Over at Feminocracy, earlgreyrooibos tackles the tough topic of universal health care, ensuring access to abortion and contraception, and the ways in which access is already limited:
Of course, as I've written elsewhere, there are many women who are already stuck. Those who live in rural areas may not be able to travel far enough to find a pro-choice doctor. They may not have a car. They may not be able to afford the abortion, and they may not have a pro-choice friend who is able to lend money. I know that the time in my life when I was most terrified of an accidental pregnancy was when I was a broke college student with no car and living 60 miles from the nearest abortion clinic. I admit that I was still better off than many women; I could have found a friend with a car to drive me, and I could have scraped together the money by borrowing from a wealthy friend or even taking out another student loan. But I still had that fear of whether or not I'd be able to find a ride or get the loan. Fortunately, my fears were never realized. Yet there are other women who are not going to be so lucky.And so now I find myself in a different sort of planning mode. I can write letters and blog posts and sign petitions and protest and march in order to convince legislators and other relevant parties that abortion is not contraception, and that contraception should be available and affordable to all women who ask for it. But what happens if the worst case scenario comes through, and this legislation passes? What if women's access to contraception experiences yet another roadblock?
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Just a note, many women's resource centers or women's shelters would be able to facilitate an appointment with an abortion provider by providing transportation and funding. The health unit is able to provide free or low cost birth control. I realize this is not a perfect solution but it is something that can be worked around. Please note that I can only speak from personal experience and I live in Ontario Canada, in a very small town where many do not have a car, and public transit does not exist. However, in this province, it is fairly easy to access an abortion clinic, and our health care system covers the cost of the procedure. So my point is, please don't accept the worst-case scenario and try seeking out advocates who can help you with your decision and the actions that follow.
Just a note, many women's resource centers or women's shelters would be able to facilitate an appointment with an abortion provider by providing transportation and funding. The health unit is able to provide free or low cost birth control. I realize this is not a perfect solution but it is something that can be worked around. Please note that I can only speak from personal experience and I live in Ontario Canada, in a very small town where many do not have a car, and public transit does not exist. However, in this province, it is fairly easy to access an abortion clinic, and our health care system covers the cost of the procedure. So my point is, please don't accept the worst-case scenario and try seeking out advocates who can help you with your decision and the actions that follow.
Just a note, many women's resource centers or women's shelters would be able to facilitate an appointment with an abortion provider by providing transportation and funding. The health unit is able to provide free or low cost birth control. I realize this is not a perfect solution but it is something that can be worked around. Please note that I can only speak from personal experience and I live in Ontario Canada, in a very small town where many do not have a car, and public transit does not exist. However, in this province, it is fairly easy to access an abortion clinic, and our health care system covers the cost of the procedure. So my point is, please don't accept the worst-case scenario and try seeking out advocates who can help you with your decision and the actions that follow.
Did you know that the National Network of Abortion Funds is working on this right now? They’re in the planning stages of putting together a practical support network to do exactly what earlgreyrooibos described — get women the transportation, lodging, and other practical things that they need to get to providers. In fact, many abortion funds around the country already provide these services.
If you’re interested in becoming involved, you can send an email to the National Network of Abortion Funds through their website.
Just a note, many women's resource centers or women's shelters would be able to facilitate an appointment with an abortion provider by providing transportation and funding. The health unit is able to provide free or low cost birth control. I realize this is not a perfect solution but it is something that can be worked around. Please note that I can only speak from personal experience and I live in Ontario Canada, in a very small town where many do not have a car, and public transit does not exist. However, in this province, it is fairly easy to access an abortion clinic, and our health care system covers the cost of the procedure. So my point is, please don't accept the worst-case scenario and try seeking out advocates who can help you with your decision and the actions that follow.
Oops sorry for the multiple post, didn't think it was working as I kept getting an error message.
I don't know that there's an amenable gov't solution to universal access. At some point individuals are responsible for their own affairs, even responsible for just plain bad luck. I don't know that affordability is even the problem. I've never known condoms to be unaffordable.
And from the POV of the broader article, Drs have choices too. And freedom to practice religion is the 1st Amendment. Forcing DRs to perform non-life threatenting procedures they have moral qualms about violates their right to choice as much as forbidding women from getting abortions does.
And before you suggest that, "Oh, they shouldn't have become a doctor if they didn't want to", note that doctor could respond, "And you shouldn't have become pregnant"...At the end of the day, the only fair option is that everyone gets a choice, health care workers included.
"And before you suggest that, "Oh, they shouldn't have become a doctor if they didn't want to", note that doctor could respond, "And you shouldn't have become pregnant"...At the end of the day, the only fair option is that everyone gets a choice, health care workers included.
and that response fails epically, because as far as i'm aware, there is no switch a woman can flip to decide whether she becomes pregnant or not. or maybe my uterus is just defective.
"And before you suggest that, "Oh, they shouldn't have become a doctor if they didn't want to", note that doctor could respond, "And you shouldn't have become pregnant"...At the end of the day, the only fair option is that everyone gets a choice, health care workers included.
and that response fails epically, because as far as i'm aware, there is no switch a woman can flip to decide whether she becomes pregnant or not. or maybe my uterus is just defective.
"...and that response fails epically, because as far as i'm aware, there is no switch a woman can flip to decide whether she becomes pregnant or not."
Really? How about contraception? Or abstinence? Those are two pretty good switches. And unless we're talking the Virgin Mary, the latter is 100% effective.
Occasionally everyone suffers from bad choices, or just plain bad luck. Unfortunately that's life.
Yes, but what you forget is that NO birth control method is 100% effective. And as far as abstinence goes, cut the crap already. I have no intention of having kids ever, does it mean I should be abstinent until menopause?
Comparing unwanted pregnancy with medical studies has to be the stupidest argument ever. Does anyone become a doctor by accident? I don't think so.
I'm sick and tired of hearing the same shit all the time, especially from MEN. Come back and lecture us when you've grown a uterus. Maybe THEN you might have a clue. Maybe then you'd know what it feels like to have that threat hanging over you, just because nice doctors have the CHOICE to prevent you from getting access to contraception, abortion or sterilization.
"Occasionally everyone suffers from bad choices, or just plain bad luck. Unfortunately that's life."
It's so bloody easy to say when you know your life will never be on the line.