#California Abortion Pill

[hersmartchoice0]

California Abortion Pill: Empowering Women to Make Smart Choices

Explore the accessibility and options of the California abortion pill at Her Smart Choice. Our comprehensive services ensure women's health and autonomy in decision-making, providing safe and informed choices for reproductive healthcare.

[stop-talking]

How do you think jhutch characters would handle a baby?

I'm not quite sure if you're asking "what would they do if you handed them a baby" or "what would they do if you told them you're pregnant" but I'm gonna assume you meant the latter. (feel free to send another request if I got it wrong)

Ranking Jhutch characters from worst to best fathers:

Billy

☆ Would play dumb when you hand him the pregnancy test.

☆ "What's this? Oh, you're pregnant? Can't be mine. My pull-out game is too strong." (literally has NO pull-out game, refuses to use condoms because he "can't feel" with them on)

☆ Basically ghosts you until the paternity test proves it's his. Then he actually ghosts you.

☆ Drops off the face of the fucking Earth for years. Doesn't pay a dime in child support.

☆ Maybe he comes back like 3 years later drunk and demanding to see "his" kid idk. Literally the worst.

Derek

☆ Honestly I headcannon he had a vasectomy at like 24-25.

☆ His mom hit him up once she heard about his prostitute scandals and chewed him out. Gave him "the talk" even though he's a grown ass man... finally got him to get snipped when she brought up the possibility of paying income-based child support for 18 years.

☆ Assuming he doesn't have one, though...

☆ He'd initially be mad and blame you. "I thought you were on the pill!!"

☆ Then he'd be like "Is it too late to... you know... get rid of it?" (and kind of dance around the subject because he's too much of a wimp to just say the word abortion)

☆ Wallace and his mom would both force him to get his shit together and apologize. Eventually he'd come to terms with the fact he's gonna be a dad.

☆ He'd be the kind of bastard to throw an over-the-top gender reveal party. The kind that burns down half of California or pollutes a major water channel.

☆ I think he'd be a really good girl dad. He'd let her paint his nails and stuff. Spoil her. <3

☆ He would treat a son completely differently. Teach him to "be a man" or whatever when he's still learning to walk. Force him into random ass sports.

☆ He'd have them mostly taken care of by a nanny. That's probably how he was raised, anyways. Derek Danforth is NOT changing a diaper.

Futturman

☆ Whether we're talking pre-show or post-show, he'd freak the fuck out if you handed him a positive pregnancy test. I'm talking full-on pass out.

☆ Pre-show Josh would be like "Babe we can NOT afford a baby I literally live at home with my parents and work as a janitor."

☆ His parents would be so crazy supportive though. They've been hinting that they want grandkids for YEARS.

☆ They literally clear out a room IMMIDEATELY after hearing the news and offer it to you to use as a nursery.

☆ His mom buys you more baby clothes than you could possibly need. His dad builds a crib from scratch.

☆ Overall Josh is stressed asf but he does his best to be there for you, and his parents are OVERWHELMIGLY supportive.

☆ Post-show Josh, on the other hand, doesn't have that support. But he's survived unspeakable horrors across multiple dimensions, how hard could a baby be?

☆ Extremely hard, apparently. One day he just loses it and makes a huge decision without asking you.

☆ "Josh WTF happened to our savings??"

☆ "TRUST ME BABE we need to invest in Apple!!"

☆ You're pissed but it pays off in a few years and you're both able to live comfortably.

☆ Then in 2015-ish he did the same thing again, pouring all your savings into bitcoin. This time you SWEAR you're going to leave him, but it all pays out in the end. He gets your kid through college with that money.

☆ Overall he's a really good father, too. He had great parents, and even if he's not experienced with kids, he's naturally a very caring and attentive person.

Mike

☆ Cries when he sees the pregnancy test. He's not even sure if it's happy or sad tears.

☆ Gets sick to his stomach overthinking about how he's going to be a terrible father. His dad walked out on him, so he has literally no idea how to act.

☆ Abby, on the other hand, is absolutely delighted. She's always wanted a "little sister". Mike has to remind her that technically it's her niece. Or nephew. There's no guarantee on the gender yet.

☆ Eventually he comes to terms with it all. He's taken care of Abby for ten years, he isn't completely clueless.

☆ Takes you to all of your Dr.'s appointments, checkups, etc. Holds your hand. Makes all of your weird pregnancy cravings and doesn't judge.

☆ After the birth, he lets you rest. Nearly works himself to death trying to take care of the baby all on his own because he wants you to recover.

