#reproductive healthcare

[whenweallvote]

Abortion is on the ballot in at least 10 states — the most on record for a single year! Since Roe v. Wade was reversed in 2022, voters in seven states have already chosen to protect abortion at the ballot box.

Is your state listed? 👀 That means YOU have the power to determine access to abortion and reproductive healthcare. Head to WeAll.Vote/voterhub now to make a plan to cast your ballot.

[nerdy-grrl79]

Recently, I published an article on Medium titled “Washington State Has Enacted Protections for Trans People.” The article covers Washington State’s recent efforts to protect transgender individuals (and others) through three laws passed in 2023, focusing on safe housing for at-risk teens, legal protections against out-of-state interference, and stricter privacy measures for health data. Unfortunately, some conservative voices and media outlets have misrepresented these laws, falsely claiming they interfere with stable families or encourage unsupervised travel. My article clarifies how these protections aim solely to safeguard vulnerable individuals from discrimination and legal threats.

Please take a moment to click through and read the article on Medium. If you find it valuable, clap for it to help amplify this important message!

[bitchesgetriches]

To be clear... this didn't all happen ON the girls' trip...

[ivygorgon]

[nightmarish-fallen-angel]

I just watched a news video about new guidelines regarding pain with IUD insertions.

The entire video framed this as a "women's rights" or "women's healthcare" video.

I am a trans nonbinary guy who had an IUD insertion. Using gendered language regarding reproductive rights and healthcare is so frustrating because I need these health guidelines and laws to apply to me too. And the more people stay in the habit of framing it as a "women's issue" the more likely I am to get denied the care I need.

Trans, nonbinary, and intersex people deserve to have a voice in these things as well. We deserve to have gender neutral language surrounding the procedures we might undergo at the very least.

I want the health codes and guidelines that may be written to protect me and my trans siblings if they pursue this kind of birth control or any other reproductive healthcare.

[twiggybeing]

my heart goes out to all the people living in the united states <3

to all those in other countries, please please please write letters to your governing bodies expressing concern for what is happening in the united states and advocate for asylum programs for those endangered by the trump administration.

Reproductive healthcare and gender affirming care will both come under attack in the coming months so we need our governments to prepare for an influx of individuals with complex needs

@catboybiologist @k1nky-r0b0t-g1rl @godless-of-the-hunt

[jomiddlemarch]

[allthecanadianpolitics]

A controversial Conservative private member’s bill intended to make violence against pregnant women an aggravating factor during court sentencing was roundly defeated in the House of Commons, as other parties said they feared it would reopen the debate on abortion.

The bill was supported by nearly all members of the Conservative party, including Leader Pierre Poilievre who declared himself to be “pro-choice” during his leadership campaign.

The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada had urged MPs to vote against the bill on the grounds that it promotes fetal rights, even though there is no mention of fetal rights in the text of the bill itself.

Full article

Note from Samira ( @politicsofcanada ) :

We know that this was actually an attempt to restrict abortion rights because pregnancy is already considered an aggravating factor in the sentencing of assault cases.

There is no reason for another bill regarding that to be proposed, it would be redundant. The only thing that this legislation would have done is restrict access to abortion.

[introvertedlass]

[genderqueerpositivity]

If you or anyone you know has upcoming appointments for abortion care in the state of South Carolina, make sure you (or they) keep those appointments. The new ban is temporarily on hold.

Holding on to hope that the state supreme court will strike the new six week ban down just as they did the previous one.

[jerzwriter]

This is an excellent resource.

[whenweallvote]

Today is a good day for abortion access and reproductive rights. The U.S. Supreme Court threw out a case that could have restricted access to mifepristone, one of two medications commonly used in medication abortion, and rebuked a challenge to the FDA’s authority to continue to regulate drugs. 

From the beginning, both legal experts and abortion advocates argued that the plaintiffs in this case had no standing. Today’s ruling affirms that the group of anti-abortion doctors who questioned the FDA’s authority did not have legal standing to sue. 

This decision does not mean access to abortion is protected. As many as 11 states may have abortion or reproductive health related measures on their ballot in November. Register to vote now at weall.vote/register and remind 3 friends to do the same.

[letterstothefutureme]

DON’T MAKE PERFECT THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD

Planned Parenthood and NARAL declined to offer any support to petition signature collection because they said the amendment to restore abortion rights was “too restrictive.”

Right now in Arkansas, there is a total abortion ban.

The majority of abortions are done in the first 12 weeks. This amendment would restore access to the most common and desperately needed abortion care.

Opposing it is not just absurd, it’s heartless.

Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation.

So, I guess we’re fine with letting more women die because it doesn’t fit neatly into our political agenda.

The campaign used conservative messaging and sought Republican support. That’s what it takes to restore access to abortion care in one of the reddest states in the country.

If you actually care about restoring reproductive rights, you should be welcoming bipartisan support.

Congratulations to Arkansans for Limited Government for pulling off an incredible petition gathering campaign with nothing but pure organizing hustle.

This is only the first hurdle but every post-Dobbs ballot initiative restoring or protecting abortion access has passed.

We can do this.

