Outlawed

We’re doctors, not cops. But as more and more miscarriages and self-managed abortions lead to arrests and prosecution, the medical system and law enforcement have become entwined in unsettling ways. Kim Mutcherson, a law professor at Rutgers and expert on reproductive justice, helps us understand the new reality of medical providers reporting patients for essential healthcare, and the biases that influence whose care is criminalized.

Heather Booth is an original outlaw who provided access to abortion care before Roe, as a founding member of the Jane Collective. Bev and Jonas are thrilled to get a masterclass from 80-year-old Booth this week in how word-of-mouth networks, resolve, and hope can fuel the  fight against injustice right now. Saddle up and join us. 

Who is your favorite dynamic duo? Batman and Robin? He-man and She-ra? You probably don’t have a sociologist and lawyer pair on your list, but we would argue that you should! This week Bev and Jonas have a conversation with an amazing duo - law Professor David Cohen and sociologist Dr. Carole Joffe. They wrote a book last year called "After Dobbs: How the Supreme Court ended Roe but not abortion."

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

For Outlawed merch: https://outlawedpodcast.com/merch/

Email us at [email protected].

We're replaying one of our favorites from season 1 - 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.

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053
For Outlawed merch: https://outlawedpodcast.com/merch/

Traveling during the holidays is full of unexpected mishaps due to the sheer numbers of fellow travelers. Travelling for an abortion is challenging all year round — because lawmakers have designed it that way. 

In front of every obstacle, people who care are there to help others through it with dignity. Bev and Jonas meet Mike Bonanza of Elevated Access, a pilot flying people privately for free to states with abortion care. Amanda Rich, executive director of Faith Roots Reproduction Action, then shares what a difference abortion fund volunteers can make in arranging secure transit and accommodations as well as covering costs like gas money and child care. 

Support these great organizations on their websites!

https://www.elevatedaccess.org/

https://www.faithrootsrepro.org/

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

For Outlawed merch: https://outlawedpodcast.com/merch/

You’ve driven hundreds of miles to get an abortion. Took off work (unpaid), and so did your partner, who’s home with the kids. Staying overnight is a necessity but too expensive, and will it even be safe and comfortable enough for you to rest?

Around two hundred thousand abortion patients make long journeys each year in search of care. Toshiko of With Gloria matches abortion travelers to last-minute vacancies in donated Airbnbs from everyday sidekicks like Persephone. Over the next two episodes, Bev and Jonas meet the helpers who are reducing the harm of Dobbs in unexpected and uplifting ways.

Support With Gloria: https://withgloria.org/ 

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

It’s time again for awkward silences and passive aggressive compliments with a side of mashed potatoes. So we’re seeking solutions to the age-old question: What do we say to friends and relatives when they spread harmful misinformation during the holidays in the guise of politics or “alternate” facts? This week Bev and Jonas get practical and usable advice from communication expert, Dr. Tania Israel, author of Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide and Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation. Bob’s your uncle — this is your sign to finally have that conversation.

A few resources:

Debating facts? Check out www.allsides.com

Link to learn more about the Bridging Movement: listenfirstproject.org  -- sign up for their Listen First newsletter!

Take the pronunciation quiz here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

Enjoy a bonus episode from The Dream podcast. 

This past year Charlotte Isenberg, a once-popular teen anti-abortion activist, found herself switching sides in this national debate. What happened to her next is unprecedented and a warning for parents and kids alike.
Find Charlotte on Tik Tok here:
@blueridgejewess

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support Outlawed and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

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

Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Go here:   https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dukehealth?designation=391001053

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. 

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