☆ I'm talking getting up bleary-eyed at 2am every night to microwave some formula and feed the baby. After working a 10 hour shift.

☆ Pulls the "I have a baby on the way" card at work in an attempt to get a raise. It works, thankfully. (In the novel version of the movie; it says he gets a job as a contractor at the end. So hopefully he can afford a kid...)

----------♡----------

[Remember: these are just MY headcannons. If you think differently that's fine. I didn't include Clapton because he's literally in highschool... and we all know Peeta is an amazing father.]

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Year

1. Belgium approves four-day week and gives employees the right to ignore their bosses after work

Workers in Belgium will soon be able to choose a four-day week under a series of labour market reforms announced on Tuesday.

The reform package agreed by the country's multi-party coalition government will also give workers the right to turn off work devices and ignore work-related messages after hours without fear of reprisal.

"We have experienced two difficult years. With this agreement, we set a beacon for an economy that is more innovative, sustainable and digital. The aim is to be able to make people and businesses stronger," Belgian prime minister Alexander de Croo told a press conference announcing the reform package.

2. Spain makes it a crime for pro-lifers to harass people outside abortion clinics

Spain has criminalized the harassment or intimidation of women going for an abortion under new legislation approved on Wednesday by the Senate. The move, which involved changes to the penal code, means anti-abortion activists who try to convince women not to terminate their pregnancies could face up to a year behind bars.

3. House passes bill to federally decriminalize marijuana

The House has voted with a slim bipartisan majority to federally decriminalize marijuana. The vote was 220 to 204.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, will prevent federal agencies from denying federal workers security clearances for cannabis use, and will allow the Veterans’ Administration to recommend medical marijuana to veterans living with posttraumatic stress disorder.

The bill also expunges the record of people convicted of non-violent cannabis offenses, which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said, “can haunt people of color and impact the trajectory of their lives and career indefinitely.”

4. France makes birth control free for all women under 25

The scheme, which could benefit three million women, covers the pill, IUDs, contraceptive patches and other methods composed of steroid hormones.

Contraception for minors was already free in France. Several European countries, including Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, make contraception free for teens.

5. The 1st fully hydrogen-powered passenger train service is now running in Germany. The only emissions are steam & condensed water.

Five of the trains started running in August. Another nine will be added in the coming months to replace 15 diesel trains on the regional route. Alstom says the Coradia iLint has a range of 1,000 kilometers, meaning that it can run all day on the line using a single tank of hydrogen. A hydrogen filling station has been set up on the route between Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehude.

6. Princeton will cover all tuition costs for most families making under $100,000 a year, after getting rid of student loans

In September, the New Jersey Ivy League school announced it would be expanding its financial aid program to offer free tuition, including room and board, for most families whose annual income is under $100,000 a year. Previously, the same benefit was offered to families making under $65,000 a year. This new income limit will take effect for all undergraduates starting in the fall of 2023.

Princeton was also the first school in the US to eliminate student loans from its financial aid packages.

7. Humpback whales no longer listed as endangered after major recovery

Humpback whales will be removed from Australia's threatened-species list, after the government's independent scientific panel on threatened species deemed the mammals had made a major recovery. Humpback whales will no longer be considered an endangered or vulnerable species.

Climate change and fishing still pose threats to their long-term health.

Some other uplifting news from last year:

A Cancer Trial’s Unexpected Result: Remission in Every Patient

California 100 percent powered by renewables for first time

Israel formally bans LGBTQ conversion therapy

Tokyo Passes Law to Recognize Same-Sex Partnerships

First 100,000 KG Removed From the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

As we ring in the New Year let’s remember to focus on the good news. May this be a year of even more kindness and generosity. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2023!

Thank you for following and supporting this g this newsletter

Buy me a coffee ❤️

[bethanyactually]

Compared with millennia of men in charge — as enshrined in and enforced by the three major monotheistic religions — the century that American women have had the right to vote is nothing. Sometimes I think, after 248 years of the United States and 45 men as president, what’s taking so long? And then I remember, it’s been essentially 12 minutes since women could take out our own damn credit cards. The fact that we’re this close — and with a woman of color, no less, and all the extra sucking mud that involves — is miraculous. When Harris was born, 60 years ago this month, women could not serve on a jury in all 50 states. They had to have a male relative sign a business loan. They had no legal recourse against sexual harassment or marital rape. There was no no-fault divorce. They could get the pill, but only if they were married. They could not get a legal abortion unless their lives were in danger, and they could be fired for getting pregnant. They could not be admitted to Harvard College or the U.S. Military Academy or join their local Rotary, Kiwanis or Lions Club. Among the Fortune 500 companies, there was not a single female CEO. To get to the point where she might become the first female U.S. president, Harris first had to become the first female district attorney of San Francisco, the first female attorney general of California and the first female vice president of the United States.

