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Indigenous Women's Access to Reproductive Healthcare
Abigall Wilhelm
School of Science and Engineering, '23
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Prior to European colonial contact, most Native American women had autonomy in their decisions regarding reproductive health and their community respected those decisions. However, due to rampant disempowerment and discrimination towards Indigenous communities, those women are now stripped of that freedom. This is caused by the Hyde Amendment, passed in 1976, which limits the reproductive health services provided by Indian Health Service (IHS) by forbidding the expenditure of federal funds for abortion services except in cases where the pregnancy threatens the woman’s life, or is the result of rape or incest. The Indian Health Service is the principle healthcare provider for Native Americans, serving all members of federally recognized Native American tribes and their descendants. In addition to the limitations by the Hyde Amendment, the funding and implementation of this program severely restricts indigenous women’s access to reproductive healthcare.
Indigenous people are severely underrepresented in the historic movement for women’s reproductive rights. Roe v Wade (1973) guaranteed the right for a woman to choose to have an abortion before the 2nd trimester. However, this movement was led my white feminists and did not address the issue of providing funding for abortions, causing abortions to be a privilege to the people that could afford it rather than a right. One in four Indigenous people live in poverty, lacking the financial means to afford private insurance. That being said, many Indigenous women are employed, working minimum wage jobs at casinos developed on reservation land, making them ineligible for Medicaid. This leaves the Indian Health Service, a federal program which serves 2.5 million Native American and Alaska Native people, as their only option for healthcare. Because the IHS is completely federally funded, it must comply with the Hyde Amendment.
The IHS’s complex system of healthcare delivery prevents them from adequately serving Native people. When the Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center (NAWHERC) conducted a survey to assess Native American women’s access to legal abortion through the IHS they found that “85% of Service Units were noncompliant with official IHS abortion policy and in 62% of cases where a woman’s life was endangered, they did not provide either abortion services or funding.” This emphasizes that the lack of standardized protocol in distributing abortion counseling, accurate medical information, and referrals to other abortion providers harms Native women and restricts their access to accurate reproductive healthcare. If a policy is not implemented properly, it will not properly serve the people as intended.
Due to the restrictions on abortions, it is even more important for contraceptive methods to be accessible. While condoms are easily accessible, they require the participation of male partners, reducing a Native women’s personal agency. Birth control pills and long-acting reversible contraceptives are available, but guidelines consider a 2-3 hour drive accessible for IHS clients to have access to these services. Due to a lack of reliable transportation, many women are unable to take the time to receive these services.
It is evident that prior to the pandemic, indigenous women lacked access to care. Now as indigenous communities are affected by COVID-19 at disproportionate rates, they face even more hardship to access the care they need. Sign this petition to tell Congress to pass the EACH Woman Act, which will overturn the Hyde Amendment and ensure abortion coverage for every person regardless of income, insurance or zip code.
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CAMPUS/LOCAL:
Guest column: The trail that Ruth Bader Ginsburg blazed ran through Louisiana, The Advocate, September 24, 2020
Here’s Why You Still Can’t Access Abortion Pills By Mail In Louisiana, Despite The Pandemic, WWNO, July 15, 2020
NATIONAL:
A Rare Expansion in Abortion Access Because of COVID-19, TIME, September 28, 2020
On Abortion, Amy Coney Barrett Doesn’t Speak for American Christians, CNN, September 28, 2020
Breonna Taylor's Case Says It Loud and Clear: Black Lives Don't Matter | Opinion, Newsweek, September 24, 2020
It’s Not Just Hysterectomies: The U.S. Has A Long, Shameful History Of Forced Sterilizations, Refinery29, September 18, 2020
Accommodating Pregnant Workers is Good for Business, National Women’s Law Center, September 15, 2020
Black Girl Freedom Fund: Extraordinary Times Require Extraordinary Measures, Essence, September 15, 2020
‘Like an Experimental Concentration Camp’: Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Mass Hysterectomies at ICE Detention Center, Law And Crime, September 14, 2020
Staggering Number of Hysterectomies Happening at ICE Facility, Whistleblower Says, Vice, September 14, 2020
Some, but not all, felons win back the right to vote in [North Carolina] 2020 elections, News Observer, September 4, 2020
Abortion providers sue over [North Carolina’s] waiting period, other restrictions, WRAL, September 3, 2020
Transgender People Face New Legal Fight After Supreme Court Victory, New York Times, September 3, 2020
“Senate Bill 1237, the Justice and Equity in Maternity Care Act” Allows Californian nurse-midwives to practice without physician supervision, American College of Nurse-Midwives, September 1, 2020
1 In 5 Child Care Jobs Were Lost Since Pandemic Started. Women Are Affected Most, NPR, August 19, 2020
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CAMPUS/LOCAL
LFP Launch Party
September 30, 7pm CST
Join Louisiana for Personal Freedoms to connect with members of our community about our fight to defeat Amendment 1 and help build a Louisiana for the people, by the people. Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2VPoZn7wQT6LxsBiQKvkmw
So You Want to Talk About Race? A Talk By Ijeoma Oluo
September 30, 6pm-7:30pm CST
Join us for a talk by author, Ijeoma Oluo, as she discusses her 2018-released book, “So You Wanna Talk about Race?". There will be a presentation by Oluo followed by a moderated Q&A.
