While we are getting ready Thank you, Birth Control Day next week (Wednesday, November 15th—come with us!), we think a lot about the history of the sun. We launched the Thanks, Birth Control movement 11 years ago this November, and back then, we lived in a different world when it came to reproductive health, access, and choice. For one thing, Roe is still the law of the land. Fast forward a decade and things look even more painful for many of us.
When Roe v. Wade fell in June 2022, there was an immediate impact as pre-existing bans and restrictions were allowed to take effect and anti-choice politicians moved to further restrict access to abortion or ban it outright. Justice Clarence Thomas even wrote in his concurring opinion that it may be time to look again Griswold v. Connecticut, which protects the right to contraception. It was a scary time (and still is), and understandably, many people lost hope, including people who have been fighting this battle for years or even decades.
But in the year and since then, as we fought, we began to rebuild hope together, brick by brick. Voters in California, Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont approved measures establishing constitutional rights to abortion, while voters in Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana rejected proposals to further restrict rights and access to abortion. More than ever, people spread the word about our program AbortionFinder.organd had a outpouring of support for the local abortion fund. And after years of advocacy, it was finally approved by the FDA the first non-prescription, over-the-counter birth control pillto do increase access to birth control.
And we’re not backing down. So this year, let’s make some noise on Thank You, Birth Control Day. Share your story of how birth control empowered you. Educate others on the realities of limited access to both abortion and birth control. Call on your political representatives to stand up for reproductive freedom. However you choose to participate, every action counts in the fight for our collective future.
Raising your voice in campaigns like #ThxBirthControl is more important now than ever. Our health depends on it. Our future depends on it. Our freedom depends on it.
How you can support #ThxBirthControl and reproductive freedom
There are so many ways you can support reproductive freedom and the #ThxBirthControl campaign. Every action makes a difference in normalizing these important conversations and pushing back against restrictions on reproductive rights.
1. Share your story
Talk about why birth control is important to you. Share your personal experiences on social media using the hashtag #ThxBirthControl. Talk to friends and family members about reproductive rights, including abortion, and encourage them to make their voices heard as well. Our stories are powerful and can inspire others to take action. The more we talk about these issues openly and honestly, the more normal they become.
2. Contact your representatives
Let your elected officials know where you stand on issues like improving contraceptive insurance coverage, increasing funding for family planning services, and increasing or protecting access to abortion. Call or email, explain why affordable and accessible birth control and reproductive health care is important to you, and ask them to support legislation that supports reproductive health, rights, and justice .
3. Donate or volunteer
Many nonprofit organizations work to promote reproductive rights and access to contraception. If you can, think about it making a gift to Power to Decide (that’s us!) or another organization doing great work. By donating to Power to Decide, you help make Bedsider.org and AbortionFinder.org possible. If you want to volunteer your time instead, and you have a local abortion clinic, consider volunteering as a clinic escort.
4. Vote in every election
All elections matter when it comes to protecting reproductive freedom. Vote in national elections of course, but also pay attention to state and local elections. Your elected officials and the policies they support can have a big impact on access to birth control, quality sex education, and abortion in your community. Make sure you are registered to vote and encourage friends and family to make their voices heard at the ballot box as well.
Together, we have the power to make a difference. By supporting organizations fighting on the front lines, sharing our stories, lobbying policymakers, and making our voices heard through voting, we can continue to build momentum to defend those reproductive rights and expand access to birth control for all. Our future depends on it.