Opinion | Psst. Don’t tell anyone, but we might get a female president.

[a-really-big-cat]

Ohio's Issue 1 is a disaster.

On November 7, Ohioans will have the chance to vote on Issue 1 ("The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety"), a ballot initiative that would enshrine the right to abortion into Ohio's state constitution. This is a crucial battle for not only Ohio but also the country, both because people from Kentucky, Indiana, and other nearby states would travel to Ohio for abortions, and because our opposition wants to build momentum with the narrative that Americans are overall pro-abortion.

Of course, this is a lie. Supporters of Issue 1 are running ads telling Ohioans that a yes vote means they are protecting access to emergency care for miscarriages or life-threatening situations; such interpretations gloss over the fact that Ohio's current abortion statutes already do that (see Section 2919.11 regarding missed miscarriage and Section 2919.12(C)2 regarding emergencies). Abortion activists have to lie about the nature of these ballot initiatives, because in general Americans are very sympathetic to abortion for emergencies, and very unsympathetic to elective abortion. And the reality is these initiatives dramatically expand elective abortion.

This is a winnable fight.

Here's the good news: First, initial polls found less than 60% of Ohioans supported Issue 1; usually at this stage in a ballot fight, the side that wants a ballot to be approved hopes for at least 60% support so they have a buffer when there's voter attrition. Second, the language that will appear on the ballot is modified from the language originally used for gathering signatures, and specifically the word "fetus" has been replaced with the phrase "unborn child" (see the recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling here at paragraphs 43 & 44). Research shows the more we humanize the unborn, the less inclined people are to support abortion. Third, support for Issue 1 decreases as we talk to more voters about the full impacts of this amendment. We are already moving in the right direction. 

Learn the impacts of Issue 1.

Pro-life organizations and volunteers in Ohio are finding voters are not difficult to persuade. Often when they learn the full impacts of the text of the amendment, they oppose it. Issue 1 impacts can include:

Eliminating parental rights (notification and consent) as they've already done in Illinois and California

Eliminating health and safety standards for abortion clinics

Eliminating the Down Syndrome Nondiscrimination Act

Eliminating 24 hour waiting periods

Allowing elective abortion of healthy, viable fetuses under broad "health" exceptions that include not just physical health but emotional, familial, and financial wellbeing, among other factors. (More here.)

Allowing anyone (including abusers) to purchase abortion pills over the counter - no physician oversight required

Requiring abortions to be taxpayer funded

Again, when voters learn about these impacts, they oppose Issue 1. Even pro-choice voters want common sense abortion regulation.

[allhailthe70shousewife]

🌊🌊🌊VOTE BLUE🌊🌊🌊

[killed-by-choice]

“Wanda Roe” (USA 2006)

Information from the CDC and the FDA revealed multiple deaths from the chemical abortion pill that were unknown to the general public. One of them was Wanda Roe.

Wanda, who died in the Western United States, was yet another woman killed by Planned Parenthood. She was given 200 mg of mifepristol orally, then 800 mcg of misoprostol vaginally.

Wanda died from an infection of Clostridium perfringens, the pathogen that causes gas gangrene.

Dr. Janet Woodcock, Deputy Commissioner for Operations at the FDA, confirmed multiple deaths from the dangerous drug that had been previously unknown to the general public. Most of the people killed are still unidentified.

Please note that the CDC never approved the abortion pill as a vaginal suppository, but Planned Parenthood commonly used this method on their clients anyway. A PP spokesperson even informed the New York Times that against the FDA’s warnings to strictly stick to the only approved regimen, they were going to continue instructing clients to use the abortion pill in particularly hazardous ways, such as sending it home to self-administer without medical supervision.

At a CDC event, it was noted by an OB/GYN speaker that “Mifepristone impairs innate host responses and may predispose to lethal infections” and that the estimated/reported rate of death was much higher than the reported death rate for surgical abortion. One of the recommended strategies for risk reduction that was ruled as a more effective option was to eliminate the use of the drug.

