Podcasts about reproductive healthcare

Eid is a celebration of strength and gratitude where Muslims all around the world come together to mark the end of Ramadan. Nuala McGovern is joined by one of the first Muslim headteachers in the country, Bushra Nasir, author & podcaster Shelina Janmohamed and Executive Board Member at the Muslim Council of Wales Jamilla Hekmoun to discuss what roles they have on this day, from acting as the ‘memory markers' to passing down the rich traditions that keep religious stories and practices alive as well as some of the pressures women can feel at this time. Women across England will be able to get the morning after pill for free from pharmacies from later this year, the Government has said. Emergency contraception is already free of charge from most GPs and sexual health clinics. But ministers say getting it in pharmacies is a "postcode lottery" - with some councils funding free prescriptions, while elsewhere women can pay up to £30. Nuala discusses the plan with Dr Janet Barter, President, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.The Government says it's going to create 10,000 new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream schools. Ministers are saying £740 million will be allocated in England over the next three years. It comes as a new report is launched at Westminster today which warns that more and more children are 'losing learning' because their needs are not being met, or they are being suspended or excluded. Nuala discusses the issues and possible solutions with the report's author, Ellie Harris, Aaliyah, a young woman who couldn't attend school due to SEND, and the actress and mother Anna Maxwell Martin and Louise McLeod, the Executive Headteacher of two primary schools in Norfolk.Darkly funny, unsettling, and razor-sharp, I Hope You're Happy by Marni Appleton is a haunting collection of short stories exploring modern womanhood through the lens of horror and satire. From viral photos to eerie performances in dead-end jobs, these stories capture the weirdness of millennial life... where power struggles, fleeting connections, and social media anxieties collide with the surreal. Marni joins Nuala to discuss the themes and her inspiration.Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

This week: the carve-up of Ukraine's natural resources From the success of Keir Starmer's visit to Washington to the squabbling we saw in the Oval Office and the breakdown of security guarantees for Ukraine – we have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of geopolitics in the last week, say Niall Ferguson and Nicholas Kulish in this week's cover piece. They argue that what Donald Trump is really concerned with when it comes to Ukraine is rare earth minerals – which Ukraine has in abundance under its soil. The conventional wisdom is that the US is desperately short of these crucial minerals and, as Niall and Nicholas point out, the dealmaking president is driven by a nagging sense of inferiority in comparison to rare earth minerals powerhouse China. Niall and Nicholas joined the podcast to talk further. (02:19) Next: why are women having caesareans being offered sterilisation? During a routine antenatal appointment, Flora Watkins was blindsided by the opening gambit from her obstetrician: ‘Why don't we tie your tubes when we've got the baby out?' The doctor wouldn't drop it, despite Flora's objections, insisting it was ‘a very simple procedure'. Flora speaks to other women who were traumatised by these unsolicited offers and confused about why they had been targeted. Most felt it was a judgment on the number of children they ‘should' have. Only one woman had been given a medical reason. Flora joined the podcast to discuss this further, alongside Dr Janet Barter, president of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, which advises women on contraception. (18:50) And finally: when is poetry so bad that it becomes good? Sam Leith, The Spectator's literary editor, celebrates William McGonagall in the magazine – the man affectionately considered the worst poet in history. McGonagall was, as Sam says, an ‘anti-genius' who (in light of the Tay Bridge Disaster) concocted such memorable stanzas as: Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay! Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken away On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember'd for a very long time. But Sam argues that there is joy to be found in bad poetry. To discuss good poetry, bad poetry and the very fine line between them, Sam Leith joined the podcast alongside one of the more successful Dundonian poets, Don Paterson. (33:08) Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

This week: the carve-up of Ukraine's natural resources From the success of Keir Starmer's visit to Washington to the squabbling we saw in the Oval Office and the breakdown of security guarantees for Ukraine – we have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of geopolitics in the last week, say Niall Ferguson and Nicholas Kulish in this week's cover piece. They argue that what Donald Trump is really concerned with when it comes to Ukraine is rare earth minerals – which Ukraine has in abundance under its soil. The conventional wisdom is that the US is desperately short of these crucial minerals and, as Niall and Nicholas point out, the dealmaking president is driven by a nagging sense of inferiority in comparison to rare earth minerals powerhouse China. Niall and Nicholas joined the podcast to talk further. (02:19) Next: why are women having caesareans being offered sterilisation? During a routine antenatal appointment, Flora Watkins was blindsided by the opening gambit from her obstetrician: ‘Why don't we tie your tubes when we've got the baby out?' The doctor wouldn't drop it, despite Flora's objections, insisting it was ‘a very simple procedure'. Flora speaks to other women who were traumatised by these unsolicited offers and confused about why they had been targeted. Most felt it was a judgment on the number of children they ‘should' have. Only one woman had been given a medical reason. Flora joined the podcast to discuss this further, alongside Dr Janet Barter, president of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, which advises women on contraception. (18:50) And finally: when is poetry so bad that it becomes good? Sam Leith, The Spectator's literary editor, celebrates William McGonagall in the magazine – the man affectionately considered the worst poet in history. McGonagall was, as Sam says, an ‘anti-genius' who (in light of the Tay Bridge Disaster) concocted such memorable stanzas as: Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay! Alas! I am very sorry to say That ninety lives have been taken away On the last Sabbath day of 1879, Which will be remember'd for a very long time. But Sam argues that there is joy to be found in bad poetry. To discuss good poetry, bad poetry and the very fine line between them, Sam Leith joined the podcast alongside one of the more successful Dundonian poets, Don Paterson. (33:08) Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

Welcome to Season 5, Episode 7! Today's guest is Fajer Saeed Ebrahim, a Senior Policy Manager at the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, AKA NAPAWF. If you're a longtime listener, then you'll remember we were fortunate enough to bring in Sydelle Barreto, the Policy Manager NAPAWF to talk about Clocking Inequality back on Season 4, Episode 39! NAPAWF has been hard at work with their latest report entitled “Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Community: Understanding Barriers to Access in Georgia”.  Fajer is a skilled legal advocate with substantial experience in organizing, policy, and legislative advocacy related to reproductive rights and justice, racial equity, survivor justice, and immigrant healthcare. Prior to her work with NAPAWF, she was a senior advisor with the Coalition to Expand Contraceptive Access; a consultant with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; a consultant with the Center for Reproductive Rights, as well as other stops.  NAPAWF is the only organization dedicated to uplifting and building power with AANHPI women and girls in the US. Employing a reproductive justice framework to guide their work, they use organizing, advocacy, and communications strategies to assert full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities. Working with the Emory University Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast (RISE), this latest report by NAPAWF seeks to uncover the systemic barriers Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women and gender-expansive individuals face in accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH). We recommend you read the full report, donate to NAPAWF, stay informed, and take action. If you like what we do, please share, follow, and like us in your podcast directory of choice or on Instagram @AAHistory101. For previous episodes and resources, please visit our site at https://asianamericanhistory101.libsyn.com or our links at http://castpie.com/AAHistory101. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, email us at info@aahistory101.com.

In the second episode of season 4, Dr. U. Grant Baldwin, Jr., DBH, Director of the Doctor of Behavioral Health program at Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, explores how the overturning of Roe v. Wade has reshaped the legal and healthcare landscape across the United States, creating a complex patchwork of reproductive rights that varies widely from state to state. Our expert guests will break down the most significant legal changes, discuss their impact on underserved populations, and explore the role of advocacy and policymaking in shaping the future of reproductive rights. About the Special Guests: Dr. Charla N. Burns, MD, is a physician and public health official with an extensive background in infectious disease surveillance, medical research, clinical healthcare, scientific literature review, and statistical data analysis. She currently as an AHA Instructor at the College of Health Care Professions in Houston, Texas. Prior to her current role, Dr. Burns was an epidemiologist for the Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC Foundation. Since 2020, she has focused her efforts on planning, developing, and implementing field research studies on COVID-19. She has served on the CGI Advisory Council since December 2022. Dr. Burns earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry/pre-medicine in 2000 from Louisiana State  University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. In 2006, she attained a Doctor of Medicine from the UTMB School of Medicine, followed by internal medicine residency training at Tulane University Medical Center and its affiliated clinics and hospitals. Well-qualified in her field, she has experience in public speaking on health-related topics at medical conferences and community events. Dr. Sara A. Schuch, DBH, LPC, NCC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor currently working in a primary care setting as an integrated behavioral health counselor. She holds a Doctor of Behavioral Health degree from Cummings Graduate Institute and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor, a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, and is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Professional achievements include piloting a co-occurring disorders treatment program, developing and providing training on mental health screening and treatment best practices for healthcare providers, and developing and providing training on harm reduction techniques for patients with substance use disorders in healthcare settings. Her Doctoral program culminating project focused on mental health treatment and diagnosis using technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the ethical implications and considerations of using these digital tools. Dr. Cara English, DBH is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Academic Officer of CGI and Founder of Terra's Tribe, a maternal mental health advocacy organization in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. English spearheaded a perinatal behavioral health integration project at Willow Birth Center from 2016 to 2020 that received international acclaim through the publication of outcomes in the International Journal of Integrated Care. Dr. English served as Vice-President of the Postpartum Support International – Arizona Chapter Founding Board of Directors and co-chaired the Education and Legislative Advocacy Committees. She currently serves on the Maternal Mortality Review Program and the Maternal Health Taskforce for the State of Arizona. She served as one of three Arizonan 2020 Mom Nonprofit Policy Fellows in 2021. For her work to establish Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, Cara was awarded the Psyche Award from the Nicholas & Dorothy Cummings Foundation in 2018 and is more recently the recipient of the 2022 Sierra Tucson Compassion Recognition for her work to improve perinatal mental health integration in Arizona.

Few policy debates received more attention in last November's election than reproductive freedom. Strangely, however, despite widespread evidence that significant majorities favor abortion rights and the right to contraception — see for example the results of numerous ballot initiatives — Republicans opposed to reproductive freedom managed to win the presidency and control of the new […]

Joining Catherine & Pete in the first episode of our new season - Nigerian born and Yorkshire bred, Dr Helen Lawal is Black African- White British, Medical Doctor, Nutritionist, Coach, TV Presenter  and Mum of 2.  She's dedicated 20 years studying, training and working in the field of health care with degrees and qualifications in Sport & Exercise Science (Bsc),  Medicine, Sexual & Reproductive  Healthcare, General Practitioner Specialist Training , Health Coaching and Nutrition. You might have also seen her on the tele on shows like Channel 4's Food Unwrapped, Steph's Packed Lunch and  How to Lose Weight Well. Following her own late discovery as  Autistic-ADHD she is now devoted to using all her expertise and experience to support other ADHD and Autistic people navigate their own health and nutrition challenges. In her own online Nutrition & Coaching Practice, she supports late discovered ADHD women to overcome the overwhelm and make healthy eating their new normal in her 12 week 1:1 signature program. And, in 2025 will be hosting Chats & Snacks - a virtual support group for late discovered ADHD and AuDHD women covering various health themes including Nutrition Hormones, Sleep and Emotional Health.  Most recently she joined The National Autism Training Programme as a trainer alongside Pete and Catherine and this is the first time she has openly identified as being autistic.  Visit Dr Helen's website Follow Dr Helen on instagram Connect with Catherine & Pete Visit Catherine's website Catherine's NEW Book 'Rediscovered' is coming 21st February Pre-order here⁠ ⁠⁠Book a ticket for the Book Launch event⁠⁠ Leeds - 21st February Online - 24th February London - 26th February Contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Catherine Asta⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pete's ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠ Follow Pete on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ Buy ⁠⁠Untypical⁠⁠ Need Post Discovery Support? ⁠Join our next 6 week post discovery support circle⁠ Join our next 6 week relational space circle Join Catherine's Frequency Circle 1.5 hour Masterclass ⁠Join our Late Discovered Club Community⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore The Asta Community of Professionals Support our work 3 ways you can support the podcast and the work we do... Become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠or partner and join our growing community. Buy us a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠coffee.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rate & review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the show or an episode ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read about our 10 Year Plan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Community Partners ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who are supporting the work that we are doing. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Nordens⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Deborah Bulcock Coaching & Consulting ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Tidy Mind⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Growth Pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hormones On The Blink ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About the Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thelatediscoveredclub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Founder & Host Catherine Asta Podcast Editor Caty Ava S4 Guest Co-Host Pete Wharmby Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Allora⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this Strategy& Insider podcast episode with Ambra Zhang, Co-founder and CEO of Juniper, we explore the groundbreaking approach her UK-based startup is taking in the realm of reproductive health insurance. Discover how Juniper is addressing significant health challenges, like endometriosis and prostate cancer, by destigmatizing discussions and implementing innovative insurance solutions.

