Protect Medication Abortion Access
Anti-abortion extremists are attacking medication abortion to essentially ban abortion for millions of people. Add your name in support of access to medication abortion.
Reproductive Rights Deep Dives
Lawmakers Aren’t Doctors, So Why Are They Legislating Medicine? Dr. Jamila Perritt on the Harm of Abortion Bans on My Body. My Pod. Episode 15
Abortion is a common part of reproductive health care. Yet politicians intentionally spread disinformation to stigmatize it.
Watch & Listen
What happens when lawmakers interfere with medical decisions? Your doctor has to spend more time on the phone with hospital administrators and legal counsel instead of prioritizing your health care needs first. When a legal decision outweighs a medical one, our lives are put at risk.
In the latest episode of My Body. My Pod., Mini Timmaraju sits down with OB-GYN and President of Physicians for Reproductive Health Dr. Jamila Perritt to discuss how abortion bans and restrictions harm patients and providers, and what’s really at stake when elected officials try to interfere with medical decisions.
🔍 A Closer Look: Why We Shouldn’t Be Legislating Medicine
“When you deny people access to abortion care, women and pregnant people die. Full stop.” —Dr. Perritt
Mini and Dr. Perritt discuss what doctors across the country are experiencing right now, and the panic, confusion, and fear abortion restrictions create for patients and providers alike.
Dr. Perritt makes it clear:
“We have a bunch of politicians with no medical training, no scientific expertise, that are then making decisions about the care that I can legally provide… Despite the fact that I’ve been doing this work for almost 30 years.”
It’s not about safety. It’s about controlling our bodies.
“The amount of hoops that we see people have to go through to get this simple medical procedure, to me, is diabolical.”
They’ve intentionally created a stigma against abortion, despite the fact that the same medicine is used in miscarriage care:
“As an OB-GYN, it is literally the same medicine, the same procedure, the same care as miscarriage management. There is no difference in this.”
Mini and Dr. Perritt also discussed the distinctions between reproductive health, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice in the movement:
- Reproductive justice is made up of four core tenants:
- The right to have a child and determine the circumstances and conditions under which you give birth
- The right to not have a child and be equipped with the information necessary to end a pregnancy
- The right to parent the children we already have in safe sustainable communities free from violence
- The right to bodily autonomy
Key Takeaway: This Isn’t About Safety—And Voters Know It
One of the clearest takeaways from this conversation: Abortion is popular because it’s health care. Abortion is safe; abortion bans kill pregnant people.
People believe in bodily autonomy, the right to make personal decisions without government interference, and freedom to decide our futures.
That’s why abortion rights continue to win at the ballot box, and why we continue to fight to protect and expand reproductive freedom, elect champions, and hold our elected officials accountable.
3 Ways to Take Action Now
Spread the Word: Mifepristone is Safe and Effective
Share our social media toolkit with your family and friends and spread the truth that mifepristone is safe and effective.
Quiz: How much do you know about the abortion pill—really?
Extremists have launched a coordinated attack on mifepristone—a safe and effective medication. Can you separate fact from fiction? Take our quiz to find out!
🤿 Dive Deeper into the Details
The Court Cases Targeting Mifepristone/Medication Abortion (dropdown)
Anti-abortion extremists are attacking access to medication abortion any way they can—including by pushing baseless court cases to ban or severely restrict mifepristone, a medication used in the majority of abortion care in the U.S.
How Much Do You Know About Mifepristone (aka the Abortion Pill)?
Mifepristone, commonly referred to as an ‘abortion pill,’ is widely used for abortion care and miscarriage management and is a critical part of reproductive freedom. But how much of what you’ve heard is fact vs. fiction?
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ABOUT THE PODCAST
MY BODY. MY POD. WITH MINI TIMMARAJU.
The fight for reproductive freedom is more urgent than ever.
That’s why we’re bringing you My Body. My Pod. with Mini Timmaraju, a reproductive freedom podcast.
If you’re into building a nationwide movement to protect and expand health justice, reproductive equity, and the power of people to control their own lives, this show is for you.
Hear from leaders and changemakers who share wisdom from the front lines, stories of the real struggles people are facing every day, and a vision for the future we’re determined to win.
Hosted by Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. Available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Reproductive Freedom for All is made up of members across the country who believe that everybody should be free to control their own bodies and lives—and we want you to be a part of it.
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Watch More Episodes
Deep Dives Reproductive Rights
Lawmakers Aren’t Doctors, So Why Are They Legislating Medicine? Dr. Jamila Perritt on the Harm of Abortion Bans on My Body. My Pod. Episode 15
Deep Dives Reproductive Rights
Americans Support Abortion. It’s Time We Acted Like It. Jessica Valenti on Today’s Fight on My Body. My Pod. Episode 14
Deep Dives Reproductive Rights