CDC archives: see slide 31, investigations, how the abortion pill causes septic shock, An OB/GYN View of Early Medical Termination and Clostridium sordellii Infection, James A. McGregor, M.D.C.M., Univ. of Southern California

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/18/us/after-2-more-deaths-planned-parenthood-alters-method-for-abortion-pill.html

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Christopher Wiggins at The Advocate:

The right-wing agitator was testifying about a fake Republican conspiracy theory and tried to pretend Project 2025 was essentially unknown to him.

The drama of American politics took center stage on Capitol Hill Wednesday as U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, delivered a scathing interrogation of conservative firebrand Ben Shapiro — the subject of the confrontation: Project 2025 and its controversial stances on LGBTQ+ issues and reproductive rights. Swalwell wasted no time diving into the heart of the matter. “The country has, in the last couple of weeks, talked a lot about and Googled Project 2025. It’s one of the most Googled search terms right now,” he began, setting the stage for a tense exchange. Shapiro, ever the provocateur and founder of the far-right Daily Wire website, attempted to dismiss the relevance of Project 2025 with a characteristically flippant remark. “I think, like President Trump, I haven’t looked all that deeply at Project 2025, but it seems that Democrats on this committee, sort of like Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, if they say Project 2025 enough, their presidential candidate becomes alive again.” Shapiro appeared before the GOP-led hearing — titled “Collusion in the Global Alliance for Responsible Media” — to testify in support of the far-right conspiracy theory that media collusion is suppressing conservative voices.

But Swalwell was undeterred. He pressed Shapiro on the specifics of the Heritage Foundation’s plan, particularly its impact on reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ protections. “How about banning the abortion pill? That’s part of Project 2025. Do you support that part?” Swalwell demanded. Shapiro, with his trademark rapid-fire delivery, responded, “I’m a fully pro-life person, which means that I’m not in favor of the distribution of the abortion pill.” Swalwell shifted the conversation to marriage equality, sensing an opportunity to corner Shapiro further. “But you think it’s a sin to have same-sex marriage? I’m just asking, is it a sin to be gay?” “From a religious Jewish perspective, orientation is not a sin, but activity is,” Shapiro replied, leaning on his religious beliefs to justify his stance. Swalwell pressed further, “And just because we found some receipts, you did say, ‘I think homosexual activity is a sin.’” “Yes, I’m a religious Jew,” Shapiro admitted. “You found me out.” Swalwell, not missing a beat, repeated Shapiro’s words from a 2018 Slate interview. “And you said, ‘I may have a desire to sleep with many women, but I do not.’”

[...] In recent weeks, after Democrats highlighted the dystopian and authoritarian Project 2025 plan that would upend the federal workforce and change American society into a shell of itself, Trump and Republicans have tried to distance themselves from the plan. However, Project 2025 has the fingerprints of dozens of MAGA loyalists on it, and the Heritage Foundation’s president, Kevin Roberts, recently said that the plan is to “institutionalize Trumpism.” Swalwell didn’t stop there. He turned his attention to the broader Republican strategy of promoting blockbuster hearings that ultimately fizzle out. “We were supposed to have votes on articles of impeachment, and we didn’t. We were supposed to have Hunter Biden testify, and now he’s not testifying. Republicans write great press releases, but the payoff seems to never come. Instead, they continue to engage in posturing rather than legislating,” Swalwell said.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) pwned Ben Shapiro good.

[hersmartchoice0]

Free Abortion Pill California | HER Smart Choice

Get a free abortion pill in California from HER Smart Choice. We offer confidential and affordable abortion services to all women, regardless of income or insurance status. Visit our East Los Angeles clinic today or call us at 213-944-8088 to learn more!

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

by Vanessa Taylor | I came across the Hope Clinic in Fallbrook, California, and saw some information on its website about abortion pill reversal (APR), which uses progesterone to reverse the effects of the first chemical abortion drug, mifepristone. I knew I had a 24-hour window before it was too late, so I rushed to Hope Clinic the next…

[qqueenofhades]

I'm so freaking proud of my state (CA) rn, like there's still a lot of work that needs done but damn our gov just cut ties with freaking Walgreens over the preservation of reproductive rights, like hell yeah take out big pharma and keep us firmly in the 21st century! (Added bonus petty points too for the fact my insurance made me use that shithole and I'm thrilled to see it potentially gone)

Yeah, I saw that Walgreens was refusing to sell the abortion pill even in states where it was still legal, because if you think that big business won't kowtow to fascists, you are very wrong. (Big business doesn't give a shit if everything else is fascist, as long as they don't have to pay taxes.) That's definitely a strong move from Newsom and co., since what goes in California often goes for the rest of the country, legislatively and business-wise. I do hope that there will be some way to offer an alternative, since there are certainly people who live in communities where Walgreens was the only pharmacy or drugstore (I have been one of said people myself, so yes).

