Each time I talk to safe abortion activists, I'm overwhelmed with how incredibly badass & brave this work is. The global control on the bodies of those with uteri is a WAR, & the ways in which they circumvent this control is revolutionary. #AbortionIsEssential #IManageMyAbortion

For e.g, in countries where abortion is severely restricted, activists figure out ways to deliver abortion pills and help the pregnant person self-manage their abortion. The pills induce a miscarriage, and are recommended to be taken sublingually (under the tongue) instead+

of vaginally. If inserted vaginally, the pills may leave a trace.
Why does that matter? If the abortion is incomplete and the pregnant person requires medical intervention, they can go to the hospital and say it was a natural miscarriage and will be helped w/o criminalisation.

(However, some countries hate women so much that they have jailed women who have had natural miscarriages on "suspicion of abortion"). https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49619151

One of the orgs I've recently been working with, @WoWabortionpill (Women on Web) was one of the first ever orgs to help women self-manage their abortions. In earlier days, they used DRONES to drop these pills to women whose countries didn't sell them. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/abortion-drone-women-web-delivers-pills-northern-ireland-n596176

The founder of WoW Dr Rebecca Gomperts, had earlier founded @WomenOnWaves_. What did it do you ask?

Oh, just charter a SHIPPING CONTAINER retrofitted with a gynaecological clinic, travel to international waters (where national laws don't apply), and provide abortion care, nbd.

During COVID19, many lawmakers around the world sought to take advantage of a global pandemic to further restrict abortion rights for women in their countries. Abortion was not classified as an "essential procedure" (even though it absolutely is – esp. in times of crisis!).

The Global Gag Rule that Trump signed in 2017 blocked the largest source of funding for abortion advocacy & services.

Abortion activists fight challenges thrown at them from every angle – laws, religious leaders, societal stigma – to help those seeking abortions to have them.

My colleague at @youth_coalition, @hazalatay7 who works at @WoWabortionpill just shared with me that Dr. Rebecca Gomperts was put in the Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020! https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2020/5888177/rebecca-gomperts/

If you enjoyed reading this thread, do consider tuning in to this IG Live with two abortion rights activists who will be in conversation with each other TOMORROW (Thursday) and also answer questions you may have about abortions! #IManageMyAbortion https://twitter.com/youth_coalition/status/1308404128851333123