“Reproductive Healthcare Access and White Nationalism,” featured founder of Funky Brown Chick, Twanna Hines, and Melissa Deckman, CEO of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). Assistant Dean for Religion and Public Life, Hussein Rashid, served as moderator. Access to reproductive healthcare engages with explicitly religious language. This session positioned that language in the broader framework of white nationalism, which is often undergirded by Christian nationalism. The session tied together structures of patriarchy and race, and offered ways of possible solidarity to create a more just future. This was the third of four sessions in the Religion and Democratic Ideals series. This series focused on where religion intersects with democratic ideals and institutions. Sponsored by Religion and Public Life Full transcript forthcoming.

One of the issues that has been front-and-center on the campaign trail is reproductive healthcare. Of course, there was the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022, but in the time since, there's been more limitations placed on reproductive healthcare— from abortion to IVF and everything in between. Today, Nicole talks to entrepreneur Jessica Schaefer about the cost, and future, of fertility. Jessica shares her own experience with freezing her eggs, what resources can make IVF more affordable and how she's providing solutions with her startup Lushi.  Follow Lushi here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lushifertility/

It's been more than two years now since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion care and more than a year since North Carolina enacted a 12-week ban on the procedure – this on top of a raft of other burdensome and medically unnecessary restrictions. So, what can we say about what's […]

The topic of reproductive healthcare and access to abortion has emerged as a pivotal point in the weeks and months leading up to the 2024 presidential election in the U.S. In this week's episode of then & now, our guest interviewer Professor Elizabeth O'Brien speaks with Professor Cassia Roth, a historian of Society, Environment, and Health Equity at the University of California, Riverside. Roth's recent book, A Miscarriage of Justice, explores the intersection of reproductive health and legal policy in early 20th-century Brazil. Drawing from her research, Roth highlights parallels between Brazil and the U.S., noting how both countries are undergoing complex shifts in reproductive rights shaped by political and religious landscapes. While some areas of Latin America have seen significant progress toward decriminalizing abortion in recent decades, other countries in the region have imposed increasingly restrictive reproductive policies, underscoring the diversity of legal landscapes across Latin America. The conversation stresses the importance of understanding historical context, such as the role of military regimes and social inequalities, in shaping current reproductive policies. Roth calls for inclusive policies that address the needs of marginalized communities while navigating the ongoing back-and-forth nature of reproductive legislation.  Elizabeth O'Brien is an Assistant Professor in the UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Department of History, specializing in the history of reproductive health in Mexico. Professor O'Brien is also a member of the cross-field group in the History of Gender and Sexuality. Professor O'Brien's 2023 book on colonialism and reproductive healthcare in Mexico, Surgery and Salvation, received the 2024 Best Book Award from the Nineteenth-Century Section of the Latin American Studies Association.  Cassia Roth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Society, Environment, and Health Equity at UC Riverside. Professor Roth is a leading expert in women's reproductive health in Brazil and her acclaimed book, A Miscarriage of Justice, was published by Stanford University Press in 2020. Professor Roth is currently working on a project entitled Birthing Abolition: Enslaved Women's Reproduction and the Gradual End of Slavery in 19th-century Brazil. 

  This time on Code WACK!  What's at stake in health care with the upcoming federal election? Would Donald Trump really try to repeal the Affordable Care Act - again? Would Kamala Harris continue fighting to rein in the skyrocketing cost of medicine? What will be the fate of Biden-era policies like enhanced tax credits limiting the cost of health insurance premiums? Or access to reproductive health care (including contraception)? With so much up in the air, how is Families USA, a leading national, non-partisan voice for healthcare consumers, responding? To find out, we spoke to Anthony Wright, Families USA's new executive director. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  

It's been more than two years now since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion care and more than a year since North Carolina enacted a 12-week ban on the procedure – this on top of a raft of other burdensome and medically unnecessary restrictions. So, what can we say about what's […]

It was a historic moment for Australia... as Western Australia became the last state in the country to decriminalise abortion in March this year. The federal government also committed just over $6 million dollars in funding to contraceptive care in the May budget. But there are still barriers around accessing safe and affordable sexual and reproductive health care for women and the LGBTQI+ community.

It's been two years now since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion care and since then, numerous states – including North Carolina – have moved rapidly to end or greatly restrict abortion access. In 2023, Republican state legislators in Raleigh enacted a law that both bans abortion after the 12th week […] The post Duke Health physician Dr. Beverly Gray on state of reproductive healthcare in North Carolina appeared first on NC Newsline.

We're talking today about IVF, medication abortion and the future of reproductive rights.

We're talking today about IVF, medication abortion and the future of reproductive rights.

Sexual and reproductive health doesn't disappear in humanitarian settings. People don't stop needing obstetric care, getting pregnant, needing birth control, needing safe abortion care, or needing gender-based violence support in emergency situations. In fact, 65% of all maternal deaths, 50% of all newborn deaths, and 51% of all stillbirths occur in humanitarian settings. Judith Starkulla, Head of Office for UNFPA in Gaza, shares her thoughts on the SRHR needs of those in the region.UNFPA supplies medicine, dignity kits, gender-based violence services, and specialized healthcare to hospitals and individual patients. Currently, in Gaza, health infrastructure has been ruined and many people have nowhere to turn to for care. Only 3 maternity hospitals are functioning across Gaza, and they are overcrowded with people needing assistance. Stress, hunger, and fear are impacting mothers and children. Yet, UNFPA cannot deliver aid while Gaza continues to face bombardment and closed border crossings, and medicines and supplies have been destroyed by fire and explosions. Support the Show.Follow Us on Social: Twitter: @rePROsFightBack Instagram: @reprosfbFacebook: rePROs Fight Back Email us: jennie@reprosfightback.comRate and Review on Apple PodcastThanks for listening & keep fighting back!

Gov. Kristi Noem shot her dog — and might have shot her chance of being Trump's running mate; Florida's six-week abortion ban is now in effect; gender-affirming care is ruled constitutional; and more in news. Then, Rep. Lorena Austin joins to talk about abortion and how Arizonans can protect reproductive healthcare in November. Finally, Sani-Petty (how do you feel about polygamy?). Show Notesvotesaveamerican.com/fuckbansDonald Trump on What His Second Term Would Look Like [TIME]Kristi Noem Doubles Down on Decision to Kill Family Dog, Adds That She Killed 3 Horses “a Few Weeks Ago” [Vanity Fair 4/29]As Florida's strict abortion ban takes effect, look to November and vote to overturn it [The Palm Beach Post 4/30]Trump says it's up to individual states whether they want to prosecute women for abortions [ABC 4/30]4th Circuit: Gender Identity Is A Protected Characteristic, Blocks State Coverage Bans [Erin in the Morning 4/29]In Reversal, Expert Panel Recommends Breast Cancer Screening at 40 [NYT 4/30]A former Democratic Georgia congressman hopes abortion can power his state Supreme Court bid [AP News 4/26] 

A misogynistic tragedy in Australia, “abortion trafficking” and “coercion” bills in Republican-dominated states, North Carolina's importance in 2024, and more in news. Plus, Sani-Petty (Nike Olympics uniforms make no sense, and Meghan Markle, leave the fruit jams to the experts!).  Show Notesvotesaveamerica.com   Reeling From Mass Stabbing, Australians Ask: Was It About Hatred of Women? (NYT 4/15)Bills related to ‘abortion coercion' and ‘trafficking' advance in Republican-led legislatures (NC Newsline 4/15)It's official: Your boss has to give you time off to recover from childbirth or get an abortion (The 19th 4/16)North Carolina May Be Biden 2024's Best Bet in the South (Intelligencer 3/12)North Carolina candidate for governor built his brand through online vitriol — particularly toward Black women (The 19th 4/9) Nike revealed its new Olympic kit collection for Paris 2024. (IG) Beloved Australian Cartoon Bluey Introduces a Queer Family for the First Time (them) Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, debuts its first product(Page Six) Fabrics retailer Joann files for bankruptcy (CNN 3/18) Federal pregnancy resources:The PUMP ActPregnant Workers Fairness Act

Arizona's Supreme Court bans abortion, and Trump wants to leave reproductive healthcare up to the states, in news. Then, Tien Tran joins to talk about the NCAA women's basketball championships and the rise in popularity of women's sports. Finally, Sani-Petty (Jason Sudeikis, get out of here!). Show NotesDonate used eclipse glasses, or you can drop off undamaged eclipse glasses at any Warby Parker store until April 30 to donate to Astronomers Without Borders.Tien Tran, Jockular Podcast News Sources—Arizona Upholds 160 Year Old Abortion Ban [NYT 4/9 + 19th News 4/9 + NBC News 4/9]Trump's Truth abortion announcement: WaPo Analysis, The Hill, Politico, Politico PlaybookParents of Michigan School Shooter Sentenced to 10 to 15 Years in Prison (NYT 4/9) Swiss women win landmark climate case at Europe top human rights court (Reuters 4/9)“Sunday's National Championship between South Carolina and Iowa was the most-watched women's basketball game on record.” (Katie Couric on IG) NAIA, small colleges association, bans transgender athletes from women's sports competitions (CBS Sports) Fox Corp's OutKick spent March Madness attacking the NCAA women's tournament and athletes (MM4A 4/5)

Dr. Christina Francis discusses the importance and need for life-affirming healthcare for both the patient and the physician providing the care. She reviews the various ways reproductive health issues are impacted by policy, education, research, and the Hippocratic Oath, and why we must help protect healthcare providers right to conscientiously object to providing treatment that goes against their values.Dr.  Francis is a board-certified Ob/Gyn who currently works in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. Francis completed medical school at Indiana University in 2005 and completed her Ob/Gyn residency at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis in 2009. She is chair of the board of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) and a board member of Indiana Right to Life. As a professional speaker, Dr. Francis offers her medical expertise, knowledge of bioethics, and pro-life reasoning both here in the U.S. and around the globe. She has always had a passion for human rights, spending a significant portion of the past 10 years in various countries working tirelessly on behalf of women and children. Dr. Francis spent time working with orphans in Romania and Burma, discussing the importance of life issues with university students in Israel, and working for three years as the only OB/GYN at a mission hospital in rural Kenya. Dr. Francis left Kenya in 2014 to work on behalf of women and children in her home state and beyond who are often victims of the abortion industry, and to educate people on the greatest social injustice of our time.Be sure to stay up to date with Abundant Life: You Were Made for More by visiting our blog - and if you're loving the podcast, send guest recommendations to us or leave us a star-rating/review on your favorite listening platform to spread the word about the you were made for more message.You Were Made for More Social Media: FacebookTwitterInstagram

Why do people make fun of me being fat? What is ableism? Why do I feel bad about being fat? I am fat and disabled why are doctors so focused on my weight? Why can't I get help for my disability? Why is it hard to ask for help? Why is there limited resources to support my disability? Why is accessibility so limited in the world? What is the morality of health? Why do I want to be skinny so bad? How do I find a supportive gym? Is my gym judging me? Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before. I am fat and feel like I have to shrink in order to be allowed to exist. All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com

