Mr. President, Say Hello to Abortion Lovers
Posted by Kenyetta Whitfield
January 12, 2017
In 8 days, the United States of America will call Donald Trump its president. With this monumental new transfer of power comes, for many people, lots of grief, anxiety, and perhaps even excitement. However, for those who have dedicated themselves to fighting for reproductive justice and freedom, the Trump administration brings with it possible feelings of defeat.
President-elect Donald Trump has proven through his own words and action that, under his administration, abortion access and abortion providers will be under constant attack. And, while some may have argued that the soon-to-be president lacks the tact to accomplish a full-on attack of reproductive rights, Vice President Mike Pence’s track record proves that reproductive justice organizers have reasons to be afraid.
Just months after the election, the Senate voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act and House Speaker Paul Ryan has vowed to have Planned Parenthood defunded. These actions are more reason for those who would like to protect abortion, a constitutional right, to step up and take organizing and activism to a new level.
It will no longer be enough to preach to anti-abortion politicians about all the wonderful non-abortion services that Planned Parenthood provides. It is time to proudly proclaim that abortions, whether early or late, upsetting or relieving, are valid and legal and should remain legal. It weakens all progress that organizers and policy makers have worked for if we continue to diminish abortion as the unspoken reproductive health service. It does nothing but harm abortion, as a right, to ignore that it is a gender-less procedure that is safer than giving birth.
The next four years, much like the last four years, must continue to be about fighting to get rid of the Hyde Amendment and subjective abortion bans, while normalizing and de-stigmatizing all conversations about abortion.
In fact, the next four years must be years dedicated to fighting and resisting ALL the misogynistic, homophobic, ableist, transphobic, racist, and sexist policies that are sure to come. Resistance cannot come through silence. It’ll no longer be enough to like your friends Facebook picture of them clinic-escorting. It is time to be a clinic-escort. It is time to inquire about ways to get in touch with local organizers.
Normalize abortion because the fight can only get harder if there is no dedication to making abortion an open and real conversation.
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