We grow a movement for repro justice, push back against & dismantle systems of oppression and build new systems that meet the needs of communities in Tennessee.
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ALT Graphic: A People's Tribunal to End Obstetric Violence & Obstetric Racism
ALT It's Repealed! Procurement of a Miscarriage 1883-2023. The law used to criminalize Tennesseans for their pregnancy outcomes is dead!
ALT What's "Procurement of a Miscarriage?" "Procurement of a Miscarriage" is a part of Tennessee's first anti-abortion law passed in 1883. It criminalizes the act of intentionally seeking to terminate a pregnancy. Many states have these "pre-Roe" laws on the books, but in the last decade, Tennessee has used this crime to investigate and charge people for managing their own abortions.
ALT What Happened? As the sun sets on this law, we celebrate the hard work of advocates in Tennessee who have been fighting to have this harmful provision removed from law. While other parts of the code protect people seeking abortion care, this law has served as legal justification to harass and investigate people for their pregnancy outcomes.
ALT What Happened? Due to the hard work of organizations like Healthy and Free Tennessee and other advocates speaking openly about the harms of criminalization this provision was repealed in EVERY version of the medical exception bills introduced this year. Today, a bill became law that adds very limited exceptions to the total abortion prohibition. That bill includes the full repeal of T.C.A. 39-15-201, criminal procurement of a miscarriage.
ALT What's Next? As long as pregnant Tennesseans and their loved ones face criminal and civil penalities for their pregnancy outcomes, there will still be work to do! We're here fighting, strategizing, and dreaming of a future where reproductive justice is a reality for every Tennessean.
ALT We demand the decriminalization of all pregnancy outcomes now!
ALT That's why we wrote and introduced SJR 351
ALT This Resolution reaffirms the legislature's intent that TN's laws not be used to harass pregnant people and their loved ones.
ALT No one should face criminal or civil penalties for their or their loved ones' pregnancy outcomes!
ALT When we say pregnancy outcomes, we mean all pregnancy outcomes: abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, and live birth.
ALT Tennesseans have already faced investigation and arrest for all of these outcomes. We're saying not one more!
ALT This is the first resolution in the country to address the full spectrum of pregnancy criminalization.
ALT We're proud to raise this issue in Tennessee: home of the first and only "fetal assault" law and the most extreme abortion ban in the country.
ALT Publish the Protocol! It's time for the media to step up to help educate the public about self managed abortion.
ALT A decision is coming soon on Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, the case that may impact Mifepristone, a common medication used in abortion. we're calling on the press to publish the protocol for an abortion with just misoprotol in their coverage of this case.
ALT Sharing information about medication abortion is protected by the 1st amendment. The press have even more protection and reach than small repro orgs. Sharing information about Miso reduces stigma and reminds folks that medication abortion is still A safe and effective option.
ALT we'll go first. To End a pregnancy of 12 weeks or less with Misoprostol alone someone would place 4 tablets under the tongue for 30 minutes and then swallow the remains. Wait 3 hours and repeat two more times. More Info at abortionpillinfo.org
ALT Access to Contraception Forever! The method of one's own choosing, free from coercion, and free of charge!
ALT It's been a scary time for people relying on contraception in Tennessee. Earlier this year the Department of Health ended grants that funded condom access to many Tennesseans, two weeks ago the Senate Judiciary voted down a bill to clarify that Tennessee's total abortion ban doesn't apply to contraception, and TN Right to Life has already set their sights on restricting contraception in the future.
ALT That's why we drafted SJR 148, a resolution that clarifies that every Tennessean deserve access to the contraception method that works best for them, without coercion or violence, free of charge! Contraception access is a racial, economic, and gender justice issue. We have the human right to decide if and when to have a child. SJR 148 reaffirms the legislature's intent to provide contraception access.
