Hi john,

Abortion Access Front is officially BACK from break and ready to fuck some shit up! We’re only nine days into the new year, and it already feels like a collective nightmare we’re all struggling to wake up from (abolish ICE, mfers). Though the attacks will keep coming, and our communities will be tested in more ways than we know, AAF is ready to lace our boots up and stand elbow-to-elbow with y’all every single day they come for one of us. 

So let’s hear what’s been going on in the abortosphere since we’ve been gone, and then get to work, friends.

The State vs. Basic Humanity
An Alabama woman WHO HAS SPENT FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR A STILLBIRTH had her conviction vacated by a judge during the holidays. Yes, you read that correctly—Brooke Shoemaker is serving an 18-year sentence for “chemical endangerment of a child” after experiencing a stillbirth, and hospital staff reported her to police after they were told Brooke had used methamphetamine while pregnant. Pregnancy Justice stepped in to prove that the loss of her pregnancy was caused by an infection, NOT substance abuse… but do you think the state admitted their mistake and supported her release? OF COURSE NOT! They immediately appealed and demanded she stay in prison, because they don’t actually care about pregnant people. While vacating the conviction did not release her from prison, it did grant her a new trial where she will hopefully get the justice she deserves. In her own words, “I loved and wanted my baby, and I never deserved this.” And that's the damn truth—she never deserved this.

Healthcare Confidentiality? Never Heard of Her.
Speaking of pregnancy criminalization: a Kentucky woman was charged with murder for a self-managed abortion and burying the fetal remains in her backyard. She was charged with fetal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence after confiding in healthcare providers… ya know, the people you’re supposed to be able to trust! Here’s the thing: it is not illegal to take abortion pills in Kentucky, the fetal homicide law explicitly exempts pregnant people, AND there are no legal standards for how to dispose of fetal remains. SO WTF ARE THEY EVEN DOING?! They don’t even know. Look what happened next:

They had to drop the homicide charge because their “arrest first, learn the law later” buffoonery didn’t hold up. Sadly, the other two charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence still stand because we’re living in an absolute hellscape. Anti-abortion forces will stop at nothing and ignore whatever laws they can to punish abortion seekers and drag them through the mud.

New Feminist Buzzkills Episode: Drops TODAY!

Your favorite Feminist Buzzkills are dropping their first pod of the year, and boy is it a doozy! Lizz and Moji are going through all of the big abortion and reproductive news that was purposely dropped over the holidays, from an escalation of “there’s abortions in our water” fervor, to a big abortion win in Wyoming—lots of news happened while we were distracted with baking, wrapping, and just trying to survive. 

And because the biggest bombshell stories that dropped in the reprosphere were about trans healthcare, we wanted to dive in with a tireless expert guest to walk us though it!

Joining Us This Week!

Minnesota State House Representative Leigh Finke, the first openly trans member in the Minnesota State Legislature! Leigh dives into all of the anti-trans healthcare assaults that the Trump Administration dropped over the holidays, and brings us updates on the tragic ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good. We know we say this often (and it’s always true ofc), but this is absolutely a pod you won’t want to miss!

Now for Some Ways You Can Fight Back!
The world is burning, and it will take ALL of us to save it—let’s get the hell out there and do some good! 

Sign Up for the AAF Volunteer Skill Share
You have the skills, we’ve got the clinics—let’s put them together! Do you do landscaping, are you great at taxes, can you edit video and create graphics? Tell us all about it, and we’ll do our best to connect you with clinics that need your skills! Trust us… everybody has skills to share.

We can all help out in our own ways—fill out the form now and help us build up our network to support abortion!!

Check Out Our Activist Calendar Below
Our Activist calendar is loaded with events and actions both nationally or in your community – pick your poison and get your boots on the ground!

Not feeling like you wanna dig around a calendar? We chose a highlight just for you!

FEATURED ACTIVIST EVENT THIS WEEK

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Fighting for Abortion Access
Anti-abortion forces will keep creating barriers to sexual and reproductive health care and training, so it’s time to build collective power and fight for the access we all deserve! Repro TLC and Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) are launching the Power in Action: Sexual and Reproductive Health Advocacy Training Series that kicks off with a panel discussion, Power in People: Approaches to SRH Advocacy with Leaders from the Movement, on Thursday, January 15th from 7pm to 9pm ET—registration link here!

Now More Than Ever Abortion Access Front Could Use Your Support 
If we made you smarter or helped you engage with fellow do-gooders, please consider dropping a few dollars in the coffers to help us keep the work going!

It’s heavy as hell out there, friends. Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and we’ll protect our communities together.

In solidarity,
XO Team Abortion AF