Republicans in Alabama, Kansas, and Florida attempt more anti-abortion workarounds by redefining “personhood;” ProPublica shows how Tennessee makes motherhood a nightmare; Nikki Haley stays on the campaign trail; dating app developers make Tinder addictive; and more in news. Then, Rep. Judy Chu from California talks about the Lunar New Year (we love dragons!), gun safety, and a new bill aimed at helping caregivers. Finally, June Diane Raphael dishes about Sister Wives, acting, and more.Show NotesThe Year After A Denied Abortion (propublica.org)After Ruling, University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System Pauses I.V.F. Procedures (nytimes.com)Congresswoman Judy ChuJune Diane: instagram + her podcast The Deep Dive with Jessica St Clair and June Diane Raphael

Does being fat make it hard to get pregnant? Does obesity affect fertility? Do hormones impact weight? What science do we actually know about being fat and conception? I want to have a baby and my doctor won't stop telling me to lose weight, why does this happen? Is my infertility all my fault? Does morning after pill/plan b work on fat people? Why doesn't my doctor have more answers about my period? Is it ok for my doctor to put my child on a diet? What age do we worry about my child's weight? Why don't we know more about women's reproduction? Why didn't my doctor catch my endometriosis? How painful is a period? Why isn't there more research about female bodies? Is the male body same as the female body? Does a male body react the same as a female body? Why do females have to fight so hard for care? Why does my doctor judge what food I feed my children? How can I have a healthy relationship with food if my doctor keeps bringing up my weight? How do I advocate for myself at my doctors? Why do people hold on to their prejudiced beliefs and not actual researched science? Why is there a limited amount of woman's healthcare science? Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before.   All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com

Fani Willis and Donald Trump might meet up in an Atlanta hearing; Joe Biden's on TikTok; Republicans sincerely threaten a national abortion ban; Texas, Ohio, and Missouri deal with reproductive healthcare BS; and more in news. Then, Bess Kalb and Kiran Deol join to discuss being an artist promoting their work on social media (inspired by an article in Vox by Rebecca Jennings). Finally, Sani-Petty (Mark Meadows and…long boogers?).Show NotesEveryone's a sellout now (Vox)

When it comes to our reproductive health, hindsight is often 20/20. But in a world where it takes an average of 7-10 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis, it's high time for reproductive healthcare that is proactive vs. reactive. In this episode of From First Period To Last Period, Rescripted Co-Founder Kristyn Hodgdon sits down with Dr. Levica Narine of the Kofinas Fertility Group to discuss uterine fibroids, why they disproportionately affect Black women, and how they can be successfully treated through minimally invasive surgery. Brought to you by ⁠⁠Rescripted⁠⁠ and the ⁠⁠Kofinas Fertility Group⁠⁠.

Is my therapist mad at me for being fat? Why does my therapist want to know my BMI? Does being fat affect how people treat me? Does being fat make me mentally ill? Is my therapist prejudiced against fat people? Should my therapist give me diet and exercise tips? Why do I feel so guilty after seeing my therapist? Is my therapist judging my obesity? Is it worth taking a psychiatric medicine if it makes me fat? I am a mental health clinician, how can I help my patients who are fat? I am a therapist how can I support my clients in dismantling oppressive systems? How can a therapist help me be confident in my fat body? How can I find a therapist who isn't fat phobic? Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before. All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com

Why does my doctor say I am obese? Does being obese mean I am not healthy? What does obese mean? Is obese a medical term? Is obesity science? Is obesity a disease? Why do I feel shame around the word obese? Do I need an advocate at my doctors appointment? Why does my doctor treat being obese like a death sentence? How do I get my doctor to believe me and do something besides focus on my weight? I am fat, why can't I get help from my doctor? Why do I feel so bad when I go to the doctor? Why does the doctor make me feel guilty? Why does my medical paperwork and doctors notes make me feel stressed? Why do doctors need to know our weight? Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before. All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com    

Will losing weight make me healthy? Is my doctor practicing outdated science? Is my doctor hurting me? Does the BMI tell me if I am healthy? Why does my doctor want to put me on ozempic/semiglutide to lose weight? Is there a cure for being fat? Do fat people need to be cured? Why does my doctor only look at my weight and not my health? Why doesn't my doctor believe me? What does the latest research say about obesity and health? Why do doctors focus on weight? Why is it so hard to get insurance to cover ozempic?   Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before. All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com 

Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco discuss the latest abortion news (the Biden campaign doubles down, and the March for Life happened this past weekend). Then, Katie Couric joins to discuss her interviews with Kamala Harris and Sarah Palin, the state of journalism, becoming a grandma, and all the things making us say WTF. Finally, Sani-Petty (did Greta Gerwig and the Barbie movie get snubbed?). For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Show NotesNext Question with Katie Couric, an iHeartPodcastWake-Up Call, Katie Couric's newsletterBarbie: Barbie The World Tour book by stylist Andrew Mukamal, Hillary's statement about the OscarsLily Gladstone Makes Oscars History as First Native American Best Actress Nominee (Rolling Stone)

Is fatphobia racist? Is fatphobia prejudice? Is the medical system practicing racism by vilifying obesity? Do people of color get worse medical care? Is my doctor actually helping me? How can I tell if my doctor is biased? Is BMI meant for women? What are the racist origins of fatphobia? Are doctors and clinicians participating in harming and marginalizing people seeking help? What are concrete steps to dismantling systems of oppression?Do doctor's and clinician's ethical oaths include anti-racism? Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before. All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com 

This week on the Beacon Podcast, Esther is joined by Olivia Pennington from Maine Family Planning, Julia McDonald and Aspen Ruhlin from the Mabel Wadsworth Center and Lisa Margulies from Planned Parenthood Maine. Together they discuss access to reproductive and gender affirming healthcare in Maine and efforts to protect it with legislation, and a constitutional… The post Podcast: The future of reproductive healthcare in Maine first appeared on Maine Beacon.

Is there an obesity crisis? Is TV and social media fatphobic? Is public health information wrong about being fat? Did the war on obesity work? Why was there a war on obesity? Why do people hate fat people? Does social media and tv still represent old problematic beliefs that aren't actual science? Why should we be careful trusting fatphobic public figures? Why should obesity be a social justice issue? Guru Shabd, LMFT and Tresla, Advocate and Public Speaker get into this with collected peer reviewed journal research and even more passion than before. All cited sources found at yesandbodypolitics.com Insta: @yesandbodypolitics.com TikTok: yesandbodypolitics Email: yesandbodypolitic@gmail.com 

Dr. David Adamson talks about disparities in access to fertility and reproductive healthcare and the various communities and groups that are affected. There is work to be done in clinical research and policy making to bridge the gap. Mentioned In This Episode ARC Fertility https://www.arcfertility.com/ ASRM https://www.reproductivefacts.org/ https://resolve.org/

The usual method of sterilisation used in Scotland is to block the tubes with small clips so eggs and sperm cannot meet to start a pregnancy.Sterilisation is a safe procedure, but all operations have risks which you should be aware of before making a decision.Read the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare guideline: FSRH Clinical GuidelineRead more via: Female sterilisation | NHS inform

In this episode of "Lead-HER-ship with Tamie Wilson", Tamie interviews Maggie Scotece, the Interim Executive Director of the Abortion Fund of Ohio.  Tamie and her guest delved into the heart of the fight for reproductive rights in Ohio, and we are excited to share some key takeaways with you.The Battle for Issue One: We discussed the campaign for Issue One, a constitutional amendment aimed at protecting reproductive decision-making in Ohio. The journey has been challenging, but the importance of keeping these decisions in the hands of individuals, not politicians, fuels our fight.Busting Myths and Misinformation: We tackled the misinformation surrounding Issue One, including false narratives about its impact on trans and sex changes. It's crucial to understand that this amendment doesn't change consent laws or allow unrestricted abortion, but includes a fetal viability limit.The Role of the Abortion Fund of Ohio: Maggie shed light on the invaluable work of the Abortion Fund of Ohio. They provide financial assistance, support, and education to individuals seeking abortions, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for their clients.The Waiting Period and Financial Burden: We discussed the 24-hour waiting period in Ohio post-counseling before proceeding with an abortion. Often, this period extends due to factors like doctor availability, adding to the financial burden of the procedure.Debunking Abortion Myths: We addressed common myths, like the misconception that abortion prevents future pregnancies. We emphasized the importance of ongoing birth control counseling post-abortion and the need to debunk disinformation surrounding it.The Power of Personal Stories: Maggie highlighted the importance of sharing personal stories to humanize the issue of abortion. She also discussed the potential consequences of overturning the constitutional amendment and the rising criminalization of miscarriages.I hope these insights spark your curiosity and encourage you to listen to our full conversation. Together, we can challenge the stigma, misinformation, and restrictive laws surrounding reproductive healthcare. Remember, your voice matters, and every vote counts in the fight for reproductive rights in Ohio.Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions! Maggie Scotece | She/TheyInterim Executive DirectorAbortion Fund of OhioMain AFO Phone: (614) 803-9479Resources:Website: abortionstorytellers.orgOhio Supreme Court - Website: supremecourt.ohio.gov Tamie Wilson is an entrepreneur, single mom and an advocate for all Ohio families, who has made it her life's work to help people live happier healthier lives. Tamie Wilson is a Candidate for Ohio's 4th Congressional District.*PAID FOR BY TAMIE WILSON FOR US*Connect with Tamie hereSee Tamie's you tube content -here-

As part of the 2023 Clinician Cafe, the CTC-SRH speaks with Dr. Mishka Terplan about harm reduction, its role in sexual and reproductive healthcare, and guidance for clinicians on substance use, misuse, and harm reduction counseling.

This episode opens with Josie speaking about a recent  invalidating and frustrating experience at a doctor's visit, which prompted this re-run of the conversation with Dr. Zoë Julian (they/them), a Black and queer educator and obstetrician-gynecologist. Zoë and Josie discuss ways for queer, trans, and non-binary People of the Global Majority to find medical care that fully supports them on their fertility journey, and how healthcare providers and community workers can protect and support their queer, trans, and non-binary patients and clients. Read Zoë's article: Community-informed models of perinatal and reproductive health services provision: A justice-centered paradigm toward equity among Black birthing communitiesTake the course Structures & Self: Advancing Equity and Justice in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.Follow Zoë on Twitter and Instagram.Donate to Indigenous Women Rising, and National Network of Abortion Funds.Visit the Intersectional Fertility Website to find your Whole Self Fertility Method™ element, and learn more about our offerings.Follow Josie on Instagram.Let us know your thoughts in the Free Intersectional Fertility Qmunity. Or, join the Paid Intersectional Fertility Qmunity for bonus content and webinars. ($26/month, cancel anytime)

