IN THIS ISSUE: Abortion Funds + Sssh! Periods + #BansOffMyBody
Planned Parenthood
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In This Issue:
Abortion Funds + Sssh! Periods + #BansOffMyBody
 
Rep. Pramila Jayapal
I could not simply hope for the best — I had to make a decision based on the tremendous risks that had been clearly laid out for me."
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the first Indian-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, opens up about her "deeply personal" decision to have an abortion. Read her op-ed here.
 
   Abortion Funds   
Despite Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that guarantees a legal right to abortion in the United States, many people in this country can't get safe and legal abortion care. Abortion funds are nonprofit organizations that seek to remove barriers that many pregnant people face when trying to access abortion.

While the type of assistance varies among different abortion funds, they generally seek to help those with financial and logistical barriers. This includes providing grants to help pay for procedures, as well as assistance with transportation and overnight accommodation costs.

In many cases, abortion funds can make the difference between whether someone does or doesn't get the health care they need. Planned Parenthood believes that abortion care is health care, and it should be safe, legal, and accessible for all who seek it.

In 2014, half of the people who had abortions lived in poverty, and trends show that abortion patients are increasingly poor women compared to 20 years ago.1 To make matters worse, the Hyde Amendment prevents Medicaid from covering the cost of abortion for people with low incomes.

Restrictions on abortion care create an increasing number of barriers, in addition to the systemic barriers people with low incomes, people of color, and people in rural communities already face. Abortion funds play a critical role in bridging the gap between need and access for pregnant people seeking care.

The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) includes 76 locally run member organizations in 41 states that help pregnant people across the United States access abortion.2 Currently, more than half of NNAF organizations have no paid staff and rely solely on volunteers to keep their organizations running.3
Looking for ways to support your local abortion fund? You can find your local abortion fund here.

• Get in touch with your local abortion fund! Sign up for their email list and follow them on social media to stay in the loop with updates and local actions.
• Volunteer! Most abortion funds rely solely on the work of volunteers.
• Talk to your friends and family about abortion funds and the importance of reducing the stigma that surrounds abortion care.
Madison is the Digital Fundraising Intern at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She is a student at the University of Florida, where she engages with the community by working on local political campaigns. Madison is an avid advocate for reproductive justice and youth civic engagement.
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Read More:
+ This Map Depicts Abortion Access Across America and It's Really Bleak
+ Abortion Funds Are the "Radical Social Safety Net" Women Shouldn't Need — but Do
+ Women seeking abortions turn to volunteer network for help
1. Why Women Getting Abortions Now Are More Likely to Be Poor
2. What Abortion Access Looks Like in Mississippi: One Person at a Time
3. Abortion Groups Are Raising Record Amounts Since Alabama's Ban
 
Defier of the Month
For people with low incomes seeking abortions in Mississippi, the Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund (MRFF) provides a safety net. Mississippi has the highest infant-mortality rate and has a mandatory 24-hour waiting period after a patient's first appointment before they can have an abortion. Pregnant people seeking abortions in the state often have to travel over 100 miles to reach the state's only abortion provider in Jackson, MS.

Laurie Bertram Roberts, co-founder of the MRFF, runs the fund out of a rented home in West Jackson, MS, providing transportation and support to people seeking care. In her interview with the New York Times Laurie says, "When we say we trust black women, we mean that. We give them cash to do what they need to do, because they know their lives better than anybody else."

Through a holistic approach, the MRFF has assisted over 400 clients in the past five years. In addition to funding abortions, the organization helps provide access to birth control, emergency contraceptives, menstrual products, and doula care. Learn more about Laurie and the fund's work.
 
Bronx Prep Middle School
These 8th grade students from Bronx Prep Middle School are smashing period stigma with their podcast, "Sssh! Periods," after winning NPR's first-ever Student Podcast Challenge. Listen to their podcast here.

Photo Credit: Elissa Nadworny/NPR
 
"Does swimming lead to yeast infections?"
Normally, your vagina is a self-cleaning, harmonious balance of healthy bacteria and yeast. Yeast infections (science-y name: candidiasis) happen when things get out of whack and the yeast grows a bit out of control. Yeast infections can happen in your vagina, on your penis, or even in your mouth (that's called thrush).

Several things can contribute to this kind of imbalance, like: a weakened immune system, changes in your hormone levels throughout your menstrual cycle, antibiotics, cortisone, and other medicines, pregnancy, or a natural reaction to another person's genital chemistry.

Note that swimming isn't on this list. However, yeast infections and other kinds of vaginitis can thrive in damp and warm environments, so wearing a wet bathing suit for a long time after you go swimming can increase your chances of getting a yeast infection — especially in the summertime. So keep things dry by bringing a change of underwear (ideally cotton underwear) when you go swimming.

Visit a doctor or nurse, like the staff at your nearest Planned Parenthood health center, to get the right diagnosis and treatment if you're worried. Stay cool!

— Emily at Planned Parenthood
 
When we own our bodies, we are powerful. We are free. Now is the time to unite, to stand together to protect access to safe, legal abortion, and to declare: BANS OFF MY BODY. Learn more and join the fight.
 
hoodie
Thank you Marc Jacobs and Miley Cyrus for standing with Planned Parenthood! The duo teamed up to release a limited-edition hoodie with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. Read more about the partnership.
 
What we're reading:
+ How Abortion Bans Target the LGBTQ Community
+ When 'Black Lives Matter' Is Invoked in the Abortion Debate
+ The new American family: Trans, gender queer, nonbinary, two-spirit
TBH (To Be Honest) is a monthly newsletter dedicated to learning about our bodies, talking about sex and relationships, and challenging health inequity and injustice. Send us your feedback.

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