1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to wok F Daily with 2 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody recording pre recording from the 3 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: Brooklyn Bunker. Folks, once again, I am so excited to 4 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: be bringing you this week of stories from powerful powerhouse 5 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: women across multiple industries, and today is no different. Today 6 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: I'm in conversation with Renee excuse me, Renee Bracy Sherman, 7 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: who is the CEO behind Abortion Stories, and we testify. 8 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 1: You know, folks, I have been talking about abortion on 9 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: this show, probably more than I have since I began 10 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: woke F many years ago, and it's because I realized 11 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: for the very first time that abortion is under assault 12 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: more now than it was when Rove Wade was passed 13 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: back in nineteen seventy four. And as we make the 14 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: slow Death March to June, when the Supreme Court will 15 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 1: provide the death knell to Rove Wade, which provided abortion 16 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: access to women and people with uteruses across this country 17 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: for the last forty seven sid years, we'll come to 18 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: an end and Renee will talk today about why it's 19 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 1: so important for us to tell abortion stories and actually 20 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: utter the word abortion instead of saying reproductive care or 21 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: women's rights, why it's important to name this thing. And 22 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: she will also talk about her push with her organization, 23 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: we Testify to get the Abiden administration to finally utter 24 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: the word abortion. She brought up something interesting that I 25 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: kind of want to talk about in my opening today, 26 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: which was this, why is it that the left right, 27 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: the quote unquote left, is so against uttering the word abortion, 28 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: but the right uses it all the time. So by 29 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: virtue of the right using the word abortion, right, whether 30 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: they're talking about you know, oh, yes, a fetus was 31 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: aborted at you know, thirty six weeks, which by the way, 32 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: never actually happens, but they have been able to claim 33 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: the word, and they've been able to shroud it in 34 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: shame and make us apologetic about even uttering it, let 35 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: alone having one. And I know several women, different ethnicities, 36 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: different economic status who have had abortions, and they tell 37 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: me that each and every one of them. Was it 38 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: a difficult decision? Yes, sure it is. But would their 39 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: lives be dramatically different? Would they have had the careers 40 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: that they have had, would they have had the schooling 41 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: that they have had, would they have had the opportunity 42 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: that they have had that getting an abortion actually provided 43 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: them with. And you see, Democrats had walked themselves into 44 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: a corner where we're afraid to say the word. Where 45 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,399 Speaker 1: we were the ones that came up with the campaign 46 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: slogan of you know, safe and rare right for the 47 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: use of abortion. We've come up with all of this 48 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: flowery language instead of just calling a thing what it is. 49 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: There is power in naming something. There is power in 50 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: taking that name back right and making it so that no, 51 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: we're not talking about Roe v. Wade, and we're not 52 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: talking about a woman's constitutional right. We are talking about abortion, 53 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: and that abortion is a part of family planning. An 54 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: abortion is a part of healthcare. One of the things 55 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: that Renee brings up as well in our conversation is 56 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: the fact that when Roe v. Wade was first passed 57 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: in the early to mid nineteen seventies, the federal government, 58 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: by virtue of Medicare and Medicaid, you are allowed to 59 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: use your money right the federal government gave you to 60 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: get an abortion. It would be then the High Amendment 61 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: that would make it illegal for you to use federal 62 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: funds in order to access an abortion. That was one 63 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: of the first pushes by the Republican Party and it 64 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: was met with absolutely no pushback. And because of that, 65 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 1: throughout the years, we have seen abortion access and rights 66 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 1: and what that actually means shrink over time. And now 67 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 1: we are in a situation where the people in Texas 68 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: have to flee to bordering states, and now the right 69 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: is not even just okay with that. They're not okay 70 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: with just shutting down abortion in their state. Now they're 71 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: trying to pass legislation that says that if you go 72 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: into a different state where abortion is legal, but you 73 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: come back and it's found out that you had an 74 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: abortion while you were in California or New York or Massachusetts, 75 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: then you can be criminally charged. Think about the ramifications 76 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: for that, folks, Think about if you can do that 77 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: with abortion, what else can you do that with? Right. 