8 Conversation Tips on Abortion Rights
Words are powerful. One heart-to-heart with your family could influence their perspective on the issues you care about — like abortion access. In turn, your family could share what they learn with their wider circles. That ripple effect is key to widespread social change.
Are abortion rights important to you? Do you feel safe talking about it with your family? Here are 8 tips for starting a conversation about abortion rights at a virtual dinner.
At the end of your convo, remember the most important part: expressing gratitude.
Tip #1: Welcome your family into the conversation.
If your family members are taking turns to share what’s on their mind, use your turn to share that you’ve been thinking about abortion rights.
Note the values you and your family share, such as the core values of love, fairness, and compassion.
Say something like, “It’s because I care so much about others that I believe decisions on whether to choose adoption, end a pregnancy, or raise a child must be left to each individual — not to politicians, who can’t know each individual’s situation.”
Ask if it’s OK to start a discussion about the laws restricting access to safe, legal abortion. If people are up for it, proceed to Tip #2.
Tip #2: Fire up some facts about abortion access.
The Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade affirmed the constitutional right to abortion in 1973.
Today, the vast majority of Americans — 77% — support keeping abortion legal and don’t want Roe v. Wade overturned.
ASK: “Do you believe everyone should be able to access the full range of reproductive health care, no matter how much money they make or where they live?”
Tip #3: Explain who gets hurt by bans and restrictions on abortion.
Restrictions on abortion have created costly barriers to care, such as forcing patients to travel long distances to the closest abortion provider, and to take time off work to comply with medically unnecessary waiting periods and multiple appointments.
Since nearly 6 out of 10 people who have abortions are already parents, obtaining an abortion requires many patients to arrange for child care.
Restrictions push safe, legal abortion out of reach for people who can’t afford these costs. It’s hardest on people who already face barriers to health care overall, including people with low incomes, people who live in rural areas, and Black and Brown people.
Tip #4: Note challenges to abortion access in the states.
Since 1973, states have enacted over 1,000 abortion restrictions — and nearly 40% of those restrictions became law in just the past decade.
Because of abortion restrictions, five states — Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia — have only 1 abortion provider left.
11 state governments used COVID-19 as a pretense to temporarily ban abortion by labeling it “non-essential” health care during the pandemic.
Tip #5: Explain why abortion should be available to all, not just those who can afford it — and why the Hyde Amendment is both racist and discriminatory.
The Hyde Amendment is one of the longest-running federal restrictions on abortion access. Since 1976, Hyde has barred people from using Medicaid and other federal health coverage for abortion.
Nationwide, Medicaid covers 1 in 5 women of reproductive age. Of those 16.1 million Medicaid participants, 55% live in states where Hyde forces them to pay for abortion out of pocket.
Hyde is particularly harmful to people with low incomes, people of color, and young people — who, because of systemic discrimination and a history of economic barriers, disproportionately use Medicaid for their health care coverage.
ASK: “Do you believe abortion should be covered in health care plans, no matter who provides the insurance?”
Tip #6: Explain what’s happening in the courts.
Right now, there are at least 19 abortion-related cases one step away from the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s possible that safe and legal abortion access could go back to where it was before Roe v. Wade.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, individual states will decide whether abortion is legal. That means 1 in 3 women of reproductive age — more than 25 million women — would be living in states without legal abortion.
Banning abortion won’t stop abortion. But it will stop people from accessing safe, legal abortion. The cost: pregnant people’s health, and even their lives.
Tip #7: Advocate for policies that the federal government should support in order to protect and expand abortion access, such as:
Ending the Hyde Amendment
Changing rules and regulations to protect people from discrimination by health care providers and insurers
Lifting restrictions on private insurance for abortion so that fewer people are forced to pay out-of-pocket for safe, legal abortion
If it feels right, express gratitude at the end of the discussion — both for everyone who joined in the discussion, and everyone who listened.
