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Let’s be real: pretty much anyone who isn’t a cisgender man has long had their bodily autonomy systematically threatened.
But, over the last several months, it has become increasingly apparent just how far politicians are willing to go to control and prevent access to [reproductive] health care and services.
In the United States — as in many other countries in the world — the powers that be have been tireless in their attempts to put up roadblocks to deny safe access to abortion and reproductive health care services.
But today’s current administration has taken these already grave circumstances to new heights with a steady bombardment of fake news and science, increased stigma, threats to the Affordable Care Act, and widespread religious extremism aimed at preventing progress in this sphere.
Today, on International Safe Abortion Day, we at Everyday Feminism want to take the opportunity to highlight the important issue of abortion access — something that poses a grave threat to millions of people, especially women of color, immigrants, and people from low-income backgrounds.
Below is a new video by Lady Parts Justice League that breaks down many of the myths around abortion, specifically the abortion pill.
Abortion has been historically demonized, but now, with growing threats to reproductive health, the stakes are higher than ever. We must rise to the occasion and ensure that everyone can gain access to safe abortions and reproductive care when and if they need it.
With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism
Click for the Transcript
VT ACTION
NALI IS IN A WORK BATHROOM STALL. IT IS REVEALED SHE IS TAKING A PREGNANCY TEST, SHE REMAINS ON TOILET AND WE SEE THE POSITIVE RESULT ON THE STICK. SHE REACTS
VOICE OVER (VO)
UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AFFECTS EVERYTHING
VT ACTION
BATHROOM STALL
TO THE VIEWER IT SEEMS LIKE A DRUG COMMERCIAL, NALI IS WORRIED, SHAKING STICK FOR DIFFERENT RESULT ETC AS VOICE OVER SETS THE SCENE
NALI
OH GOD
(VO) YOUR JOB, YOUR FINANCES, YOUR FUTURE
VT ACTION
ON TOILET, RESPONDING TO V/O LIKE YOU TALK BACK TO THE TV
NALI OC
NO SHIT, THIS IS MORE THAN I CAN DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW
VT ACTION
SHE SITS, SIGHS, IS PHYSICALLY DISPLAYING “I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING” AS V/O CONTINUES TO TALK
V/O
IF IT’S NOT THE RIGHT TIME FOR YOU TO BE PREGNANT,
VT ACTION
STILL SITTING DEPRESSED ON TOILET,
NALI OC CONT
IT’S SO NOT,
V/O
THEN IT’S TIME TO TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK WITH MEDICATION ABORTION –
VT ACTION
ON TOILET, AT FIRST EMPOWERED,
THEN SHE REALIZES, SHE IS TALKING TO A STRANGE VOICE IN THE BATHROOM, SHE PANICS, (STEPS ON TOILET WITH PANTS AROUND HER ANKLES, TRYING TO LOOK OVER STALLS TO SEE WHERE THE VOICE IS COMING FROM) SHE SEES NO ONE
NALI OC
YES!
WAIT- WHAT?
V/O
MEDICATION ABORTION – PILLS YOU CAN TAKE AT HOME OR IN A CLINIC
– WHO THE F ARE YOU?
AND- WHERE THE F “ARE” YOU?
V/O
I’M NOT IN A STALL, I’M THE GENERIC VOICE FROM EVERY PHARMACEUTICAL AD.
VT ACTION
SHE STARTS GETTING HER CLOTHES STRAIGHTENED OUT, AND
NALI OC
WELL THAT’S A RELIEF. YOU COULD HAVE BEEN A STALKER OR A RUSSIAN HACKER, OR…WAIT. DID YOU SAY I CAN TAKE THE ABORTION PILL AT HOME?
VT ACTION
THE V/O NEVER BREAKS OUT OF THAT COMMERCIAL SPEAK AND ALWAYS ADDRESSES EVERYONE WITH INFORMATION AS ANSWERS.
V/O
YES. CHECK WITH DOCTOR OR CLINIC TO THEN ASK IF THE ABORTION PILL IS RIGHT FOR YOU.
VT ACTION
NALI DRIES HANDS, AND SAYS LINE AS SHE WALKS TO THE DOOR. EXITS.
NALI OC
OK, FIRST I AM GONNA CHECK WITH MY THERAPIST ABOUT WHY I’M HEARING VOICES.
CUT TO NEW SCENE ART STUDIO
VT ACTION:
5 PEOPLE (6 WITH NALI) IN GROUP SKETCHING CLASS. PEOPLE ARE SET UP WITH SKETCH PADS, CHARCOAL AND THERE IS MODEL IN THE CENTER THE ROOM. A TEACHER WANDERS AROUND TO EACH STUDENT. NALI RUSHES IN LATE, AND SETS UP TO START DRAWING. HER FRIEND LEANS INTO HER AND STARTS TALKING AS SHE SETS UP HER SKETCH PAD
NALI OC
GYNO APPOINTMENT RAN LATE
JUDY OC
SO DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GONNA DO?
NALI OC
YEAH. I’M GONNA TAKE THE ABORTION PILL.
JUDY OC
WELL HOW DOES IT WORK?
NALI OC
IT’S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD
VT ACTION
NALI LOOK FREAKED THAT THE VOICE IS BACK.
VO
(INTERRUPTING NALI) HERE’S HOW THE ABORTION PILL WORKS-
VT ACTION
FRIEND AND CLASS ARE FREAKED OUT NODDING YES.
NALI OC
(TO JUDY AND EVERYONE IN CLASS)
YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT?
