Author: Meghan Lord

Shield Laws vs. Vigilante Lawsuits: The New Abortion Battleground

Posted on by Meghan Lord

A new threat to abortion rights is emerging nationwide: the ability of private citizens to sue over out-of-state abortion care. Jerry Rodriguez, a Texas citizen, has sued Remy Coeytaux, a doctor who practices in California, for prescribing abortion pills to Rodriguez’s girlfriend on two separate occasions. While this lawsuit may be the first of its kind, it reflects a broader pattern of attempts to control women’s bodies even across state lines. 

Rodriguez is not only trying to sue Coeytaux. He is also attempting to prohibit Coeytaux from providing abortion pills for the rest of his career. The lawsuit represents an effort by anti-abortion states to restrict abortion access beyond their own borders. If this lawsuit succeeds, it could set a dangerous precedent, allowing individuals to target abortion providers in states where abortion is legal. That outcome threatens access nationwide.

At the center of this case is Texas’s “Woman and Child Protection Act.” Despite its name, the law allows any Texan to sue individuals who assist Texas patients in obtaining abortion pills. This provision has opened the door for lawsuits against providers in other states. In response, states that protect abortion rights are pushing back. California, for example, has enacted “Shield Laws” designed to protect providers from out-of-state prosecution. With conflicting laws in place, abortion access remains uncertain and increasingly contested. 

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 with the Dobbs decision, demand for abortion pills has surged. This increase is especially pronounced in conservative states where in-person abortion clinics have closed or severely limited services. For many people in these states, medication abortion obtained by mail has become the most accessible option.

If this lawsuit succeeds, the consequences will fall hardest on low-income individuals. Traveling out of state for abortion care requires time off work, transportation, and lodging. All of which are costs that many cannot afford. Mailed abortion pills offer a more affordable and practical alternative. Without that option, many people could be forced to carry unwanted pregnancies, putting their health and economic stability at risk. 

This lawsuit functions as a warning to abortion providers across the country.  It seeks to intimidate doctors who practice in states where abortion remains legal. The ongoing conflict between states highlights the instability created by the loss of federal protections and the harmful and threatening impacts. This fight will never end; without the protection from Roe, abortion rights remain vulnerable to continued legal attacks.  

Removal of “Option 3” on the 988 Suicide Hotline Poses Extreme Mental Health Risk for LGBTQ+ Youth

Posted on by Meghan Lord

The foundation of LGBTQ+ mental health support is crumbling. This past summer, the current administration decided to remove “Option 3” from the 988 Suicide Hotline, which was specifically for LGBTQ+ people in crisis. The elimination of this option puts already vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth and adults at serious risk. 

Launched in 2022 with bipartisan support, the 988 Hotline was designed to save lives by expanding access to mental health crisis services. However, by neglecting the importance of LGBTQ+ specific support, the administration has effectively decided that some lives are not worth targeted resources.  

The administration justified the removal by claiming the specialized services were “too expensive.” They stated that unifying services would be a better, more cost efficient option. Yet this reasoning ignores the complexities of LGBTQ+ mental health and experiences. 

Before its removal, “Option 3” connected LGBTQ+ individuals to a trained professional in LGBTQ+ mental health support. These professionals were experts in handling substance abuse, bullying, relationship troubles, and suicidal thoughts. Tailored care is essential because LGBTQ+ experiences often differ from heterosexual and cisgender peers. Removing this option strips away affirming, knowledgeable support, leaving queer callers feeling isolated. 

LGBTQ+ people are four times more likely than their peers to attempt suicide. This is driven by the impacts of internal struggles with one’s sexuality and the external societal rejection of queer people. Since the creation of the 988 suicide hotline, 1.3 million individuals have used the LGBTQ+ services, making it apparent that these resources have been utilized and are vital. 

Some states have taken steps to still prioritize queer mental health. California has been using experts from The Trevor Project to train their 988 Hotline workers. This pivot allows crisis workers to still have some specialization in queer mental health, despite the destruction of the specialized network. However, not all states have followed suit. Unlike California, Texas lawmakers have not committed to any additional efforts, neglecting support for LGBTQ+ individuals. This uneven response creates dangerous gaps in support across the country.

The removal of “Option 3” harms LGBTQ+ people in crisis, but also impacts the suicide hotline as a whole. Without the ability to route LGBTQ+ individuals to trained specialists, general crisis workers must handle a higher volume of complex calls they are not trained to handle. The increased calls will reduce the availability and efficiency of the crisis workers as a whole. 

