Jonas and Bev talk with Renee Bracey Sherman, reproductive justice advocate, founder of We Testify, and author of the fantastic book: Liberating Abortion: Claiming our history, sharing our stories, and building the reproductive future we deserve. We have a great conversation with Renee about abortion storytelling and the dichotomy of which stories are elevated in the public discourse. We also dive into the common myth about mifepristone being in the water - listen as Renee busts a myth!

Renee's book is now out in paperback - you should check it out! https://bookshop.org/p/books/liberating-abortion-claiming-our-history-sharing-our-stories-and-building-the-reproductive-future-we-deserve-regina-mahone/d3171aea5597471d?ean=9780063228153&next=t

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We’ve heard individual stories of the impact of Dobbs on reproductive care. But what do we know about the larger societal impact of bans and restrictions across the United States? Economist and Middlebury College Professor Caitlin Myers, creator of the Abortion Access Dashboard, is an expert in putting abortion data (literally) on the map. This week Bev and Jonas talk to Caitlin about applied microeconomics as a tool to understand how the increased burden of travel and other barriers to care affect people’s lives and wellbeing. 

In 2024, 155,000 people (approximately 15 percent of abortion seekers) traveled out of state for care, as part of an overall increase in yearly abortions in the United States since Dobbs. Professor Myers shares how an increase despite restrictions is possible. 

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The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is currently the most common abortion method in the US, and increased access to medication abortion through telemedicine is the only way for many patients in restrictive states to access care. Now states like Texas are attacking that access, despite decades of definitive safety data for mifepristone. In this episode, Bev and Jonas talk with Dr. Daniel Grossman, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCSF and the director of ANSIRH (Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health). He breaks down the history, safety, and current advances in science related to medication abortion and shares the facts you need to combat misinformation, especially about mifepristone. 

Are you interested in making a tax-deductible donation to support the podcast? Click here!: https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

Bev and Jonas interview Asha Dahya, an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, TEDx speaker and storyteller. She is the co-host of the podcast “Green Tide Rising” about the Green Wave movement in Latin America. There are many parallels between the variation of abortion policies in Central and South America to those in the US after the fall of federal abortion protections previously guaranteed by Roe v. Wade. The green wave movement is a grassroots movement that is creating change in culture and policy, giving us a playbook for restoring reproductive rights. Our neighbors to the South are guiding the way and giving us hope.

Are you interested in making a tax-deductible donation to support the podcast? Click here!: https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

Bev and Jonas take a field trip to DC for a live recording of the podcast with Rabbi Hannah Goldstein of Temple Sinai and Reverend Katey Zeh, executive director of the Religious Community for Reproductive Choice (RCRC). We discuss faith and abortion and tackling some tough questions, like: when does life begin? If you have struggled reconciling your religious beliefs and your views about abortion, then this conversation is just what your soul needs. 

Are you interested in making a tax-deductible donation to support the podcast? Click here!: https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

New episodes of Outlawed coming your way on September 10th!

Join us for a collaboration episode with Jennie Wetter from rePROs fight back! We discuss the updated sexual and reproductive report card from the Population Institute, put out by Jennie and her team. It is an amazing resource to compare access by state. What grade does your state get? Check the report card to find out: https://reportcard.reprosfightback.com/ 

We also talk about sex ed and Jennie talks us through some upcoming abortion-related court cases that are on her radar. Check out the rePROs Fight Back podcast to learn more about sexual and reproductive health access and news. https://www.reprosfightback.com/

In 2023, 1 out of 5 patients seeking abortion care traveled to another state for care. When access to care was restricted for folks in North Carolina, the next closest state for care was Virginia. People now travel from all over the Southeast to receive care in a variety of locations in Virginia. Since the physician workforce in Virginia is not able to meet that demand, doctors must also travel there to provide care. In this episode, Jonas and Bev first tell their stories of how they ended up doing this work and then they take you to a clinic in Virginia where care is provided with fewer restrictions and a little bit of trail magic.

We are honored this week to share an interview with Professor Katie Watson from Northwestern. She is the author of Scarlet A: The ethics, law, and politics of ordinary abortion and has been widely published in the medical literature regarding the ethics of reproductive health care. We discuss a variety of topics on today’s show including: myths about abortion after birth, the impact of abortion bans on other aspects of reproductive health care (like IVF), and Katie’s thoughts about the Dobbs decision.

This week, due to the impact of the LA fires on our team, we are taking a brief pause from new content. In place of our regularly scheduled show, we want to share an episode from Finally! A Show About Women That Isn’t Just a Thinly Veiled Aspirational Nightmare. Finally! A show is an award-winning documentary podcast, brought to you by our own Jane Marie. It takes a deep dive into the lives of women living and working in the US. This particular episode won a Signal award for the Health and Wellness category and introduces us to Jamie Rich, a telehealth abortion care provider. For more information about how you can support those impacted by the LA fires, visit this site: https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/how-to-help-la-fire-victims