Free & Just to Fly Plane Banner Over Nebraska to Expose the Dangers of the State's Abortion Ban as Women Face Prosecution

Free & Just to Fly Plane Banner Over Nebraska to Expose the Dangers of the State's Abortion Ban as Women Face Prosecution

OMAHA, Neb. – Today, Free & Just will begin flying a plane banner over Nebraska, drawing attention to  the women who are prosecuted and punished under the state’s abortion ban. The plane will first go up over Memorial Stadium as the Nebraska Cornhuskers face off against the University of Michigan Wolverines.

The plane will begin flying at 11:30am CT on Saturday, September 30 over Memorial Stadium, three hours before kickoff while families from across Nebraska gather before the game. The plane will then fly over major Omaha highways at the following times:

• Monday, October 2nd, morning commute (7am - 10am)

• Monday, October 2nd, evening commute (4pm - 7pm)

• Thursday, October 5th, morning commute (7am - 10am)

• Thursday, October 5th, evening commute (4pm - 7pm)

Last month, Free & Just placed five billboards with a similar message across Nebraska’s Second Congressional District in response to the sentencing of a Nebraska teen who used abortion pills, a safe and effective method of ending a pregnancy. The mother of the teen was recently sentenced to two years under the state’s abortion law. 

After Nebraska Right to Life falsely claimed victory in getting the billboards taken down when Free & Just’s contract had simply expired, Free & Just made attempts to contract with advertisers to continue to inform Nebraskans and put the billboards back up. Vendors across the state, including Lamar Advertising, refused to run the copy, despite it being previously accepted and on billboards for almost a month. This comes as a possible government shutdown looms because extreme House Republicans in Washington D.C. are attempting to further restrict abortion access.

“Extreme anti-abortion groups don’t want people to know that women are going to jail because of their dangerous and deeply unpopular abortion bans,” said Zoe Sheppard, spokesperson for Free & Just. “Lamar Advertising and other advertisers are doing a disservice to Nebraskans when they refuse to let them know the truth about the real-life impact of these bans, so we took matters into our own hands and took flight.”

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About Free & Just

Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

As GOP Threatens a Shutdown Over Abortion Restriction Demands, 9 in 10 Americans Say Congress Should Focus on Avoiding a Shutdown Instead of Restricting Abortion Access

Seven Out of Twelve Appropriations Bills Currently Include Restrictions on Abortion

This weekend marks the deadline for Congress to come to an agreement on funding the federal government before an official government shutdown begins at midnight on October 1. Unable to pass any party-priority bills in the last eight months, House Republicans are instead incorporating unnecessary and irrelevant provisions to spending packages, many of which are aimed at further eroding abortion access and forcing votes on bills. 

Using must-pass spending legislation as a vehicle is the latest effort by extreme MAGA Republicans to dismantle access to abortion and reproductive care further. GOP efforts to restrict or ban abortion are highly unpopular, with nearly 70 percent of voters opposing “one-size-fits-all” abortion bans and 58 percent of voters strongly agreeing that abortion bans are dangerous, yet House Republicans are willing to force a government shutdown over their harmful and unpopular policy priorities.

As it stands, seven out of 12 appropriations bills include restrictions on abortion. These provisions include:

• Limiting access to the abortion medication mifepristone, a safe and effective method of ending an early pregnancy;

• Prohibiting the VA from providing abortion services to veterans;

• Banning the Department of Defense from covering expenses for Defense employees to travel to receive abortion care;

• Defunding Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics;

• Prohibiting funding of an “abortion hotline” to provide people with information on where abortion access is available;

• Stopping the Biden Administration from implementing executive orders to increase abortion access following the Dobbs ruling.

As you’re considering coverage of the looming government shutdown and the GOP proposed appropriations bills, Free & Just storyteller Carrie Frail is available to speak to press. Carrie is an Air Force veteran who received an abortion at the only clinic in Missouri at the time, which is now closed. Carrie’s daughter, who is currently serving in the Air Force in Missouri, would have to take leave and travel out of state to receive the same care her mother received almost 15 years ago. Carrie can speak to how important abortion care is for veterans and service members and the harmful impacts of Republicans' bill to ban the Department of Defense from covering expenses for Defense employees to travel to receive abortion care.

How Do Americans Feel About a Potential Government Shutdown?