Full episode transcript HERE. The Feminist Buzzkills are back from break and guess who became more progressive than the USA while we were away? MEXICO, BABY! Their blissfully Amy Coney Barrett-free Supreme Court just DECRIMINALIZED ABORTION NATIONWIDE. It's a huge deal and on this week's pod, Moji and Lizz are sipping margaritas and explaining HOW huge, both for our southern neighbor AND for those of us in Los Estados Unidos. We're also catching you uterus warriors up with this fall's abortion ballot initiative in Ohio and what the fallout will be if the Florida Supreme Court finds abortion is NOT protected in their constitution! PLUS, we're bringing y'all some fabu special guests, as per ushe. What's it like being an abortion provider in Joe Manchin's abortion-less West Virginia? Katie Quiñonez fills us in! The Executive Director of the Women's Health Centers of West Virginia and Maryland delivers the facts on what abobo access in WV looks like, the challenges they've faced while opening their NEW MD clinic, why fake clinics are trash and more!  AND to help us laugh through these shenanigans, the incredible comedian Emma Arnold is in the house! This hilarious TERF-slaying Idaho supermom drops all the knowledge about abortion, intersectional feminism, and... Beekeeping? Yep! You don't wanna miss it!  Times are heavy, but knowledge is power, y'all. We gotchu.  OPERATION SAVE ABORTION: You can still join the 10,000+ womb warriors fighting the patriarchy by listening to our five-part OpSave pod series and Mifepristone Panel by clicking HERE for episodes, your toolkit, marching orders, and more. HOSTS:Lizz Winstead @LizzWinsteadMoji Alawode-El @MojiLocks INTERVIEW CO-HOST:Marie Khan @MjKhan @Midwest_Access_Coalition NEWS DUMPER:Alyssa Al-Dookhi @TheDookness SPECIAL GUESTS: Katie Quiñonez IG/TW: @womenshealthwv & @womenshealthmmdEmma Arnold IG: @emmaarnoldisakeeper  NEWS DUMP:Southwest Airlines Lawyers Have Been Ordered to Get ‘Religious-Liberty Training.'Kansas Awards $2 Million Unplanned-Pregnancy Contract to Group Moored in Anti-abortion PoliticsMontana Abortion Providers Sue Over New License RequirementsAnti-abortion Activist Who Kept Fetuses Is Convicted in Clinic BlockadeMexico Decriminalizes AbortionSplit Ballot Board Approves Reproductive Rights Amendment Summary Written by Ohio SEC. Of StateWith Arguments Coming This Week, a Look at Anti-abortion Views of Some Florida Justices ​GUEST LINKS:Women's Health Center MDWomen's Health Center WVNorthwest Abortion Access FundEmma Arnold's WebsiteEmma's Comedy Album: MyselfEmma's Comedy Album: Abortion. Abortion. Abortion. EPISODE LINKS:FLORIDA: Put Abortion on the Ballot!6 Degrees: Diplo Describes Burning Man Escape With Chris RockEmail your abobo questions to The Feminist BuzzkillsAAF's Abortion-Themed Rage Playlist FOLLOW US:Listen to us ~ FBK PodcastInstagram ~ @AbortionFrontTwitter ~ @AbortionFrontTikTok ~ @AbortionFrontFacebook ~ @AbortionFrontYouTube ~ @AbortionAccessFrontPATREON HERE! Support our work, get exclusive merch and more! DONATE TO AAF HERE!ACTIVIST CALENDAR HERE!VOLUNTEER WITH US HERE!ADOPT-A-CLINIC HERE!EXPOSE FAKE CLINICS HERE!FIND AN ABORTION PROVIDER NEAR YOU HERE!GET ABOBO PILLS FROM PLAN C PILLS HERE! When BS is poppin', we pop off!

There's a widespread perception in many circles these days that Washington has become a city completely paralyzed by political gridlock. As NC Newsline was reminded, however, in a recent conversation with North Carolina Sixth District Congresswoman, Kathy Manning, in many areas, this is actually not the case. Indeed, as Manning reported, she's succeeded in recent […] The post Congresswoman Kathy Manning on NC's business climate and reproductive healthcare appeared first on NC Newsline.

NMiF Senior Producer Lou DiVizio introduces the podcast this week with a roundup of headlines around the state. That includes the new ESPN report detailing the alleged hazing and sexual assaults that took place on the New Mexico State men's basketball team. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announces $12.6 million for a desalination facility in Alamogordo meant to remove of 'forever chemicals' from area groundwater. And, the state's Children Youth and Families Department is facing criticism from a state lawmaker and the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government over a new advisory council that will be closed to the public. Gene Grant and The Line Opinion Panel discuss the ongoing fight to restrict access to reproductive healthcare in New Mexico. Gene asks why the town of Edgewood moved to pass an anti-abortion ordinance shortly after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a new law that prohibits municipalities from creating laws that restrict access.   Gene speaks with Sam Cobb, mayor of Hobbs, to discuss Cobb's decision last fall to pass an ordinance that restricts abortion access to residents. Gene asks the mayor if lawmakers in Santa Fe are hearing concerns and alternative viewpoints from his city.  Then, Gene and The Line Opinion Panel reconvene to discuss the statewide anti-abortion movement and consider the local impact of out-of-state activists on smaller, Republican-leaning communities across New Mexico.  Finally, NMiF correspondent Gwyneth Doland talks with civil rights attorney Laura Schauer Ives about how local anti-abortion court cases could impact people nationwide.  Host: Lou DiVizio The Line Host: Gene Grant The Line Opinion Panel: Elise Kaplan, investigative reporter, Albuquerque Journal  H. Diane Snyder, former NM Republican state Senator  Martha Burk, political psychologist and author    Guests: Sam Cobb, mayor, Hobbs Laura Schauer Ives, civil rights attorney Correspondent: Gwyneth Doland For More Information: After hours of debate Edgewood passes ordinance restricting access to abortion – Albuquerque Journal  Edgewood's anti-abortion ordinance: Here's what people said – Albuquerque Journal  City of Eunice sues governor and attorney general over abortion rule – Source NM  Hobbs adopts new abortion ordinance – KRQE   New Mexico passed laws protecting access to abortion. Opponents ready for legal fight — even to U.S. Supreme Court. – Albuquerque Journal  ‘They're fearful:' What New Mexico abortion providers are seeing as their patient numbers soar – Albuquerque Journal  New Mexico was once among a handful of states where abortions later in pregnancy were available. That changed in January. - Albuquerque Journal  New Mexico passed laws protecting access to abortion. Opponents ready for legal fight — even to U.S. Supreme Court. – Albuquerque Journal  Signup for the NMiF Newsletter NMiF on Facebook  NMiF on Youtube  NMiF on Instagram  NMiF on Twitter    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nmif/message

