Debunking Abortion Myths and Republican Lies with Sarah Stoesz

Fall of Roe

Today Chris Charbonneau is joined by Sarah Stoesz, a longtime friend and a brilliant strategist for Planned Parenthood. The pair open up today’s episode by talking about the invalidation of the Roe V. Wade case that’s taking place in front of our very eyes. As this fight continues and more and more women are getting discouraged by the future of abortion, the search for long term contraceptives at an all time high. And while, yes, Roe V. Wade doesn’t exactly promise healthcare everywhere in the U.S., the reality of a country without it is frightening. Republicans spread lies about the realities of life both with and without abortion. Sarah goes on to talk about her work in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska as a strategist at Planned Parenthood as well as her experience with the Republican adoption myth: that adoption is a better option than abortion.

We see that this couldn’t be further from the truth in the wake of the tragic Uvalde school shooting. Politicians care for these Kindergarten children no more than what it takes to share a few thoughts and prayers. Much less do they care for the BIPOC who will be most affected by the decision to deny women the right to abortion. That’s what makes this fight so important, but burnout is very real, and after fighting the same fight for decades, it’s no surprise that even the brightest of trailblazers fizzle out. Chris and Sarah draw this episode to a close by talking about the value of stories and testimonials since abortion doesn’t just affect the woman having one. It affects her friends, her family, her partner, etc., so the more we share our truths, the more powerful the movement gets and the less likely we are to suffer from burnout. This becomes all the more vital, especially, as you will hear today, when the other side spreads nothing but lies and propaganda.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• The invalidation of Roe
• The search for long lasting contraceptives
• Why Roe isn’t all encompassing
• Working in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska
• The adoption myth
• The tragic irony of the Uvalde school shooting
• Life after Roe for BIPOC
• Fighting for control
• Burnout
• The value of stories
• Spreading lies

Quotes:

“The low income folks and people of color are people who already have been discriminated against in the health care system in one way or the other. It impacts absolutely everybody and if anyone thinks they're sitting in a safe chair with this, they are dead wrong.”

“There was a legislator there who actually said that treating a woman with a tubal pregnancy would be the same as killing a baby.”

“In Nebraska, the governor has vowed to call a special session to ban abortion should Roe fall by the Supreme Court.”

“We are going to do everything possible to help women travel from unsafe parts of the country to safe parts of the country.”

“It's so cruel, because they actually do damage to people. It doesn't stop a woman from having an abortion that she needs, but it can damage her. It's traumatizing for her, not to mention her children.”

“There are 19 Kids in an elementary school that were alive yesterday that are dead today. And, and we get nothing but thoughts and prayers from those folks that, if they cared about children, they would care about the ones in kindergarten too.”

“The fall of Roe will drive up the birth rate among BIPOC people who are already disadvantaged economically and will have an even harder time getting abortions.”

“One story was: I was pregnant. I came to Planned Parenthood, you know, thinking that I needed counseling about abortion. And the more that they talked to me about all of my options, the more I thought, ‘Well, maybe I might want to keep this baby.’ And you all encouraged me to do what was right for me. And I did. I kept the baby.”

“Abortion stories aren't just the stories of the people having the abortion. They are the stories of everybody around them, too.”

“I don't see how they make us all feel shame about something that we all know is such an unmitigated good.”

Links:

Fall of Roe Homepage

Planned Parenthood