• The GOP abortion restriction provisions are widely unpopular among voters. In fact, a recent Navigator poll found that an overwhelming 90 percent of Americans want Congress to focus on avoiding a government shutdown instead of making it harder to access abortion. This includes a majority of independents (89 percent) and Republicans (84 percent).

• A majority of Americans (63 percent) feel that a government shutdown would have a negative impact on their lives. Many see the most negative side effects of a shutdown falling on seniors and those who depend on Social Security and Medicare, as well as families that rely on programs that make raising families easier. When voters learn why House Republicans are threatening to shut down the government, voters are even more opposed to their tactics. 

• 77 percent of Americans believe a government shutdown this fall will hurt the economy. This is especially critical in the context of abortion as forcing pregnancy erodes economic security due to the high costs of pregnancy and raising children. 

• People who are denied an abortion are more likely to be living in poverty even four years after, are less likely to be employed full-time, and face more unpaid debts and financial distress years later.

• Abortion medication pills, like mifepristone, can cost up to $800. 

• Raising a child can cost an average of $13,000 a year, totaling approximately $233,000 over the course of childhood. The lack of a robust care economy means that having children has substantial economic consequences in the long term.

• People who have to travel out of state to access abortion care can spend up to/around $10,000 - including car rental, airfare, gas, hotels, medical costs, food, child care, etc. For those living paycheck-to-paycheck, this amount is typically out of reach. 

• Republican-proposed cuts are deeply unpopular, especially those aimed at Social Security, nutrition assistance, education, clean water, and medical research funding.

American Perceptions About Risks to Abortion Access

• Nearly 70 percent of Americans say that the right to an abortion is at risk nationally in America regardless of whether they live in a state that has enacted new restrictions since Roe was overturned or not. Additionally: 61 percent of Americans disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last June.

• Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) Americans say they would vote to protect abortion rights in their own state if given the opportunity to vote on it.

• Nearly 3 in 4 Americans oppose prosecuting patients who receive abortions. A majority of Americans also oppose prosecuting doctors who perform abortions. 

If you’re interested in speaking with Carrie Frail for a story, please email zoe@freeandjust.us.

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Ahead of Tonight’s GOP Debate, Here’s What You Need To Know

WASHINGTON – Tonight, Republican presidential candidates will take the stage for the second Republican debate. During the first debate, we saw candidate after candidate double down on their unpopular stances on banning abortion and restricting access. Tonight, we can expect more of the same. Tonight’s debate comes as extremist Republicans threaten to shut down the government over their demands to further restrict access to abortion and other types of reproductive health care. Recent polling shows that a majority of Americans believe access to abortion is at risk in this country and are concerned about the threat to access in their own state. Sixty-four percent of those same respondents also worry that Republicans, if in a position to do so, would pass a federal abortion ban. Ahead of tonight’s GOP debate, here’s what you need to know:

Abortion bans continue to be extremely unpopular. 

• Americans overwhelmingly oppose passing a national ban on abortion, including 65% of Republicans and 83% of Independents.

• At the same time, 64 percent of Americans believe that if Republicans take back the White House and both chambers of Congress, they are likely to pass a nationwide ban.

• Amid efforts in some states to codify abortion rights in state constitutions, two in three Americans say they would vote to protect the right to abortion in their state’s constitution if their state held a vote on the issue. 

• 61% of Americans disagree with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last June. 

• Nearly 70% of Americans say that the right to an abortion is at risk nationally in America regardless of whether they live in a state that has enacted new restrictions since Roe was overturned or not. 

There’s no such thing as a “national consensus” when it comes to abortion bans.

• A majority of Americans (8 in 10) say that the decision to have an abortion should be between the pregnant person and their doctor.

• 70 percent of voters oppose “one-size-fits-all” abortion bans, and nearly 60 percent of voters agree that abortion bans are dangerous.

• While some candidates have been claiming that a 15-week ban is a “compromise,” in reality, 74% of Americans do not believe that a 15-week ban is a compromise, and 73% of Americans, including a majority of Trump supporters, think things have gone too far.

Exceptions don’t actually work — and they’re designed that way.

• Exceptions in abortion laws are designed to be difficult to understand, navigate, and obtain. They operate as a political tool and do not provide real assistance to a pregnant person who needs to access care in a state where abortion is banned.

• Exceptions for rape and incest are rare and require survivors to meet a variety of requirements in order to obtain an abortion. One such requirement is reporting an assault to law enforcement which evidence shows few survivors do for a variety of reasons.