78 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: This is when we talk about the fact that abortion 79 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 1: has always been the rights bullhorn right. They've always used 80 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: it as a way to rally their troops, and for 81 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 1: half the population right that doesn't have a uterus, they 82 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: have made abortion a women's rights issue instead of a 83 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 1: person issue, and by virtue of that, we have allowed 84 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,280 Speaker 1: for this to be the problem of those people over 85 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: there not recognizing that what the Right always does, is 86 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: that they start with the low hanging fruit folks, and 87 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 1: then they see, oh did anybody try and check us? 88 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: Did we get any lawsuits waged against us? Oh? No, nothing, 89 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: you see anything over here? No great, Let's keep bulldozing 90 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: over everyone else's civil rights. Let's move to the next community, 91 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: to the next group. It has always been the path 92 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: that Republicans take, which is that if they see no 93 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: real resistance, then they just keep going. And the reality 94 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: is is that we need to put up that fight. 95 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: We need to have been vigilant this entire time, and 96 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: not just assuming that because something went up to the 97 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: Supreme Court and was passed, that the Supreme Court doesn't 98 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: change over time. It fucking does they die or they retire, 99 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: given whatever president is in power at that time. A 100 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: less of course, it's a black man giving them the 101 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: right to be able to seat those justices. So why 102 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: would we think that if ever there was a time 103 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: for the radical right to now have a six three court, 104 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: that they wouldn't try and succeed in overturning all of 105 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: the things that took fifty plus years for us to 106 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: get in the first place. We weren't paying attention and 107 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: This is part of the conversation that I will have 108 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: with Renee, which is, where do you think that Democrats 109 00:07:55,240 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: went wrong here? You know, for every year we always 110 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: seem to cry wolf about the courts, but not in unison, 111 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: not with an education campaign right to the public as 112 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: to why the courts are important. Why there was no 113 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: fucking pushback. Like I said last week to fucking Mitch McConnell, 114 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell had no constitutional right to hold up a 115 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: Supreme Court seat, but because Democrats are so fucking chicken shit, 116 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: they let him do it. And now we got another 117 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: sexual offender, right, people who the ABA doesn't even believe 118 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: are qualified to be Supreme Court justices sitting there by 119 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: virtue of the fact that oh, I wrote a memo 120 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: to Donald Trump so he knew that I was his woman, 121 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: Amy Covid, Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh and Gorsitch. That should 122 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 1: have never happened. Donald Trump most should have had one, 123 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: maybe two Supreme Court seats. But we just let it go. 124 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: And now, for the first time ever, Roe is not 125 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: going to be the law of the land. Now we're 126 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: going to have to fight tooth and nail to get 127 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: something back that we should have never lost in the 128 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: first fucking place. So my conversation with Renee, she will 129 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: also lay out the real scenarios that are already unfolding, 130 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: what the handmaid's tail looks like in Tennessee, in Texas, 131 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 1: in Florida, in Mississippi, in Alabama, and how it is 132 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: that we should not be sitting here saying, well, at 133 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: least I live in a blue state, because she will 134 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 1: talk about that and what blue states are going to 135 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: be up against. We are living in some trying, trying 136 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 1: times and its people like Renee Bracy Sherman who have 137 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 1: been doing the work, been on the front lines, powering 138 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: through so that we as people have access to abortions, 139 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: that we listen to the stories of people who have 140 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: had abortions, so that we are educated, so that we 141 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 1: are thoughtful and we know what we're fighting for. I 142 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: hope that you enjoy this conversation coming up next, folks. 143 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: I am very excited to welcome to Okay f Daily 144 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: for it the very first time, Renee Bracy Sherman, who 145 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 1: is the CEO and head of We Testify, an organization 146 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 1: that looks at and uplifts stories with regard to abortion Renee. 