One in two women will experience an unplanned pregnancy in their lifetime. More than half of these women were using at least one form of contraception at the time. Currently, Australia has a Senate Enquiry into Reproductive Healthcare which is highlighting the problems with access and cost options for women across the country. So we thought we'd have a bigger conversation on the show about the cost and accessibility of different types of contraception, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and so much more. Acknowledgement of Country By Natarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements. The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs.  Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708,  AFSL - 451289.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's Hacks & Wonks week-in-review, Crystal is joined by Seattle political reporter and the editor of PubliCola, Erica Barnett! Crystal and Erica discuss the City of Seattle's first-in-the-nation legislation to provide paid sick and safe leave for gig workers, Mayor Bruce Harrell's $970 million housing levy proposal, a story about the lack of progress building tiny homes leads to a discussion about the difference in responsibilities between the city council and the mayor - who bears the responsibility to implement programs and policy that has been funded. Then they discuss the recently discovered $280,000 contract given to a Harrell associate to seemingly spin the narrative that his preferred Sound Transit station proposal is community led, and a political tactic used by monied interests that exploits language and concerns voiced by marginalized communities to influence policy. Erica and Crystal also cover the Department of Justice moving to end the consent decree with the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle City Council candidate facing accusations of non-payment from former staff and volunteers. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Erica Barnett, at @ericacbarnett.   Resources Megan Burbank and the State of Reproductive Healthcare in Washington from Hacks & Wonks    Seattle passes first-in-the-nation paid sick leave for gig workers by Josh Cohen from Crosscut    Mayor Harrell Unveils $970 Million Housing Levy Proposal by Doug Trumm from The Urbanist    Andrew Lewis announced a fundraising plan to double Seattle's tiny houses. So, where are they? by Anna Patrick from The Seattle Times    City Paid Consultant Tim Ceis $280,000 to "Encourage Agreement" and Build "Community Consensus" for Harrell's Light Rail Route by Erica C. Barnett from PubliCola    Sound Transit Board Adopts Major Last-Minute Changes to 2016 Light Rail Plan, Skipping Chinatown and First Hill by Erica C. Barnett from PubliCola   Sound Transit Board Backs Last-Minute Proposal to Skip Chinatown and Midtown Stations by Doug Trumm from The Urbanist    City Asks Judge to End Consent Decree; Outstanding Issues Include Protest Response and Accountability by Erica C. Barnett from PubliCola   Matthew Mitnick's Campaign Meltdown by Hannah Krieg from The Stranger   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Be sure to subscribe to get the podcast - the full versions of our podcast - on our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. If you missed our Tuesday midweek show, I welcomed reporter Megan Burbank to talk about the status of reproductive health care in our state after last year's Dobbs decision removed guarantees for abortion access on the national level. Today we're continuing our Friday almost-live shows where we review the news of the week with a co-host. Welcome back to the program, friend of the show and today's co-host: Seattle political reporter, editor of PubliCola, co-host of the Seattle Nice podcast, and author of Quitter: A Memoir of Drinking, Relapse, and Recovery, Erica Barnett. Hello. [00:01:12] Erica Barnett: Hello - it's great to be here. [00:01:13] Crystal Fincher: Great to have you back. We have some good news this week, interesting news this week - we will start off for a big deal for gig workers - paid sick and safe leave is now available. What's going on here? [00:01:30] Erica Barnett: As you said, the gig workers for the bigger companies - DoorDash, Uber, et cetera - are going to have access to the same paid sick and safe leave benefits that full-time employees have, provided by their employers. So there's a new law that was signed into - a new local law - that was signed this week. And yeah, so this is part of the process of slowly acknowledging that gig workers are, in fact, workers and employees of the companies that employ them, and not just people doing this for a hobby or as a extra source of work. These are jobs, and they are jobs that require now the same benefits that every other kind of job requires. [00:02:14] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely, and this is taking place during a years-long debate, conversation, fight for gig workers rights from a lot of people who have recognized that - hey, the work that these people are doing looks a lot like the work of employees and not of independent contractors. They're being told where to go when, how to do things - fitting in a pretty specific box of behavior with a lot less latitude than a lot of people think of when they think of independent contractors or independent business owners. And the bottom line is because of this, whether or not it even meets the legal test of an employee - functionally, this is how it works. And so the impacts on people's families and in our society are the same as employees. So if someone gets sick, it can be incredibly economically disruptive to that family and to our community to not have any leave available. So this definitely seems like a positive thing for workers, and for the community, and just helping to make sure there's a solid safety net in place. This is a big bell - all of these safety net items that keep coming and unfortunately going in a lot of situations - but this was a gratifying thing to see that I think is going to help a number of people. [00:03:37] Erica Barnett: Yeah, and I think it's also part of the - just the reckoning from the pandemic that is, I think, slowly being whittled away at as people are being required to come back to offices, unnecessarily in a lot of cases. I think during the pandemic, we really started to wrestle with this idea of hustle culture - this idea that nobody needs any time off, and your work is your life, and it should be the only thing you care about. That is, I hope, over - at least for the time being. And we're trying in this state, at least, to figure out ways to put those kind of somewhat new values into practice by doing at least the minimum, which I think this particular law - it's great, but allowing people to have time off when they're sick should be a floor and not a ceiling. [00:04:30] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely, and your point about many of the pandemic-era protections and safety net enhancements being whittled away is absolutely true. We're about to head into a time next week where mask mandates, even for transit, health care situations - the few remaining situations where they were necessary - are no longer being mandated. Although we are getting some news about some local health care systems that are still looking as if they're going to be continuing those, so we will stay tuned. Certainly housing is top of mind for a lot of people now. City of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has proposed an enhancement to the Housing Levy. What is he proposing and what will this do? [00:05:18] Erica Barnett: Yeah, the new Housing Levy proposal would triple the size - and that's in real terms - the actual tax that people will be paying on their property. The previous Housing Levy - which passed in 2016 and is expiring now - that levy was $290 million. This would raise $970 million, which is obviously a significant bump. Interestingly, because the cost of everything has risen so much quicker than in the past and inflation has been so bad - and the cost of construction and the availability of labor and all the reasons that housing has become more expensive - well, building housing is also a lot more expensive. So as a result, one sort of dampening feature of this levy - or disappointing - is that it's not going to build that much more housing than the previous levy, despite it being tripled now. Now, that's not an argument not to do it. If we did levy the size of the previous levy, we would be building - we would be dramatically going back on reducing the amount of housing we were building. So it may be necessary to increase it this much, but it's not going to triple the size of housing or the amount of housing that's being built. [00:06:28] Crystal Fincher: So given that the money is tripling but the amount of housing isn't, what accounts for the difference - is it that housing costs have also experienced inflation, construction costs have experienced inflation? What accounts for so much of that extra money not providing housing? [00:06:48] Erica Barnett: Yeah, the main reason is that construction costs have simply increased, as has the cost of land. And that's everything from material, steel, concrete, to labor, to just - everything involved with building an apartment building now is more expensive. I think that raises a question that the Housing Levy does not attempt to answer - and we could go down a rabbit hole on who is supporting the Housing Levy and why - but the Housing Levy is not primarily an acquisition levy, and maybe it should shift more in that direction. It's much, much cheaper to - as the example of the Low Income Housing Institute during the pandemic has really shown - it's much cheaper to buy housing that already exists and convert it into low-income housing or start renting it to low-income people than it is to build new housing from the ground. And so I think this is a very - we're using the same old methods that we have always used and building housing instead of acquiring housing. And there are good reasons to want to build more affordable housing and add more density and all this stuff, but it also is quite expensive. And I think that there should be perhaps more creativity in play than just saying - Well, it's three times as expensive, so we're going to triple it. It doesn't necessarily solve the problem if, in seven years, we're coming back with a $3 billion levy. [00:08:10] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that is part of the tension in all of our conversations about housing that we're having policy-wise at different levels - it's what will actually make enough of a dent in the problem in the medium-term to long-term? If we keep this incrementalist approach, it feels like we are just setting ourselves up for increased expenses, increased costs. And there needs to be a massive investment that will result in more affordable housing units, whether that's a combination of affordable on the market - which is not affordable for many people now - subsidized housing, public housing, whatever that is. We need more of it now, and I think a lot of people are concerned that what we're doing is going to do exactly what you say - kick the can down the road and set ourselves up for - are we going to need a tripling of the next levy? And I think sometimes we're a little bit hesitant on the left to have some conversations about - are we getting the value for our dollar that we need to here? Is this actually going to meaningfully address the problem? Again, absolutely not saying that we shouldn't pass this Housing Levy. We definitely need more housing. It needs to be a multifaceted, all-hands-on-deck approach. And this may be the best that can be done right now, but I think we do need to ask - is this the best that we can do, or how do we need to supplement this, and what's going on? In one of those things for - how do we supplement this, what other strategies can we use to help make housing more affordable for more people - Andrew Lewis, certainly in trying to address the homelessness problem has really launched into tiny homes as an option that can meaningfully address moving people off of the street, out of encampments into a place that could help them stabilize and launch into more permanent affordable housing. But we saw a story this week asking where those tiny homes are - what has happened and where are we at right now? [00:10:29] Erica Barnett: Andrew Lewis promised, I believe - and I'm not looking at the story right now, I'm just going from memory - I think it was 800 tiny homes over a certain period. And promise is - that's the word that The Seattle Times used. I think this was like a goal, and it's a goal that really depends on the - on both funding through the City budget, which has to be approved by both the City Council and the mayor, and it also depends on the mayor's willingness to actually invest those funds and actually direct funding toward that purpose. And I think this gets lost a lot of times when people are criticizing the City Council for inaction and blaming the City Council for things - it's up to the mayor. And under Mayor Jenny Durkan, there were a whole lot of things that didn't happen. She just decided that they weren't her priorities, and so the council would allocate money and the mayor would not spend it - and I think we're seeing that to a certain extent here. I also think the Regional Homelessness Authority has been quite hostile to the notion of spending money on tiny homes. Their five-year plan that came out recently, or at least the draft, had no money at all for tiny homes. Now, they've changed that a little bit in the plan that they're probably going to finally adopt next month - but there is a lot of pushback against tiny homes as a form of shelter. And it's the type of shelter that people who are being swept from encampments most often say that they want, and so I think it is certainly worth a short-term investment at least. But right now we're not quite living up to what the City Council and Andrew Lewis have proposed. [00:12:04] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. And your point about just whose responsibility is this is well taken. And I think in a number of areas - and frankly, in some of the local media coverage that we see of this - it really doesn't come through who is responsible for what. What does a city council do? What does a mayor do? A city council is responsible for allocating funds and for developing the policy for an issue. The mayor is the person who makes it happen. They implement and execute - that's their job. All of the departments in the City report to the mayor - they oversee and direct what happens in that. So really, once the money is made available and they hand it over to the mayor's office - whether or not something happens is really up to the executive - right now, Mayor Bruce Harrell. So I am curious about where this stands, but similar to several other conversations that we're having - whether it's issues related to homelessness or issues related to public safety, like Bruce Harrell's promise to stand up alternative 911 responses so that people can have the most appropriate responder to whatever emergency they're having - which usually is not a armed police officer in a situation that isn't related to illegality, but maybe someone's having a behavioral health crisis or needs some other resources. We need to ask Bruce Harrell where that is - that is the mayor's responsibility. Once the money is allocated, once the city council says - Here is the money, here's what it's for - it's up to you, Bruce Harrell, to make it happen. And so I'm really curious to see if that question gets asked to him and to see what his answer would be, because I think that would be very informative. [00:13:48] Erica Barnett: Just real quickly, I want to correct myself. I said 800, it was 480 that Andrew Lewis proposed. And yeah, and it died because of Jenny Durkan - full stop. She just wouldn't spend the money. And so the length of this article in The Seattle Times is surprising when it could have been one line. [00:14:07] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Now, Bruce Harrell did take some action that we learned about - related to the Chinatown International District station conversation, debate that we're having about the siting. We learned that there was an effort launched as - what a year ago, I think it was - to actually drum up support for the new Sound Transit station options that were characterized as - Hey, this is a last-minute effort that came from the community because we heard the concerns, and so this is why it's popping up now. Turns out that there's more to the story. What happened? [00:14:47] Erica Barnett: Last week, I'm sure folks are aware, Sound Transit Board adopted a new route through downtown that skips over Chinatown with new stations near the Stadium station and next to the existing Pioneer Square station, and then also eliminates a Midtown station that was going to serve First Hill. What I reported this week is that the mayor, about a year ago, hired consultant Tim Ceis, who has been around forever - since even before I was here in Seattle. He was Deputy Mayor for Greg Nickels, worked for Ron Sims, and has a long career as a political consultant and lobbyist. Now I would say we don't know exactly when or how this new proposal came about - I do not believe that it was last minute, but I also don't know that it was around a year ago. But in any case, Harrell hired this consultant at a cost of $280,000 for one year's worth of work, which is an absolutely astronomical amount for a consultant and lobbyist. And his job essentially was to - as you said, Crystal - to drum up support for the mayor's preferred alternative. And when this became the mayor's preferred alternative is something that I am still reporting on and trying to find out. But this was an option that the mayor, as well as King County Executive Dow Constantine, presented as an organically-arising proposal from the community, and that there was unanimity in the CID community around skipping the CID. And as we saw last week, five thousand some people who signed a petition that was presented to Sound Transit that was against that option, the head of Uwajimaya does not support it, the head of SCIPDA, the main public development authority down there, does not support it. And so there is not unanimity. And I think Tim Ceis' job was in part to present appearance of unanimity where there was none. [00:16:41] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely, and I think this is a situation - similar to the big homelessness complex conversation - that a lot of people have a hard time reporting on and wrapping their heads around. And I will call it out - especially when it involves communities of color, there seems to be this - whether it's a belief or desire that - coming from the belief that communities of color are a monolith. And we are not. There are various opinions, perspectives. We are as diverse within our communities as everyone else. And so what we're seeing from the community is - absolutely there are concerns, there are different opinions on what the best path forward is - I think they're all worthy of hearing, especially when they come from the community. And we should do that. And that is genuine and authentic. But what we see too often, especially politically - and this is a tactic that we see used often locally and nationally - is that people will piggyback off some of those rumblings in community to push their own agendas and to push their preferred options with the veneer of community support. So there's the term "astroturfed," which is the opposite of grassroots - we're going to try and make this look like it's a grassroots effort, we're going to try and make it look like the community has completely rallied around this new option or alternative. And that is a marketing ploy. That's spin. And I think there are both things going on here. So it is absolutely still important to listen to those concerns from the community, to seriously consider and to implement mitigation strategies - and that has not been done in too many prior projects and situations, and that's a legitimate concern and should be addressed. But I also think that we need to take a serious look at - okay, who are the people that stand to profit and benefit here who are pushing these alternatives that don't seem to fit the characterization that they're trying to sell. There is more to the story. And so it's just one of these situations that just makes me groan because it's messy and it's not straightforward. And it requires people to proceed with a bit of nuance and hold space for different opinions and perspectives while still being wary of people looking to exploit the situation. So it's a continuing thing that we see - is notable to me, as you noted, the size of that contract is gigantic. [00:19:19] Erica Barnett: $20,000/month. [00:19:21] Crystal Fincher: For 20 hours of work - please pay me a $1,000/hour. [00:19:24] Erica Barnett: And let's be real - we don't know, and I've also requested a lot of information about this - but we don't actually know how many hours of work Ceis was doing. The 20 hours was an estimate given to me by the mayor's office and it was a squishy - Oh, it's about 20 hours of work a week. The contract doesn't really stipulate anything and it doesn't have an hourly rate. And for all we know, it was 10 hours, it was five hours, it was - maybe it was 25. I don't know, but - [00:19:52] Crystal Fincher: It's definitely less than - I know the official thing, and you have high reporting standards that you adhere to and I appreciate that. It's one of the things that I appreciate most about your reporting - is that it is solid and backed up. But I know that they weren't spending 20 hours a week on this thing. But even if they were - Look, I would be willing to spend 20 hours a week doing something if you pay me $280,000 a year. I will put that out to anyone - for whatever 20 hours of work that involves, I'm down. But we'll just continue to see how this proceeds. [00:20:26] Erica Barnett: But yeah, and I'm still reporting on it. So I suspect there will be - I'll have follow ups in the midterm future. [00:20:33] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Also this week, we saw that the City of Seattle is pursuing an end to the Seattle Police Department's consent decree with the Department of Justice. What's going on here? [00:20:48] Erica Barnett: Yeah, this week the city attorney and mayor and - the City of Seattle officials - sent a request to Judge James Robart to effectively end the consent decree with a couple of exceptions. So basically, Robart would find the City in substantial compliance with this agreement that has been going on for more than a decade - or the City has been a party to for more than a decade - with the exception of crowd control and accountability. And those are two issues that Judge Robart has brought up in the past as - and finding the City not in complete compliance. But the agreement proposed says - But don't worry, we'll wrap all that up and we'll be done with it by various months in the future, but generally this summer. And be out from under the consent decree entirely by the end of the year. People are confused about the consent decree at all. I totally understand - it's a weird situation that the City has been in for the last 12 years. Essentially, the City was found to be in noncompliance with a whole bunch of things related to constitutional policing - including racially biased policing, including use of force - excessive use of force. And the City keeps coming back in recent years to try to get the judge to lift the decree. And they've gotten very close in the past, but then something always happens and - there's a scandal, there is an egregious instance of police brutality, there are protests involving thousands of people where the police brutalized protesters in response to protests against brutality, and tear gas in the entire neighborhood - this happened in 2020. And so it's been a long, slow process - the City now seems to believe and called themselves "a department completely transformed and unrecognizable from the way it was 10 years ago." [00:22:37] Crystal Fincher: That is a curious characterization, isn't it? [00:22:39] Erica Barnett: City Attorney Ann Davison's memo supporting this was effusive about it, and even more so than the actual memo saying we deserve to be let out from under this. It was - called the department dramatically transformed, a night-and-day contrast, and even described the protest response in 2020 as a temporary lapse and a single one from otherwise completely improved and transformed crowd control policies. I'll say that some of the reasoning they gave for this is there have been protests since then and the police didn't act that way. And the protests - notably - are things like the Women's March, protests against war in Ukraine, things that did not involve criticizing the police and also did not involve racial justice. So I think that's a little bit of an apples to orange because orange is comparison there. [00:23:29] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. This is an interesting effort because there are a lot of people who cheered the establishment of the consent decree because it's somewhat of an acknowledgment that - yes, there has been unconstitutional biased policing and the use of excessive force to the degree that the department is no longer trusted to oversee itself. To fix those problems, it needed federal oversight from the Department of Justice - hence the consent decree that we got into. And certainly this has been a long winding road, as you said. It has been interesting in that the brand of oversight has had both positive and negative elements - I think to all sides they find both positive and negative with that - certainly they are looking for status reports and some accountability attached to that. And the judge associated with this has called out events in protest and it looking like the issues that caused the consent decree to be necessary have not been solved. We've also seen sometimes the judge has had opinions and perspectives on how the City should address reforming the SPD, or reimagining SPD. And the judge made it clear he was not a fan of dramatically changing funding, reducing funding - a number of the things that some people who are more progressive and reform minded would have supported and opposed. And that shaped what's been possible with policy for fear that - hey, if the city council does pass some sweeping overhaul or substantive changes, that those are not going to be allowed and going to be overturned by the judge. So this has been an interesting situation that I think hasn't unfolded exactly as anyone predicted. But it is, I think, a victory lap that is trying to be ran that - I think, as you talked about - is, man, you should urge caution for declaring victory and a mission accomplished statement, because if something else happens, it just makes it look like you are completely out of touch with what is happening in the department and uninterested in taking substantive steps to address it. But we'll see. [00:25:50] Erica Barnett: Yeah, quickly - I think something else has happened, which is the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, who was a pedestrian - a student who was walking in a crosswalk and was hit by a police officer going allegedly to the scene of an overdose. But a lot of details have come out about that make one question that narrative from SPD. But SPD has been really untransparent and has refused to release any details about its investigation of this incident, which happened in January. It is now almost April and there's no body-worn video - there's just no information whatsoever - no video, no narrative, no explanation. And it is interesting that they have been so non-transparent at a time when they are asking for this consent decree to be lifted. So I think, of course, something else is going to happen - it's not a matter of if, but when. But this is an example of something that has been - I'm not going to go so far as to say it's been covered up, but it has certainly been slow walked. And a lot of people are asking a lot of questions about that incident, including myself. I've reported on it extensively and just gotten absolutely nothing from SPD. [00:26:56] Crystal Fincher: You have and your reporting has been critical to people finding out any information for this, so much appreciated. I do want to talk about an event that unfolded this week in the City of Seattle campaign land. One of the 30+ people now running for city council in the City of Seattle made news this week in their campaign - for not paying their workers. I, in this situation, just wanted to say a couple of things to set the record straight. Because there was a story written about this, which is great to bring light to it, but - [00:27:32] Erica Barnett: And we should say it's Matthew Mitnick running - [00:27:33] Crystal Fincher: It is Matthew Mitnick. [00:27:35] Erica Barnett: - running for District 4. [00:27:36] Crystal Fincher: Correct. In Seattle City Council District 4. So there were nine former volunteers or staffers, depending on who you - what version of events happens to be the truth. But who wrote an open letter accusing the campaign, or released a statement accusing the campaign of essentially wage theft, potentially youth labor violations because a number of the people involved were under 18. But there seems to be some conversation or disagreement with a lot of people where evidently a number of people were under the expectation that they were going to be paid, saying that Matthew Mitnick said that he would pay them. They wound up not being paid, and then there were some other accusations about his treatment of staff. But my takeaway from this was a little bit simpler. Even if you only believe what Matthew Mitnick said and you only go off of what there is written evidence for, there is a staffer who was hired - who was agreed to be paid a wage, who has not been paid all of their wages. They were paid once. They have not been paid again, despite continuing, despite doing work after being paid. There is unpaid work currently on the table. Matthew said - Hey, we're raising Democracy Voucher money. As soon as we raise enough, we'll pay you. That's not how things normally work in campaigns. [00:28:54] Erica Barnett: That's what I was going to ask you. So if you're running a - and we should say this is a guy who's running as a socialist. He's a 22-year old student. He moved here pretty recently from Wisconsin, where he also ran for office. And so he's, I would say, a pretty marginal candidate. That's my opinion - you may disagree, Crystal - I don't know. What is the common practice when you are a campaign that's running on a shoestring and you don't have a lot of money? Is it just to not hire people until you have that money? Because that would make sense to me. [00:29:24] Crystal Fincher: That is literally exactly what it is. That is literally exactly what happens in the majority of situations. Now, it's not like there's never been abuse before. But yes, you only hire and buy what you have the money to hire and buy. And that does mean a lot of things go - if you aren't able to raise much money, that means that you aren't able to afford a lot of the things that you probably hope to be able to afford with a campaign. One of the things that people do need to acknowledge is that running for office today requires raising and spending money. I wish it did not require as much money and think that Democracy Vouchers and other reforms that are on the table can help lower the cost of campaigns. I think that there's also a lot of spending on a lot of things, which is cool, but that's not everything. But they do require money. And if you're going to have staff, if you're going to have - if you're running a campaign in the City of Seattle, you need a campaign manager at minimum. You should also have people who are familiar with how to win campaigns - who have done that before, who can help guide through the process, because there are - that is an expertise. There are people who bring that to the table. I'm not going to suggest that someone go to court without a lawyer. I'm not going to suggest that someone run a campaign without other people who have been through that process before to help you through that process. But yeah, you just don't hire them until you have the money to hire them. And also, campaigns run out of money. And when that happens, then you have to wind things down - starting with paying the most vulnerable people first. The people who take haircuts in not getting paid, unfortunately, are - sometimes consultants agree to - hey, we can bill this on debt, you can pay me if you raise enough money and different things like that. But you have explicit overt conversations, you write stuff down, and you pay people who are reliant on that money to pay their rent. And what was cited in the story is that the person who wasn't paid does not have enough money for their rent at this point in time. So there's an impact. And so you do have - you are responsible for managing the people on your campaign, for managing your budget - that absolutely needs to happen. That's how that works. [00:31:38] Erica Barnett: Yeah, and I'm just looking at Mitnick's campaign filings. And again, as I said, I consider him an extremely marginal candidate who was hyped up by The Stranger in particular, in a way that I think was out of proportion to his viability. But at any rate, he has raised less than $5,000. Winning a council campaign is in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands for the primary. So yeah, not surprised he can't pay anybody - he hasn't raised any money. And so that is - it's unfortunate that he led campaign staffer on in that way or was overconfident in his own ability to raise money. [00:32:15] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And with that, we thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks on this Friday, March 31st, 2023. Hacks & Wonks is co-produced by Shannon Cheng and Maurice Jones, Jr. Our insightful co-host today was Seattle political reporter, editor of PubliCola, and co-host of the Seattle Nice podcast, and author of Quitter: A Memoir of Drinking, Relapse, and Recovery, Erica Barnett. You can find Erica on Twitter @ericacbarnett and on PubliCola.com. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks and you can find me on Twitter @finchfrii, with two i's at the end. You can catch Hacks & Wonks wherever you prefer to get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, please leave a review whenever you can. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the podcast episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