• A recent TIME Magazine piece illustrated the problem with exceptions clearly. A Mississippi 10-year-old was raped and became pregnant but was denied abortion care under Mississippi’s law, which includes exceptions for rape. Victims must file a police report, but even if they do, “there appears to be no clear process for granting an exception.”

Extreme anti-abortion politicians are working to criminalize people who seek abortion care and those who help them access abortion care. That’s not only wrong, but also exceedingly unpopular.

• Nearly 3 in 4 Americans oppose prosecuting patients who receive abortions.

• A majority of Americans also oppose prosecuting doctors who perform abortions. 

• Just last week, a Nebraska mother was sentenced to two years in jail for helping her daughter obtain abortion pills, a safe and effective method of ending a pregnancy.

If you are interested in speaking with storytellers with Free & Just about the real-life impacts of abortion bans, please reach out to zoe@freeandjust.us

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As Extremist Republicans Threaten to Shutdown Government Over Abortion Demands, Abortion Advocates Visit Capitol Hill to Speak Out

WASHINGTON — Abortion storytellers and advocates visited Capitol Hill this week to elevate the stories of real people and the impact of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year. Storytellers also spoke of the harm of Republican demands in the appropriations process aimed at blocking abortion coverage and forcing votes on bills. Using must-pass spending legislation as a vehicle is the latest effort by extreme MAGA Republicans to further dismantle access to abortion and reproductive care. 

Free & Just’s storytellers who come from different backgrounds — a woman from New Hampshire who chose to have an abortion after learning her baby would be born with a severe birth defect, an ultrasound technician from Georgia, a couple from Florida who were denied abortion care, and an LGBTQ pastor from Wisconsin — met with congressional staff to share abortion stories that call attention to the relentless attacks that have put patients, health care providers, and others across the country in impossible positions. 

“It is imperative that members of Congress take the time to hear from their constituents on how these harmful abortion bans have impacted their lives,” said Chrystian Woods, Senior Campaign Director of Free & Just. “Abortion bans have very real and painful consequences, and our storytellers represent the everyday Americans who have been adversely affected by these widely unpopular anti-freedom policies. We are so grateful to the Members of Congress who met with our storytellers, and we know that hearing from our storytellers will energize them as they continue to fight back against the right’s extreme anti-abortion agenda.”
More on Free & Just’s storytellers who visited Capitol Hill to speak out: 

Amanda D'Angelo is a childcare worker from New Hampshire. She told her story in an op-ed in the Union Leader about how she chose to have an abortion after learning her baby would be born with anencephaly, a severe birth defect, and had no chance for survival. Amanda met with Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02).

Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) embraces Free & Just storyteller Amanda D’Angelo.

Tim Schaefer, the first openly gay pastor at First Baptist Church of Madison and a member of the Wisconsin Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice met with Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02). An advocate for the protection of reproductive rights, Tim has counseled several members of his church who have sought abortion care. 

Derick and Anya Cook are a husband and wife from Florida who shared their story in this Washington Post article of how Anya almost lost her life after being denied abortion care following the reversal of Roe V. Wade. Anya, alongside her husband, delivered her almost 16-week fetus in the bathroom of a hair salon after she was turned away by a hospital due to the state’s abortion law. While starting a family had once been a dream for the couple, Anya describes how “getting pregnant now feels like a death sentence.” Anya and Derick met with Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24).

Suki O. has been an ultrasound tech in Georgia for 20 years. As the first point of contact for patients seeking abortion care, Suki has experienced first-hand the impact of the reversal of Roe. V Wade. Her patients are now terrified when waiting for her to tell them if heartbeat activity has been detected, and she has had patients, including those with fetal anomalies and ectopic pregnancies, now denied abortion care. 

Free & Just, the organization that brought these storytellers to Washington, aims to educate Americans about who is responsible for these attacks and put a human face on the real-life impact of abortion bans. This campaign is grounded in storytelling — amplifying the stories of those who have been directly impacted by the fallout of overturning Roe — and maintaining a steady drumbeat of awareness of the continued attacks on our freedoms and, crucially, who is responsible for the loss of our rights.

