be their ~election fairy godmother~.
Vote in every! single! election! (especially the local ones). Bonus points if you can organize a carpool and get extra booties to the ballot box. “Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, where you live—and who is elected to office in your state—will determine more than your abortion rights,” says Sara Spain, national press secretary at Emily’s List, an organization devoted to electing Democratic pro-choice women to office. “Even if you live in a state that has protected access to abortion care, the only way to ensure those protections stay in place is to safeguard the existing pro-choice majorities,” she adds.
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