Anyway, I'm glad that this happened, even if we're all bracing for the worst Trump judge on the federal bench (not counting SCOTUS) to "outlaw" the abortion pill. To which I suggest, as a few Democrats have, just fucking ignore that ruling. Don't pre-emptively and timidly comply. Make them fight for it. Make them sue in local courts. Make them really own their toxically unpopular and extreme position. I know that not everyone has the legal ability/funds/etc. to do this, but get the ACLU on the case. Launch a national fundraising appeal. I know that some of this work is already being done, since I get mailers from Planned Parenthood asking me for more money literally every few weeks, but yes.

[angelasscribbles]

Irreparable Choices

Series: American Girl

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake x Riley

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Mature themes, unplanned/unwanted pregnancy. Abortion discussed

Word Count: 2,710

A/N: This is a follow-up to Home for Christmas, which makes it technically a two-shot, not a one-shot. Full disclosure, I have another chapter written which makes it a three-shot well on its way to being another series. What the fuck is wrong with me, I don't need another series.

While the first one explored Riley and Liam's relationship and the ending of it, this one explores Riley and Drake's. This is complete AU, they are normal people living in north Texas. They grew up together and are now trying to navigate adult life and college, but having a hard time severing those ties.

Special shout out to @karahalloway for prereading this and encouraging me to actually post it.

My other stuff: Master List.

Drake Walker was living his dream.

He had left the bowling alley and gone to work for North Texas Auto Repair after finishing his first year of automotive technology classes at the local community college.

He had just started the last semester of his degree program and already had a solid offer of full-time employment from the owner of the auto shop. The guy had given him the part-time job as an apprentice mechanic as a favor to his father, but the offer of a full-time position as a certified automotive technician had been extended because he was good with cars, reliable, and worked his ass off.

Drake had a plan and so far things were right on track.

The only thing missing was her.

“Hey, kid! Walker!”

Drake looked up from under the hood of a 1972 Dodge Charger at the sound of his name.

His boss gestured toward the bay doors of the auto shop, “You have a visitor.”

Drake’s eyes followed the gesture and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly wiped his hands clean and hurried over to her, “Riley? What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you.” She chewed her lip nervously.

“Okay, yeah,” he knew something was wrong because it was the middle of January and she was supposed to be at school in California.

“Hey, Bas!” He called across the bay to his boss, “Mind if I take off early tonight?”

“Sure, kid, just don’t make a habit of it.” Bastien didn’t actually mind. It was only thirty minutes early and Drake had never called in sick, asked for a day off or so much as been late in the nine months he’d worked there.

“I won’t!” Drake called over his shoulder as he ushed Riley from the open-air bay into the heated office, “What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, “I need to talk to you in private!”

Drake glanced at the woman behind the counter, “Meg, would it be all right if we used the break room for a little bit?”

“Sure, no one else is going to need it again today. It’s almost closing time.”

“Thank you, you’re the best!” He told her as he pulled Riley down a hallway and through the breakroom door.

He closed the door behind them then turned to Riley in concern, “Okay, what is it? What’s wrong? Spill!”

Riley paced across the room, twisting her hair around a finger as her mind whirled with all the different variations she’d rehearsed inside her head over the last few days. Finally, she simply blurted out, “I’m pregnant!”

He froze as he struggled to process her words, “Are you sure?”

Frustration pinged through her, “I didn’t just drive for two days across four states on a fucking whim, Drake! I’ve taken six tests! I’m sure!”

“I thought you were on the pill!”

“I was! It obviously failed!”

He slid a hand down his face, “Shit…”

“Yeah, shit!” She agreed.

“Don’t take this the wrong way but…is it mine?”

“Yes, Drake, it’s yours! Again, why the fuck else do you think I drove across four states to get to you?”

“Moral support,” he replied instantly, “which I would give either way.”

“I know it’s yours because I had my period right before I came home for Christmas and I haven’t been with anyone else since and-“

He held his hands up in front of him, “Hey, hey, hey! I believe you! You don’t have to convince me!”

“Are you sure? Because-“

“I’m sure!” he asserted, his voice going softer, “I know you wouldn’t lie to me about something like that.”

“Okay, good,” her anger quelled but she was still in panic mode, “because my whole fucking life is falling apart right now and I don’t know what to do!”

