Friend,
I reached out yesterday to offer some thoughts why men should join the critical fight for abortion care and reproductive access, and I wanted to follow up.
As the Supreme Court prepares to end the federal right and freedom to access abortion, 26 states could immediately ban abortion as a result, affecting over 36 million people in the next few weeks.
This is why #VOTEPROCHOICE fights to elect state and local prochoice champions who will protect access to abortion and stop bans at their source. Their work is of absolutely vital importance, especially with so many critical upcoming primaries that will determine the future of reproductive care in states across the country.
They've set a mid-month goal of $15,000 to expand their work to coach and support prochoice champions in Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and so many other states where abortion is at risk. If you're able, please support them with a gift of any size.
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
#VOTEPROCHOICE candidates and their work remain a huge part of the solution to protecting our right to abortion. I hope you'll join me in this fight.
Thanks for all you do,
Bob Fertik
Co-founder, #VOTEPROCHOICE
President, Democrats.com
From: Bob Fertik, #VOTEPROCHOICE
Subject: Prochoice Men: We must ALL Fight for Abortion Rights
Please forward this to every prochoice man you know
- Bob
As a dedicated male feminist, I have fought for abortion rights since 1984.
Yet in all these years, I have never spoken directly to men about why every prochoice man needs to join this fight.
The time has come.
In a few weeks, the MAGA Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade, the historic 1973 ruling that made abortion accessible and legal throughout the United States.
The results will be immediate and devastating, especially for women of color, poor, young, or LGBTQ+ people.
Just look at Texas, where MAGA Republicans banned abortions after 6 weeks - just 2 weeks after a missed period. Abortions in Texas dropped by half as women were forced to travel long distances to neighboring states. After Roe, many neighboring states will slam their doors shut.
What about shipments of safe abortion pills after 6 weeks? You guessed it - Texas banned those too.
Extreme, anti-choice Republicans in state legislatures have been ramming through laws regulating and prohibiting abortion for the last 30+ years, often in the dead of night.
For example, Louisiana Republicans in 2006 outlawed nearly all abortions, including for rape and incest. The law punishes anyone who performs or aids in an abortion with up to 10 years in prison - specifically forced labor camps - and a maximum fine of $100,000.
So when Roe is overturned, abortion will be outlawed or severely restricted in as many as 28 states, leaving the most personal, private decisions of 58% of the country controlled by MAGA Republicans.
For a brief time, abortion will remain legal in deep-blue Democratic states like New York, Illinois, and California.
But if MAGA Republicans win Congress in November - which polls say is possible - they will immediately pass a law to outlaw abortion in all 50 states - even Democratic-controlled states.
And this MAGA Supreme Court will do nothing to stop them.
So prochoice men: it’s time for all of us to join the solution.
Women have been fighting for reproductive freedom and abortion care since the 1960s. Women have marched, lobbied, donated, campaigned for prochoice candidates, and run for office themselves - even for President.
But MAGA Republicans cannot be defeated by prochoice, politically active women alone.
Moreover, abortion access has never been just a “women’s issue.” It affects every man who has ever experienced an unintended pregnancy with a partner - or tragically discovered a medical circumstance that made abortion necessary.
Abortion is an issue of personal freedom vs. governmental control over private decisions which impact everyone in a community and a family - including men.
We are fighting for a future where abortion is available in all of our communities, and all people can create the families they want without barriers, stigma or shame.
It’s time to call in every male ally to join the fight.
Ask yourself: are you "prochoice"? It's an extraordinarily simple question.
If a person gets pregnant - and believes deeply that she cannot carry that pregnancy to term - who should decide?
The person with her family and medical team, or Republican politicians, or anti-abortion vigilantes, or local law enforcement?
If you answer "the person," you're prochoice - just like me.
So now - in the post-Roe era - ALL pro-choice men must act.
Thanks for all you do.
Bob Fertik
Co-founder, #VOTEPROCHOICE
President, Democrats.com