147 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for making the time to join 148 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: woke f now must be a real critical time for 149 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:52,839 Speaker 1: your work, and I don't want to I don't want 150 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: to say that lightly as if there is probably a 151 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: non critical time, But you know, I mean, I have 152 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: never in my lifetime. So I want to ask you 153 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: about yours seeing such an unrelenting attack on abortion rights 154 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: in modern times like we are seeing right now. Tell 155 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: us first a bit about your organization, and then how 156 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: you are feeling in this moment. Yeah, thank you so 157 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: much for having me. I'm really excited to be here. 158 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: It has been just an all out, unrelenting attack on 159 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: abortion access for so long. It's been over a decade 160 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 1: of just NonStop restrictions, wacky bills that people used to 161 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: laugh at and say, this is ridiculous. I can't believe 162 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: you would, you know, somebody would propose this that are 163 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: actually now enacted, and that they're really pushing forward to 164 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: keep us from being able to access an abortion. And 165 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: so a lot of the nightmare realities that we've all 166 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 1: been afraid of are coming true. And I think that's 167 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: what's scariest about it. I think so many people assumed 168 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: five ten years ago. They're never going to overturn Row. 169 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: Why are you all like going on and on about this. 170 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: It's not that big a deal. I remember being at 171 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: various conferences or events and a lot of a lot 172 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: of progressives, particularly white progressives and men, would say, you know, 173 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: this isn't really that big of a deal. They're never 174 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: going to do that. It's not politically advantageous for Republicans 175 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 1: to overturn Row. But again, it's because they don't actually 176 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 1: think that abortion is essential to how we make our families. 177 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: They don't understand the connection to protecting abortion access to 178 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: healthcare overall to liberation for all of us and how 179 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: we create our families, and also the way in which 180 00:12:55,200 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: attacks on abortion access are so deeply connected to white 181 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: supremacy and white supremacist ideology, fascism, the way in which 182 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: they want to be able to control how we live 183 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: our lives and our families. And so that's actually part 184 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: of why I started my organization We Testify, because when 185 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 1: I started sharing my abortion story a little over ten 186 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: years ago, I was often one of the only, if 187 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: not the only, person of color on a panel. There 188 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: was no trans inclusion, There was really no queer inclusion. 189 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: Often I was asked to represent, as a biracial black 190 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: woman all people of color and our abortion experiences, and 191 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: everyone else on the panel would often be white people 192 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: who haven't had abortions. A couple of times there would 193 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: be some who did. And when I learned the statistic 194 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: that the majority of people who have abortions are people 195 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: of color, the majority are living at or just above 196 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: the poverty level, the majority are already parenting, I thought, 197 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: what would it take for us to actually make sure 198 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: that the stories that we hear are reflective of the 199 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: reality of who is having abortions and why. And of course, 200 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 1: part of the reason we don't hear those stories is 201 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: because white supremacy, white privilege, all of those things still 202 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: operate within progressive spaces. Right we get to decide, you say, 203 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: these are the charismatic leaders who often end up being 204 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: white people. They're the ones who get funded in repro 205 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: It's a lot of white women, white women who haven't 206 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: had abortions, because it's kind of this idea that people 207 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: who have had abortions those the people we serve, not 208 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: necessarily the people who are destined to lead us. And 209 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: so I've been working a lot over the last ten 210 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: years to change who's at the table, whose stories we hear. 211 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: And yes, it's important to hear abortion stories, and that 212 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: is a large crux of the work that I do, 213 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: but that's actually just the end. The end is actually 214 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: to change the leaders at the a table, to make 215 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: sure that organizations that are working on abortion access have 216 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: a leadership that is reflective of people who have abortions, 217 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: but particularly the demographics of who has abortions, Like I said, 218 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: for melon carcerated folks, immigrants, people of color, folks who've 219 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: been on medicaid, right, that is just not the reality 220 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: right now, and I think that it shows up in 221 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: the priorities of what the abortion rights movement has been 222 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: fighting for or not fighting for for the last almost 223 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 1: fifty years. Rene, do you feel, you know, wokaf is 224 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: by virtue of a political show, right, and so, but 225 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: I see politics in every shape and form of our lives. 