3 ways you can help folks seeking abortions right now

Which week of quarantine are you in? Do you even know? Is there a time of day when you change from your Work Sweatpants into your Fun Time Sweatpants? Are you regularly consuming the news, or are you totally burned out?

There's no "correct" way to feel during a pandemic - many of us are restless, anxious, and frustrated right now, and looking for distractions, a way to channel our energy into something positive. The good new is, you can help people seeking abortion care while social distancing, without putting on a mask, and while sitting on your couch. Here's how.

Spread the word about self-managed abortion

In addition to the massive amount of misinformation out there about self-managed abortion, many people don't know that it's an option at all. Self-managed abortion may be the only way those seeking abortion care during Covid-19 can obtain it, so posting accurate information (which you can find a ton of on our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, blog and in the FAQ's on our website) about on social media.

Confront stigma

Processing your own abortion stigma might not seem like the best way to help people who need abortions right now, but think about it like this: when you're spreading information about abortion care to others, you might also be involuntarily transmitting your own stigma. Statements like, "I would never use abortion pills, but people should have access to them," and "Self-managed abortion should only be used in a desperate situation" send the message that those who choose medical abortion are somehow wrong, immoral, or endangering themselves. Harboring abortion stigma isn't your fault, it's in the media water we consume every day, but you can break the cycle of perpetuating it by educating yourself, starting with this blog post.

Donate to and/or amplify abortion funds

Money is scary for a lot of people right now, but if you are in a position to give to an abortion fund, they could really use your help right now to support those who can't afford the cost of abortion care (not just the procedure, but transportation, child care, lodging, food, etc). 

Don't discount your ability to help if you're not in a position to donate money. You can spread the word about abortion funds on social media - post an article about why they're particularly important right now, craft your own message and tag your friends, and retweet folks who are on the front lines. Social media and other means of having conversations are important currency, so use them to let people know about abortion funds and abortion access. For a full list of abortion funds, visit abortionfunds.org.