Oklahomans for Reproductive Justice
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For nearly three years, Trust Women has worked to reestablish reproductive healthcare services in Wichita and the day has finally arrived that we can say, “It’s happening!”We are finally ready to open our first clinic.
This facility will mean women in the Wichita area can be assured that, for the first time in nearly four years, they have quality abortion care that doesn’t require a 3+ hour drive. The non-abortion care we will provided, from annual exams and STI testing to obstetric and post-natal care, will help close the gap in gynecological services in the Wichita area.
Help our friends over at TW out - let’s kick this thing off in style.
Over the weekend, I was reminded of one of my favorite forms of coastal urban smugness. Here is a paraphrased quote:
“Maybe these Black Friday Wal-Mart protests will finally convince people to stop shopping there! Shop local! Vote with your dollar!”
This line of thinking is often accompanied by a fantasy scenario in which Wal-Mart stores are surrounded on all sides by farmer’s markets, quaint pharmacies complete with soda fountain, independent bookstores, and local organic-cotton clothing retailers – all with competitive pricing. Having lived in three different rural communities that were basically gutted by the introduction of Wal-Mart stores into their midst, I can tell you this scenario is several doors down from reality.
From my friend Jennifer:
pro-choice & abortion access friends: your financial help is needed! Georgia Reproductive Justice Access Network, one of the only abortion funds in the southeast, is down to $89. they need an infusion of money FAST so they can keep their fund up and helping those who are pregnant afford abortion care. please give as much as you can!
I say this often about abortion funds but they help people who desperately need to get an abortion but cannot afford it. These are people in the most dire of circumstances.
When you donate to an abortion fund you 1) know your money will go directly toward helping someone and 2) you will make someone’s life better.
If you can, please donate to this abortion fund.
SIGNAL BOOST!
This month, we’re celebrating the blog’s first year as a resource for reproductive justice advocates and a place for feminist-minded Oklahomans to engage in conversation and investigation. The OK4RJ community has expanded to include voices from close-by midwestern, southern, and southwestern red states, so we’re devoting a series of posts to those perspectives. Today: Kansas!
How long have you been living/working in Kansas?
Immediately after graduation, I took a quickie vacation and moved to Kansas 5 days after I got back. So since the end of May.
What is the current state of activism around reproductive justice there?
I feel like RJ, like in Oklahoma (and most of the world), is a concept that many don’t understand. It is used interchangeably with reproductive rights when they aren’t the same. It’s hard for me to bite my tongue and say “What you’re describing is not reproductive justice, you’re referring to reproductive rights.” because it always ends in a nasty conversation. We’ve had some meetings with a Social Justice group here in town who help with voting rights, immigration, etc and they were excited to work with us because they were surprised that when they spoke to a client, they needed help with more than the issue they were meeting about. Intersectionality! Not to say there aren’t reproductive justice activists here, I just haven’t met them yet!
How does working in Kansas differ from working in Oklahoma? How is it similar?
Well, Kansas is definitely the mid-west and it feels like it. We have Republicans that vote with us on reproductive health issues! I thought they were like unicorns, some fantasy being but no! They totally exist but are close to becoming extinct.
from the article:
Planned Parenthood said the new rules will force 48,000 women to look for health care elsewhere.
“Once and for all, we implore Texas to put politics aside and put women’s health first,” said Kenneth Lambrecht, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. “It is shocking that state officials would rather end low-income women’s access to family planning and preventive health services altogether than allow Planned Parenthood to provide these vital health services.”