226 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: Do you see do you believe that Democrats have done 227 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: a poor job in terms of talking about abortion and 228 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: how it has always been at risk? I mean because 229 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: I say that I asked that question assuming that we 230 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: shared the same answer, which is yes, right, But but 231 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: you know, but at the same time, you know, it's 232 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: been forty seven years that we've had Roe v. Wade, 233 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,800 Speaker 1: damn near fifty, right, So the assumption was, oh, this 234 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: is codified law. And I don't know why anybody made 235 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: that goddamn assumption. So like, what where do you where 236 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: do you see in the last decade since you've been 237 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 1: doing this work, Where do you see that there could 238 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: have been changes or pivots that could have avoided the moment, 239 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: the Handmaid's tail moment that we are in now. Yeah, 240 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: I mean actually next year marks the fiftieth anniversary okay 241 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: of what would would would right if it lasts? Which? Right? Yeah, 242 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: And I think that's what's scary, right, depending on what 243 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: they say in June, it's not going to make it 244 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 1: to fifty honestly. And the reality is that it effectively 245 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 1: is not real for so many people across this country. 246 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 1: If you are on Medicaid, you cannot use your health 247 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 1: insurance to pay for your abortion. And that is something 248 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 1: that is a policy, is something that Democrats have defended 249 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: for over forty five years. It is only within the 250 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: last couple of years that we got the Democratic Party 251 00:17:33,840 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: to stand in opposition to the High Amendment. The federal 252 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: ban on abortion coverage, to standing in opposition to that, 253 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: and then to finally get a presidential candidate speaking out 254 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: about it, and one presidential candidate who then became president, 255 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: in particular President Biden, he had to be pushed with 256 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: the rest of the field standing in opposition to it, 257 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 1: he had to be pushed and change his position. That 258 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 1: is a lot of advocacy work that we've had to do, 259 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: which I'm really proud of the work that we've done. 260 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: But also, if we are saying that Democrats are the 261 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: party of protecting abortion access, why did we have to 262 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: push that hard to make sure that black and brown folks, 263 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:22,239 Speaker 1: poor folks, poor white folks, anybody on Medicaid, anybody on 264 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: medicare disabled folks have access to abortion coverage. Why did 265 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: we have to fight so hard. If you believe that 266 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: abortion is the law of the land and everyone should 267 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 1: have equitable access to it, then you should not support 268 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: any abortion bands at any time and for any reason, 269 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: because it will harm someone's access. I am also really 270 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:48,400 Speaker 1: proud of the fact that we have gone from politicians 271 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: saying things like safe legal and rare, really stigmatizing abortion 272 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: right and not encouraging us who've had abortions, to share 273 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: our stories to move to the point that we My 274 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: organization has a campaign right now that is demanding that 275 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: the president used the word abortion. He has been in 276 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: office over four hundred days and he refuses to use 277 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: the word abortion. It took two hundred and twenty four 278 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: days of US pushing for his administration to use the 279 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: word abortion. In a written statement that his staffers wrote, 280 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: wrote like, shout out to the staffers who did that. 281 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 1: But if you are saying that you are a pro 282 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: choice president, and you are saying that you believe in 283 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: the right to an abortion, and you want to codify ROWE, 284 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: why are you unable to say the word abortion. It 285 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: is not a bad word. It's not going to get 286 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 1: censored on TV. I mean, but you know what, literally 287 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: it actually kind of does. I was watching I feel 288 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: like I was watching something recently and you know, it 289 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: was like, I think it was an old episode of 290 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 1: Will and Grace and they were like and they were 291 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: refused to say the word abortion. And I said, you 292 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: say shit and fuck on television, right, but you can't 293 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: say abortion? What does that mean? And I know that, Like, 294 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: so what do you how do you see the power 295 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: in utilizing that word, because you a part of what 296 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: you do is to you don't say we're telling pro 297 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,920 Speaker 1: choice stories or we're telling reproductive health stories. You say 298 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 1: we're telling abortion stories. What is the power? What what 299 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 1: what power do you see in that word? And what 300 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: would it mean for it to come out of the 301 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: mouth of the President of the United States. Yeah, I mean, 302 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 1: simply put, I didn't go to the clinic to have 303 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: a constitutionally protected right by rov Wade. I went to 304 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: have an abortion. And I think that when we talk 305 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: about things very clearly, we are open about it. Right. 