PRESS
FEATURED
Dr. Caitlin Gustafson Travels to DC to Highlight Dangers of Idaho Abortion Ban with Democratic Women’s Caucus and House Democrats for Women’s History Month
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Local Patient Advocates Mark Would-Be Roe Anniversary, Warn of Coming Attacks on Reproductive Freedom
“Ride to Decide” Bus Tour Kickoff in Madison, Brings Together Religious Leaders, Health Care Providers, and Patient Advocates to Spotlight Harms of Abortion Bans
Filter by location
Ahead of Trump’s Address, Senator Patty Murray, Former Rep. Colin Allred, and Guests Who Attended 2024 State of the Union Spotlight Vicious New Attacks on Abortion Access and Reproductive Freedom
WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, ahead of President Trump’s joint address to Congress, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and former Rep. Colin Allred joined Free & Just, patients, providers, and advocates who attended last year’s State of the Union as honored guests to set the record straight about how the Trump administration and extremists' efforts to ban abortion nationwide are putting lives at risk.
Abortion bans are killing women and devastating communities across the country. Still, the Trump administration and Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though restricting abortion access remains widely unpopular with most Americans.
“It is painfully clear today that we have to continue shining a harsh spotlight on the impacts of abortion bans,” said Senator Patty Murray of Washington. “While Trump and Republicans would love for the chaos they are causing to push these stories out of the public eye, today there are even more women suffering and dying because of Republican’s extreme abortion bans. It may be the early days of this administration, but it is not too early to see that they are hellbent on ripping away women’s reproductive rights.”
“Within days of Trump taking office, he rescinded President Biden’s executive orders that protect reproductive health care, he wiped essential information about these health care services from government websites, and he nominated a slew of anti-abortion extremists,” said Kayla Smith, a patient storyteller who joined Senator Murray as an honored guest at the State of the Union one year ago. “I am here today to do my part. I will continue to speak out about what is going on and how important access to abortion care really is,” Smith, who was forced to flee the state of Idaho for lifesaving abortion care, is one of three plaintiffs in Adkins v. State of Idaho, a case challenging the state’s extreme abortion ban.
“The ‘state of the union’ has a crisis in the middle of it. Women all across this country are being denied basic health care, and families are being forced into impossible positions," said former Congressman Colin Allred from Dallas. “Here in Texas, it’s not uncommon to meet an expecting couple and congratulate them only to hear that they are worried that if something goes wrong with the pregnancy, they don’t know what they’ll do.”
“We knew that because of the abortion bans, IVF could be affected, but we never thought it would affect us,” said Latorya Beasley, a mother and IVF patient from Alabama who was forced to adjust her treatment timeline after the state’s Supreme Court’s devastating ruling on embryos. “Even today, Trump has said that he wants to expand access to IVF, but it’s just a lot of broken promises, and I don’t think there’s anything substantial behind that. I am here today to tell my story and warn others.”
“As a physician, my highest priority and my deepest honor is to take care of my patients. And I feel like that has been broken in so many ways and is only getting worse,” said Dr, Caitlin Bernard, an OB-GYN from Indiana who spoke publicly about providing abortion care to a 10 year old patient. “The question we have now is, what are we going to do about it? What are we going to do to reverse these policies now before things get worse? How many more people do we have to see on the news dying, taken away from their children and families?”
“Let me be clear, President Trump may claim he’s protecting women but all that his policies have done is harm us. He will undoubtedly continue to enact policies that will kill women and devastate families,” said Amanda Zurawski, who nearly lost her life after being denied abortion care in Texas. “While we are devastated, we will not be defeated. As long as these inhumane bans exist, we will continue to fight back.” Zurawski was the lead plaintiff in Zurawski v. State of Texas, the landmark lawsuit challenging Texas’ extreme abortion ban.
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials are restricting reproductive freedom here.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
ICYMI: Free & Just Hosts Press Call Marking One Month of Trump Presidency, Highlighting Statewide Abortion Bans and Impacted Storytellers
Watch the Full Press Event Here
WASHINGTON D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Judy Chu (Ca-28) — Co-Chair and Liaison for the Reproductive Health Care Task Force for the Democratic Women’s Caucus — patient storytellers, healthcare providers, and advocates from communities across the country hosted a virtual press event one month after President Trump returned to the Oval Office to execute his anti-abortion agenda, as attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom continue to escalate across the country. Additionally, the event launched PostRoeReality.com, the latest resource from Free & Just tracking attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom across the country. Free & Just is also launching a five-figure digital buy in Georgia, Wisconsin, and Texas to uplift the research gathered in this latest resource.
