Hi John,
Last weekend was the March for Life—where, according to my grandmother, I could have met my future husband!
What a rom-com moment that could have been: Locking eyes in the bustling, bigoted crowd. My heart skipping a beat, before promptly sinking when I read his sign:
We are praying to end abortion.
#TEAMLIFE
From the March for Life and beyond, January has been filled with unhinged and unrelenting anti-abortion nonsense. #WHEREDOTHEYGETTHEAUDACITY?
Boldfaced Liars!
I’ve got to give it to conservatives—they're almost as good at spinning lies as short men on dating apps! *
*Brad, I know you’re not six feet tall, and that’s okay. Practice self-love.
Last week, House lawmakers approved the so-called “Pregnant Students’ Rights Act.”
To be clear, this bill would do nothing to address the barriers that pregnant students face while pursuing their degrees. Instead, it would further perpetuate shame and stigma for pregnant and parenting students, as well as those who decide to have an abortion rather than carry a pregnancy to term.
We see through this phony legislation—these lies—and we are calling on legislators to focus instead on actions that would meaningfully protect pregnant or parenting students, such as expanding affordable child care and addressing basic needs like food and housing.
Seriously, Idaho???
Thank God we don’t just have anti-abortion nonsense in our federal government—but stateside, too!
On January 5, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will allow Idaho to enforce its near-total abortion ban, even in medical emergencies. The Court has also agreed to hear oral arguments on the case in April, with a ruling expected by the end of June.
In the meantime, this decision will put the health and lives of people experiencing emergency pregnancy complications in danger, forcing many people to wait until they are on the brink of death before hospitals will let their doctors intervene.
Must-Dos:
- Donate to the Abortion Access Legal Defense Fund, designed to help people pay for certain legal expenses they are facing because they are abortion patients or supporters.
- We need fair and impartial judges who understand how the law impacts the lives of women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ people. Tell the Senate to confirm Nicole Berner to the Fourth Circuit without delay!
- Emergency funding that saved the child care industry from collapse during the pandemic has expired, threatening the stability of an already fragile system. Tell Congress to fund child care NOW!
Must Reads:
- All-male courts still exist in this country. That doesn’t feel right to us.
- We’ve all been horrified by the censorship happening in schools in this country. But did you know that censorship also promotes sex discrimination?
- I think taxes are boring—but my much smarter colleagues think taxes could put money directly into the hands of women, children, and families.
Feminist Moment of Picking Yourself Back Up
Aside from sending out this newsletter, part of my job at the Law Center is to help folks write and edit blogs. Our Director of National Abortion Strategy, Leila Abolfazli, wanted to write something for January 22—what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
But we almost didn’t publish it. Because Leila was worried that it sounded “too negative.” That it might be “too demoralizing.”
Here’s what I believe: That our audience (folks like you) appreciate honesty. That ignoring the terrifying aspects of our reality won’t change it. That, actually, the only way to figure out how to keep fighting is to admit that fighting is hard in the first place. And really, the piece is actually quite optimistic, just like Leila is.
I am less optimistic about finding my future husband at the March for Life. So, I’ll be taking on 2024 single—but sound in my beliefs!
So sorry grandma,
Gemma Simoes Decarvalho
she/her/hers
Writer and Editor
National Women’s Law Center