306 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: Conservatives are not afraid of using the word abortion. They've 307 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: kind of pushed it so that it is this dirty 308 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: word and that people are afraid to defend it. And 309 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: I think that when we talk about something openly right, 310 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: we name what it is and we take away the 311 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: stigma and oh, you can't talk about it up, you know, 312 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: in public. It's not polite dinner conversation. Why it is 313 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 1: a healthcare procedure. It is a procedure that made my 314 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,199 Speaker 1: life the way that it is, and it has shaped 315 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: millions of families across this country. But why is it 316 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: that any type of reproductive healthcare, anything that deals with 317 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: our bodies, whether it's trans healthcare, whether it's prenatal care, 318 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: any of those things. Periods that they're considered stigmatized and 319 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: that we can't talk about them openly. I just saw 320 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 1: the film, the Disney film or picks, our film Turning Red, 321 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: which is about periods, essentially this little girl getting her 322 00:21:55,320 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: period and the awkwardness of being a tween, and vidoms 323 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: are upset about it, claiming that, oh, well, we don't 324 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: like that film because it's, you know, a little girl 325 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: disobeying her parents, which so is a little Mermaid. Okay, 326 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: so is Beauty and the Beast. They all are right, 327 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,199 Speaker 1: but I think actually, at the core of it, they 328 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 1: don't want to name the thing, but they're uncomfortable with 329 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 1: a film talking about bodies and periods and reproduction, and 330 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: they're afraid that people will see that we can talk 331 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: about these things in a thoughtful way, We can talk 332 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: about them within our families, We can get rid of 333 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,680 Speaker 1: the stigma and the shame, and that it's okay. And 334 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: I think I often hear a lot of people say 335 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 1: to me, well, it's just a word, Renee, what's the difference? 336 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: Who cares? What the president says it, he's on our side, 337 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: And my response is, one, if it's just a word, 338 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: why won't he Why won't use it? Right? So you'll 339 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: use the right. They say it's just a word, what's 340 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: the big deal? And then you say it, right, it's 341 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: just a word, what's the big say it? So say it? 342 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: And I guess the question is why do you use 343 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 1: triple the amount of characters in a tweet to say 344 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: women's constitutionally protected healthcare under Roe v. Wade when you 345 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:15,959 Speaker 1: can just say abortion? Abortion. My goal, my wish, my 346 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 1: hope is that at some point the president will address 347 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: us himself, because he has not come out and address 348 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 1: the nation in a way that he should and the 349 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: way that he should. He has on so many other issues, right, 350 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: what would it look like for him to come out 351 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: and address the nation and say we're at a crisis. 352 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: Conservatives are using abortion to destroy so many of the 353 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: basic held protections of our constitution and our democracy because 354 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 1: they are. What they're doing is they are using abortion 355 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,640 Speaker 1: and the central holdings in Roe v. Wade. If they 356 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: can unsettle those, then what they can do is attack 357 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:01,400 Speaker 1: the Fourteenth Amendment, the right to privacy. They can attack 358 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: federal jurisdiction and protections in over states. It is about abortion, 359 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: but it is also beyond abortion. This is about trying 360 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 1: to unsettle so many pieces of our democracy. He could 361 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 1: talk about it in that way. He could talk about 362 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: it and say, look, look, folks like I, like all 363 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: of you, love someone who's had an abortion. I think 364 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:30,959 Speaker 1: that these laws are malarky, and I think that, you know, 365 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: we should make sure everyone has access to abortion care 366 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:37,199 Speaker 1: at any time and any reason. All he has to 367 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: do is come out and say that you know, these 368 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 1: these are ridiculous that you are trying to allow citizens 369 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,960 Speaker 1: to sue other people for being able to access healthcare 370 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 1: in their communities or also now the new laws or 371 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: new bills are to sue them if they leave the 372 00:24:55,760 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: state to access that healthcare. Oh yes, which sounds to 373 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: me a bit like, oh, I don't know, communism and 374 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 1: banning travel of citizens like freedom of movement. How does 375 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: that work in a democracy. I'd be truly wild to 376 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: me the way in which they want to be able 377 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 1: to say, no, you cannot leave a state to go 378 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: get healthcare. Oh and by the way, we're not going 379 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: to give it to you here. But what I think 380 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: is again the central holding in that is the abortion stigma. 381 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: They want people to be afraid to tell their loved 382 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: ones that they want an abortion. They want us to 383 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,719 Speaker 1: be afraid to go to people in our lives for help. 384 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: That is why us sharing our abortion stories and talking 385 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: about it. It's so scary to them because we're pushing 386 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,639 Speaker 1: back on all of the myths and the stigma and 387 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: the lies, and it's absolute disinformation that they've been pushing. Right, 388 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 1: they want to criminalize the idea of supporting loved ones 389 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: in family at least, and I think it's simply that 390 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: they that they want to keep people from being able 391 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: to think about abortion as an option. I remember years 392 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: ago Paul Ryan when he was I think Speaker of 393 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 1: the House that you know, something like they we don't 394 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 1: want to make an abortion like not a choice, We 395 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: want to make it unthinkable. And that is that is it? Right? 