Abortion bans hurt all of us – no matter where we live, and Free & Just is spotlighting what's at stake for communities across the country as the Trump administration seeks to roll back our rights even further.
In response to the new launching of PostRoeReality.com, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement:
“Now that anti-abortion extremists control the White House and Congress, it’s more important than ever that everyone understands what’s at stake when it comes to abortion access and reproductive freedom in this country. As we mark one month since President Trump’s return to office, we must continue to highlight the dangerous impact of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe and the resulting Post Roe world by uplifting narratives of storytellers directly impacted by abortion bans and calling out the continued attacks on reproductive freedom across the country. These findings highlight the groundwork laid by MAGA extremists to push their unpopular agenda across the country before moving to achieve their ultimate Project 2025 goal — a national federal abortion ban.”
Here are highlights from today’s event:
“While running for president, Donald Trump promised that he would leave the issue of abortion to the states. Once again, when it comes to women’s health, Donald Trump was lying,” said Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28), Democratic Women's Caucus Reproductive Health Care Task Force Co-Chair and Liaison. “Now more than ever, it’s important to amplify the stories of real people affected by these attacks and be clear about what’s at stake for communities across the country as the Trump administration seeks to roll back our rights even further.”
“As we’ve seen in the past thirty days, look at what Trump and his administration have done and are planning to do,” said Ryan Hamilton, whose wife was denied care in Texas. “It’s important for my daughter to have a future where she doesn’t bleed to death on her bathroom floor like her mom almost did.”
“These bans do not discriminate. They do not make allowances for the health of the mother or the baby. They assume a pregnancy is a blissful 9 months immune from complications and will always result in a living child,” said Gracie Ladd, a patient from Wisconsin who was forced to travel out-of-state for abortion care. “We need more storytellers. We need to amplify their voices. We need to protect their bodies and all future bodies.”
“It was the most agonizing decision I have ever had to make, and one that without question belonged to me and my doctors. Now, millions of women across the country no longer have that choice because of Donald Trump,” said Abby Klausner, a patient based in New York who had an abortion following her cancer diagnosis. “The right to make your own medical decisions, and the right to decide if and when to start a family – those rights are fundamental.”
“For so long I have naively thought of abortion as a singular issue – ‘it’s an individual’s decision.’ But that was my grave error – because abortion access has always been inexorably linked to the future of our democracy,” said Dr. Anusha Viswanathan, patient storyteller and health care provider based in Pennsylvania. “Because a country that can force someone to carry a pregnancy against their will is a country that can force them to do anything.”
“My state drove me out of my home, out of my community, away from my children, and away from my doctors, rather than let me access care,” said Kate Cox, who travelled out of state for care and was lead plaintiff in Cox v. Texas. “I’m just one person, we’re just one family, but our story is playing out in countless states across America. Because of these extreme abortion bans, women are going through the same nightmare I did.”
If you are interested in speaking with health care providers or patients about their experience living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans, please contact malachi@freeandjust.us.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
Shanette Williams, Mother of Amber Nicole Thurman Joins Patient Advocates and Health Care Providers to Spotlight How Abortion Bans Target Black Communities
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman lost her life as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban, patient storytellers, and health care providers from across the country joined Free & Just to spotlight how abortion bans disproportionately affect Black women and families. In the years since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, dozens of states have moved to ban abortion and restrict access to reproductive health care, with Black women bearing the heaviest burden of these attacks.
According to data from the National Partnership for Women & Families and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, 57% of Black women ages 15 to 49 live in states with abortion bans or serious threats to abortion access.
The fall of Roe has also made pregnancy more dangerous, particularly for Black women. According to new data from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than women from other racial and ethnic groups. The maternal mortality rate for every other race or ethnic group tracked in the report declined during the research period.
“Black maternal health is a crisis in this country. When it comes to reproductive health care — whether it's safe abortion care, prenatal care, or even just being listened to by a doctor — we are too often ignored, dismissed, and denied the care we need,” said Nancy Davis, an advocate from Louisiana who was forced to travel out-of-state to terminate a pregnancy after being denied care. “Black women deserve better, our voices matter, our lives matter, and we will not stop fighting until real change happens.” In 2022, Davis founded the Nancy Davis Foundation, which aids individuals who have endured trauma due to a prenatal developmental defect during pregnancy and advocates for reproductive justice.