“Okay, okay, it’s going to be okay!” He started pacing as he ran a hand through his hair, his mind spinning looking for solutions.

“How? How the fuck is this going to be okay?” her voice trembled.

He stopped pacing and turned to face her, “I can increase my hours here, or get a second job, I could easily go back to the bowling alley! You could move back home and have the baby!”

“Where are we going to live? Your parent’s garage?” she scoffed.

He held a finger up, “First of all, it’s not a garage anymore, it was converted into a second master suite and it has its own entrance so that is a valid option,” he held up another finger, “Second, I’m only living there while I’m in school so I don’t have to work full time, but I could!”

“Working full time would interfere with your schoolwork, I can’t ask you-“

“You’re not asking, I’m telling you that I only live at home to save money, but-“

“Right, because we’re both broke ass college students, what’s your point?”

“My point is, I can take care of you, Riley!” So many different emotions flooded into his chest that he could barely breathe. But nothing in him wanted to run away from this. From her.

“I’m not asking you to take care of me, Drake and I can’t just drop out of school!”

“Why not?”

“Why not?” she glared at him, “Because if I miss a semester, I’ll lose my scholarship, and if I lose my scholarship I lose my only chance to go to college and get a degree, that’s why not!”

“You don’t need it!” his voice rose, “I’m graduating in three months and I have a full-time job waiting for me here making good money!”

“Drake-“

“I mean it, Riley! My starting salary is almost as much as my dad is making now after twenty-five years on the force!”

“I know, Drake but I don’t want to depend on someone else’s salary!” Angry tears stung her eyes, “I want to finish my degree! I want a career of my own! I want to do things, travel, see the world a little before I settle down!”

“You can still do all those things!” He yelled.

“How?” She yelled back.

He stared into the face of the girl that held his heart in her hands, wondering how she seemed to be so oblivious to that fact.

He drew in a deep breath and tried for calm and reasonable as he said, “You can still follow all your dreams, Riley. They’ll just be delayed a little, that’s all! We can get married, have the baby and when you’re ready, you can enroll in a school closer to home.”

“School costs money-“

“I’ll pay for it!” He insisted.

“We’ve never even talked about a future together, Drake! Marriage…kids…. I don’t even know if you want that! Hell, I don’t even know if I want that! And we sure as hell shouldn’t be getting married just because I got knocked up! That’s no basis for a lasting relationship!”

“Lasting relationship?” he stared at her incredulously, “We’ve known each other our whole lives, Riley!”

“Yeah, as neighbors and friends!”

He was angry and shocked, “You think we’re just friends?”

His anger made her unsure, “Yeah, friends with benefits….”

His mouth fell open in disbelief, “Seriously?”

“Seriously what, Drake?” She exploded, “We get together over Christmas or spring break, hang out, get drunk, have sex, then go back to our respective lives! With very little communication in between, I might add! What am I supposed to think we’re doing here?”

All his resolve to remain calm and collected flew right out the window at that complete mischaracterization of their relationship, “It’s not my fault you spent last summer in fucking Europe with that study abroad program! And don’t think I don’t know that Liam was in Italy at the same time as you!”

“What’s your point?” She snapped.

“My point is that Christmas and spring break aren’t the only times that I bother to see you, they’re the only times that I get to see you, Riley, and I look forward to both of them all year long! Or have you forgotten that I drove all the way to fucking California to spend spring break with you last year?”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” she relented. Dropping onto the black faux leather couch in the corner of the breakroom she let her head fall into her hands, “I’m just spiraling right now. I know you’re trying to help but we don’t have an actual relationship, Drake. We’re not officially dating, we’ve never discussed a future together and this certainly wasn’t planned!”

His jaw clenched as he considered her words. Nothing she said was untrue. They hadn’t discussed a future together, and they weren’t a couple, but he was in love with her.

Not that he’d ever told her that.

He crossed the room as he spoke, “All of that is true and if you don’t want to have this baby, then I’ll support you but…”

She lifted her head to look at him, “But?”

“But I don’t want you to make a decision without all the facts.” He sat down next to her with a sigh as he skimmed a hand through his hair before confessing, “I’ve never brought up the future or asked you to be official because I’m afraid of the answer.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…You've been very clear about wanting to be free to immerse yourself in the college experience and all the commensurate shenanigans that entails.”

“That was actually Liam’s idea,” she reminded him with a slight smile.

He bumped his shoulder into hers gently, “Yeah, well, you seem to have fully and enthusiastically embraced the concept.”

