Life
Today was a dark day for women and everyone in need of abortion care in Missouri, which already left people seeking such medical services severely underserved as there's just one abortion provider in the entire state. One Planned Parenthood clinic to offer reproductive health care services to approximately 1.1 million women of reproductive age in the entire state, as NPR reported. Now it has gotten much, much worse. On Tuesday, according to NBC News, the state of Missouri refused to renew the St. Louis clinic's license to provide abortions, which is set to make Missouri the first state without an abortion provider since Roe v. Wade was passed more than four decades ago. With a grim reality ahead, here's how to help protect abortion access for women in Missouri.
The news that Missouri could be without a single abortion provider within the next few weeks comes on the heels of some other terrible news. On Friday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill into law that bans abortions after eight weeks gestation with no exception made for rape or incest. This law would also seek to force minors seeking abortions to notify both parents and ask doctors providing emergency abortions to persuade health officials that the abortion was indeed a medical emergency, according to Vox.
This dangerous abortion law is expected to be challenged in court, but what do the women of Missouri do if the only abortion clinic in the state does close down? Here's how you can help protect this important care.
Share Your Story
If you've had an abortion, if you've loved someone who had an abortion, if you've been touched by abortion in any way... now is the time to share these important experiences, if you're comfortable. To stand tall against the longstanding cultural stigma against abortion and open up the lines of communication. Because it's much harder to dismiss someone's personal story than it is to dismiss an ideal.
For inspiration, check out this photo series I Had An Abortion shared by BuzzFeed. News
As more and more states continue to ban abortions and enforce tighter restrictions, humanizing abortion stories can only strengthen the cause.
Donate To Gateway
Gateway Women's Access Fund was established in 2015 to support women by providing funds for reproductive health care services and promoting awareness through public education. Now that Missouri looks as though it might be without a clinic, these funds are going to be more necessary than ever to help low-income women find access to abortions.
Contact Your Local Politician
If you live in Missouri and want your politicians to know that you want to protect reproductive rights and abortion access, find your representative and contact them here. The same goes if you live in another state and want to express your horror that Missouri could be without a single abortion provider within days. You have to make your voice heard, now more than ever before. Because reproductive rights are being stripped away faster than anyone might have thought possible... now is the time to speak up.