“We’re putting lives at risk when we went to medical school to heal, not harm people. It makes sense that physicians are leaving places with abortion bans and restrictions because they cannot practice the full scope of the care they dedicated themselves to provide,” said Dr. DeShawn Taylor, an award-winning gynecologist and family planning specialist who owns the Desert Star Institute for Family Planning in Phoenix, Arizona. “Black women and babies have been most affected by adverse health outcomes in this country, but discrimination and lack of access to necessary health care has the potential to impact anyone.”
“I cannot tell you how devastating, heartbreaking, and painful losing my daughter has been – the remorse, the grief, has sometimes overwhelmed me,” said Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman lost her life in Georgia after being denied medical care. “You have women and mothers that are going through trauma, that are going through grief because politics are stopping women from making choices about their bodies.” Shanette continues to share Amber’s story in hopes that no other family will endure the loss of a loved one to an abortion ban. In November, following reporting from ProPublica, officials in Georgia dismissed all members of the state’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which investigates the deaths of pregnant women across the state.
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
Extremists in Congress Vote to Further Restrict Access to Abortion Across the Country, Criminalize Health Care Providers
For Immediate Release
January 23, 2025
Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us
While lawmakers peddle vicious lies, abortion bans are killing women across the country
WASHINGTON, DC –– This week, as we marked what would have been the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, the new Republican majority in Congress moved quickly to further restrict access to abortion care across the country. On Wednesday, extremists in the U.S. Senate voted to advance legislation that would subject health care providers to harsh criminal penalties and force providers to violate their medical training – even when patients face life-threatening pregnancy complications. On Thursday, 217 lawmakers in the U.S. House passed identical legislation, rife with false claims and dangerous lies about abortion care. Just weeks into the 119th Congress, Republican lawmakers sent a clear message to the American people: Abortion and reproductive freedom are under attack.
Following the votes this week, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement:
“This week, extremist lawmakers in Congress confirmed that banning abortion nationwide and restricting access to reproductive health care is their top priority – even if it costs people their lives. Spreading disinformation about abortion care and the people who seek it is dangerous. These lawmakers are overstepping their role by trying to interfere in our personal, private, medical decisions, and they are hurting real people and families. One-size-fits-all laws don’t work and we know that most Americans, including many who support President Trump and Republican lawmakers, do not want to see our reproductive rights rolled back even further, and this effort to pass radical new restrictions is nothing short of a betrayal.”
If you are interested in speaking with health care providers like Dr. Dara Kass, or patients affected by attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Local Patient Advocates Mark Would-Be Roe Anniversary, Warn of Coming Attacks on Reproductive Freedom
MADISON, WI – Today, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and local patient advocates joined Free & Just to mark what would be the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to legal abortion for nearly 50 years. In June 2022, the Supreme Court stripped away the right to safe and legal abortion, ending half a century of precedent and robbing millions of people of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have escalated, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.
Stripping away the freedoms Roe protected was just the first step in extremists' anti-abortion playbook. Today, Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though it remains widely unpopular.
“Our country faces a patchwork of laws, regulations, and oppression. And we know that women are dying because of that patchwork. We know that lives are changed, not for the better, because of that patchwork,” said Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, a fierce advocate for reproductive freedom who has pledged to protect both patients and providers in Madison. “The guardrails have come off. We are under attack. Our rights are under attack. Our bodily autonomy is under attack.”
“Here in Wisconsin, we still have to do the work. We still have people who are afraid of what is happening next,” said Dana Pellebon, who serves as the Executive Director of RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center in Dane County. “The current administration is determined to keep their laws on our bodies. We cannot let this happen. It is important that all of us stand up and say ‘reproductive choice and reproductive freedom is an inalienable right to us, here in our nation.’ When we talk about freedom, bodily autonomy is the freedom we are talking about.”
“We can no longer take for granted the shoulders we have stood on for so long – the victories of our mothers and grandmothers. Your rights are now being charted by someone who has no connection to the liberty and freedom we fought for generations to achieve,” said Ali Muldrow, the Executive Director of Women’s Medical Fund Wisconsin. “The role of government is to remove barriers, not create them.”