396 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: It is this idea that they want to criminalize people 397 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 1: for helping one another, for even thinking about wanting an abortion. 398 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: And I also think it's wild because like there are 399 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: other things in which some things are legal in some 400 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: states and not in others. Take marijuana for example, Right, 401 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: you can fly to DC or California, and you know 402 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 1: it's either it's decriminalized here in DC, it's legalized in California. 403 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 1: In Oregon, right, you can buy weed, you could smoke it, 404 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: enjoy and then go back to your home, let's say, 405 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 1: in Missouri or to be where it's illegal. You did 406 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: the thing in it's legal in that state. Imagine coming home, 407 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 1: not doing it in your states, right, but still being 408 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: sued for it because you went into a state where 409 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: it is legal and you did it and you enjoyed. Right. 410 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,919 Speaker 1: That is essentially what that law in Missouri is trying 411 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:25,640 Speaker 1: to do. And Idaho as while later, what they're really 412 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 1: trying to do is say if you leave the state 413 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: to go get this constitutionally protected healthcare, you can be sued. 414 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: That is nuts because if you think about it again, 415 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: what other things can they do this too? If they 416 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: can do this on abortion and this is but this 417 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 1: is they would anything. This is the thing that I 418 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 1: believe is the failure of messaging right by the Democratic 419 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: Party is that you everything that Republicans are doing right 420 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: now is a slippery slope. Everything right, So you start it, 421 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:57,719 Speaker 1: you start off in the schools, and you start and 422 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: you target transy youth, right, Who do you think is 423 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 1: going to be next? Do you think that they're going 424 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: to stop there? You go ahead, and you and you 425 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: target first, you make the first policy and legislation that 426 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:11,360 Speaker 1: you're putting out at about abortion in Texas, and then 427 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,360 Speaker 1: all of a sudden it's in Florida, and then it's 428 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: in Tennessee, and then it's in all of these places. 429 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 1: They are not going to stop there. It is a 430 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: game of how far can we go right? And what 431 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: they are seeing right now is absolutely no opposition right 432 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: from the Democratic Party in any way to defend right 433 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: people with uteruses in these states that are under attack. 434 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: And so you know, for me, it's like we need 435 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: to tell the stories. We need the president to have 436 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: a spine and to say and to say the word, 437 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 1: to say abortion and to talk about abortion freely, because 438 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: it is what it is, right like it is what 439 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: it is. It is a necessary part of life. It 440 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: is a necessary part of family planning, like it just is. 441 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: And so to even entertain an idea of a Paul 442 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: Ryan and of oh it needs to be something that 443 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: is unthinkable, you know what should be unthinkable? Rape? You 444 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 1: know what should be unthinkable incest, you know what should 445 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: be unthinkable, human trafficking, none of those things which are 446 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 1: which are carved out in any of the pieces of 447 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: legislation that are happening, right, And so I feel what 448 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: get I get so angry because I'm like, the opposition 449 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: to this shouldn't be rocket science, right, it's just telling 450 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: the truth as many times as you can it right. Truly, 451 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: it's so simple. And I think what that the goal 452 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: is that they're playing on the uncomfort that people have 453 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: with abortion, with sexuality, the gender identity. They're playing on 454 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: that and hoping that you see us as not you. Oh, 455 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: that I would never need an abortion, I would never 456 00:29:56,280 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 1: want one. I'm not trans. I don't know anyone's trans. 457 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 1: That's not me. That's not something that's impacting my family 458 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: and my life, which it is. But because you don't 459 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,440 Speaker 1: talk openly about it, the people in your life who 460 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: are queer or trans or had abortions are probably not 461 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: telling you about their experiences because they don't know how 462 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: you're going to react. So that's why it's important that 463 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: we talk about this openly. But they're hoping that the 464 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: Democratic Party, that all of us, won't mount a defense 465 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 1: enough that they can get it through, and then they 466 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: can use it as a testing ground for something else, 467 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: such as voting rights. They basically take a lot of 468 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: the playbook that they use for abortion, and the way 469 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 