Reproductive Left

For our second episode of our summer "Hope is a Discipline" season, our host Aspen interviews Karen of MCEDV, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence! In this episode, we discuss how systems of violence are connected, including the connections of intimate partner violence and acts of mass violence, with a focus on how we build a safer world.

Content warning for discussion of violence (though this episode does not go into specific detail of instances of violence).

MCEDV website: https://www.mcedv.org/

A Call for Change Helpline: https://acallforchangehelpline.org/

We're kicking off our Summer "Hope is a Discipline" Season with some Pride Season Prep as we head into June! Anyone who has listened to our host Aspen before has probably heard them reference the quote "hope is a discipline" from prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba, which can be summarized as viewing hope not simply as an emotion, but as a deliberate choice and something that requires work. This month's episode gets into some LGBTQIA+ Pride history, along with how to build a better world for queer folks.

Image: Raphael Renter via Unsplash

Join Aspen for the final episode of the Winter Access series as they interview someone familiar--Abbie Strout-Bentes! Abbie is the Executive Director of SAFE Maine, a fierce feminist, and the original host of Reproductive Left. In this episode, the pair tackle the role of abortion funds, how they impact access to care, and how you can help.

Learn more about SAFE Maine at their website: https://www.safemaine.org/

Image: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Join Aspen as they chat with fierce feminist friend Elayne Richard from GRR! In our second Winter Access series episode, we tackle the topic of anti abortion centers (also often called crisis pregnancy centers) and how they negatively impact access to not just abortion care, but all competent sexual and reproductive healthcare.

You can learn more about GRR! at their website: https://grandmothersforreproductiverights.org/

Image via Aspen Ruhlin of unofficial GRR! mascot Tina Turner Tiger

Reproductive Left is kicking off 2024 with our Winter Access season! We're starting out chatting about sterilization and access to this care, including a short interview at the end with the fabulous Dr. Rachel. She'll chat about her work providing vasectomies at Mabel Wadsworth Center, while Aspen will set the groundwork for sterilization more generally in the first portion of the show. What even is sterilization? Who gets it, and how? What barriers do people face to getting electively sterilized? What does this have to do with ovarian and cervical cancer? Join us to answer these questions and more!

For our final episode of the Fall Autonomy season, join Aspen as they interview Hannah Lord (doula, lactation specialist, and Mabel's volunteer extraordinaire). What role do doulas play in autonomy for pregnant people? What even is a doula? How does lactation and the ways we feed our babies play into autonomy, especially for marginalized birthing parents? Listen to this episode as Aspen and Hannah tackle these questions and more!

Image: Junior REIS via Unsplash

For our second episode of our Fall Autonomy season, join Aspen as they interview Casey Faulkingham of Partners for Peace about the intersections of domestic violence and autonomy. How do these topics intersect? What is reproductive coercion? How can loved ones of those experiencing abuse help in a meaningful way? Aspen and Casey address these questions and more!

Learn more about Partners for Peace at https://www.partnersforpeaceme.org/

Partners for Peace helpline: 1-800-863-9909

Power and Control Wheel and Equality Wheel: https://www.theduluthmodel.org/wheels/

Image: Sydney Sims via Unsplash

Kicking off our Fall Autonomy season we have an interview with Julie Jenkins and Christie Pitney of Abortion Freedom Fund. Join us as we discuss autonomy for pregnant people in the context of abortion funds, medication abortion, and accessing care in a post-Dobbs US.

Abortion Freedom Fund focuses on funding telehealth abortion care nationally, and you can learn more about their work at abortionfreedomfund.org.

Check out the "Plan C" documentary at https://www.plancpills.org/documentary

Image: Abortion Freedom Fund logo

For our final episode of the Hot Mabel's Summer season, our host Aspen dives into the intersections of trans health and abortion. Even if you're already familiar with the fact that trans people also have abortions, there are other connections and commonalities you might not be as familiar with! Listen along, and we'll see you again in September.

Image credit: Patrick Perkins via Unsplash

We're back with the second episode of Hot Mabel's Summer with a Pride Month interview with Professor Nancy Lewis! Why is teaching about LGBT Studies important? How has teaching this topic changed over the years? Just how much are queer people cut out of the education we receive? Listen to have these questions (and more) answered!

Image credit: Delia Giandeini via Unsplash