ALT SJR 148 will be heard in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday March 15th at 3pm CT. Call the Committee Members to Tell Them to Support! Sen. Rusty Crowe 6157412468 Sen. Ferrell Haile 6157411999 Sen. Shane Reeves 6157411066 Sen. Ed Jackson 6157411810 Sen. Becky Massey 6157411648 Sen. Joey Hensley 615 741-3100 Sen. Art Swann- (615) 741-0981 Sen. Bo Watson- (615) 741-3227 Sen. Jeff Yarbro- (615) 741-3291
ALT A Tax Credit for Businesses Funding Anti-Abortion Centers? Hell No! Oppose SB837/HB1019! Swipe through to learn more.
ALT Anti-Abortion Centers, Crisis Pregnancy Centers, and Fake Clinics. Whatever you call them, they all have the same goal: to stop abortions through any means necessary. And Tennessee has over 70 of them! Check out our posts from last year sharing where they are and how to avoid them!
ALT Oftentimes these centers mislead people seeking help and resources into thinking they are recieving confidential medical care when in reality these anti-abortion centers are not licensed and are not subject to privacy protections like HIPAA because they don't actually provide medical care.
ALT Tax Credits for businesses donating to anti-abortion centers takes key funds away from real social supports and puts it into the hands of organizations known to mislead pregnant people. Tennesseeans deserve real healthcare, fully-funded public schools, housing and more! Not more lies and deception. Oppose SB837/HB1019.
ALT On This International Women's Day, we honor the Latin American Feminist Activists Fighting for (and Winning) Abortion Access for their Communities
ALT Organizers in Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile have significantly moved the needle to decriminalize abortion. We can learn a lot from their mobilization strategies.
ALT Organizers in Argentina, focused explicitly on the intersection of abortion access with other feminist issues and allowed them to talk about abortion beyond an individual right to a collective and class issue: that access to abortion must be a reality for those who cannot afford it.
ALT They combined lobbying government officials with underground activism networks, used gender inclusive language, and took an international perspective to the intersecting oppressions facing Argentinians. -Adapted from, Veronica Gago in What Latin American Feminists Can Teach American Women About the Abortion Fight, The Guardian (May 10, 2022)
ALT HB 460: Expands the definition of severe abuse to include failure to protect from 13 new crimes for the purposes of terminating parental rights. Failure to protect policies disproportionately impact gender oppressed people, primary caregivers, and survivors of domestic violence. research is clear that staying with non-offending parents is healing for families, the state is trying to make it easier to take away kids.
ALT HB 461: As written, allows the state to file for termination of parental rights if a person is sentenced to 6+ years in prison instead of 10+ years. Parenting from behind bars is hard enough. No one should have to fear losing their kids as part of Tennessee's unjust sentencing guidelines.
ALT HB 551: Shortens time for parents to make "reasonable progress" on a permanacy plan before filing for termination of parental rights. Removes the revocation period for surrender if a parent has opted to work with a lawyer. "Reasonable progress" is incredibly vague and invites racial and economic bias from the system. Removing the revocation period for parents working a lawyer.
ALT Making it easier to terminate parental rights does not help kids, families, or communities. Terminating Parental Rights is often called the "civil death penalty," because it is a family and community trauma. The state should provide resources for families to thrive, not make it easier to tear them apart. Join us in OPPOSING these harmful bills!
ALT Defend TN Families! The Children and Families Subcommittee is set to hear a record number of anti-family bills this week. Let's talk through some of them...
ALT Legislators have said they want to make Tennessee the most "adoption-friendly" state in the country, but adoption is never the solution to abortion bans. These policies harm struggling parents, kids, families, and communities by speeding up the process to terminate parental rights, disfavoring kin and family placements, and ignoring family reunification goals.
ALT HB 163: Changes the definition of abandonment for purposes of terminating parental rights to failure to visit or make payments for 3 months. There are real economic barriers to making scheduled visitation like paying for transportation, work schedules, other caregiving responsibilities, etc. Parents shouldn't lose their kids because of economic hardship.
ALT HB 312: Removes the requirement that the state file a petition in court alleging abuse or neglect and instead just allege that child is abused or neglected. This may seem procedural but it impacts the ability of parents to affectively dispute claims of abuse or neglect. the burden to prove abuse or neglect *SHOULD* be on the state