DISCLAIMER: This blog post will have a shit ton of F-bombs because I'M MAD.
How the FUCK is abortion still a topic of discussion in Two Thousand Fucking Nineteen?
If you're not furious about the recent change in legislation in the United States outlawing abortions, then you're in the wrong place. Click the X at the top of the page or close the tab. Femme Cabal is not for you if you are not pro-choice, because anything else is anti-woman. FULL STOP. Pro-lifers please exit stage right straight to the depths of the hell you will be undoubtedly be going to because YOU'RE NOT PERFECT and YOU'VE SINNED. CHALLENGING ABORTION LAWS WON'T CHANGE THAT AND EVERYONE KNOWS YOU WERE 2 MONTHS PREGNANT WHEN YOU GOT MARRIED SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE, BRENDA.
Fuuuuckkk youuuuu, Brendaaaaa.
If you think this shit is not coming to Canada, you're not paying attention. Just the other day, I found an anti-abortion pamphlet on my front steps. There was a pro-life rally on May 9th that attracted hundreds of people to the Alberta Legislature Grounds. And FUCKING GET THIS: The Red Deer Catholic School Division fucking bussed over 100 students from central Alberta to Edmonton to attend this rally. WHAT THE FUUUCKKK???? Our tax dollars paid for that! Fuck you, Red Deer Catholic School Division!!
So what can we do? I need to turn this rage into action. While BIG ACTIONS need to be taken, there is low hanging fruit that we can pick off.
Enter: LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN.
Before you start on me, yes, I know that letters/emails often sit in an inbox that MLAs and MPs rarely look into, and therefore their efficacy is questionable, but like I said: low hanging fruit.
You also have the option to give them a call on the ol' telephone, which I HIGHLY recommend. Show them the emotion in your voice when you explain to them that you not only want abortion to be legal forever, but you want it to be FREE and EASILY accessible by ALL women/people with uteruses, REGARDLESS of socioeconomic status or the other privileges that allow some people to get abortions but not others. FUCK. I want to be able to walk into my doctor's office near my house in south Edmonton and just book a Tuesday abo-bo. It should really be that easy.
Ok here's the ask: Tell your provincial and federal representative that having free & accessible abortions in Alberta/Canada is important to you.
I'm going to make it really easy for you. A step-by-step guide!
Step One: Open up your email account and press "Compose Email"
Step Two: Find your MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) or MP (Member of Parliament) on these websites, and copy and paste their email address (or take note of their phone number).
Step Three: Copy their email into your blank email.
Step Four: Copy & paste this into the subject line:
I WANT ABORTIONS TO BE FREE & ACCESSIBLE IN CANADA
Step Five: Write the body of your email. If you're lazy, I've already done the work for you! Copy and paste the following into the email.
Greetings, [Enter name of MLA/MP],
I am writing to inform you that I am very concerned about what is happening in the southern United States regarding the outlawing of abortion, and I want to make it very clear that I do not want to see this happen in Canada. Having free and easy access to safe abortions and sexual health options is a critical part of ensuring Canada has a healthy population. This is an issue that I hope you are listening to.
All people have a right to decide what to do with their bodies.
The right to abortion is vital for gender equality.
The right to abortion is vital for individuals to achieve their full potential.
Banning abortion puts people at risk by forcing them to use illegal methods of ending their pregnancies - banning abortion does NOT stop abortions from happening.
While abortion is currently legal in Canada, that doesn't mean that it won't be challenged in Parliament or that issues of accessibility won't come up in our Provincial Assembly. As my representative, I want you to vote on any abortion-related issues with the understanding that abortion needs to be LEGAL, FREE, and ACCESSIBLE BY ALL PEOPLE, regardless of socio-economic status.
If you wish to contact me, please email me at [write your email address here].
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Step Six: Press send on that email.
Step Seven: Convince everyone you know to do the same.
Step Eight: Call out your local MLA/MP on Twitter. Sample tweet:
Hey @[rep's Twitter name], I WANT FREE AND ACCESSIBLE ABORTION IN CANADA FOREVER. PAY ATTENTION. Thanks. #femmecabal
This will take 3 minutes out of your day. LOW HANGING FRUIT, PEOPLE.
If you have bigger ideas on how we can get out ahead of this in Canada, please send us an email to hello@femmecabal.com.
Thanks for listening. - Avery Johnson aka @jurassicave