Background on abortion provisions in spending bills: 

• Currently, seven out of 12 appropriations bills include restrictions on abortion, including:

• Limiting access to the abortion medication mifepristone

• Prohibiting the VA from providing abortion services to veterans

• Banning the Department of Defense from covering expenses for Defense employees to travel to receive abortion care

• Defunding Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics

• Prohibiting funding of an “abortion hotline” to provide people information on where abortion access is available

• Stopping the Biden Administration from implementing executive orders to increase abortion access following the Dobbs ruling

If you are interested in speaking with any of these storytellers, please reach out to zoe@freeandjust.us.

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About Free & Just

Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future. Follow Free & Just on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

New Free & Just Digital Ads Fight Back Against Extremist Politicians Threatening a Government Shutdown Over Abortion Access

Ads in Arizona and Wisconsin Encourage People to Fight Back by Sharing Their Stories on How Abortion Bans Impact Them

WASHINGTON — Today, the Free & Just Campaign launched a new digital ad campaign in Arizona and Wisconsin — two states with extreme abortion bans —  to fight back against the politicians who are hijacking the federal appropriations process with their anti-abortion policies and threatening a government shutdown at the end of the month. The ads encourage people to share their stories about how these policies affect their access to care and the outcomes they face as a result. Despite the wide unpopularity of abortion bans, anti-choice lawmakers continue to force their destructive agenda to further restrict access to care and endanger the personal choices and health of those who may need an abortion. 

Free & Just Senior Campaign Director Chrystian Woods released the following statement:

“As extreme politicians threaten to shut down the government if they can’t ram through their harmful anti-abortion agenda, we’re fighting back by showing the real and often disastrous consequences of attacks on reproductive freedom. These digital ads are part of Free and Just’s efforts to amplify the voices of those who have had their freedom stripped away by dangerous abortion bans and other attacks on reproductive health care. We’re empowering people to stand up and fight back by telling their story — from Arizona to Wisconsin, and across the country —  these experiences must be at the forefront of the fight to protect abortion access.”

Ad copy is as follows: 

Arizona

Arizonans: Stand Up to Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

Arizona, Anti-abortion extremists are threatening to shut down the government. Fight back and share your story

Wisconsin

Wisconsinites: Stand Up to Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

Wisconsin, anti-abortion extremists are threatening to shut down the government. Fight back and share your story.

Fight Back

Politicians are trying to tell us what we can and can’t do with our bodies and our lives. Together, we can fight back. Share your story to defend reproductive freedom.

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About Free & Just
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Free & Just Responds to Extremist Anti-Abortion Group’s Failed Attempts to Remove Nebraska Billboards Highlighting Extreme Abortion Policies in the State

WASHINGTON – Free & Just released the following statement in response to Nebraska Right to Life’s failed attempts to remove Free & Just’s billboards highlighting the Nebraska’s extreme abortion policies. The billboards were set to come down on August 31, when Free & Just’s contract for these advertisements expired. 

Free & Just’s Senior Campaign Director Chrystian Woods released the following statement in response to Nebraska Right to Life’s failed attempts to remove the billboards: 

“Extremist groups like Nebraska Right to Life don’t want people to know just how far they are willing to go to punish women who have abortions. Free & Just’s billboards shed light on the extreme anti-abortion agenda pushed by these groups and their political allies that they know is cruel, dangerous, and deeply unpopular. The contract for our billboards expired on August 31 - – plain and simple. This is a sad and desperate attempt by Nebraska Right to Life to gain relevance and claim victory when they know their dangerous and extreme positions are unpopular among the majority of Nebraskans.” 

Free & Just placed five billboards across Nebraska’s Second Congressional District in response to the sentencing of a Nebraska teen who used abortion pills, a safe and effective method of ending a pregnancy. The billboards were erected in order to educate Nebraskans about the danger of criminalizing abortion. These billboards remained in place throughout the duration of Free & Just’s contract, and were removed following the expiration of the contract. Nebraska Right to Life sought for these billboards to be removed, but they were unsuccessful. Nebraska Right to Life, the group that advocated for the billboards to be removed, is the state affiliate of National Right to Life, an extremist anti-abortion group with a history of pushing legislation that criminalizes abortion. 

The extreme policies that Nebraska Right to Life advocates for are unpopular in the state. Abortion restrictions are unpopular in Nebraska; polling shows that nearly 60% of Nebraskans oppose new restrictions on abortion in the state. Additionally, polling shows that prosecuting those who seek abortion care is deeply unpopular, with nearly 3 in 4 Americans opposing prosecution for those who seek abortion care.

If you are interested in speaking with Free & Just Campaign Director Chrystian Woods for a story, please reach out to Zoe Sheppard (zoe@freeandjust.us). 

