You would think that in this unprecedented coronavirus pandemic situation that we would all be united in purpose, allied against the spread of the virus — standing together in fighting this modern plague with all the resources medical, financial and scientific at our command.
But you would be wrong.
Ohio’s anti-choice legislators, instead of concentrating their efforts and resources on protective health and safety measures and financial assistance legislation, are redoubling their attacks on Ohio’s already beleaguered abortion providers.
Attorney General David Yost issued a directive on March 23, ordering abortion clinics in Ohio to stop performing what he inaccurately and incorrectly called “non-essential and elective procedures.” Although abortion is clearly a time-sensitive medical procedure, Yost categorized abortion in the “non-essential” category. Yost’s executive order is exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to promote falsehoods, attempt to force an anti-abortion agenda, and distract with a political debate over abortion instead of allowing Ohio citizens their legal medical care.
Abiding by the order would force Ohio’s abortion patients to seek this procedure in other states. That is cruel, onerous, dangerous (especially during a pandemic) and goes against the official recommendations made by Governor DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton, the director of Ohio’s Department of Health.
Ohio’s already-too-few abortion clinics are also still under siege by anti-choice fanatics who still picket with their duplicitous signs and attempt to block patient access to the clinics. These demonstrators are in clear violation of both the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (1994) and DeWine’s stay-at-home order.
The Good News: We’re Not Backing Down – Who and How
A.C.L.U.: On March 30, the A.C.L.U., Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region filed a lawsuit in Ohio’s federal district court against the executive order shutting down access to abortion care. Literally hours after the suit was filed, an Ohio federal judge granted Ohio abortion providers a temporary restraining order, which allows them to continue to provide essential, time-sensitive and non-elective abortion care during this pandemic. The judge’s order reinforces the fact that abortion providers must be allowed to care for patients without restrictions of any kind. (See How You Can Help – end of this article)
PLANNED PARENTHOOD: In addition to filing the lawsuit with the A.C.L.U., Planned Parenthood has gotten accurate information out to all pro-choice people, using all forms of social media. Planned Parenthood is, as always, committed to keeping their doors open to provide the best care for all their patients. However, ‘they [anti-choice activists] won’t stop the attacks.” (See How You Can Help – end of this article)
NARAL PRO-CHOICE OHIO: NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio is, of course, in the front lines of this pro-choice battle. They are standing with and for all Ohioans in this pandemic: for anyone who needs an abortion, for people who are most impacted by this executive order — for all health care needs, human rights and concerns. For their playing politics with our health care, NARAL is calling out both Attorney General Yost for his irresponsible directive against abortion access, and calling out Mike Gonidakis (Ohio State Medical Board member and president of Right to Life Ohio) for exploiting this COVID-19 crisis to promote his anti-choice agenda. (See How You Can Help – end of this article)
PRETERM: Preterm is as always committed to providing superlative reproductive health care to their patients and the community. They are still open and seeing patients for abortion services. Their staff is screening every caller and patient for COVID-19, during their initial call and upon arrival for their appointment, taking ALL precautions for safety and health.
Preterm is following the new CDC and National Abortion Federation guidelines for protection of the health and safety of their patients and staff. They encourage everyone to follow the safety precautions and physical isolation guidelines for COVID-19, as set out by the CDC and Ohio Department of Health. (See How You Can Help — end of this article)
As Chrisse France, executive director of Preterm, concludes in her pragmatic and informative communcation: “Let the crisis today lead toward a more just, empathetic and respectful tomorrow.”
Preterm, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, the A.C.L.U. and all their allies are standing strong on the precipice of this pandemic.
An expression of my pro-choice stand, thoughts and emotions at this moment in time:
THE A WORD
Abortion is my right and my choice
Abortion is our right and our choice
Abortion is about every child chosen
Abortion is — still — that pause, that catch of breath, when one hears the word spoken
Abortion is not “killing a baby”
Abortion is not dangerously disregarding science
Abortion is the fierce young woman walking through hateful fanatics screaming scabrous threats
Abortion is the mother of too-many-for-her, choosing sanity, calling the clinic
Abortion is the student whose birth control collapsed!
Abortion is the woman daily beaten, who will take no more brutality and no forced birth
Abortion is the person who believed they could not get pregnant
Abortion is the woman who seriously sensibly sees that she cannot be a mother
Abortion is pro-life: life of the woman, life for every child chosen
Abortion is sexual autonomy
Abortion is gender freedom
Abortion is empowering: choice, not chance
Abortion is not a political weapon
Abortion must be legal and unencumbered
Abortion must be safe and sanctioned
Abortion must be an accepted, accessible, affordable choice
Abortion is NOBODY’S fucking business but MY OWN!
—D.M. Shimko, March 2020
HOW YOU CAN HELP
www.plannedparenthood.org — donations, actions you can take
www.NARALprochoiceohio.org — donations, actions you can take
www.OhioRCRC.org — a multidenominational religious group, fighting for reproductive rights; donations, actions you can take, emotional support
www.womenhaveoptions.org — donations, actions you can take
www.moveon.org — human rights and political action advocacy; donations, actions you can take
www.preterm.org — donations, actions you can take; Bowl-A-Thon is current patient access fundraiser
www.urge.org — Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity; donations, actions you can take
www.aclu.org — donations, actions you can take
www.ProChoiceOhio.org/Clinics — Find an abortion clinic
www.legislature.Ohio.gov — Find your Representatives, their contact information, and how they voted on issues vital to YOU
CALL THESE PEOPLE TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS:
Ohio Attorney General David Yost (during business hours — no voice-mail available): 844.329.6087 AND 800.282.0515
Mike Gonidakis (State Medical Board member, president of Ohio right-to-life): 614.547.0099, ext. 301; mgonidakis@ohiolife.org
Find your Representatives, their contact information, and how they voted on issues vital to you: www.legislature.Ohio.gov
One Response to “The State of Abortion Access in the State of Ohio”
Kimberly A Schmidt
Attorney General David Yost has no right to force women to give birth. I pray for the day when a fetus can be implanted into a man. The world will change.