“We’ve got to face our new realities. And the reality is, Trump and other Republican lawmakers are only increasing their attacks on abortion access and reproductive care,” said Rory Madden, Chair of Sex Out Loud at UW-Madison, which provides the extended campus community access to comprehensive sex education. “Being a college student right now means navigating a landscape where every decision we make – from what classes to take to what career we want to pursue – is impacted by the uncertainty around reproductive rights.”
“Over the years I’ve counseled women, pregnant people, and their families. They’ve often come to me for counseling because they are having a crisis of faith, because the overwhelming message that they are receiving from the religious community is that abortion is wrong,” said Reverend Tim Schaefer with the First Baptist Church of Madison and is a member of the Wisconsin Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Reverend Schaefer urged his fellow Wisconsinites to show one another compassion as attacks on reproductive freedom escalate. “If you have ever had an abortion, if you have ever considered an abortion, if you’re considering an abortion – you are loved.”
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
Learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
Ahead of Would-Be Roe Anniversary, Congresswoman Nikema Williams and Mother of Amber Nicole Thurman Join Patients and Providers Discuss Ongoing Attacks on Reproductive Freedom
For Immediate Release
January 21, 2025
Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us
GEORGIA – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman, lost her life as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban, joined patient storytellers and providers to mark what would be the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to legal abortion for nearly 50 years. In June 2022, the Supreme Court stripped away the right to safe and legal abortion, ending half a century of precedent and robbing millions of people of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have escalated, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.
Stripping away the freedoms Roe protected was just the first step in extremists' anti-abortion playbook. Today, Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though it remains widely unpopular.
“I refuse to stand by while extremist politicians attack our freedoms, our health, and our future,” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams, who represents Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District and warned that the new administration plans to restrict abortion rights further. “Reproductive freedom is about health care, it’s about dignity, it’s about autonomy. It’s about ensuring that everyone, every person, has the ability to make the best decisions for themselves and their families without government interference.”
“She left a son, who every day is confused by why his mother is not here,” said Shanette Williams, whose daughter Amber Nicole Thurman lost her life in Georgia after being denied medical care. “I’m here to be that voice, to fight, to push, to do whatever I need to do to help save another life. Because I never want a mother to feel what I feel today. We cannot quit. We cannot be silent. If we quit, we lose more women.” In November, following reporting from ProPublica, officials in Georgia dismissed all members of the state’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which investigates the deaths of pregnant women across the state.
“I could have been Amber Nicole Thurman,” said Avery Davis Bell, a mother from Savannah who was forced to travel out-of-state for care after her baby was diagnosed with fatal chromosomal anomalies that threatened Avery’s own life. “It is important for me to continue sharing my story and advocating for us to be able to build the families we want, protect our lives, and be here for our living children.”
“The ban has been in place for three years now and it doesn’t get any easier. To turn women away is the hardest thing for me to do,” said Suki O., an ultrasound technician and abortion care provider in the Atlanta area. Reflecting on the loss of Amber Nicole Thurman, Suki shared her concerns that women in Georgia and across the country will continue to die, and asked “How many Black women will die, have died, and will continue to die due to these abortion bans?”
“I was hospitalized ten times in ten weeks,” said Callie Beale Harper, who was forced to travel out-of-state for care when one of her twins was diagnosed with severe fetal abnormalities. Harper described her commitment to standing up to attacks on access to reproductive care that leave women in Georgia and across the country vulnerable. “Because of the risk to our lives and the trauma that I had to endure at an already difficult time, I stand for women like me who were played by the system in place, and had my life and my daughter’s life put in jeopardy due to these laws.”
“This is not just a women’s issue, this is a man’s issue as well,” said Davan’te Jennings, President of Young Democrats of Georgia and Youth Organizing Director at Men4Choice, an organization dedicated to educating and engaging young men in the fight for reproductive justice. Jennings urged men across the country to pay attention to the attacks coming from the new administration and extremist lawmakers. “I want to send a clear message to men to get off the sidelines and enter the fight for reproductive justice. What would it look like for you to have to watch your mother go through this? To watch your sister go through this?”
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
Ahead of Would-Be Anniversary of Landmark Roe v. Wade Decision, Women Who Sued Texas Over State’s Abortion Ban and Patient Advocates Warn of Coming Attacks on Reproductive Freedom
For Immediate Release
January 21, 2025
Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us
TEXAS – Today, Amanda Zurawski, Samantha Casiano, and Ryan Hamilton joined Free & Just to mark what would be the 52nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, which enshrined the right to legal abortion for nearly 50 years. In June 2022, the Supreme Court stripped away the right to safe and legal abortion, ending half a century of precedent and robbing millions of people of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have escalated, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.