Access to affirming, specialized mental health care saves lives. For LGBTQ+ mental health support, use The Trevor Project hotline at 866-488-7386, the LGBT National Hotline at 888-843-4564, or the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860. 

Shortage of Midwives Globally Increases Health Risks for Pregnant People

Posted on by Meghan Lord

Around the world, there is a shortage of nearly one million midwives. The midwife shortage is not just a workforce issue, it is a human rights and safety issue. Mothers, pregnant people, and babies are experiencing deaths at alarmingly high rates due to improper labor care. 

A midwife is a trained healthcare provider that specializes in obstetric and gynecological services. “Midwife” is really an umbrella term used to describe different kinds of birth professionals that assist with labor either in hospitals or home births. Midwives are incredibly important for all stages of reproductive health, assisting during pregnancy, birth, and during the postpartum period.  

The shortage of midwives is creating serious gaps in reproductive care. As healthcare systems become stretched beyond their capacity, the remaining midwives are overworked and underpaid. The lack of resources results in rushed and fragmented care for pregnant people and a greater risk of birthing casualties. Access to midwife-delivered care could prevent two-thirds of labor deaths, saving 4.3 million newborns and birthing people annually. 

Historically, midwifery has been a gendered profession, with women dominating the field due to the “care” and “nurture” work. Removing the gendered stigma behind midwifery is crucial for filling the profession. 

The deficiency of midwives is affecting the pregnant community as a whole, but impacting rural and low-income families the hardest. Working with a midwife is typically a more affordable option for lower income families. Having a midwife come to the home is a more viable option for families that would otherwise have to travel far to a hospital. Removing the ability to choose the best option for labor creates barriers for families who do not have the privilege to afford traditional hospital settings. 

To fully fix the shortage of midwives, there needs to be an additional 980,000 midwives across 181 countries. To reach this goal, there needs to be an increase of respect and effort towards midwives and their practice. Governments need to prioritize funding midwifery to replenish the profession in addition to society removing gendered stigma to the career. These actions will put the health of mothers, pregnant people, and newborns first, reducing labor risks globally. 

Bogota Implements Care Blocks: A Monumental Shift Away from Unpaid Labor

Posted on by Meghan Lord

Bogota, Columbia has been making historic strides towards gender equity by investing in government-provided care labor through programs known as “care blocks.” These “care blocks” provide an opportunity for women to drop off their children to create more free time. With this free time, mothers have an opportunity to run errands, meet with different consultants, relax while catching up with friends, or even finish school. 

This initiative is pivotal; it tackles the systematic issue of unpaid care labor that disproportionately gets placed onto women. Unpaid care work is the invisible, yet necessary, work that keeps households and families running. Gendered social norms reinforce the expectation that domestic care labor be completed by women. 

Around the world, women and girls complete 16 billion hours of unpaid care work every day. Since women have more unpaid responsibilities, this results in less time for opportunities outside the household, which is commonly known as “time poverty.” After becoming a mother, the lack of time affects two very important areas in an individual’s life: mental wellness and professional development. 

Care blocks allow women to take a step back from the stress of motherhood and care for their mental health.​​ Studies show that mothers without a strong support system are more likely to experience depression, burnout, and overall reduced mental health. 

Addressing the “time poverty” that mothers face is crucial for gender equity professionally. After having children, women are less likely to continue education or make professional advancements in their career due to childcare restrictions and household responsibility. This often leaves women stuck in the same professional position once becoming a mother. Implementing care blocks allows mothers to advance their education, giving them better opportunities in the professional world. 

The professional effects of care blocks can be seen immediately for women across the city. Bogota has a citywide graduation for individuals who complete month-long trainings in specialized career topics. During the graduation, rows fill with mothers and female caregivers. 

Bogota’s initiatives demonstrate that women should not be expected to halt their individual and intellectual development once having children. Instead, governments should provide alternative resources, like care blocks, to ensure gender equity of all opportunities.   

Behind this initiative is Claudia Lopez, the first queer woman mayor of Bogota. Care blocks were one of the main focuses of her administration, in hopes to shift and redistribute the burden of unpaid care labor into a paid system. 

Lopez spearheading this initiative demonstrates the importance of women in political office. When women hold political office, they are more likely to prioritize and directly address care needs through solutions grounded in lived experience. 

To have real gender equity, society needs to tackle deep-rooted gender constructs that allow unpaid labor to fall onto women. Following Bogota’s lead, implementing care blocks can be monumental for women around the world. 

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