#TakeRoot13: Reproductive Justice Policy Roundtable
Panel from Take Root conference, red state perspectives on reproductive justice. Took place in Norman, Oklahoma, February 15 and 16, 2013.
- This roundtable discussion covers current pro and anti-reproductive justice legislation trends in red states along with strategies to address them.
- Panelists: Sen. Constance Johnson, Martha Skeeters, Farah Diaz-Tello, Kate Richey, Atlee Breland
- Moderator: Sandie Holguin
Martha talking about origins of @OK4RJ, developing when there were 8 bills in the legislature… #takeroot13
. @OK4RJ is a grassroots all-volunteer organization working for #reprojustice. Founded 2010. Only state level org of its kind. #takeroot13- "We asked @ReproRights 4groups like ours we could model off of." "There are no other groups like yours." THAT's our problem! #takeroot13
Let's get real abt challenges of doing truly state-wide work & community building. Does it ever happen? Just in prog bubbles? #takeroot13- Dr. Martha Skeeters relays community building techniques. Allowing all to introduce themselves & share in decision making. #takeroot13
- Group shows up w/70+ people, and leg didn't bring up any veto overrides that day. "I guess we come back tomorrow!" #takeroot13
- Since we haven't had a role model, we've invented ourselves as we go along. We organize starting with social media. #takeroot13
- "We are trying to normalize the conversation around reproductive justice. We've broadened ourselves beyond just abortion." #takeroot13
- eg: support for getting Plan B available at no cost in tribal hospitals like all other OTC drugs are. #takeroot13
- Re: "Doctor's may lie" bill. "Doctors didn't oppose that. They never oppose anything that lessens their liability." #takeroot13
- Okla has law where doctors have no liability for not disclosing status of fetus, e.g. problems. As a pregnant woman now -- wow! #takeroot13
- Brought shoes and put them in front of legislative podiums. "They want us to be barefoot and pregnant." #takeroot13
- Time keeper calls end to @OK4RJ. "There's a lot of other shit going down." [referring to more bad bills] #takeroot13
- 1 in 8 couples suffers from infertility. Miscarriage occurs in 1 of 5 pregnancies. #reprojustice #takeroot13
- The questions about whether someone has used infertility treatment are pretty stigmatizing -- are they natural? Please. #takeroot13
- Atlee Breland talks about her entry into Repro Rights mvmt b/c she and partner conceived by IVF. #takeroot13
- Personhood is not just an abortion thing, it also bars fertility treatments and contraception. #takeroot13
- Strangers ask parents if twins are "natural"? WTF? Had no idea. My non-twin-havin privilege. #takeroot13 #microaggression
These personhood measures affect IVF treatments and wmn who's lives are threatened during pregnancy. They don't tell u that #takeroot13