A small laugh escaped her, “Thanks in part to you.”

“What?” Surprise pulled through him.

“I was heartbroken when he broke up with me you know.” She shifted so her body was facing his.

“I remember…” he unconsciously turned his body a little more toward her.

She placed a hand on his arm, “You helped me through that! If not for you I’d probably still be sulking about it.”

“Great. I was your rebound guy. I knew it!” He joked.

“Ha ha, but yes, you really were. You made me feel something again.” She dropped her hand from his arm and started to turn away.

He reached out and grabbed her hand in both of his, “I’m glad I was able to be there for you, but that’s the other reason I haven’t brought up the future…”

Her eyes searched his, “What do you mean?”

“I mean…I know you’re not over Liam. I know you two still have unfinished business and I know you’ve been with other guys in California,” he released her hand and looked away as he admitted, “I… I didn’t think you wanted anything official, or to talk about a future with me.”

Riley was stunned, “Are you saying you do?”

He shrugged as he met her eyes quickly then looked away again, “Yes, Riley, I do. But I didn’t want to push you. I want kids someday. This is sooner than expected, and if it was any other girl, I’d probably be freaking out right now, but the idea of raising a baby with you isn’t the worst one in the world.”

She felt an unexpected frisson of jealousy coil around her heart, “But there are other girls.”

He turned his gaze back to her with a disbelieving shake of his head, “That’s the part you want to focus on right now? Yes, there have been other girls! Are you telling me you haven’t slept with anyone at Berkeley?”

Her eyes dropped to her lap. She didn’t answer.

“That’s what I thought. But listen,” he put a finger under her chin and tipped her head up, “those girls are friends with benefits. You are so much more to me than that! If you want to have this baby, then I am all in! I’ll do whatever you need me to do to support that, including marrying you and it won’t be just because of the baby. I’ve wanted to marry you since preschool. Remember?”

She laughed as she leaned into him, “You proposed with a ring pop!”

“Damn right I did!” he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, “It was cherry too, my favorite! I gave you my favorite flavor ring pop, Riley. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is!”

She let herself relax into his embrace, “I’m sorry if I’m being a raging bitch but-“

“You’re fine. I get it. It’s a lot to take in.”

“You may be willing to sacrifice your grades and future, but I’m not. I can’t let you do that for me.”

“It wouldn’t be for you, baby, it would be for us!” His grip around her tightened.

The intensity of emotion in his voice both thrilled and terrified her.

She wasn’t ready.

For any of it.

“I’m sorry, Drake,” she whispered, “I can’t.”

He went completely still for a moment, “Are you sure? Have you thought through every consideration?”

“I’ve had nothing but time to think while I drove across the country.”

His head fell back against the wall as relief and disappointment both crashed through him, “Okay.”

“Okay? You don’t hate me for it?” she asked as her fingers fidgeted with the placket of his shirt.

“I could never hate you,” he leaned forward to place a soft kiss on the top of her head, “for any reason.”

“Okay, good,” her voice hitched a little as tears pooled in her eyes, “I’ll make the appointment when I get back to Berkeley.”

He swallowed back his own tears as he stroked her hair, “Okay. Just tell me when and I’ll be there.”

“What?” She pulled away from him startled, “Oh, no, you don’t have to-“

He shook his head as he reached for her and pulled her back into his chest, “Yes, I do! You didn’t get into this situation alone and you’re not going to deal with the repercussions alone, okay?”

Fresh tears flooded her eyes, this time from relief, gratitude, and the overwhelming feeling of being loved when she felt completely unlovable. She nodded her head, “Okay, I’ll let you know.”

“Good.”

They held each other for a while in silence as they each tried to process the enormity of the situation.

When he finally spoke, his voice was light, his tone teasing, “So, did you drive across four states just to tell me that you don’t want to marry me?”

She laughed through her tears, as she looked up at him, “Stop it!”

He smiled sadly as he wiped the wetness from her cheeks, “Come on, Brooks. Let me buy you dinner and get you home. You must be exhausted.”

“I…can’t go home. What will I tell my parents about why I drove all the way here just to turn around and drive back?”

She hadn’t wanted to tell him on the phone. She had needed to see him, needed to confide in the only other person this affected.

“Okay, leave your car here. We’ll pull it around back, no one will see it. You can come home with me. No one ever comes in my room. You’ll get a good night’s sleep and I’ll take you to breakfast before you head back.”

She knew in that moment that she’d been right to come.