1: they've shut down clinics, the way they have waiting periods, 470 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: all of those things. They've taken that, and then they 471 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: actually apply it to things like voting rights, immigration. It's 472 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 1: all at the exact same time because they know it's 473 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: the same group of people. Again, the majority of people 474 00:30:56,280 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 1: who have abortions are people of color. They know that 475 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 1: if they can attack us on this, they can use 476 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: it to attack us on everything else. And so, if 477 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:12,240 Speaker 1: you are not willing to defend the reproductive freedom, the 478 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: ability to create families for people of color like you're, 479 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: there's so much more that you're not willing to defend 480 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: until it harms you. And again, this assault on abortion 481 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: access has been happening for a long long time. It 482 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 1: started with the High Amendment because after Roe v. Wade 483 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: legalized abortion across the country, we did have a couple 484 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 1: of years where Medicaid covered abortion, but they specifically went 485 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: after the High Amendment because they knew it was impacting 486 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: people of color, poor folks, poor white folks and what happened, 487 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 1: nobody defended it. And then after that, that is when 488 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 1: they started doing all the like personhood stuff where they 489 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 1: basically went after people who had drug addictions, particularly black 490 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 1: and brown pregnant people, criminalizing them for what happens to 491 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:10,239 Speaker 1: their pregnancies. They're criminalizing people for the outcomes of their 492 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: pregnancies now, right, But that's been happening for forty some 493 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: odd years. But people didn't pay attention why because it 494 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,479 Speaker 1: was happening to black and brown, because it was happening 495 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: to people that they didn't care about. I mean that's 496 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,600 Speaker 1: I mean, this is that is the reality of war, right. 497 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: You dehumanize people. You target people that no one will 498 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: care about, and no one will come to their aid, 499 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 1: and they will make it their fault. As to why 500 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: you like it is, there is so much there's such 501 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: a lack of empathy and understanding because we've dehumanized you 502 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 1: to the point where you should just make better choices, right, 503 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: you should, It's about you. You should just keep it. 504 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: I posted a video, yeah, I posted a video just recently, 505 00:32:56,840 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: and I had women about abortion, and I had women 506 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: in the comments telling me, well, you just need to 507 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 1: keep your legs closed, bitch, excuse me, right like you know, 508 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: it's it's one of those things where I recognize that 509 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: it isn't just the right you know, it isn't just 510 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:19,440 Speaker 1: the white evangelical Christians, It isn't just the right wing conservatives. 511 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 1: It is the problem of people within within our own 512 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 1: party right who haven't been who haven't been warriors for us, 513 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: And that, to me, is the problem. So last question 514 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: for you. We know where this is going in June, 515 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 1: when the Supreme Court decides on the Mississippi case. We 516 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: know that that is the end of row. What does 517 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 1: the country look like Renee after June. Yeah, I mean 518 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 1: it's actually really terrifying to think about. And I'm gonna 519 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: do us not to cry because I think it really 520 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: stresses me out to think about this, right because what 521 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:07,760 Speaker 1: we see in Texas right now is we don't have 522 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: to wait till June to know what it's going to 523 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: look like. We already know. You can look at Texas, 524 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: you can look at Mississippi. It is everywhere. And I 525 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 1: think that's what's so frustrating and scary about it is 526 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:24,200 Speaker 1: that everyone keeps saying, well, would have after June, after 527 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court decides. The Supreme Court told us what 528 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 1: they thought. Y'all just need to believe them the first 529 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 1: time they told you. The fact that they took the 530 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 1: case up told us that they were getting ready to 531 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 1: overturn right, the fact that they let Texas allow Randos 532 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 1: to sue people and effectively ban abortion after six weeks, 533 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:54,719 Speaker 1: which is mostly abortions at like they said, sure fine, 534 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:58,880 Speaker 1: despite robing quote unquote the law of the land right now, 535 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,759 Speaker 1: that should tell you that's the answer, right, Yeah. And 536 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:06,360 Speaker 1: I think this idea that well, people in red states 537 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:10,040 Speaker 1: will have to travel absolutely that's true. That I really 538 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 1: need people to understand that everyone is probably going to 539 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 1: have to travel, because what will happen is, yes, people 540 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: in places where it is severely restricted and criminalized will 541 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: have to come to states where it's more legalized, more available, 542 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:31,240 Speaker 1: but also appointments get booked up, and people it takes 543 00:35:31,239 --> 00:35:34,600 Speaker 1: them longer and longer. I live in Washington, d C. 544 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 1: And people travel to Washington, d C. To be able 545 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: to get abortion care here. Yes, from Florida and Mississippi 546 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:47,839 Speaker 1: and Alabama, but also from Massachusetts and New York. So 547 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:51,640 Speaker 1: this idea that oh, I live in a blue state, 548 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: I'll be fine, No, you walked, It's stop it. It's 549 00:35:55,960 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 1: not true. Everyone needs access, they deserve it in their communities. 