The reality of abortion bans hits home

[tulipsandroses]

Got a call from a friend asking me for a loan to help with expenses to take her daughter to NY for an abortion. That was on Tuesday. I’m in GA. I said to her oh, no need to go to NY, the ban here in GA was overturned. She hadn’t heard that. She’s not someone that obsesses over news and politics like I do. I knew there was going to be an appeal, I had hoped that she could get it done before the appeal.

I had to call her this morning to tell her that ruling was overturned and the ban is back in effect.
So she will have to take time off from work. She has no more PTO left. Get plane tickets for 2, hotel accommodations. She’s divorced, her ex lives in another state, She has 3 younger kids, that she’s trying to figure out who will care for them when she goes to NY.

I am more than happy to help. At least we don’t have bounty hunter laws here in GA.
😞

[usaf-vet]

1. Keep us posted. Maybe some of us DUer will chip in.

[DownriverDem]

2. Come to Michigan.

When abortion was legal in some states in the 1970s a friend of mine had to travel from Ohio to New York to get an abortion. She had to travel alone because she and her boyfriend did not have enough money for both of them to go & pay for it. Abortion rights are legal in Michigan thanks to the state passing Proposal 3 in the Midterms.

[ShazzieB]

42. In 1972, I traveled from Illinois to NYC to get an abortion.

Flew out of Chicago early in the morning, flew back the same day. I guess a lot of women were doing the same thing, because the clinic I used actually ran a free airport shuttle bus to pick up patients at the airport and take us back afterwards.

The only snag I hit was that I got back to Chicago later than I planned and missed the limo that would have taken me back to the college town where I was living and going to school at the time. Took CTA bus to downtown Chicago, spent the night in the Greyhound bus station, and caught the first bus home in the morning.

If I'd had the $, I'd have stayed in a hotel in New York and flown back the next day, but the cost of just getting there and back stretched my financial resources to the max. I have no regrets except for not planning things out a little better.

[Gato Moteado]

52. wow....that's sad that you had to spend the night at the greyhound station after a medical procedure

...like that and then have to ride a greyhound bus back to school. things shouldn't have to be that difficult for women. but thank goodness everything turned out OK.

which college town were you living in? champagne? normal?

[ShazzieB]

59. DeKalb

Only 60 miles from Chicago, so it wasn't a very long bus ride.

The night in the bus station kind of sucked, but overall, I was proud of myself for the way I coped with everything. I was only 22 at the time, but I always was a very self-sufficient, "I can handle this, just give me a minute to figure things out" kind of person.

Anti-choicers who clutch their pearls and insist that abortion should be outlawed because "It's a devastating experience that leaves extreme psychological damage and we must protect women from it!!! really piss me off. I can believe that's the case for some (people are all individuals and can have vastly different reactions to similar situations), but they are a small minority (there's a ton of research that supports this). I've BEEN there, so they can just fuck off, because I don't need anyone trying to tell me how MY OWN experience affected me!

[Gato Moteado]

60. you rock!

are you from chicago originally?

[ShazzieB]

64. Sort of, I guess?

I was born in Chicago, but i haven't lived there since I was a baby and spent most of my childhood in another part of the country entirely. (My parents moved us around way too damned much, but that's a whole other story.)

We were back in Illinois (in a different part of the state) for my last two years of high school. I decided to go to NIU because they had a program for what I thought I wanted to major in at the time (andnn I ended up majoring in something completely different, lol). Met and married a guy from the Chicago surburbs, and at this point in my life, I feel like my roots are in the Chicago metro area, if not the city itself.

I ❤ Chicago, and I am proud to have been born there, but not sure if I'm entitled to claim it as my "home town."

[Gato Moteado]

65. so, you live in the burbs now?

i was born and raised in the city. went to lane tech high school, right down the street from wrigley field. left chicago in 1990, 5 years after i graduated from college (loyola) and now i'm in costa rica.

[ShazzieB]

66. Yes, my spousal unit and I have been living in the burbs for over 30 years now.

[barbtries]

3. probably too late,

but i think she can still get one here in NC - that would be closer and cheaper.
good luck. thankfully she has you!

[mwooldri]

9. NC bans the procedure after 20.5 weeks.

Except in case of life of parent, of course.

[barbtries]

16. that is a consideration.

i was making the assumption that she wasn't that far along but of course i don't know.

[paleotn]

13. My first thought was Planned Parenthood in Asheville...

but there are still restrictions in NC that might overly complicate matters.

[barbtries]

15. give the republicans a few more months

and women here will have to travel for abortions.

i hate republicans and they hate me. as they hate women in general

[paleotn]

17. Exactly.

Cooper is a godsend in the governor's chair. He's held back an avalanche of awful.

[DownriverDem]

53. Michigan passed

Proposal 3 which put abortion rights in our Constitution. It will be hard for the MAGA repubs to change it.

