What it Means to Take Embodied Action in the Fight for Abortion Access
Hi. Can we take a few breaths together? Take any kind of breath that feels soothing or nourishing to you. And then take a few more– as many as you need right now.
If it feels good to you, I invite you to put your hand on your heart. To me, this gesture is a simple and massively impactful reminder of togetherness.
In times of stress, dysregulation, dis-ease, activation, burnout, I tend to tell myself stories (read: lies) of my aloneness. (Capitalism teaches us aggressive individualism; thus, feeling alone makes sense given the dominant culture context. AND this is something I/we can unlearn.) I feel like I must navigate this on my own or that I’m the only one feeling ______ or going through ______. Anyone else relate?
Connecting to Emerge Together
Below is the text from a recent email to my list over at Courtney Harris Coaching. I share some reflections about the ways our experiences are connected (to one another, to the past, and so on), while also creating the futures we want and need– futures where we all have bodily autonomy and systems of collective care:
I've been rereading adrienne maree brown's Emergent Strategy, and it has been powerful. (If you haven't read, I highly recommend!) This book invites readers to consider how we change, how we can change, and how we can build and create the futures we wish for, believe in, and value.
While this book has me thinking and processing intellectually, it's also bringing me into my body and my feelings. Here's a reflective (and existential) text I sent to a BFF this morning: "The part of life where it keeps going and every new experience has the capacity to connect to old/other experiences (individual and collective) but also is literally creating the future. Wtf. That’s so much to integrate and feel."
This reflection came to me, as I was thinking about a friend who attended her grandmother's funeral yesterday. I held space for her as I lit my candles, and simultaneously, I remembered the ways that I struggled through my grandparents' memorial less than one year ago. Grief arrived in waves. All the while, I was feeling into the ways that small grief rituals-- candles, hugs, "I'm thinking of you" and “I’m with you” texts with red heart emojis-- are the future. They are the ways we show up and care for one another.
There is connection to what was/is and there is great emergence. At once. How special and wild that we can have this capacity!
Embodiment as a Key to Healing and Transformation
So what does all of this have to do with abortion access?! While we are navigating so much, both individually and collectively, it’s crucial that we find ways and moments to pause, breathe, and remember that we have and NEED one another. Togetherness is not just powerful, but it is also essential for transformation, healing, and becoming.
Furthermore, these embodiment practices and acts of community care directly undo the myths of capitalism. JB Brown, BADT’s Program Director and Lead Teacher, summarizes the ways that capitalism strips us of bodily autonomy in his IG post:
“Whether related to abortion or gender-affirming healthcare, there is not room for bodily autonomy under capitalism. This is more true for folks who are and have historically been oppressed - BIPGM, Disabled people, working class - especially if multiply marginalized. The only future with true bodily autonomy is an anti-capitalist one.”
The slowing down, the being in our bodies, the remembering our interconnectedness are required in order for us to see ourselves and one another as whole, autonomous beings who have a right to healthcare access.
Moving in Action Together
There are tons of lists of action items and resources to follow and uplift circulating. Keep sharing those, saving posts, and engaging in calls to action as you can. Below you will find a handful of ways you can connect with the BADT community + a few other resources that I wanted to uplift:
Sign up for the BADT Abortion Access mailing list to receive periodic responsive updates on current events, movements to support, resources, and continued education opportunities related to abortion.
Learn about the work of abortion doulas on our blog.
Show up for a loved one who is experiencing abortion with these aftercare ideas from The Abortion Project.
Sign up for and/or share about BADT’s Abortion Doula CE Courses.
Learn about and contribute to abortion funds. Info from Jane’s Due Process here.
Sticker the hell out of public spaces in your community. Check out these on-demand disobedient stickers by my friend Althea here.
This post by The Gender Doula offers some ideas for taking care of yourself on a tough news-cycle day.
Shout Your Abortion’s Abortion Pills Forever Toolkit (resources, posters, etc.)
Thank you for being here! Feel free to join me in shaking it out, drinking some water, and stepping outside for some fresh air.
Courtney (they/them) is a witness, space-holder, supporter, and caregiver for families of all types and in all stages. They have served youth and their families since 2008. Courtney is passionate about honoring life’s transitions, and they believe that all birthing people deserve compassionate, steady, and informed support throughout their unique reproductive journeys.
As a full-spectrum companion, Courtney is proud to elevate the voices and needs of each client they have the honor of serving. They are dedicated to inclusive, anti-oppressive work both in their personal and professional relationships and in the systems they live and work in.
Outside of birth and coaching work, Courtney loves spending time with family, friends, and their plants. They can often be found reading one of the many books piled on their bedside table, enjoying a walk, or writing. Connect on IG @CompanionCourtney