What’s the Rush?
The Monday after Dobbs, a pediatrician in Ohio got a call from her 13-year-old patient’s mother.
Should we put my daughter on birth control in case she is assaulted? The mother wondered.
Dr. Lauren Beene – an Ohio pediatrician, not an OB/GYN – had to admit that this mother’s question wasn’t outlandish. And just like that, Beene found herself confronted with the impacts the fall of Roe was already having on her young patients.
I happened to be on a call with Dr. Beene last week, during which she described those early days and her reaction.
She said it plainly, and perfectly: this was a medical emergency.
She needed to speak up, she knew. To whom, she wasn’t sure – and whether they would listen, she didn’t know.
But she sat down and wrote a letter explaining the harm of Ohio’s trigger ban, thinking perhaps fellow physicians would send similar letters, or sign onto hers. She shared it to a facebook group of fellow female physicians.
It was there that another MD suggested starting a new facebook group with the intent of encouraging fellow health care providers to sign their name to the letter she wrote.
Thousands of Ohio physicians signed.
That group eventually became the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights. They spearheaded and pushed for Issue 1 – the reproductive rights amendment that simply enshrined the rights previously protected by Roe to the Ohio constitution.
Ohio voters passed Issue 1 overwhelmingly in November this year. And in the aftermath, folks from across the country have looked to Ohio (and other states that have passed ballot measures protecting reproductive rights) with a mixture of awe and envy. I’ve heard plenty of political takes and seen a lot of political analysis examining why it was successful.
Some point to MDs as being trusted messengers. Some point to off-year elections being better due to low turnout (which cuts both ways, in my humble opinion). Some point to the makeup of the Ohio electorate, or polling, or poor comms from opponents, or great comms from supporters.
In my very humble opinion, far too many have missed the central point.
As Dr. Beene recognized in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Dobbs:
This is a medical emergency.
Every day is a medical emergency in those states where abortion rights have evaporated. Just because investigative reporters have moved on from detailing the plight of a woman with an ectopic pregnancy having to get “close enough” to death to earn her right to an abortion, or the latest 10-year-old rape victim’s interstate travel, or the heartbroken parents of a fetus with a fatal anomaly, or the woman who’s suicidal because the life as she knew it – and her body as she knew it – is gone …
Just because the reporters have moved on and the stories aren’t clickable anymore doesn’t mean they’re not happening, and the emergency is over.
It’s continuing.
Every single day.
That’s why I’m aghast when I read newspaper articles with quotes from allies who wonder aloud whether it’s a politically expedient time to put abortion on the ballot. I’m stunned to hear folks talk about polling – as though this was a typical, garden-variety ballot initiative like minimum wage or legalizing weed.
It’s not.
People’s lives are at risk right now. Right this very second.
Dr. Beene – an Ohio pediatrician – recognized the emergency in front of her, and she decided to do something about it. She wasn’t a political operative. She didn’t have experience in ballot initiatives or statewide campaigns. She just saw that her patients needed help urgently, and she couldn’t sit on the sidelines and wait for the political process to catch up.
She took matters into her own hands. And thank god she did. Today there are people in Ohio who have options – who have rights – because Dr. Beene decided to write that letter.
So if you’re working on this issue and you’re getting caught up in the political morass, questioning whether this is the “right time,” or the “right election,” or the “right political moment,” I’m begging you. Step back and remember that this isn’t your typical issue.
This is a medical emergency.
Act like it.
Now, let’s get to work.
Actions for the Week of December 4, 2023
What’s Going On With Arkansas?
That’s been the question around the country – as Arkansas organizer Will Watson found nominees for more Arkansas state House candidates than any time in the past decade! If you’ve been wondering how he did it and how you can replicate it in your state, then join me and Jess Piper tonight, because that’s the very question we’re going to ask! Meeting starts at 6pm central. Be there, or be square!
Join here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ocuCtqjMrHNSiaFjDuTnYCgGtE1QzgihV
A Rare Thank You – To Republicans!
Last week George Santos was expelled from Congress – which required 2/3 of the House. It was a rare moment when Republicans actually found some backbone, even if just for a moment.
It’s worth a call to your Congress(wo)man to say thanks! Go here to find out how your rep voted: https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023691
Missouri folks, if you’re in Ann Wagner’s district (St Louis County + parts of St Charles), you can call and give her a thank you.
Unfortunately, the rest of Missouri Republicans – Alford, Smith, Burlison, Graves, and Luetkemeyer – voted against Santos’s removal. If you live in their district, you can call to let them know that you’re disappointed they voted to keep a crook in Congress… that’s not what I’d call “draining the swamp.”
Join Blue Texas and Blue Horizon on Wednesday!
Join the next Blue Texas Community Call — with our friends at Blue Horizon! We’ll be talking about their work to recruit and support Texas Democrats running for office across the state.
Blue Horizon does so much wonderful work to support Democratic candidates in Texas – including helping them with filing fees. And right now they’ve got 8 candidates who have applied for grants but only enough funding to pay one of their filing fees. Help them get the $5,500 they need to help all five by donating here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bht-filing-fees
And then come join the meeting on Wednesday at 7pm central. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAodumtrjIuGdHgbjgmhWzmuldHxDumign6#/registration
A Call For (Democratic) Seeds!
Friends, the seed catalogs have started arriving at our house! This is an exciting and dreamy time. But a few years ago the seed company that I used faithfully gave a racist/gun-toting, anti-government activist a platform, and I can’t in good conscience order from them.
As I was thinking of it this afternoon I wondered if you all have favorite seed companies – preferably companies that support progressive values! Please share them with me so that I can (1) order from them and (2) help amplify them.
H/T Jessica Craven: Write With The Environmental Voter Project
The Environmental Voter Project’s next postcarding campaign has launched! It’s to mobilize environmental voters in the March 5th North Carolina state primary. These are great campaigns; the social pressure script is super short AND they send you the cards! If you haven’t yet written postcards with EVP, please consider joining one of the following orientations (all postcard-writers must attend an orientation):
Dec. 14, 8pm ET / 5pm PT Postcarding Orientation
Jan. 3, 12pm ET / 9am PT Postcarding Orientation
WHEW! GO TEAM!
P.S.: Why don’t you make someone’s day and send this pep talk to a friend or two? I bet they need it.
If you’d like to sign up to get this pep talk and action list in your in-box each week, you can do that here. Welcome, friend!
P.P.S.: If you want to help support this work you can do so via Patreon at
https://www.patreon.com/smalldeedsdone or via paypal at https://www.paypal.me/smalldeeds
My deepest gratitude in advance.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for writing. I read and respond to every email! We’re in this together. Don’t you forget it.