Over the weekend, the conservative majority on the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, plunging the country into an era of unprecedented darkness. Abortion is (or soon will be) illegal in varying degrees across at least 26 states. Anyone living in these states that can carry a baby will have to overcome unnecessary barriers to receive what should be considered basic healthcare. We know it will affect poor and Black folk the most, while middle class people simply travel interstate. Some of the scariest consequences of these state-by-state laws is not that abortions will be illegal, but in the failure to acknowledge the myriad ways in which pregnancies can fail or become life-threatening. Thus, creating an environment of suspicion and secrecy, where people are forced to choose between receiving medical attention and the possibility of jail time.
As The New Yorker staff writer, Jia Tolentino, put it, "We have entered an era not of unsafe abortion but of widespread state surveillance and criminalization—of pregnant women".
"In the states where abortion has been or will soon be banned, any pregnancy loss past an early cutoff can now potentially be investigated as a crime," she wrote in her article titled We’re Not Going Back to the Time Before Roe. We’re Going Somewhere Worse. Especially in states like Alabama and Georgia where fetal-personhood laws have been passed.
As we watch on in horror in Australia, and with growing uncertainty of what this means for our own state-by-state relationship to abortion, solidarity in the form of action is not just encouraged, it's vital. That's why below, we've compiled a list of places to donate.
Abortion Funds in Every US state
This link will take you to a comprehensive, crowd-sourced list of state-by-state abortion funds. For those who want to donate with a specific state in mind.
National Network of Abortion Funds
This organisation is a network of over 80 funds spread across the US, with a goal to remove the financial and logistical barriers that prevent people from getting abortions. On top of this, anyone who visits the website can find a trove of information about different laws in each state, along with facts about what is involved in getting an abortion in order to demystify the process.
National Women's Law Centre
The National Women's Law Centre is a defender of reproductive rights, consulting on legislation on behalf of women, clearing up misinformation in the media, collating data and providing up-to-date legal information on abortion.
Repro Legal Defense Fund
Repro Legal Defense Fund is a collective of legal experts and advocates. They fund bail and strong defenses for people who are investigated, arrested or prosecuted for self-managed abortion. This includes pregnant people and those assisting them.
SisterSong
Based across the southern states of the US, SisterSong is a national organisation built by Black women that pushes to advance reproductive rights, specifically for Indigenous, Latinx, Black and other women of colour.
National Black Women's Reproductive Agenda
We know that Black women are disproportionately impacted by anti-abortion laws. The National Black Women's Reproductive Agenda aims to establish themselves as a leading voice on all things reproductive rights for Black women, as well as being an educator for Black women and femmes.
Planned Parenthood
An obvious choice is to donate to Planned Parenthood. Not only does the organisation provide access to abortion, it also exists as a pillar for all things sexual and reproductive health. This includes providing services like STD screenings, affordable access to contraception and sex education, counselling, services for the LGBTIQA+ community, the list goes on. It has locations spread all across the US. Although, unlike smaller organisations, for the most part Planned Parenthood is well-resourced. So it's best to donate locally first, giving to those with direct relationships to the surrounding community and then Planned Parenthood.
Image: @lizzobeeating