[barbtries]

54. go Michigan!

Thankful that there are still sane states out there. NC elected the magat for the Senate and made the NC SC a republican court. We're fucked here in NC.

[roamer65]

61. The only way they can now attempt to nullify it in MI is with a federal abortion ban.

We will just disregard a law like that the way we disregard federal MJ laws now.

[calimary]

4. Wonder how soon we'll have a new "underground railway".

If indeed there aren’t any getting started already.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. Abortion funds already help people get abortions by providing travel, funding and lodging logistics.

[eggplant]

39. Yes! You can find local funds via the National Network of Abortion Funds...

Just visit here: https://abortionfunds.org/

[Timeflyer]

14. And runaway pregnant women laws, with bounties for bagging one.

[Hekate]

41. You didn't know about Texas? You can get 10 grand for turning in anyone involved including the Uber

…driver. Docs, nurses, clinics, and of course the woman or girl.

[Hekate]

40. Happening now

[spooky3]

5. would coming to Virginia be cheaper? Youngkin hasn't been able to change our law yet. nt

[triron]

6. I bet it's much less expensive here in NM

Maybe look into it?

[claudette]

7. Back before

Roe v Wade, a very young friend of mine asked if she could use me as an excuse to tell her parents where she was visiting (in PA) when she went to NY for an abortion. Of course, as a pro choices, I was happy to help.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. Have her call her local abortion fund. They will help.

[Liberty Belle]

12. Cheap flights to San Diego, CA from Atlanta:

https://www.expedia.com/lp/flights/atl/san/atlanta-to-san-diego?locale=en_US&semcid=US.MULTILOBF.GOOGLE.OD-c-EN.FLIGHT&semdtl=a117675646427.b1138125022466.r1.g1kwd-15933474620.i1.d1609059963252.e1c.j19031272.k1.f1.n1.l1g.h1e.m1&gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7fphEWqZFsOCAsLzNQAmJQxIK9RPQX_TmdgIUvF4wTupTyi7IPjV9GxoCxYwQAvD_BwE

It's sunny here right now and abortion is legal everywhere in CA.

[libtheoman]

18. Still legal in NC

There are closer options. Wishing you the besthttps://ncpolicywatch.com/2022/11/01/out-of-state-patients-spur-abortion-increase-in-north-carolina/#:~:text=Abortion%20is%20legal%20in%20North,providing%20abortions%2C%20among%20other%20restrictions.

[haele]

19. The Brigid Alliance is a resource to find funds and lodging for abortion travel.

We donate $5 a month to them just for this situation.

Good luck.

On edit -
https://brigidalliance.org/

Haele

[Hekate]

22. My sister's name is Brigid, and I will send her this link. How did you find them, Haele?

[haele]

24. As soon as Texas started their bounty, there was a show on charities that help women who need aborti

The Brigid Alliance has been around for a while prior, as even when Roe was still in place, it was difficult for a lot of women to get their reproduce health care taken care of because distance to services, kids, etc...
That's what they came into being.
They've got a high rating for charities that actually spend the money on the services. So that's why we donate.

Haele

[Hekate]

27. That's good to know. I'm exploring their site now, & have already signed up for emails...

Will send an email to my sis while drinking my morning coffee.

Mom named us Sheila and Brigid. The pre-Christian Brigid had a lot of aspects that I know of, and one was midwife. I never knew which aspects were carried over when the Christians adopted her, but it seems St Brigid of Kildare got that one.

[DFW]

32. I have never heard of them

I wrote to their email address asking for an address where I can send a check.

No Act Blue or Mastercard taking any 8% out of this--organizations like this need every cent that they can get.

[Hekate]

36. Let us know what you find out. I haven't got that far, and will have to leave for the day soon.

[DFW]

37. If I hear from them, I will pass it on to all of DU

I know there are some on here who oppose abortion, but there are very few indeed who oppose abortion RIGHTS. A woman can always CHOOSE not to abort. But it takes the height of cruel arrogance to forbid her from making that choice for herself.

[wryter2000]

20. Damn

Is NY the closest state?

[SharonAnn]

21. I remember those days. Finding illegal abortion providers and loaning money for it.

As a young woman in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, I saw the impact an unwanted pregnancy had on the lives of women I knew.

Shotgun weddings, going away “to visit grandma” and giving the baby up for adoption, bearing the shame if you chose to keep the baby, illegal abortions and ,yes, self abortions with devices like coat hangers or rifle cleaning equipment.

And my circle of women were educated, professional, white women.

Before Roe v Wade, New York passed laws permitting abortion so women could travel to New York for a safe, legal abortion.

It was a big change. Roe v Wade was an enormous one.

[Deep State Witch]

23. Come To Maryland!

My husband and I would be happy to be her "aunt" and "uncle" for a few days, if she would like to come for a visit. She would have to fly into Baltimore.