On this midweek show, Crystal welcomes reporter Megan Burbank to talk about the status of reproductive healthcare in Washington state after last year's Dobbs decision removed guarantees for abortion access on the national level. The conversation starts by highlighting barriers that already existed prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned such as the Hyde Amendment and a slew of state-level restrictions, then delves into the realities of why the issue is important for maternal health, family planning, and economic mobility.  Despite Washington having more state-level protections than other parts of the country, Megan and Crystal discuss the challenges our state does face with fallout from abortion restrictions in other states, the increase in religiously affiliated hospital mergers, and inconsistent access to services depending on one's location. Finally, Megan shares her thoughts on how people can get involved - through state legislation working its way through Olympia as well as helpful and non-helpful ways to engage with the issue. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Megan Burbank at @meganireneb and http://burbank.industries/.   Megan Burbank Megan Burbank is a writer and editor based in Seattle. Before going full-time freelance, she worked as an editor and reporter at the Portland Mercury and The Seattle Times. She specializes in enterprise reporting on reproductive health policy, which she has covered locally for Crosscut, the South Seattle Emerald, and the Seattle Times, and nationally at The New Republic and NPR.   Resources “Roe v. Wade was never the whole story” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “Long uncertain, young people's access to abortion is more complicated than ever” by Megan Burbank from NPR   “‘Ask for Jane:' Who were the pre-Roe underground abortionists?” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “A landmark study tracks the lasting effect of having an abortion — or being denied one” by Megan Burbank and Emily Kwong from NPR   “Who is traveling to Washington for abortion care?” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “Abortion rights in WA fall into limbo at religious hospitals” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut    “Students lobby for WA bills on abortion and gender-affirming care” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “New Yakima clinic to expand abortion access in Eastern Washington” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “How a Texas ruling on abortion pills would affect Washington” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   HB 1469 - Concerning access to reproductive health care services and gender-affirming treatment in Washington state   HB 1340 - Concerning actions by health professions disciplining authorities against license applicants and license holders   SB 5242 - Prohibiting cost sharing for abortion   HB 1155 - Addressing the collection, sharing, and selling of consumer health data   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. So today I am thrilled to be welcoming Megan Burbank, who's a writer and editor based in Seattle. Before going full-time freelance, she worked as an editor and reporter at The Portland Mercury and The Seattle Times. She specializes in enterprise reporting on reproductive health policy, which she's covered locally for Crosscut, the South Seattle Emerald, and The Seattle Times, and recently at The New Republic and NPR. Have appreciated her coverage - really comprehensive coverage - of reproductive healthcare, which spurred wanting to have this conversation just to talk about what the status of reproductive healthcare is here in Washington in the backdrop of the Dobbs decision and abortion access not being guaranteed from a national level. Welcome so much, Megan. [00:01:43] Megan Burbank: Thank you so much for having me. [00:01:44] Crystal Fincher: So just starting off, what got you interested in covering reproductive health policy? [00:01:49] Megan Burbank: Yeah, it's a good question. So I began covering reproductive health policy in 2011 when I was a news intern at The Stranger. And there was a bill introduced in the Legislature that would regulate these centers that are called crisis pregnancy centers that are often set up near actual abortion clinics, but they're operated by a centralized, evangelical-affiliated organization that is designed to dissuade people from having abortions. And so I was part of an investigation of those centers when I was a young and impressionable news intern with The Stranger, and it really opened my eyes to a lot of the ways that abortion access was complicated even before we were even talking about Roe v. Wade being overturned. And also I would say that I just have always been aware of it on a personal level. I grew up knowing about Roe v. Wade, and I thought of it as something that - the older generation had secured this freedom for us and it was just not something that I questioned. And then when I became an adult and started actually reporting on it and realized the systemic barriers to people actually accessing that type of care, even under Roe, I realized that there was a lot that needed to be reported out about that. [00:03:02] Crystal Fincher: I think you've done a good job really diving into covering the difference between - yes, I can technically access this service, I have the right to do it, it's healthcare that is available in places, but it's not always that simple that something that is technically available is accessible to everyone. Even before, as you talked about, Roe v. Wade being overturned, what were some of the barriers and challenges that people were facing when it came to accessing these services? [00:03:33] Megan Burbank: There were so many of them. There are so many of them. I think the thing that we often forget about abortion access is that women of means - wealthy white women - have always had the option to have an abortion. Before Roe v. Wade, it was common for people with the finances to travel to do that - even to travel to other countries for care. And so when we talk about abortion access, I think it's really important to build in this sort of class piece to it - it's expensive, right? It's expensive to have an abortion. It's typically - it's not always covered by insurance. It is here in Washington because we have a law that mandates that, but that's pretty unique. And another thing to note is that we've got the Hyde Amendment, which was enacted in 1978, so shortly after Roe v. Wade was overturned. This essentially bans public funding for abortion, so if you're on Medicaid, Medicare, any sort of military healthcare plan, if you're in the Peace Corps - there are a lot of different scenarios that are impacted by this - you don't have abortion coverage through your insurance. And what that means is that, especially for low-income women, for people of color, for folks who are young - young people - they've been left out of this access picture for quite a long time. And actually that's how that amendment was designed. I think one of the things that people find so horrifying when I talk about this is that Henry Hyde, the lawmaker behind that policy, said explicitly that he wanted to ban abortion access for all women, but that low-income women - what was available to him through legislation through Medicaid. So I think that was a barrier that cropped up shortly after Roe v. Wade was decided. And then of course, we've got just an influx of state-level restrictions that began around that time and have really snowballed since. So we see things like basically bans based on gestational age - so like 15-week bans, that kind of thing. We see things like parental notification laws, which can be really complicated for young people who perhaps are caught up in the foster care system and trying to access care or for other reasons, cannot ask their parents for support in them making their decision. There are also things like 24-hour, 72-hour waiting periods. And those types of restrictions were commonly enacted in the states before Roe v. Wade was overturned. And so the upshot of that is essentially that even though we had the legal backstop of Roe during that time, access could look pretty spotty already based on wherever you were in the country. And then in Washington, we have very robust state-level protections for abortion, but that is not the norm and has not been the norm elsewhere. [00:06:12] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely true. And even though it was ruled to be a constitutionally protected right at that time, there's just a lot of red tape that you're able to put in front of people's ability to be able to access abortion - whether it's having to visit doctors in-person when you might not otherwise have to, whether it is extra requirements for the prescription, and availability of medication that can help with a medicated abortion or preventing implantation, that type of thing. And it really has been used to manipulate people's access to this. Why is this such an important issue overall? You hear people say sometimes - If you don't wanna get pregnant, then don't have sex. And - People can just keep their legs closed and avoid this whole thing. Why does that not tell the whole story? [00:07:06] Megan Burbank: When I hear people say things like that, it just makes me think of the conversations that I had with this woman named Judith Arcana, who was a part of the Janes in Chicago before Roe vs Wade - this group of women who were activists, who essentially established a network to help people seeking abortions access care. And they were successful because they were able to secure training in abortion. And they also, by Judith's telling, I feel like they were very underestimated and so it was easy for them - not easy, but it was possible for them to get away with this for a long time. And I think one of my major takeaways from that conversation was just that - if someone wants to have an abortion, it's not really this thing that they're gonna take or leave, right? If you're in that situation, you're desperate. You're gonna make it happen, and you're gonna make it happen legally and safely, or you are going to make it happen through whatever underground economies are available to you. And so I think the reality of that is just that people can feel however they want about abortion, but the fact of the matter is that someone in that situation is going to seek out care to the extent that they can. And I think the idea behind laws that are protecting access is just that - wouldn't it be better for them to do this in a way that's safe? And that's the difference. And I think when you look at reporting from the pre-Roe era, you can see that that's really true - that women commonly died from abortions that were obtained through these extra-legal networks, and it was more dangerous for them too. One of the things that I heard about in my reporting for that piece was just that people who sought abortions in the pre-Roe era were often subjected to things like abusive behavior from the people they sought support from. There was often a threat of sexual violence, and they often didn't know what kind of care they were getting or what the credentials of the person performing it were. And they also - they had to pay for it, it was expensive. So you'd have to come up with this large sum of money and just trust someone who you had no reason to believe was actually a doctor to perform this procedure. Women did it anyway. When I talked to Judith, one of the things she told me was that nobody ever changed their mind. And I think that that's something that's just really important to remember because it's not really a choice between no one having abortions ever and people having abortions. It's a choice between people having abortions in safe, medically appropriate environments or having abortions in situations that are much more harmful. [00:09:40] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. I think another thing that has happened during this conversation and greater awareness about how perilous the right to abortion is and how impactful it is - is not just the conversation about how important the ability to choose when and how you have children impacts your social and economic mobility, ability to participate in the workforce, but that just being pregnant is a very, very difficult and traumatic thing on someone's body. You're essentially displacing all of your internal organs, massive hormonal and body changes. And this is not something that is without consequence, or simple, or without challenges for people who are pregnant - and this is a big deal and comes with a lot of risk. I'm a Black woman, certainly very familiar with mortality rates for Black women who are pregnant - an issue that goes beyond issues of access into just straight racism - and just overall with maternal health in this country, we don't do a great job. So it is a really challenging issue. And even though abortion, which is really a routine procedure for most people - and on the risk of things out there, it doesn't seem like it's an outlier in the way that you would think, given all the regulations about it. But what does it mean to be able to have efficient, safe, affordable access to contraception, and how far away are we to be able to provide that for everyone? [00:11:23] Megan Burbank: I think we're pretty far from that, Crystal. I think that what it means is that people have a sense of self-determination and autonomy. And I would say a sense of psychological safety too, because one of the things that often comes up around abortion when I do my reporting on it - you were talking about pregnancy. And pregnancy statistically is much more of a health risk to take on than to have an abortion, especially an abortion early in pregnancy, which is when most abortions occur. When I talk to providers, they will often tell me that - actually - remaining pregnant is pregnant, especially as you pointed out in the United States where we have these huge racial disparities in terms of maternal, perinatal outcomes and maternal morbidity and mortality, that kind of thing. I think that it's the ability to not put yourself in that level of risk - can be really life or death for many people. And I think that having access to abortion and birth control - it allows people to space their pregnancies. One of the things that I think is often forgotten in this conversation is that I think it's something like over half of people seeking abortions are already parents. And so they are making a decision that allows them to care for, and provide for, and have the economic supports to raise the children that they already have. The other thing that I think is really crucial to note here is that there's been some really excellent research on the consequences of being denied an abortion. And there is an excellent study called the Turnaway Study that was conducted over a number of years among people who had sought out abortions and been turned away, not due to state laws, but because of gestational age of their pregnancies. And it follows them in the outcomes that they had. And what it found is that for the people who did not receive abortions and carried to term, they didn't regret carrying to term - but if you looked at the outcomes in their lives in terms of their financial and emotional wellbeing, they took huge hits because they weren't able to access care. And so having access to an abortion is something that can prevent someone from being caught up in a cycle of poverty, which is why I often think that it's useful to frame it as an economic issue because the impact is such that being able to get timely care means that someone is able to care for their family in a way and remain afloat financially. And not being able to do that can mean the opposite - raising a child is expensive. [00:13:57] Crystal Fincher: Very expensive. And in a state like Washington, you mentioned we do have a lot of protections, but that doesn't mean that everyone has access to abortion and abortion care. What are the types of challenges that we face in Washington state? [00:14:12] Megan Burbank: One of the things we're dealing with now is just the fallout from abortion restrictions in other states. And so what that means is that there has been this gradual influx of patients from out-of-state, which focuses more demand on clinics. That can be complicated because it can create more delays for folks trying to access care in Washington. And I wanna be super clear that this is not just tied to Roe v. Wade - this was happening before Roe v. Wade was overturned, with the passage of legislation like Texas's Senate Bill 8, which is the six-week ban that includes this provision that allows people to have these sort of vigilante lawsuits against ordinary citizens or doctors for facilitating abortion care. And so after that law went into effect, what happened in states like ours is that we began to receive an uptick in patients from states like Texas and surrounding states. Because when a state bans abortion, people seeking care will go outside of that state, which creates a delay at clinics in states around that state. And then that sort of creates a ripple effect all the way up to states like ours. So I think it's easy to say - We're in Washington, access isn't a problem here. But when access is restricted elsewhere, we feel the effects of that. And then I would also say that one of the things that I think is important to remember is access is not universal here either. Especially if you live in rural areas, your options may be really limited in terms of finding a provider. I think it's something like 50% of counties in Washington don't have an abortion provider. And so that means that simple geography can be a barrier. And then I would also say we have - Washington has a policy which essentially allows for state Medicaid funds to pay for abortion. So if you're on state Medicaid here, you can - having an abortion is covered. And that's pretty rare. We're only a handful of a number of states that have that sort of policy. So we have these sort of state-level protections that can serve to mitigate some of the federal policies that have impacted access in other states. But that doesn't mean that we have a super clear, facile approach here. I think one of the things that I also see is - in Washington, we've had so many hospital mergers over the past decade between secular healthcare systems and religiously affiliated institutions. And often when that happens, it results in limitations on what reproductive healthcare is available in those hospitals. And so that may mean that even though you're in Washington, the institution where you are accessing care may not provide abortions. [00:16:58] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, and this is a major issue here. And these are healthcare systems like Franciscan and Providence and names that are pretty well known throughout the region. I don't think people necessarily always recognize that these are religiously affiliated hospitals and they frequently restrict access in a way that matches the religious convictions. But with these mergers, these may