Stripping away the freedoms Roe protected was just the first step in extremists' anti-abortion playbook. Today, Republican officials remain committed to banning abortion nationwide, and they will use any tool at their disposal to do it – even though it remains widely unpopular.
“Extremists are going out of their way to make sure the stories of people like my wife are kept quiet,” said Ryan Hamilton, whose wife nearly died after experiencing a miscarriage in Texas, where laws passed by anti-abortion extremists limit access to medical care. Reflecting on ProPublica’s reporting on the preventable deaths of women who lost their lives as a result of Texas’ abortion ban, Hamilton pledged to continue sharing his family’s story and standing up to attacks on reproductive freedom. “We have to continue to tell and use our stories. My anger has purpose, and I’m going to use it.”
“I asked my doctor what my options were, and she told me I didn’t have any, because in the state of Texas, we have an abortion ban,” said Samantha Casiano, a mother of four who was forced to give birth to her daughter, Halo in 2023, despite knowing that she would survive just a few painful hours. “People assume that so-called ‘exceptions’ to the ban help people like me. I was not an exception. That’s why I continue to speak about this, because together we can make a change, and together we can make sure people know that this is real.”
“I was denied care because of the ban in Texas, and was told that I had to wait until I met the one medical exception in our state which is the life of the mother. So I was either waiting for the baby’s heart to stop, or waiting until I got so sick that I deserved care,” said Amanda Zurawski, who went into septic shock twice and nearly lost her life after being denied an abortion in 2022. Zurawski sued the state of Texas, but her challenge was rejected by the state’s Supreme Court in a devastating blow to patients across Texas. Still, Zurawski pledged to continue spotlighting the deathly consequences of abortion bans: “In this new political landscape, what I want people to understand is that this fight is not over. This work is not done. I am not going anywhere.”
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
You can watch the virtual press event here, and learn more about how Republican officials plan to restrict reproductive freedom here.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.
NEW DATA: Nearly 60% of Battleground Voters Oppose Abortion Restrictions, Including Trump Supporters
For Immediate Release
December 10, 2024
Contact: Kelly Rimar kelly@freeandjust.us
Success of Trump and Republicans in Congress should not be mistaken as support for further restrictions on abortion
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, new data from Navigator Research is shedding light on the role abortion played in the 2024 presidential election and in key Senate races across the country. The research, conducted among voters across the presidential battleground states, confirms that abortion is broadly popular with Americans, and makes clear that banning abortion, or using existing laws to further restrict abortion access nationwide are deeply unpopular positions – even among Trump voters.
According to the new research, nearly 60% of voters across the battleground support legal abortion including nearly 40% of those who voted for Trump and the Republican Senate candidate. These findings send a clear message to Trump and Republican lawmakers: Americans, including those responsible for their victories, will not tolerate further attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom.
“This data confirms that abortion access and reproductive freedom are popular issues and supported by the majority of Americans,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Now more than ever, it’s critical that abortion storytellers share how abortion bans harm women and families across the country. We have to tell the truth about how attacks targeting everything from access to medication abortion to IVF treatment hurt families and upend lives. That is why Free & Just is committed to amplifying stories that counter misinformation and spotlight the real consequences of attacks on access to abortion and reproductive health care.”
The new research also reinforces the power of storytellers, whose courage in sharing their own experiences with abortion and reproductive health care helped educate and motivate voters in their communities. According to the new data, 52% of voters who supported state-level ballot initiatives to protect, restore, and expand abortion access said their decision to vote for these measures was impacted by women they know.
Storytelling is a powerful tool to help people across the country understand how attacks on abortion and access to reproductive care unravel lives, and put people in impossible, sometimes life-threatening situations. With new, increasingly vicious attacks on reproductive freedom on the horizon, it is more important than ever that we amplify the stories of people and communities affected by these attacks.
Patients, providers, and abortion rights advocates who spent the year working with Free & Just to share their stories and stand up to attacks on reproductive freedom released statements in response to the new research findings.
