Strong Women Stand Up and Fight: 10 Things You Can do RIGHT NOW

On Friday, June 24th, the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled that I am no longer a full citizen of this country.?I was 2 years old in 1973 with my entire life ahead of me. I grew up in a religiously and politically conservative family in a suburb of a large city. I never had to question my right to have autonomy over my own body, over my reproductive rights. I do know that if I had needed to have an abortion, for any reason at all, I could have done so. I still know that I have that right today as I live in a state that supports women as equal citizens.

My grandmother was adopted in 1920. My brother was adopted in 1970. My husband and I adopted our two beautiful sons in 2001 and 2004. My boys’ birth mother could have chosen to have an abortion with either of them. She had that right.

You would speculate that I may be against abortion because of those circumstances. Because of my family of origin, because of my brother, because of my children. However, you would be wrong. I am pro-women. I am pro-women’s rights. I am a supporter of the marginalized; the women who cannot choose their circumstances due to poverty, lack of education, and other life conditions that are out of their control.

You see, I believe women should have a choice and that the government should not have influence or control over what a woman does with her body. These decisions are not about being pro-birth, rather they are about the government inserting control. Because of that, women are at risk, and some will die. Abortions will not stop. Women will be forced to travel to other states or make terrifying decisions that could cost them their lives. I believe every woman should have access to good reproductive healthcare and should be able to make her own decisions based on what she feels is right for her. It is not on me or the government to pass judgement. Women’s rights are human rights. Reproductive rights are human rights.

Many of us are feeling helpless, hopeless, and angry. But what can we do right now to move the needle in the right direction?

Here are 10 things you can do to help support your fellow women as equal citizens with the right to control their own body autonomy:

1. Read something positive! Companies, big and small, are changing their healthcare policies to include covering travel expenses for women who live in states that do not support women’s rights. Take a look at these articles for more detail: https://mashable.com/article/companies-reimburse-abortion-travel , https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-24/jpmorgan-cvs-and-other-employers-will-cover-abortions-after-roe-overturned , https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/24/tech/companies-abortion-reaction/index.html
2. Support safety in reproductive rights. Donate to Planned Parenthood.
3. Volunteer to support women in need of abortions. As of April 2022, there are over 50 organizations working across the country providing practical support to people seeking abortions. Most of these groups work in specific areas providing local support. A handful work regionally and/or nationally. You can find them here: https://apiaryps.org/pso-list
4. If you’ve had an abortion, share your story. These stories are personal and private. If you can, share yours with the world to lend your support now when it’s needed most. Sharing your story shows that you’re somebody who can empathize, will understand, and be a helper if somebody needs information or resources to get to the care that they need. Share it on social media if you can. If not, share it with a friend.
5. Call your lawmakers, send them a letter, donate funds to their campaigns. Ask your elected officials and local candidates where they stand on reproductive rights, demand commitments to protecting abortion access, and spread the word to other voters. Here’s a list of representatives here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
6. VOTE like your rights depend on it, because they do. The clearest way we can be heard is to vote people into office that have our interests at heart, especially when it comes to the issue of reproductive health.
7. Share resources such as the Repro Legal Helpline . It’s free, secure and confidential for anyone who needs legal information about self-managed abortion (the abortion pill) or youth access to clinical abortion.
8. Get abortion pills, even if you don’t need them. At some point, you may know someone who does need them. Instead of relying on access to abortion when it’s needed, we now have to take preventive measures. Planning for our own medical and reproductive health is paramount. The World Health Organization supports home use of the abortion pills up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. You can get abortion pills for future use from Women on Web and Aid Access .
9. Support the ACLU in their fight to keep defending access to abortions. You can sign the pledge here: https://go.peoplepower.org/signup/take-pledge-commit-being-defender-abortion-rights?redirect=abortion-pledge
10. Finally, write, talk, scream, converse. We have every right to defend our rights as equal citizens of the United States. The more we talk about it, the more action we take. Engage your family, your parents, your children, your friends, your partners, your employers in conversation. No one can read your mind. They don’t know how you feel unless you share it and the more we converse, the more normalized the subject becomes.

If you have any other ideas on how we can support women and their reproductive rights, I encourage you to share them in the comments. If you don’t agree, please be respectful with your comments.

Andrea Heuston, founder and CEO of Artitudes has been in the tech industry for over 30 years. Artitudes is a creative communications solutions firm that specializes in connecting messages to audiences through impactful words and visuals. Andrea is a respected business leader and entrepreneur who is sought after as a board member and a Keynote speaker. She passionately contributes to several nonprofit organizations and has been a prolific voice on women’s and leadership topics in the workforce. In 2020, she started her own podcast “The Lead Like a Woman Show” focusing on empowering women leaders to empower others through topical discussions and interviews with female leaders. She is passionate about helping to close the gender gap for women in business. Check out her new book, Lead Like a Woman – Tales From the Trenches.