Abortion Access is a Black-Ass Right
Welcome to This Black-Ass Life! This week, we’re reflecting on access to abortion and how that affects our Black asses. The Mississippi case in front of the Supreme Court is specifically about the racist intention of the state to control Black people’s autonomy to our own bodies.
I. The Facts
We are in a world where 21 states, with a combined population of 135+ million people, are poised to ban or severely restrict abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Some quick facts on abortions:
Abortions happen, whatever the law is. Abortions happen because unintended pregnancies happen.
In 2011, nearly half of pregnancies in the U.S. were unintended. One factor in lowering unintended pregnancy rates is Title X and ACA expanding access to birth control.
Consequently, almost a quarter of women in America (23.7%) will have an abortion by 45.
Surprise, surprise, poor people, people of color and people without a high school education have a higher rate of unintended pregnancies.
We have a lot of misconceptions about the types of people, especially women, who get abortions, but those of all religious affiliations, acrosss all 50 states, at various income levels, of all races choose to end pregnancies. Further, more than half of abortion patients were already parents.
Why does it matter?
Want another surprise? The movement to restrict abortion and midwifery is rooted in racism and slavery. It was white supremacy all along, y’all!
Prior to the Civil War, it was legal to access abortion and contraceptives. However, following slavery, skilled Black and Indigenous midwives represented competition for white men entering the practice of obstetrics. Gynecologists pushed women out of the reproductive health field with moves to ban midwifery and abortion.
Access to abortion and contraceptives is important to people who want to prevent pregnancies as well as to those who wish to give birth as the U.S. is in dire need of comprehensive care. The U.S. still has one of the highest mortality rates for birth givers in the world and, of course, Black birth givers are at greatest risk.
Abortion bans mean forced unwanted pregnancies resulting in medical and health risks for people, especially for Black people, who then, if they and their baby survive, have to rely on absolutely lacking systems of support for family care.
It is so scary that we were born in a world where we had more access to our bodies than birth giving people in the future will have to theirs.
What can my Black ass do?
Learn more about abortion doulas and how you can support them.
Give your time, talent and/or dollars to the National Network of Abortion Funds, especially to funds in abortion-restricted states.
Get into abortion rights advocacy by supporting National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda.
II. Other Things
Black-ass happenings
Mariah Carey makes history with the first holiday hit to reach diamond status. She’s the reason for this season.
Doja Cat’s new music video is codable!
Thank goodness for Black-ass humor because this panny is TAXING. Read up on the ‘Omarion Variant.’
Far be it from me (Mitu) to plug a Bezos entity, but y’all should check out Harlem. I need a million shows and movies on Black women’s friendship.
The legend herself, Kaavia James, recently taught her father how to play piano.
The bravery (and foolishness) of one father who thought he could take two children to get COVID and flu shots by himself.
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Jumoke):
Leslie Odom’s Christmas album is so good. Snow! Also this South African oldie reminds me of Christmas on the continent in the 90s.
Things we look forward to / don’t look forward to:
I (Jumoke) look forward to eating at Crab World. The best thing about living in one of the only few Black neighborhoods left in NW DC is premier negro cuisine like this one. Y’all, boiled egg is a side!
I (Mitu) look forward to My Favorite Christmas Melody starring MYA on Lifetime.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Parent
My (Jumoke’s) mama is unintentionally savage.
Stay Black, thrive and enjoy some Mariah Carey! We'll hit your inbox next on December 20.