VT ACTION
TEACHER AND CLASS LOOK AROUND TO SEE WHERE VOICE IS COMING FROM.
THEN ANIMATED GRAPHICS APPEAR ON NALI’S CANVAS. A UTERUS APPEARS ON HER CANVAS. ONE MIFEPRISTONE SHOWS UP, THEN THE MISOPROSTOL SHOWS UP, THEN THEY DISSOLVE, WHILE UTERUS CONTRACTS ONCE. ILLUSTRATING THE BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE TWO DRUGS USED IN MEDICATION ABORTION.
THE CLASS GOES FROM FREAKED OUT TO COMPELLED AT THIS COOL THING THEY ARE LEARNING.
V/O
MEDICATION ABORTION, OR THE ABORTION PILL IS A COMBINATION OF 2 DRUGS THAT YOU CAN TAKE UP TO 10 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY-
MIFEPRISTONE– WHICH BLOCKS THE HORMONE REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN A PREGNANCY.
AND MISOPROSTOL, WHICH STARTS THE CONTRACTIONS TO EXPEL THE PREGNANCY TISSUE, RESULTING IN ABORTION.
TAKEN TOGETHER AS DIRECTED, THEY ARE 99 PERCENT EFFECTIVE AT ENDING A PREGNANCY.
VT ACTION
NALI TO HER FRIEND
NILA OC (KIND OF ANNOYED THAT THE V/O INTERRUPTED HER)
SO, THAT’S BASICALLY WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, EXCEPT LESS ADVERVERTISE-Y
CUT TO
A DINNER PARTY SCENE WITH NALI AND 4 FRIENDS IN AN APARTMENT. THEY’RE HAVING WINE, OLIVES, CHEESE, AND CRACKERS.
NALI O/C
…MY DOCTOR SAYS IT USUALLY TAKES AROUND 24 HOURS. THERE’LL BE BLEEDING AND CRAMPS, BUT I CAN DO IT AT HOME. AND I CAN EVEN GO BACK TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.
VT ACTION
V/O SHOWS UP AND HIJACKS HER SENTENCE.
VO
AND DON’T FORGET, THE ABORTION PILL IS EXTREMELY SAFE.
NALI OC (AGAIN, ANNOYED UNDER HER BREATH)
YEAH. I WAS GETTING TO THAT.
VT ACTION
INTERRUPTS
LOREN OC
IN FACT HAVING AN ABORTION WITH PILLS IS SAFER THAN A COLONOSCOPY.
VT ACTION
INTERRUPTS
JESS OC
AND COMPLICATIONS OCCUR FAR LESS THAN 1% OF THE TIME, AND OVER 3 MILLION WOMEN IN THE U.S. HAVE USED THE ABORTION PILL.
VT ACTION
NALI IS CONFUSED AND SORTA SAD SHE WASN’T THE ONE INFORMING EVERYONE.
NALI OC
HOW DO YOU GUYS KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THIS?
LOREN OC
I HEARD THAT VOICE LAST WEEK HIKING BY A STREAM
JESS OC
YEAH THAT VOICE FOLLOWED ME FROM ART CLASS TO YOGA IN THE PARK
ALL LAUGH, NALI PISSED BUT FAKE LAUGHS
VT ACTION
THE FRIENDS ARE TUNED IN, LISTENING TO VO AS WELL
NALI OC
ANYWAY, THANKS TO THIS CREEPY YET INFORMATIVE VOICE, NOW WE ALL KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ABORTION PILL!
V/O
SO ASK YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IF
THE ABORTION PILL IS RIGHT FOR YOU, THEN ASK POLITICIANS TO STOP LEGISLATING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU.
VT ACTION
THE FRIENDS CLINK GLASSES AND CHEERS
FRIENDS OC
CHEERS TO THAT
V/O
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ABORTION PILL GO TO HOWTOUSEABORTIONPILL.ORG
VT ACTION
STILL AT COCKTAILS IN HOUSE
THE VO IS TALKING POLITICS, BUT STILL IN THAT PHARMA AD TONE AND CADENCE. THE SCENE BECOMES A BACKGROUND FOR THE VO JUST LIKE A COMMERCIAL.
V/O
THERE ARE MANY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE ABORTION PILL, INCLUDING – BUT NOT LIMITED TO- A SHARP INCREASE OF WOMEN TAKING CONTROL OF THEIR OWN DESTINIES– WHICH COULD CAUSE PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM.
VT ACTION
WE SEE THEM CLEARING THE TABLE OF PLATES
V/O
PROLONGED USE OF POLITICS TO BLOCK ABORTION ACCESS HAS RESULTED IN LOSS OF RIGHTS, A WAGE GAP AND OVERALL INEQUALITY.
VT ACTION
SCENE GOES INTO A FADE AND V/O 2 CLOSES US OUT
VT ACTION
SCENE CONTINUES AS LPJ/MIFE GFX COMES IN ⅔ FILLING SCREEN
V/O 2
JOIN THE LADY PARTS JUSTICE LEAGUE. EXPOSING SEXIST SHITHEADS HAS NEVER BEEN MORE REWARDING.
Lady Parts Justice League (LPJL) is a coven of hilarious badass feminists who use humor and pop culture to expose the haters fighting against reproductive rights. They believe if there is not laughter, dancing, and sexy time in your revolution, you need to fix that. LPJL has helped send 2,901 postcards to clinics, created 118 original videos, and visited 36 clinics throughout the U.S. You can follow their work on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr.
