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Reproductive Rights Podcast
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Abortion, Affordability, and What Their Fight Can Teach Us – My Body. My Pod. Episode 26
Gov. Gretchen “Big Gretch” Whitmer has helped transform reproductive freedom in Michigan and shown what’s possible when reproductive freedom champions have the power to govern.
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Gov. Whitmer joins Mini Timmaraju in the latest episode of My Body. My Pod. to talk about how Michigan became a national model for protecting and expanding reproductive freedom.
They discuss why abortion and affordability are deeply connected, what Michigan can teach us about turning electoral victories into real change, and why the 2026 midterm elections matter for what comes next.
Content note: This episode includes a brief discussion of sexual assault (~4:30-8:30).
Key Takeaways in this Episode
- Michigan protected reproductive freedom after Roe v. Wade was overturned by taking early legal action, organizing at the ballot box, and electing reproductive freedom champions who could turn those victories into policy.
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer argues that abortion access is an economic and affordability issue because deciding if and when to have a child is one of the most consequential decisions a person can make for their financial future.
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- Michigan voters protected reproductive freedom in the state constitution in 2022, but elections still matter. State and federal elected officials have significant power over abortion access, health care, and reproductive freedom.
- Michigan’s experience shows how organizing, voting, and governing power can work together to protect and expand reproductive freedom.
A Closer Look: Michigan Shows What’s Possible
“These fights are longer than they should be. They’re harder than they should be, but they’re winnable.” -Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Michigan was at risk of reverting to a 1931 law that criminalized abortion.
But Michigan was ready.
Before the Dobbs decision was even final, Gov. Whitmer took legal action to protect abortion access in the state. That helped keep abortion available while organizers, advocates, and voters worked to enshrine reproductive freedom in the Michigan constitution.
“We took action,” Whitmer tells Mini. “And it was because of that that we were able to protect [reproductive freedom].”
Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved Proposal 3 in 2022, establishing a constitutional right to reproductive freedom. And when voters elected reproductive freedom champions and gave them a governing trifecta, state leaders were able to go even further.
Michigan repealed its 1931 abortion ban, enacted the Reproductive Health Act (RHA), and expanded protections for abortion, contraception, and IVF.
As Whitmer explains, change like this doesn’t happen overnight.
“These fights are longer than they should be. They’re harder than they should be, but they’re winnable,” Gov. Whitmer says.
Abortion Is an Affordability Issue
“You can’t divest that most important decision from the person that is going to bear the consequences of it,” Whitmer says.
One of Gov. Whitmer’s messages is simple: You cannot separate reproductive freedom from the economy.
During her 2022 reelection campaign, Whitmer repeatedly heard a version of the same question: Why are you talking so much about abortion when voters care about the economy?
Her response? Abortion is an economic issue.
Deciding whether and when to have a child is one of the most consequential economic decisions a person can make. It can affect whether someone can stay in the workforce, pursue an education, care for the children they already have, pay their bills, or build the future they want.
As Whitmer puts it, when someone can access the health care they need, “she can succeed, she can thrive, she can participate, and if she can’t, we all pay a price.”
📣 Take Action: Get Involved Ahead of the Midterms
The 2026 midterm elections are an opportunity to elect reproductive freedom champions up and down the ballot in the midterm elections—in Michigan and beyond.
There are plenty of ways to get involved, whether you want to knock doors, make calls, send texts, share information online, or simply talk to the people in your life.
3 Ways to Take Action Now
Contact Your State Lawmakers
Your state lawmakers have the power to pass legislation that will shape our daily lives. Let them know you support reproductive freedom, and you're paying attention.
Join the Repro for All Volunteer Elections Team
We're pulling out all the stops to ensure voters get out and vote for reproductive freedom candidates up and down the ballot, and we need your help to make it happen!
Become a Michigan Volunteer!
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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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