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About Free & Just

Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.

Republican Abortion Bans are a Direct Attack on Reproductive Freedom for All Americans

Extremist politicians are grossly out of step with the majority of Americans who want to protect abortion access

Washington, DC — During last night’s Republican presidential debate, we heard politician after politician double down on their support for abortion bans and echo their relentless attacks on our reproductive freedom. Recent polling shows that a majority of Americans believe access to abortion is at risk in this country and are concerned about the threat to access abortion in their own state. Sixty-four percent of those same respondents also worry that Republicans, if in a position to do so, would pass a federal abortion ban. Free & Just Senior Campaign Director Chrystian Woods released the following statement:

“Republicans continue to embrace an extreme agenda that puts our freedoms and rights at very serious risk, and there is no sign of them charting a different course. We know, however, that the majority of American people reject this assault on our reproductive freedom — that abortion bans, laws to prosecute patients and providers are deeply unpopular and have nothing to do with protecting anyone’s health or safety. We need lawmakers who will defend our freedoms rather than out-of-touch politicians who pass ban after ban further stripping away the right to safe and legal abortion, regardless of the consequences to real people.

“That’s why at Free & Just we’re committed to elevating the personal stories of people seeking abortions and health care providers impacted by these restrictive laws, and demonstrating what is at stake as anti-abortion activists and lawmakers continue to launch attacks on our freedom. It’s time to speak out. Our freedom won’t be handed back to us – we have to raise our voices and tell our stories.”

Reactions from the debate only reinforced what we’ve heard through polling data surveying the American public: Support for abortion rights and protecting people’s reproductive freedom has increased since Roe fell last year, and two of out three Americans are against a national ban on abortion.  

If you would like to interview Free & Just Senior Campaign Director Chrystian Woods for a story, please email ashley.quenneville@thehubproject.org.

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About Free & Just
Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future. Follow Free & Just on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

ICYMI: I’m an Aspiring OB-GYN. Here Is Why I Won’t Do My Residency in Any State With an Abortion Ban.

In new op-ed, American Medical Students Association President, Rohini Kousalya Siva, explains how abortion bans drive health care providers away from communities in need

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – In a new op-ed in Ms. Magazine, Rohini Kousalya Siva, MD, MPH, MS, is explaining her decision to avoid OB-GYN residency programs in states with abortion bans.

Rohini, who serves as the President of the American Medical Students Association, plans to practice obstetrics and gynecology and is preparing to apply to residency programs, but finds her options limited by abortion bans in states across the country. Like many young professionals, Rohini is disappointed that the career she has worked so hard for is already being undermined by anti-abortion lawmakers.

In her piece, Rohini explains that training in abortion care is essential for OB-GYNs – training she would not receive if she completes her residency in a state where abortion is banned. 

"Abortion care is essential health care, and my training would be incomplete without the opportunity to provide these services to patients. I did not spend four years working hard in medical school to deprive myself as a resident of these essential learning opportunities."

Rohini's op-ed follows the release of a new March of Dimes report showing that nearly 6 million women across the US live in maternity care deserts, defined as "any county in the United States without a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and without any obstetric providers." Though nearly every state has a county that is considered a maternity care desert, with the highest prevalence in Midwestern and Southern states, aspiring health care providers like Rohini are being driven away from these communities by anti-abortion extremists.

"The U.S. faces a shortage of OB-GYNs and in fact all specialty doctors—and it’s only expected to get worse in the years ahead. I know how important access to reproductive healthcare is and I want to be part of the solution—but lawmakers in states like Georgia and Wisconsin are standing in the way. "

Rohini is not alone. Research from Ariana Traub at Emory University highlighted in a new TIME article shows that nearly 80% of third and fourth year medical students surveyed in 2022 said that abortion laws affected where they planned to apply to residency programs. Almost 60% of the students surveyed said they were “unlikely to apply to any residency programs in states with abortion restrictions” – meaning many communities will remain without access to local providers. The new reporting from TIME illustrates just how devastating limited access to OB-GYN care can be for patients. 

Rohini's decision to avoid residency programs in states with abortion bans confirms that ongoing attacks on abortion rights and OB-GYNs will only exacerbate this crisis, and leave more patients without essential, and sometimes life-saving care.

You can read Rohini's op-ed in Ms. Magazine here. If you’re interested in speaking with Rohini, please reach out to zoe@freeandjust.us. 