Register here: https://tulane.campuslabs.com/engage/event/6427956
The New Orleans NICU Journey: An Expert Panel
September 30, 4pm CST
Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tj8YtAaWRyutCIU7dWeJlA
Voter Registration Event with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast
October 1, 9am - 4pm CST
Planned Parenthood will be on McAlister, spreading awareness about Amendment 1, registering people to vote, registering PP volunteers, and giving out lots of free swag! We will walk you through the Louisiana voter registration process and USG will hand deliver any voter registration forms to City Hall the following day.
Feminist Majority Foundation Zoom Trainings for the Campus Campaign to Vote No on Amendment 1, email Tasia Kastanek (tkastane@tulane.edu) if you are interested.
Mondays at 4:30 PM
- October 5 – Attacking Voter Suppression and Amendment 1 in Louisiana
- October 12 - Reproductive Justice 101
- October 19 - Inclusive v. Exclusive Terminology
- October 26 - How To Become An Effective Ally
- November 2 - Last Push/Organizer Round-Up
Vote No on Amendment One
A Webinar With the New Orleans Abortion Fund
October 7, 6 - 7pm.
RSVP for link.
March to End State Violence Against Women Folks, and Families
October 2, 2:30pm
Meet us at the New Orleans ICE Office at 1250 Poydras Street next Friday to demand an end to state violence against all women workers, folks, and families!
Breast Cancer Awareness: Know Your Lemons Virtual Training
6:30pm - 7:30pm, October 8th
Please register ahead of time!
New Orleans Virtual Fall Celebration 2020: Connected by Care
October 27, 6:00pm - 7:30pm CST
Fundraiser Webinar.
Maternal Health: HerStory, Racial Concordance and Policy
Tuesday, October 27, 2020, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m
Louisiana Center for Health Equity
This webinar is fueled by the goal of facilitating improved health outcomes for Louisiana women and fostering a better quality of life for women and their families. Topics include:
- “HER-story Matters: Exploring Black Maternal Mortality through the Mothers of Gynecology”
- “What is Racial Concordance and Why Does it Matter?”
- “Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020 Policy Implications”
Speakers will be announced shortly. Additionally, LCHE will reiterate a call to action for continuing efforts for the creation of an Office on Women’s Health. For more information and to register for this FREE webinar, visit https://maternalhealthwebinar.eventbrite.com
Registration will open on Tuesday, October 6th. The organizers are applying for CEUs for nurses and social workers and CMEs for physicians. If you have questions, please email alma@lahealthequity.org.
NATIONAL/REGIONAL
Black Churches and Reproductive Justice
SisterSong
October 6, 7pm
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Course 2020: Responding to the SRH needs of adolescents in the context of the COVID-19 crisis,
October 12 - November 9
Online Course.
For ‘Colored’ Folks Who Consider Our Mutual Liberation Enough
November 16 & 30
4pm - 6pm EST
Please register ahead of time. This session is for organizational leaders of color seeking to disrupt the ways white supremacy shows up within organizations/communities.
See all events on the Tulane Reproductive Justice Calendar. This calendar is maintained by Kelsey Lain (Tulane School of Liberal Arts '23), so please email her your event information at klain@tulane.edu.
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See Job, Internship, + Opportunity Board
ReproNews is a reproductive rights/health/justice newsletter distributed by Newcomb Institute of Tulane University. This job, internship, + opportunity board is maintained regularly so that students and community members can access the latest postings in between issues of ReproNews. To submit job postings or feedback, please email Kelsey Lain, klain@tulane.edu.
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