Not today, patriarchy, not today

[bitchesgetriches]

and bitches how do I get sterilized (afab) i thought i might want kids in my 30s but i cant really risk it can i i just dont know what to do

Hi sweetness. I suspect a lot of people are in your boat right now. Personally, I got my first IUD implanted in January of 2017. NOTE THE TIMING. I also had a friend get her tubes tied around that time.

The most important thing to remember is that getting sterilized as an AFAB person is over 99% effective and pretty damn permanent. So if you think you just can't risk getting pregnant SOON, but you might want to SOME DAY... then don't get sterilized. Explore another option. Again, I have an IUD and thoroughly recommend it.

It's a fairly simple out-patient procedure, but as with any surgery, it comes with health risks. Sterilization for AMAB people is slightly less risky. Make sure to take all that into account.

So if you truly want to get sterilized, here's what I (a non-doctor) recommend:

The very first step is to make sure you have a primary care physician and health insurance. Your PCP is the one who will refer you for the surgery. Make an appointment and tell them this:

"I would like to be sterilized via a tubal ligation. I've carefully considered this for a long time, and after doing significant research and discussing it with my loved ones, I've determined it's the best decision for my future."

A lot of people get pushback from their doctors when they request sterilization. That's why you want to make it abundantly clear that this is not a sudden whim, but something you've put serious thought into. And married folks will sometimes be asked to clear it with their spouse first (that happened when my husband requested a vasectomy).

They might try to talk you out of it. They may flat out refuse to refer you. If this happens, just calmly say: "Thank you for your time. Since you won't help me with my healthcare needs, I will be seeking a new primary care physician at this time." Then get yourself a new doctor.

Under the ACA (the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare) the procedure will be completely free with your insurance. That's why it's important to make sure you have health insurance before you request the procedure. The Trump administration is sure to try repealing the ACA again (in his first term, John McCain was literally the deciding vote on overturning the ACA, and he's fucking dead now and congress is full of MAGA sycophants). So you need to work quickly in case your sterilization will no longer be covered.

I strongly recommend you seek more advice from healthcare professionals. @plannedparenthood is also a great resource for everything to do with reproductive healthcare. But this should help you get the ball rolling.

Good luck, my dear. Here's more of our advice:

How to Prepare for a Post-Roe World (Bonus Episode) 

How To Get an Abortion 

How (and Why) to Take Back Reproductive Rights: On Pulling Weeds and Fighting Back 

Did we just help you out? Say thanks with a Patreon donation!

[aroaceconfessions]

tws ahead of time: venting, discussion of medical examinations of sex organs (pap smear), masturbation mention

so i am. very asexual. sex ambivalent but i’m really just not interested overall. i’m also afab. which means when i’m 21 i’m gonna have to get a pap smear. which is gonna SUCK

being trans makes this twice as bad. i’m low dysphoria but the idea of ANYTHING entering my body like that makes me want to cry. like i get panic attacks at the thought of having to put in a tampon (i’m a pads person) it’s like. bad. technically i’d be able to handle it (had a short period of time before realizing i was ace + trans where i thought i HAD to masturbate bc “everyone did it” (my parents gave good sex ed but normalized masturbation a bit too much lmao)) but i’d hate every minute of it

so the idea of a pap smear horrifies me. first off- i have to let a doctor see me half-naked. this part doesn’t bug me too much because . it’s a doctor and it’s completely non-sexual but i still don’t like the idea of anyone seeing . that

then i’d have to just fucking sit there while they put a fucking giant cold metal tool in my body so they can reach my fucking CERVIX???? and THEN they’d have to brush cells OFF of said cervix??? no. no no NO that gives me such bad anxiety it’s fucking insane.

i’m also terrified it’ll hurt because. i’m not gonna be sexually active and i don’t even fucking use tampons. and i KNOW that if i go to a good gyn then they will find ways to help me be less scared or feel it less but i still hate the idea of sharing that vulnerability. i’m a crier and i do not want to cry in front of a doctor because i’m scared of such a normal procedure. it’s less a fear of judgement and more just a pride thing i think. i know they deal with it frequently i’m just kinda horrified. the idea of coming out as ace to someone who has control over my health is also actually terrifying esp bc i live in texas

if i could i’d just get my whole uterus removed and solve the problem but apparently it “produces important hormones” that i don’t want to throw off balance so. guess i’m stuck

idk i need to talk to my mom about it (she gives good advice) or maybe my aunt (similar feelings towards sex as me) but god it just sounds so scary. i’m incredibly scared for it.

that being said if you have a cervix and are 21+ (25 if ur british) then you do need to get a pap smear once every three years. it may be horrifying but cervical cancer is way scarier. i’m sorry it sucks for us but it’s like life-or-death important. can’t really afford to skip out on it unfortunately :(

if anyone else has similar worries and/or has had a pap smear i’d love to hear about it in the notes. no pressure of course privacy n all but it’d make me feel less alone so if you’re comfy sharing. hope everyone’s having a good [time of day]

[catalogercas]

FYI that this is an expansion of HIPAA that prohibits disclosure of PHI for the purpose of investigating, imposing liability on, or identifying individuals seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive healthcare.

It also requires attestations be signed to demonstrate disclosures are not for those purposes.

The associated final rule was published today.