be the only hospitals that are available for someone in an emergency situation needing abortion care. And again, I think lots of people have been exposed to by now - that abortion is not always something that just happens, as people elect. There are lots of different situations where someone needs an abortion, including when a fetus is no longer viable and it can be a significant risk to a mother's health to not receive prompt medical care and a prompt abortion in that kind of situation. It can kill the mother - it's a big, big risk - and to not have that available, or not something that hospitals choose to offer really puts a lot of people in danger. We've seen this in areas where abortion access has been restricted and these stories have made the news - but this is something that doesn't always make the news - but these issues of access are really important. Is there anything happening legislatively, anything happening to help improve the access situation in this religious hospital merger situation, or just in rural areas who have lost healthcare capacity? [00:18:40] Megan Burbank: Yeah, there's been several legislative attempts. There was a law passed, I believe in 2021, called the Protecting Pregnancy Act. And this was drafted in response to scenarios like the one you're describing - where someone would present with an emergency situation related to pregnancy, like an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage, and would need abortion care as treatment. And there was a case in Bellingham where a woman was turned away several times while having a miscarriage, which can be quite dangerous. An ectopic pregnancy also, as you rightly pointed out, is - that can be an emergency situation. People can die from that if they don't receive timely care. And so this law was drafted with the intent of protecting providers who are in institutions that may have internal bans on abortion - that allows them to perform a procedure, an abortion procedure, in that type of situation and to be legally protected while they do it. I think it's not clear how useful this law has been in practice, if it's really expanded access in any meaningful way. I spoke with a provider about it this year, or in 2022, and she said that it was pretty hard to gauge how much of an impact it had. And she also told me that it was still common for patients in that type of situation to be transferred to a hospital like the University of Washington that does provide abortions and is known for that. So I think that's one piece. And then the other is this law called the Keep Our - or this bill - called the Keep Our Care Act that has been introduced in the Legislature. It was brought up this session and last session as well. And this would impose more stringent reporting requirements when healthcare institutions merge. And the focus of this one is not just on reproductive health but also on end-of-life care and gender affirming care, because those are the types of care that are often impacted by these mergers. And that bill appears to be stalled in committee - I don't think it made the cutoff. So we'll see what happens with that - I'm tracking it. But I think there have been these legislative approaches to address that type of situation where someone presents at a hospital in an emergency and can't receive care based on the ideology of the hospital they happen to be in. Which honestly is not something that - I think if I were in an emergency, I don't know that I would be checking the religious affiliation of the hospital. I think I would just want to go to the closest one. [00:21:07] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, and get the care I needed to survive and recover. Absolutely. You mentioned that you're tracking these bills and they can overlap and impact gender affirming care, other care - which is definitely true - we use abortion care as an umbrella term, similarly to contraception as an umbrella term. But this can impact a lot of different types of care. We certainly - after Roe v. Wade was overturned, heard of several situations where people had been prescribed medication that could be used for abortion, but that is used for treating a variety of other ailments, chronic conditions, and that's just necessary for healthcare in their situation that isn't related to an abortion at that point in time. But that medication's still being restricted because it has the potential to cause an abortion. Are we seeing these impacts in Washington state? And overall, what does it mean that reproductive health can be restricted, but also conflated with so many other conditions and treatments? [00:22:15] Megan Burbank: It's complicated. I think one of the things that has been interesting to follow is just - abortion care has often been siloed medically. And I think that we're seeing the same thing happen in real-time with gender affirming care, where it's treated as this separate thing that is not part of traditional healthcare. At the same time, it's something that is crucial for the people who seek it out. And one of the things that I have found to be interesting is that a lot of attempts to restrict gender affirming care resemble, policy-wise, restrictions on abortion. They have the same sort of mechanisms. There was a law recently introduced that really resembles Texas's abortion ban, but is focused on gender affirming care. And so I think that there is a nexus between the two. Another thing that I think is worth noting in this area is that - so Cedar River Clinics, which operates a number of clinics in Western Washington and they have one in Eastern Washington now that recently opened, they have provided gender affirming care for a long time. It's part of their practice. They also do abortions and provide other sort of basic healthcare services. And when I spoke with their communications person in 2022, we were talking about abortion - one of the things that she said was that people have been traveling to that clinic for decades because - they have been traveling there because it is a place where they can access later abortions, but it's also a place where they can access gender affirming care that may not be available in the state where they live. And so I think it is interesting to see these types of care sort of siloed and treated as separate from the rest of healthcare, even though people - they're critical treatments for the people who need them. And I think when you look at abortion, it's such a common procedure. I think it's something like one in four women before age 45 - it is a very normal part of healthcare in that sense, just looking at the numbers. And so I think that it's important to look at that and to look at where that - what agenda is animating the sort of fight against these types of care. And then the other thing I would note is that - you had mentioned abortion medication - and one of the things that we're following right now is the lawsuit in Texas that could potentially take one of two commonly used abortion drugs, mifepristone, off the market. And that's an example of a situation where - mifepristone is not just used in abortions, it's used for other things as well. But it has a REMS designation, which is a restriction that includes a lot of complex dispensing requirements - and so it's been at the center of a lot of debate for a long time for that reason. And I think one of the things that I found pretty alarming in a lot of the coverage of that case was that there were headlines saying that it would ban abortion pills across the country, which is technically true - it would ban, it would affect access to this one abortion pill. But the way that that framing exists, it suggests that there would be no medication abortion available to anyone, which isn't true. Providers in Washington, if that decision goes the way that it's likely to go, are prepared to pivot to a different dispensing protocol where they would use one abortion pill, misoprostol, which already is part of that typical protocol where people take both misoprostol and mifepristone. They work better together but misoprostol does work by itself and there is a lot of data, especially in countries where abortion is banned, that shows that it's effective in ending pregnancy on its own. And so I think it's just - when we look at the way that these drugs are regulated, it's really important to have that context and to see that it does not necessarily mean that all access is going away. It often means something a bit more nuanced that still is going to be hugely impactful on people, but I think that's a situation where clarity in reporting is really important. [00:26:24] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, I really appreciate you bringing that up - because to your point, I saw a ton of headlines that said - Medication abortions are going to be illegal if this court case is decided in a way that it looks like that judge is inclined to decide it. And lots of people hear that - certainly if I wouldn't have read beyond the headline, I would have been under that impression. And so I appreciate you bringing that up. I also really appreciate you bringing up how similar the political and policy playbooks are for the regulation of abortion care and gender affirming care - how we seem to artificially silo them in ways that don't come from the medical profession. These are not experts and doctors doing this. These are politicians saying - We need these extra requirements, extra red tape, extra reporting guidelines, extra waiting periods, extra requirements. And this is not coming from doctors, this is not coming from experts across the board, whether it's abortion or gender affirming care. And how subjective we get when it comes to gender affirming care, just as you said, subjective when it comes to the types of medications that are considered for abortion, not for abortion, and there can be a crossover there certainly - that's the case with gender affirming care. People need the healthcare appropriate to their situation, whether it reinforces their gender or not. There's certainly a lot of things that fall into the bucket of gender affirming care that we see as normal, everyday things - that the amount of people who have BBLs and breast enhancements and are taking hormones for a variety of reasons. There are so many people on hormones to treat a variety of ailments, but we act like it's just the scariest, most wrong thing in the world when it comes to trans people or people who need that kind of care. So I appreciate just the calling out and knowledge that there really is a similar playbook here being employed, and we're seeing a lot of the same tactics being used to place barrier after barrier. And the way that they get these things through - I think with both abortion and the gender affirming care - is they aren't going after outlawing the entire thing all at once, but just one more barrier, one more waiting period, one more regulation. And when you make people repeatedly jump through all these hoops, they eventually just get tired out, worn out, and not everyone makes it through all the hoops. And they know this and this is how they restrict access, even though there technically may be the ability to get it if everything aligns perfectly and you have enough money and time and the ability to take off work and that kind of stuff, which so many people don't have. So as we move forward, what should we be looking at and what can the average person who's interested in ensuring that reproductive access remains available and accessible to most people - how can people make a difference in their own community and what can they do to help this? [00:29:38] Megan Burbank: So there are three laws, or three bills, that have been introduced that have made it past the house of origin cutoff. One is a shield law that would protect providers of abortion care and also gender affirming care from being prosecuted for doing their jobs, essentially. There's another bill that would prevent licensing boards from retaliating against clinicians for providing care like abortions and gender affirming care. And then there's a third bill which would prohibit cost sharing for abortion. This is a really interesting bill because what it means is that if you are seeking abortion care - we have this law in the state of Washington that requires insurance plans to cover abortion if they cover maternity care, but that doesn't always translate to abortion being affordable because you may have high deductibles, your copay may be high. So this policy would essentially make it so that if you are seeking abortion, you don't have any coinsurance responsibility for it as a patient - which is a pretty wonky thing, but what it means is that you'll be able to get care without paying a high copay. You'll be able to just go and receive the care that you need. And so those laws are pretty instrumental in expanding protections for abortion access in Washington. And I think it's important, if this is something that people care about, to follow these pieces of legislation and just make sure that you're informed about it. I would also say - one of the issues that I've heard from activists since Roe v. Wade was overturned was that there's been a huge interest in their work and it's overwhelming. And I've also seen, I've also heard that there's been a lot of doubling up on existing activism. I think probably the most insidious example of this is like the camping meme that was going around after Roe v. Wade - of people in blue states being like, "Come camping with me, I'll help you get an abortion." Which is - I think comes from a good place of wanting to really help - but the thing is there are existing networks in the United States called abortion funds that have been around for a long time. And they exist to help people access abortion care and pay for things like travel expenses and childcare and their procedures. And so I think instead of doubling up on the work that already exists, it's really important to seek out the activist organizations that are already doing the work - because what I hear from them is that they see their work being redoubled in this way that's not really informed in the long shadow of the movement. And so it's really important to find out who is already doing the work and if you wanna be part of it, how can you support them rather than starting your own thing? But yeah, I think also - one of the things that I often say to people is if you care about abortion access and the policies that impact it, that should be a year-round activity. That shouldn't just be something that happens whenever there is a particular piece of legislation in the news - you should be following coverage of this on an ongoing basis because it's deep and complicated and wonky and it really helps to immerse yourself in it and to look into who are the players, who are the people that are advancing this legislation, and how is it gonna impact you? I think that's really important. And I think that there's been a lot of emphasis on things like stocking up on abortion pills and offering to drive people to their appointments. Again, I think it comes from a really good place, but I think it doubles up on existing work in a way that is often harmful to people who are actually already really immersed, on the ground, in that work. [00:33:21] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. I guess finally, for people who are just living their lives, who may need abortion care at some point in time, but who currently are using period tracking apps, fertility apps, that type of thing. And while we see headlines like Meta or Twitter or other companies turning over data to authorities that may be looking to prosecute people or determine who is seeking abortion care, contraception. We see in Florida - for girls to participate in sports, they have to report their period dates and activity. And concerns about privacy, the technology, all the stuff surrounding that. How would you advise people as they navigate through these times that come with potential legal ramifications? [00:34:17] Megan Burbank: Yeah - I'm not a lawyer. I do talk to them a lot for my work, but I just want to preface this by saying that. But I would say it's a good idea to, I would say, be careful about what sort of social media channels you may be using for this type of information. Because it's very rare to actually be prosecuted for something like purchasing abortion pills, but it has happened. And often it involves an Internet trail of someone having purchased the drugs online. So this happened in Pennsylvania - I think it was in 2014 - a woman was prosecuted because she had purchased abortion pills for her daughter, and they went to a hospital because her daughter's miscarriage was incomplete so they were seeking care. And they were essentially reported on by someone who saw them when they came for care. When I speak to lawyers about this, it's unlikely. It's not, there's not a huge amount of precedent of people being prosecuted for the things that they do and say online, but it's also not impossible. There is precedent for it, despite the fact that it's not super robust. And so I think it's important to be careful about how you're engaging in that type of behavior. And then I would also say - we talked about a slate reproductive health bills going through the Legislature. There is another one called the My Health, My Data Act, which is focused exactly on this. And it's about setting up privacy protections for people using things like period trackers and doing online searches, that kind of thing. And so this is a piece of legislation that's meant to address sort of the gap between private health data that is protected by HIPAA and private health data that an app might have access to, where they don't have the same sort of legal responsibilities. And so I think this type of policy can actually help to protect people in those situations. And I don't think anyone should ever be afraid of knowing about their body or seeking out medical care that they need. I think that's really crucial. And I think that we may well see more attempts to protect that type of information in these types of laws moving forward. And I think they'll probably become more important because it's not something that we've seen a ton of precedent for in terms of prosecutions, but that's all changing right now because we no longer have the legal backstop of Roe. And so I think that means there are a lot of questions that we're gonna see play out over the next decade. [00:36:50] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. And some attempted prosecutions happening right now involving some of that data, so we will certainly see how this plays out. Thank you so much for spending this time with us today, for helping to educate us about the state of reproductive access in Washington state right now. And we'll continue to follow this. Thank you very much, Megan. [00:37:11] Megan Burbank: Thank you, Crystal. This has been great. [00:37:12] Crystal Fincher: Thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks, which is co-produced by Shannon Cheng and Bryce Cannatelli. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay reports.