[Joinfortmill]

25. Wow. Getting real, folks.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

47. People faced barriers like this before Dobbs.

[BidenRocks]

26. If men got pregnant

This would not be an issue. Sigh!

[erronis]

30. If men had to go through any part of gestation, there'd be no more men involved.

I'm pretty sure we could advance our biological sciences to do the meiosis/fertilization sequence without the messy male presence. Of course the pleasurable bits can be taken care of also...

[I_UndergroundPanther]

44. Well I read somewhere that the

Male gene is a mutation. Its a more recent
of the ancient changes in the human genome.

Originally humans were all females.
We start out in the womb as all females.
The fact some animals can change genders at will,and some carry both types of gonads it makes me wonder.

I read it on a science website. It could all be bunk. But maybe not. I dunno.

Interesting idea tho.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

46. Men can get pregnant, and abortion is still an issue.

[NullTuples]

48. Some men do. Perhaps you mean if more men could?

[Upthevibe]

28. tulipsandroses ..............

As others have mentioned, it seems like there would be someplace closer than New York.

Also, I hope you're able to check out the charity that someone posted about.

[tulipsandroses]

29. Thank you all for all for the suggestions and resources

She’s from NY so that’s why it’s the first place she thought of. I almost feel guilty for encouraging her to move to GA after her divorce.

I will help her find somewhere closer to GA.

[wnylib]

33. This website might help with

locating a clinic and finding places to stay. Also includes info on financial aid available for some people.

https://www.ny.gov/abortion-new-york-state-know-your-rights/safe-abortion-access-all

[Genki Hikari]

56. This site will also help find a facility.

https://prochoice.org/patients/find-a-provider/

Good luck.

[Warpy]

31. Charlotte, NC is closer and a hella lot cheaper than NYC

Abortion bans are different in every state, another huge problem with overturning Roe. Those sanctimonious morons on the USSC created the biggest mess they could have managed. It's just so hard to keep up.

So far, NC is her best bet. They've got a ban, but it's not stupidly short like the GA ban. "Heartbeat," my flabby old ass.

Medical care dictated by a bunch of medically ignorant old fools with no personal boundaries and blame god for it is horrific.

[wnylib]

34. There are clinics all over NY state

not just in NYC. Small towns and cities where it is less expensive than NYC. Also, an organization in NY that offers financial assistance for abortions. I linked to a state government website in my above post.

[Warpy]

38. Even upstate is more expensive than NC

but you did a good thing by linking to the financial help available there.

We haven't gotten that far here in NM, but the state is cheaper than dirt compared to anywhere in NY or CA. Our outmoded antiabortion laws were completely removed nearly 2 years ago, early in 2021. There are plans to build a large clinic in the southern part of the state, mostly to accept women from slave states like Texas and GA.

There are options and many of them won't break the bank.

Eventually, there will be a pipeline to a black market for abortion inducing pills, with travel plans as a backup in case counterfeit pills are out there.

We are not going back to lying on a kitchen table while someone punctures our uterus with a filthy crochet hook.

[Genki Hikari]

57. The black market pipeline is already up and running

Thanks to Mexican women.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/world/americas/mexico-abortion-pill-activists.html

No Paywall: https://archive.ph/sOz9X

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/world/americas/abortion-pills-mexico-us.html

No Paywall: https://archive.ph/hnlTF

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/with-pills-burner-phones-mexican-abortion-activists-prepare-roe-v-wade-overturn-2022-06-23/

[Warpy]

58. Thanks! That's great to know

because most of my friends have daughters and granddaughters. While none of them live in slave states these days, that could change.

[Hekate]

35. You are a good friend & you've inspired a good thread

[tulipsandroses]

45. Thank you, and this thread shows why I love DU

I was venting this morning. Never really expected all the great responses. We have so much more to work with now. You guys rock !

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

43. I'm so sorry that she has this extra cost and stress

[dflprincess]

49. It might be cheaper in Minnesota

especially the hotel rooms & meal expenses.

[ismnotwasm]

50. My friend flew her daughter up from Texas I think

To Seattle for abortion care. They are people who can, barely, afford this.

[roamer65]

62. Makes me wonder when the abortion buses are going to start running.

Buses to IL, MI, NY, CA, OR, WA, etc.

Cheaper than plane flights and more regional in nature.

I hafta think it’s gonna start soon.

[yankee87]

51. What country is this?

I can’t believe this is happening. I’m sorry for what’s happening in the country where women have no right to bodily autonomy.

[roamer65]

63. ...

[Genki Hikari]

55. St Louis Metro on the Illinois side is much closer and cheaper

There's a PP in Fairview Heights, and another clinic that's not PP in Granite City. Don't remember the name of it right now.

Both are much closer to, say, Atlanta than NYC, and it won't be nearly as expensive to get there or stay there.