On May 19, the governor of Texas, Greg Abbot, signed a bill that made it illegal for people to have abortions after six weeks of being pregnant. And in September, the law was put into effect. Doulas, reproductive advocates, and people worldwide spoke out publicly against this law and restriction. We at DTI also would like to share our exact thoughts on this subject with our community as well.
Our stance is that the Texas Senate Bill 8 is an unconstitutionally passed law that aims to greatly restrict abortions and puts Texans’ rights and health in danger. This law takes away autonomy and, instead, gives strangers the power to govern their neighbor’s choices.
The law will especially affect BIPOC, who already have problems accessing reproductive care.
It’s a privilege to be able to travel for healthcare. Not only are abortion procedures expensive, but the additional cost of travel, lodging, childcare, and lost wages can also be staggering.
We at DTI want you all to know that we support all bodies and all outcomes. Access to abortion services is a right and should not be limited, taken away, or penalized by anyone.
Access means having control, safety, and autonomy.
As doulas, we are, first and foremost, reproductive health advocates. And that means that we will continue to fight against Texas’ anti-abortion laws alongside our community. We want to thanks everyone who also supports abortions access. And we encourage you all to help fight against this law and preserve reproductive rights so that we and future generations will have the proper medical care we deserve.
We went live recently to provide context to our stance. View our IG Live with our own Tiek Johnson who explains our stance. If you would like to get involved and support Texas Abortion Funds, you can donate online. Contributions are split evenly between Lilith Fund, The Bridge Collective, Texas Equal Access Fund, West Fund, Clinic Access Support Network, Fund Texas Choice, Jane’s Due Process, Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, Inc., Support Your Sistah at the Afiya Center, and Frontera Fund.