550 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:05,360 Speaker 1: The other thing we're going to see is increased criminalization. Again, 551 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: it is a thing that is already happening. People have 552 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 1: miscarriages or are suspected of self managing their abortions, they 553 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:17,240 Speaker 1: go to the er asking for help, right, they tell 554 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,359 Speaker 1: their story to a trust and medical provider, and then 555 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: that medical provider breaks that trust by calling the cops. 556 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: So again it's a whole other conversation. But why defunding 557 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 1: the police is an abortion access issue? Right? We have 558 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:40,680 Speaker 1: to decriminalize pregnancy and abortion. And then lastly, what I 559 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 1: think we are seeing right now and I hope we 560 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 1: have more of and folks can get involved in, is 561 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 1: supporting local abortion funds to help people travel to be 562 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:53,799 Speaker 1: able to get their abortions and afford their abortions. And 563 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: also we're going to see more self managed abortions, which 564 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 1: I want to be clear, just because something is illegal 565 00:36:59,239 --> 00:37:03,759 Speaker 1: does not mean it's unsafe. Self managed abortion is not 566 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:08,320 Speaker 1: always unsafe, right. There are, of course historically unsafe methods. 567 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: But if you just take one methopristone pill and four 568 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:16,680 Speaker 1: mysopostal pills twenty four hours later. That's a medication abortion. 569 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:20,840 Speaker 1: Whether you get it via telemedicine from a doctor or 570 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 1: a nurse at inside the clinic, or you order it 571 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 1: online yourself, it is safe and so people can take 572 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: it on their own safely at home. The only risk 573 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 1: is criminalization. So let's say you start bleeding a little 574 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:41,320 Speaker 1: heavily and you're like, something's wrong even though it's going normal, 575 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 1: and you go to your doctor and you're like, I 576 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 1: want some help, and the doctor is like at starts 577 00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 1: asking questions and then again calls that cop. We do 578 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: not need cops in healthcare. We do not need cops 579 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 1: in abortion care at all. And so I think that's 580 00:37:56,080 --> 00:37:59,160 Speaker 1: what's really important, and we really need to focus on 581 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: the criminalization piece as we move into this larger scale 582 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:11,320 Speaker 1: criminalization of abortion nationwide. Renee, I can't tell you enough 583 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: how much I appreciate you, your work, your passion. I 584 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:18,839 Speaker 1: know that it is an incredibly trying time for all 585 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:21,200 Speaker 1: of us, but particularly those that are working on the 586 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 1: front lines. So I hope that you do take good 587 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 1: care of yourself and your self care and you your 588 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:33,600 Speaker 1: self management, because it's a lot. It's it is a 589 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:39,839 Speaker 1: lot to listen to horrible stories every day of things 590 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 1: that are going wrong. I really do hope also that 591 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,600 Speaker 1: you'll come back and join us on We'll Gay f again. 592 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,600 Speaker 1: Really appreciate you. Please tell folks if they want more information, 593 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:53,400 Speaker 1: how they can follow you and find you or support 594 00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:57,720 Speaker 1: any of the number of campaigns that you are working on. Yeah, 595 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,120 Speaker 1: you can check out we testify at our website. We 596 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:03,400 Speaker 1: testify dot org. Of course we're on Instagram and Facebook 597 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:08,440 Speaker 1: and Twitter really importantly. On our website, we have a 598 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 1: project called Abortion Explained. Anything you want to know about abortion, 599 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 1: especially it's intersections with incarceration or queer justice or you know, poverty, whatever, 600 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:22,480 Speaker 1: any of those things. We have explainers for that to 601 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 1: help break this down. If you want to join us 602 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:29,400 Speaker 1: in calling on the President to say the word abortion, 603 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:33,959 Speaker 1: you can follow our campaign Say Abortion Joe on Instagram 604 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 1: and Twitter, and our website is did Biden say abortion yet? 605 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 1: Dot org? We are keeping track if he's saying the 606 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:45,040 Speaker 1: word abortion. We hope you will. I believe in you, Joe, 607 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: and then of course you can find me. I love Twitter, 608 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 1: so I'm you know at our Bracy Sherman on Twitter 609 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 1: and then Renee Bracy Sherman on Instagram and then my 610 00:39:54,719 --> 00:40:00,240 Speaker 1: least favorite Facebook. Thank you so much for making the time. 611 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:03,880 Speaker 1: We appreciate you, and strength and power to you as 612 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,799 Speaker 1: you continue the fight that more people need to be 613 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 1: a part of. Thank you so much. That is it 614 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,760 Speaker 1: for me today. Dear friends on woke f as always, 615 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:22,560 Speaker 1: power to the people and to all the people power, 616 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:25,160 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.