He always made everything better. From scraped knees in preschool to beating up her fifth-grade bully to helping her pick up the broken pieces of her heart after graduation.

“That sounds good, Drake. Thank you… for everything.”

“I don’t know what the hell I did except get you into this predicament,” he scoffed, “but you know I always have your back, right?”

“We got into this predicament together,” she corrected him, “But yeah, I do know, so thank you.”

“Come on,” he stood up and held his hand out to her, “the least I can do is feed you.”

The feel of his hand clasped around hers calmed the raging anxiety that had been gnawing at her since she first suspected she might be pregnant.

She followed him out of the breakroom and out of the shop, hand in hand, feeling more at peace than she had in days.

[autonom-us-project]

Debunking Common Anti-Abortion Talking Points: Answers for All the Tricky Questions You Might Get this Holiday Weekend

Straight to the point, empirically supported answers for the questions your crazy Aunt throws at you this holiday weekend!

All jokes aside though, conversations around reproductive justice are often difficult to have, but knowledge is power, so here are some common misconceptions you might hear about abortion, and some answers debunking them:

“Women always regret the decision to get an abortion,”

In a survey done at the University of California San Francisco, 95% of women surveyed five years after having an abortion reported that it was the right decision for them, including those who struggled with the decision at the time. The decisions you make about your life and your health are between you and your trusted healthcare provider– no one else!

“Women shouldn’t be allowed to decide whether or not to carry a pregnancy– these babies are entitled to life!”

Sometimes it helps to reframe a question like this. Think of the classic movie Alien, where a foreign creature forcibly takes up residence inside of someone, does painful, irreparable damage to their body, and then horrifically bursts out of them against their will. Why is the same lack of autonomy that makes this film so terrifying suddenly acceptable when applied to women in the real world?

“Abortion is just an easy, painless way to avoid responsibility!”

Abortion is far more often than not a painful, costly, and incredibly physically and mentally taxing process at any stage in a pregnancy. However, suffering should never be a requirement to have autonomy over one’s body. 

“Emergency contraceptive pills should be restricted too, because they’re just another way to have an abortion!”

This is untrue. Emergency contraceptive pills, such as Plan B, simply prevent a pregnancy from occurring, usually by preventing or delaying ovulation, blocking fertilization, or keeping a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. This is why they must be taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, and are at their most effective if taken within 24 hours. Medication abortion pills, such as Misoprostol, are prescribed to end a pregnancy, and cannot be accessed without consulting a healthcare professional. 

“Having an abortion makes it much harder to have a baby in the future.”

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, evidence has shown that there is no association between abortion and heightened risk of infertility. In fact, the majority of people can get pregnant immediately after having an abortion if they please.

“But I hate women, and don’t want them to have bodily autonomy!!!”

Seek help. 

[anti-death]

good news for women - march 2024

HUGE gains have been made for women's health worldwide!!

among 36 countries receiving world bank funding, there has been a 96% drop in maternal mortality! massive gains have also been made in providing contraception, lowering teen pregnancy, lowering child mortality, and connecting women in rural areas to health clinics! check out this report from the world bank to learn more

The Egyptian government has started cash transfer programs as a social safety net meant to empower women and keep girls out of child marriage. The Takaful part of the program provides monthly conditional cash transfers to poor households with children under 18 years provided they comply with health and education conditionalities. The Karama part of the program provides unconditional cash transfers to the elderly poor, orphans, widows, and persons living with disabilities. As of December 2023, the program has reached 4.67 million households (around 17 million citizens) and 74% of card holders are women.

This change has been widely supported by the French public and was overwhelmingly voted in by lawmakers!!

Though abortion rights are unstable in the United States, some pharmacy retailers are making abortion pills more accessible. Walgreens said it will start by providing the pill in a handful of pharmacies in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois. CVS's spokesperson Amy Thibault said it will begin dispensing the pill in all of its pharmacies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island "in the weeks ahead". Both companies said they will focus on rolling out in states where pharmacists are allowed to dispense mifepristone, and will monitor prospects where there are legal challenges to abortion bans or limitations, like Kansas, Montana and Wyoming.

In line with the Global Strategy to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, WHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and partners, in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, developed and implemented a multi-pronged prevention strategy to protect the lives of girls and women from the deadly disease.  This includes the rollout of a mass HPV vaccination campaign targeting girls aged nine to 14 years to receive a single dose of the vaccine in 16 states. Between October 2023 and January 2024, 4.95 million girls were vaccinated against HPV.