“Sharing my story was difficult at first, and it can be painful to relive the loss of my son Connor,” said Gracie Ladd, an oncology nurse from Nashotah, Wisconsin who was forced to travel out of state for abortion care after receiving a devastating fetal diagnosis at 20-weeks pregnant. “Still, I knew it was important to talk about what I went through and to spotlight the sweeping and devastating impacts of attacks on abortion. Every time I share my story, I am honoring Connor and helping people think differently about abortion. I know that there is a lot of work ahead, but I believe in the power of storytelling and I will continue to help others understand how dangerous attacks on reproductive freedom are.”
Gracie shared her abortion story publicly for the first time as part of Free & Just’s Ride to Decide Bus Tour for reproductive freedom over the summer. In September, Gracie testified about her experience traveling out-of-state for abortion care before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
“I have found my home in the abortion care community, and I am incredibly proud to work with so many brave patients, providers, and advocates,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician in the Atlanta area, who has spoken publicly about her work to help patients navigate Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban. “I am heartbroken, but I know that this community will continue to support each other and work together to show just how dangerous attacks on access to abortion are.”
Suki joined Gracie Ladd at the September hearing before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, where she mourned the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of Georgia’s harsh abortion ban.
“I’ve spent the last month grieving and doing my best to prepare for what’s to come as anti-abortion extremists look for new ways to attack abortion access and reproductive freedom,” said Emma Burns from Flagstaff, Arizona who navigated a provider shortage, mandatory waiting periods, and other barriers when she needed abortion care as a college student. “At the same time, I know that sharing my abortion story has helped people in my community understand the harms of these attacks, and I am hopeful that we can continue to educate and engage people who don’t see themselves in this issue.”
In October, Burns graciously lent her story to Free & Just for the development of the “Road After Roe,” an Oregon Trail-inspired experience that challenges users to navigate the real-life, and often dangerous barriers to abortion and reproductive care.
If you are interested in speaking with the pollsters who led this research, patients and advocates who shared their experiences throughout this election cycle, or experts about what’s at stake for abortion access and reproductive freedom in 2025, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
###
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our futures.
Kaitlyn Joshua to Join Local Artists and Reproductive Freedom Advocates at Art Market Hosted by Free & Just in New Orleans
**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2024 AT 1:30PM CT**
“Artists for Abortion Access” event series comes to New Orleans o spotlight Local artists demanding reproductive freedom
New Orleans, LA –– On Monday, October 14 from 1-5pm CT, Free & Just will host an art market featuring local creatives in New Orleans as part of its “Artists for Abortion Access” event series. Free & Just is partnering with local artists, advocates, and leaders in communities across the country who are standing up to attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom. From concerts featuring local musicians, to art markets where local creatives can sell their goods, “Artists for Abortion Access” will spotlight community and cultural leaders and create space for real people impacted by abortion bans and ongoing attacks on reproductive freedom to share their stories.
At 1:30pm CT, Kaitlyn Joshua and others will offer brief remarks highlighting how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Louisiana and across the country.
“Artists for Abortion Access” comes as attacks on all types of reproductive health care, including abortion care, IVF treatment, and birth control, continue to escalate nationwide. Despite their rhetoric, anti-abortion extremists have made it painfully clear that they will stop at nothing to restrict our freedom to make decisions about our lives and families. With “Artists for Abortion Access,” Free & Just is setting the record straight and amplifying the experiences of people harmed by these attacks.
Join Free & Just on Monday to shop from local artists, connect with storytellers, and learn more about what’s at stake for women and families across the country.
WHO:
Kaitlyn Joshua, Community Organizer for the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice
and patient storyteller who was denied emergency care in Louisiana
Nancy Davis, patient storyteller who was forced to travel out-of-state for abortion care
Counsel for the Louisiana State Conference of the NAACP
Bree Anderson, Co-Founder of A’sani Heartbeat Foundation
Tyler Barbarin, Director of Grants and Development at the Louisiana Abortion Fund
Local storytellers, artists, and advocates
WHAT: Art market featuring local artists, storytellers, and advocates
WHEN: Monday, October 14 from 1-5pm CT
Brief speaking program at 1:30pm CT
WHERE: Please RSVP to kelly@freeandjust.us for address and additional event details
Free & Just Announces “Artists for Abortion Access” Event Series to Spotlight Local Artists and Advocates Demanding Reproductive Freedom Across the Country
Free & Just is proud to present our next event series featuring local artists from cities across the country. Artists for Abortion Access is spotlighting creatives who work to support and defend reproductive freedom and abortion access in their communities as we come together to fight a national abortion ban.
Find more information on this activation here.