3 Ways You Can Continue Standing With Texas

The coverage of District Judge Lee Yeakel found certain requirements under HB5 to
be unconstitutional and has spread like wildfire, but Texans shouldnt be so
comfortable just yet. The fight is far from over. Yeakel only struck down one
provision while other parts of the bill will go into effect soon. So yes, the admitting
neighboring hospital privileges was found to only prevent access to abortions
instead of protecting womens health care.

We may have won this battle, but this war is still waging and heres how you can
help.

1. Help fund organizations like the Lilith Fund. Lucky enough to attend the
event with our very special regional coordinator Raquel, we were able to see
the true importance of organizations like the Lilith Fund that help providing
funding and access for trips to the abortion clinic as well as the abortion
itself. In Texas, this is more important now more than ever. For medical
abortions taken by pill, Texass new law now requires multiple trips back to
the clinic to simply take the second dose of medication, a process safe enough
to do at home. Now, not only do women have to take off work, find
transportation to one of the now few clinics, possibly pay for child care, and
make multiple trips to get the mandatory ultrasound, and now to simply take
the medication. A national move to help fund access to these services is
extremely important in a state like Texas.
2. Challenge the old FDA regulations. The Food and Drug Administration is an
agency beyond our own state boundaries. The problem here is that
restriction on the medical abortion pill is caused by outdated regulations on
the entire medical procedure. Updating and changing the FDAs regulations
will end arguments about doing what is considered best for the health of
American citizens. Its cited that because of these draconian restrictions, four
states have attempted to ban the pill and nine others have ridiculous
restrictions place on it. Years ago, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a
petition to the FDA to expand access to the pill and years later, were fighting
the same fight. This same approach needs to be re-launched and in support
with the CRR to remove these invasive and costly restrictions. This requires a
national approach with leaders and activists stripping opponents of these
straw-man arguments.
3. Finally, keep fighting your fight! Texas has its own problems, but that doesnt
mean ignoring whats going on in your state. These anti-choice bills
throughout the nation are a part of an overall strategy to revisit Roe v. Wade.
Though having an abortion isnt illegal, our access to them has been limited.
If all these bills to deny access to these services continue, then it wont be
long before the majority become a minority. Revisiting the Supreme Court
case and a possible overturn will be perfect for our opponents because all
these state-level laws already exist to eliminate abortions altogether. This of
course is a drastic approach to ending abortions when we can simply, you
know; reform our current sex educations programs. Until our opponents
realize this, we just have to keep fighting our fight and supporting each other.

Judge Yeakel has made a huge decision finding that these ridiculous laws to protect
womens healthcare is pure bullshit. Im glad the federal level acknowledges the
backwards Texas politics in play. Yes, only a provision has been struck down, but
this is only the beginning of whats to come.



Erich Schlegel from WP