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New Billboards Across Nebraska Expose the Dangers of the State's Abortion Ban as Women Face Prosecution

OMAHA, NE – Today, five new billboards across Nebraska's second Congressional District are highlighting the harms of the state's abortion ban, as women seeking abortion face prosecution in the state. These billboards will be followed by digital ads and more as Free & Just continues to highlight the impact in Nebraska and across the country of the harm of extreme abortion bans in post-Dobbs America.The billboards from Free & Just follow the sentencing of a Nebraska teen who used abortion pills to terminate a pregnancy in April 2022. The teen was sentenced to 90 days in jail for terminating her pregnancy beyond the state's prior 20-week abortion ban, and her mother faces up to five years in prison for assisting her then 17 year old daughter in terminating her pregnancy. 

Abortion in Nebraska is banned after 12 weeks, and women may face criminal charges for seeking care beyond this period. This case also signals the state's intent to prosecute those who help a patient seeking abortion care, a dangerous and alarming trend observed in other states like Idaho and Texas. 

As the new billboards go up across NE-02, Chrystian Woods, Senior Campaign Director at Free & Just released the following statement: 

"Nebraskans need to know just how far anti-abortion extremists in their state are willing to go to punish women who have abortions. These billboards expose the cruel and dangerous nature of prosecuting people seeking abortion care, and are a stark reminder of what's at stake for women across the country as legislatures continue to pass extreme abortion bans."

The billboards are located at five locations across Omaha:

• S/S I-80 w/o 99TH STREET - FW

• S/S I-80 .3m w/o 42ND STREET - FW

• S/S I-80 w/o 99TH STREET - FE

• NW CORNER of 108TH & MAPLE - FE

• S/S I-80 .2m w/o 72ND STREET - FE

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ICYMI: American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) Forcing OBGYNs to Texas for Certifying Exams Amid Escalating Anti-Choice Violence

OBGYNs seeking board certification fear violence, harassment, and even prosecution as ABOG holds certifying exams in Texas 

DALLAS — As anti-choice violence surges following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ABOG), which certifies OBGYNs across the country, is forcing doctors seeking board certification to complete their exams in one of the most dangerous states for OBGYNs: Texas.

According to new reporting from Jessica Valenti, OBGYNs across the country recently received notice from ABOG that they are expected to complete their certifying exams in Texas, where abortion is banned without exception for rape or incest, and private citizens can sue providers and anyone who assists patients seeking an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. For OBGYNs like Dr. Joseph Ottolenghi, who practices in New York City and provides abortion care, traveling to Texas for board certification could mean risking arrest or worse. 

While ABOG says abortion providers traveling to Texas from out of state “should not be at legal risk,” many remain unconvinced, particularly as anti-choice officials in the state, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, signal their intent to prosecute providers and patients, even going so far as to pressure the Biden administration for access to medical records of those who get out-of-state abortions.

Hostile abortion laws drive providers out of communities in need, exacerbate the OBGYN shortage, and undermine access to health care. In Texas, researchers estimate that since the state's abortion ban went into effect in September 2021, nearly 10,000 additional infants were born between April and December 2022. This significant increase in live births poses a unique problem as physicians are driven out of the state by anti-abortion lawmakers. The added stress on labor and delivery resources across Texas has real implications for patients who deserve better. 

And, of course, it’s not just Texas where OBGYN's feel threatened — in Wisconsin, where the legitimacy of an 1849 law criminalizing abortion is being litigated, some OBGYNs are fearful that simply practicing medicine as they were trained could land them in legal trouble. Some have even been forced to cross into Minnesota to continue working, as anti-choice lawmakers and activists continue targeting patients and providers.OBGYNs and abortion providers are already facing enormous obstacles to providing care to patients in need, and institutional support from organizations like the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology is more important than ever. 

You can read Jessica Valenti's piece on ABOG's certification exams in Texas here.

If you are interested in connecting with someone experiencing professional challenges at the hands of anti-abortion lawmakers, I am happy to put you in touch with Rohini Kousalya Siva, MD MPH MS, the President of the American Medical Students Association. Rohini is a fourth year medical student who plans to practice obstetrics and gynecology and is preparing to apply to residency programs, but finds her options limited by restrictive abortion policy in states across the country. Like many young professionals, Rohini is disappointed that the career she has worked so hard for is already being undermined by anti-choice lawmakers.

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