Dr Rosemary Coogan has been selected as a career astronaut by the European Space Agency (ESA), becoming the first British woman to join their astronaut corps. She joins Emma in her first in-depth BBC interview to discuss the tough selection process, upcoming training and hopes for her first mission. On Monday's Woman's Hour, we heard from the American TV show host Ricki Lake who has produced a new documentary The Business of Birth Control. The programme looks at the side effects of the hormonal contraceptive pill and it's relationship with women's liberty. Today Emma Barnett is joined by Dr Helen Munro, the Vice-President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. A cross-party coalition is launching a campaign to abolish the 11 plus entry exams. One of the members of the campaign is Jackie Malton, known for her success in the Metropolitan Police, and for being the real-life inspiration for the character DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect. Despite getting two masters degrees and a doctorate, she still feels ashamed about failing her 11 plus exam. Jackie joins Emma Barnett. We hear the first major speech from Camilla, Queen Consort, as she hosts a reception on violence against women and girls. A listener we are calling Christina contacted us after she heard a recent documentary on Radio 4 about benzodiazepines or Street Valium. Christina recognised what she heard. Her daughter, who we are calling Beatrice, became addicted to Xanax after taking it to deal with the extreme anxiety she experienced after the coronavirus lockdown. Beatrice has given us permission for her story to be told. Christina joins Emma Barnett to discuss her experiences. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce (photo credit: ESA - P. Sebirot)

As we gear up for election season, it's safe to say that the abortion access is going to be top of mind. But what do refrains of "Vote! Vote for me!" mean, when it feels like no one is willing to go to bat for reproductive justice? This week, Jamia and Kate listen in as Ordinary Equality's executive producer, Jenny Kaplan chats with her connection on the Hill: her mom, Rep. Kathy Manning. Jenny and Rep. Manning pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to engineer a Congressional response to attacks on healthcare. If you're looking to take action in the fight for access to reproductive care, head to ActBlue's directory to donate directly to reproductive justice groups and abortion funds across the country. ActBlue's online fundraising platform is designed to support you as you support others, which is why they're trusted by the millions of small-dollar donors who are driving meaningful, people-powered change. So check out ActBlue's directory, and follow @ActBlue on Twitter! 

America's Heroes Group Roundtable with Partner National Nurses United Partner: Adelena Marshall - VA Mental Health RN