Politics. Private. It is necessary. Taking care of your health. Complicated. Emotional. Reproductive Justice. Choice. Stigmatized. Controversial. compassionate Discovered. Guidance. Safety. Equal.
These were some of the words spoken when Doulas of Capitol Hill joined with our sister company, Doulas of Prince George’s County, to understand our collective beliefs on the subject of Abortion. The words from the word-cloud may not represent an individual’s personal beliefs, but rather words that come to mind when thinking of “Abortion.” In the same way we, as a community are not monoliths, we support the different client experiences we may be having.
From January to June, our team members came together to collaborate and create a series of statements to reflect our beliefs, the most central of which is our addition to our Statement of Belief and Inclusivity , which is a foundational document on our core company values. We worked Steph Blacka DC local, a writer, activist, feminist, abortion educator and abortion doula, to help guide and facilitate our process.
We offered complementary training in Holding Space for Abortion to any of our team members who wish to take it, whether they plan to use the training to provide abortion doula services, or simply to become more knowledgeable and aware of the topic and role. More than half of our team has access to complementary training!
In our Statement of Belief we add:
Abortion is morally neutral and everyone who needs or wants an abortion should be able to access one safely.
In our community we share the following:
We believe:
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Abortion is morally neutral and everyone who needs or wants an abortion should be able to access one.
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Abortion doulas are an important part of compassionate, knowledgeable abortion care.
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Everyone has the right to choose if and when to give birth and become a parent.
We acknowledge:
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Access to abortion care for marginalized communities is not only difficult but sometimes dangerous. Racism, misogyny, bigotry, classism, and other intersections, affect who receives care.
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Attitudes, beliefs, and emotions about abortion exist on a continuum, and people can hold space for multiple, or seemingly conflicting emotions at one time or at different times. Different emotions can arise around abortion, some positive, some negative. Abortion can be the right choice but can still be devastating and/or abortion can be a happy and healing experience and/or abortion can be normal and neutral.
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The legal landscape is constantly changing and we are not abortion health care providers, but we are committed to holding space, within our scope of practice, for abortion seekers.
We are committed to:
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Supporting our clients in seeking termination of pregnancy for any reason, at any time throughout their pregnancy.
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Having space for childbirth for people who have had an abortion, people who are seeking an abortion, and those who have complex feelings about abortion.
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An Abortion Doula support package is offered for those seeking non-medical, non-judgmental physical, emotional, and informational support.
As the legal landscape continues to change, we are increasingly aware of the need to be clear that we support people who want or need abortion care, as well as aligning with team members who share the same values. Some businesses aren’t afraid to put up yard signs to express their beliefs. We’re not afraid to take a stand on complex topics.
There are parts of the country that have always had more restricted access because of low-income areas, parts of the South of the country, and rural areas. And at this time, some people lose a choice, as they know.
Sofija Jovik, one of our birth and postpartum doulas who has spent years in the reproductive justice space, shares that “DC and Maryland are two of the only states in the US that are actively safe “destinations” for abortion care , of which Maryland has two. of the only third-tri/late-term clinics in the country. DC and Maryland have seen an increase in people having to travel for care.”
While the role of doulas is entirely non-medical, but rather physical support, emotional support, and informational support, we are committed to supporting our clients in safe and legal abortions in an ever-changing political landscape . We are not abortion health care providers, but we are committed to holding the space for abortion as health care for those who want or need it, within our non-medical scope of practice.
We invite the community to share Doulas of Capitol Hill as a resource for nonjudgmental support for people seeking abortion care throughout the DC, VA, and MD area.
This is for information. It is not intended to be medical advice.
