March 2023 Newsletter

Black History Month  

RHAP recognizes February as Black History Month. As an organization that focuses on increasing access to sexual and reproductive health care, RHAP would be remiss not to honor the contributions Black folks have made to reproductive health care and access. It is also important to acknowledge that some of these contributions have been achieved through violating and exploiting black bodies without their consent.

Reproductive Justice (RJ) was coined in 1994 by a group of black women who recognized that the reproductive rights movement was not inclusive of communities of color, LGBTQIA+ folks, immigrants, and disabled people. Thus, Reproductive Justice was born out of the need for these communities to determine their own needs, wants, and desires for reproductive autonomy  outside of the mainstream reproductive rights movement. Reproductive Justice, as defined by SisterSong, states that personal bodily autonomy, deciding when/if to have children, and the right to parent our children in safe and sustainable communities are all fundamental human rights.

The need for reproductive justice was as vital then as it is today. Reproductive autonomy is not the reality for many Black folks and other marginalized communities. People of color often face the greatest barriers when accessing basic reproductive health services. Other issues like police brutality, gun violence, and the housing crisis further violate black communities’ rights to raise their children in safe and sustainable environments.

As a white-founded/white-led organization, RHAP cannot claim to be a reproductive justice organization, but we strive to center the ideals and goals of reproductive justice in our operations and programs. We are committed to following the lead of reproductive justice activists and organizations led by Black folks. For RHAP to achieve our mission of ensuring equitable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, we must center the experiences of communities that have long been shut out of mainstream movements and have faced the greatest barriers to care. 

Join us in honoring the legacy of Black folks in reproductive health care during Black History Month. We invite you to learn more about reproductive justice and the history of harm committed against Black folks in the name of reproductive health; and we encourage you to follow, listen to, and donate to reproductive justice organizations.

Celebrate Women’s History Month with RHAPxHERA Femme Amulet!  

 

 

Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine vs the FDA  

What you need to know and why it matters for medication abortion access everywhere. 

The Case: 

An anti-abortion group in Texas is challenging the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, one of the two medications most commonly used in a medication abortion in the US. The plaintiff is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a “Christian organization that played a central role in the Dobbs vc Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that ultimately resulted in the Supreme Court abolishing federal abortion rights” (CNBC). 

The Consequences: 

This case is an attack on abortion rights that has the potential to take mifepristone off the market nationwide, even in states where abortion is legal and protected. This case also threatens the FDA’s authority over the approval process for other medications, and threatens our ability to access all kinds of health care. 

The Facts: 

Let’s be clear: mifepristone is a safe and effective drug, used in combination with misoprostol, is the most common way to terminate a pregnancy in the US. It has been approved by the FDA for over two decades, and is central to abortion care. More than half of abortions in the United States are managed using mifepristone, and medication abortion has greatly expanded access at a time when abortion care is more threatened than ever. 

In the event that mifepristone is widely unavailable, a misoprostol-only protocol is also an option. You can find our resource about using misoprostol-only for a medication abortion here. 

What’s Next: 

The Judge in charge of this case is a Trump-appointed, anti-choice judge who has quietly scheduled a hearing on the plaintiffs’ request to block the approval for Wednesday, March 15th. By attempting to hold this hearing without putting it on the public docket, the Judge is clearly attempting to minimize public knowledge of a case that could have devastating effects on peoples’ health care decisions. We will not let mifepristone be attacked quietly. While an unfavorable ruling does not mean that mifepristone will be immediately taken off the market, we know that this is the latest in a barrage of efforts from anti-abortion politicians and groups to ban abortion entirely – and that they aren’t stopping.

RHAP will continue to provide updates on the case and any decisions made. 

Check Out Our New Resources! 

Abortion Pills Comparison Sheet  https://www.reproductiveaccess.org/resource/abortion-pills-comparison/

Guide to Phone Triage: After Hours Medication Abortion https://www.reproductiveaccess.org/resource/mab-phone-triage/