Highlights from BKForge Talks with Jessica Valenti on September 16

Jessica described through-lines in anti-abortion strategies and language, helping us to understand patterns in attacks on reproductive rights, and providing insight into what might be coming next so we can organize proactively.

Current State of Reproductive Justice 

Jessica categorized attacks on abortion in three buckets:

• Attacks on democracy: Ballot measures banning abortion being pushed through by extremist legislators despite the overwhelming majority of Americans supporting abortion rights, as well as efforts to repeal or not enforce federal laws like the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act that protects abortion clinics, providers and patients from anti-abortion extremist violence, obstruction, and harassment. 

• Attacks on norms: Shifts in what Americans perceive as acceptable limitations on reproductive rights, even at the expense of the lives of pregnant people. For example, doctors refusing to provide abortion care for women until sepsis sets in because they are afraid of being prosecuted; fetal “trafficking” laws for women seeking out-of-state abortions; and bills that would make abortion punishable as homicide. 

• Attacks on science: Creating pseudo-research and “institutes” that produce studies meant to look legitimate, but designed to undermine trust in real science and public health data.

What’s Next for the Anti-Abortion Movement  

Project 2025 has provided a roadmap for the anti-abortion movement’s targets: stripping Federal Title X family planning funds, defunding reproductive health providers like Planned Parenthood while funneling those resources into anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers,” and attacking emergency contraception and telehealth. They are also signaling efforts to build government databases to track pregnant people.

Jessica predicts more restrictions on birth control through insurance loopholes, conscience clauses for pharmacists, or inflated costs that will create a de-facto ban on birth control access, without needing to actually outlaw birth control. This will start with new restrictions on contraception for adolescents, echoing the right’s attacks on gender-affirming care. Reproductive rights opponents have already been using language about “reviewing the effects of birth control on adolescent bodies,” signalling that anti-choice legislators will aim to eliminate access to hormonal birth control and IUDs for teens, even with parental consent. This will set the stage for eventual broader restrictions for people of all ages.

Ways Grassroots Activists Can Fight Back

As Jessica stated, “local organizing and activism is the future of the pro-choice movement.” It will be essential to connect to community members to ensure they feel engaged on reproductive justice issues and to continue pushing lawmakers and the media to keep issues of abortion and reproductive rights at the forefront of politics and the national conversation. 

“[The anti-abortion movement] understands how powerful local organizing and local relationships are. And most importantly, they get funding from these huge groups who understand it as well.” Jessica added, “The [anti-choice] movement has spent fifty years building their strategy — it has been very effective, and there are lessons we can take from their success.”

As we plan for the midterm election year, it’s vital that groups like BKForge keep our focus on local organizing and action even as we ramp up efforts to get out the vote for pro-choice lawmakers nationally.

As an example of small but impactful activism, Jessica emphasized the need to hold the media accountable around language, and suggested that individuals could help mitigate further normalization of fake science and unfactual terms by regularly commenting on articles and journalists’ social media posts. This could be a coordinated effort among grassroots groups for greater impact.

Actions You Can Take Today

While the anti-choice movement tries to overwhelm us into inaction, Jessica highlighted some areas of focus where we can make an impact on access here in New York and across the country. And for each, BKForge offers steps we can take together today to fight back: 

1. Ensure New York State closes the care gap
   In New York, a state that protects abortion rights and reproductive health care access, fighting back means closing the care gap — ensuring every person who lives in New York or comes to the state for care is able to access the abortion, birth control, reproductive health care and gender-affirming care they need.
   
   According to Jessica, “When we make New York the strongest pro-choice state, it helps other states. For example, if we close the care gap, people will know that they can come to New York and be safe — that is a huge service to the rest of the country.”
   
   Help defend reproductive care access in New York State by urging Governor Hochul to sign three bills that are critical for protecting abortion and gender-affirming care in our state: the NY Health Information Privacy Act, Shield Law 2.0, and Hospital Transparency. We need to show Governor Hochul that New Yorkers are watching, and we overwhelmingly want her to sign all three bills without further delay!

2. Fight back against the right’s anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers
   While anti-abortion legislators are defunding reproductive health care providers like Planned Parenthood and stripping Title X family planning funding from trusted community health centers, they are funneling these funds to anti-abortion fake clinics that attract pregnant people under false pretenses and undermine their access to abortion services.
   
   We can expose these fraudulent clinics for what they are. BKForge is joining forces with Men4Choice for an afternoon of researching and exposing crisis pregnancy centers. RSVP here for the action party on Sunday, October 5.

3. Strategize around legislative advocacy priorities
   Sign up to join BKForge’s Fall Community Gathering on Wednesday, October 22 to discuss campaigns we’re planning and ideas for legislative advocacy. There’ll be good company, good food, and an opportunity to get involved with lobby meetings and other actions this fall.
   
   While the current landscape can feel bleak, we’re encouraged by our members’ commitment to standing up and speaking out for reproductive rights and access to care, and we’re energized by Jessica’s vision for what can be possible with all of us being part in the fight.