Planned Parenthood: Providing abortion for rape survivors in Illinois and in the U.S. during the 2016 Democratic Convention
Ayala is 28 and works as an electrician. His wife saw a social media post about a free reproductive health clinic Planned Parenthood was sponsoring in Chicago during the Democratic convention, and suggested that he sign up.
In a second exam room on the other side of the RV, Dr. Colleen McNicholas offered prescriptions for abortion pills – which she says patients could take on site or take home, under Illinois law.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to show how when you have a state like Illinois that prioritizes healthcare access and passes good policy that you can be creative and innovative in how you meet people’s healthcare needs,” Dr. McNicholas said of the clinics presence near the convention.
In response to the Supreme Court decision in Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the organization purchased an RV.
Providing abortion in the region means navigating a variety of challenges including security. The unit was set up inside a fenced lot, with several security guards on hand.
In a statement, National Right to Life President Carol Tobias called the Planned Parenthood clinic “disgusting,” and said it was “not surprising,” given the Democratic Party’s support for abortion rights.
Simmons-Duffin is a song. Right. Josh and the Zurawskis spoke. She ended up in the ICU while waiting to become sick enough to be able to get an abortion in Texas. A Kentucky woman talked about the importance of abortion access for rape survivors. At 12 years old, she got an abortion after being raped. And Kaitlyn Joshua spoke as well. NPR first reported her story in 2022. She had an abortion and was turned away from hospitals in Louisiana, which has strict abortion laws. I asked her what it was like to be on that stage. She said right before she spoke, she got emotional.
One speaker we are anticipating hearing from tonight is Kate Cox. She filed a lawsuit while facing serious pregnancy complications, asking the state of Texas to allow her to legally receive an abortion. Cox is one of several people sharing their abortion experiences at the convention, as NPR’s Selena Simmons-Duffin is here to explain. Hey, Selena.
Karen Josha is an actress. I had tears in my eyes, and I looked out in the audience at my husband, and he could tell that I was kind of about to kind of freak out a little bit. So he kind of summoned me to calm down, just go slow. It’s difficult. It’s really heavy stuff.
SHAPIRO: Selena, it’s so striking that we are seeing these women recount traumas on national stage, and in doing so kind of becoming a political force.
Simmons-Duffern: Yeah, it’s true. Two years ago, the public face of abortion was turned upside down by the Dobbs decision. The abortion issue used to be a rallying cry for Republicans, but it barely came up at all at the Republican National Convention a few weeks ago. It is being discussed by multiple people. Julie is at the DNC this week. She is also the co-owner of Hope Clinic which provides abortions in Illinois.
There is a human named Simmons-Duffin George Tiller was murdered in Kansas in 2009, while Burkhart was working for him. She decided to reopen his clinic, so she knows about the risks and rewards of being public about abortion.
SIMMONS-DUFFIN: I asked if being so public about abortion was hurting her, since she lives in the Deep South. She says it’s difficult to relive what happened and there are people who won’t let go of her story, which is painful. She told me that she lost her job because of the amount of time she was spending campaigning for Harris. She feels that she was called to do the work and is determined to keep doing it.
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