‘This is a state of emergency’: the US billboards using art to urge abortion access

In states across the US with restricted access to abortions, artists have designed billboards to insist on voters to prioritise women’s health in time for the midterm elections

Adrian Horton
Mon 7 Nov 2022

For the next few weeks, passersby in 14 US cities, many in states with curtailed or tenuous abortion access, will see clear, strikingly positive messages responding to the reproductive health crisis in the US. 

“Abortion is Healthcare,” says one billboard in Louisville, Kentucky, where the right to abortion is on the ballot this week, around two pink stethoscope cords in the shape of a uterus. In New Orleans, a sign blares “THANK GOD FOR ABORTION” in stark black and white, an angel flying off the top right corner. In Atlanta, site of two of the most closely watched midterm races this year, a background of lush green leaves underscores blooming text composed of tropical flowers: “ABORTION IS LIFE.”

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/07/abortion-billboards-us-roe-v-wade-midterms-art


Canada – ’Abortion is healthcare’ billboard goes up in Sask. to counter anti-abortion messages

Group plans to put up more billboards throughout province

Yasmine Ghania · CBC News
Posted: Nov 01, 2022

If you're driving along Saskatchewan highways, there's a good chance you'll see some anti-abortion billboards.

But now, if you're in Aylesbury, Sask., about 100 kilometres northwest of Regina, you'll also see an "abortion is healthcare" sign.

"We are trying to decrease the stigma and also increase availability and accessibility to those people who need access to abortions," said Rachel Regio, vice-president of Abortion is Healthcare Signs Inc., which paid for the billboard.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/abortion-is-health-care-billboard-anti-abortion-messages-1.6635516


‘It’s 2022’: Moosomin woman looks to combat rural anti-abortion billboards with ‘Abortion is Healthcare’ signs

Brady Lang
Aug. 25, 2022

Megan Johnston was travelling en route to a camping trip with a friend, nine hours across the province, when she began counting anti-abortion signs in the rural areas of Saskatchewan.

Once they arrived, the pair realized they had passed 13 of the signs, sparking an idea in the Moosomin woman’s head to do something about it.

Continued: https://regina.ctvnews.ca/it-s-2022-moosomin-woman-looks-to-combat-rural-anti-abortion-billboards-with-abortion-is-healthcare-signs-1.6042907


Why universal health coverage must include abortion

Why universal health coverage must include abortion

Friday, January 24, 2020
Ipas

Abortion is health care, and health care is a human right. That’s why efforts to advance universal health coverage (UHC)—an international effort to guarantee that all people, regardless of where they live, have access to essential, quality health services without financial hardship—must include strong language defining sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion care, as an integral part of health and well-being. Ipas is committed to working with the World Health Organization, governments and other partners to attain the Sustainable Development Goal targets, which include achieving UHC.

“The world still has far to go to achieve gender equality,” said Ipas Senior Technical Manager for Community Engagement Tanvi Monga in a recent opinion for Global Health Now. “Women shoulder the burden of child care, elder care, household care, family health and health-care costs—and for poor or near-poor women anywhere in the world, health-care costs can cause irrevocable financial strain.” Plus, health-care services labeled as “for women” are frequently separated from other services—and are harder to access or more expensive.

Continued: https://www.ipas.org/news/2020/January/why-universal-health-coverage-must-include-abortion


Abortion is Healthcare: 28 Providers

INTERNATIONAL SAFE ABORTION DAY 28 September 2019

Abortion is Healthcare: 28 Providers

A newsletter from the International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion, featuring the stories of 28 abortion providers, in honour of September 28.

Continued: https://mailchi.mp/safeabortionwomensright/abortion-is-healthcare-28-providers-for-international-safe-abortion-day?e=372dd34034


How to Talk About Abortion

How to Talk About Abortion

Laurie Shrage
THE STONE MARCH 19, 2018

When moral philosophers and others take up an issue that is at the center of public debate, we tend to frame it as a matter of individual ethics. Is it morally permissible to eat meat? To offer money for sex? To have an abortion? Yet, such questions often fail to focus on the issues that are important and relevant for public policy and, as a result, can derail productive public debate.

The problem is that questions like these oversimplify the issues. Consider, for instance, that “abortion” is really an umbrella term for a number of different medical procedures — appropriate for different stages of pregnancy — each with significantly different health risks. Abortion is first and foremost a medical service or procedure, not an individual action, and thus a more important and relevant question for public policy is, Under what circumstances, or for what reasons, should a government prohibit properly trained medical professionals from performing an abortion? This is a question that fellow citizens can productively debate, and that may lead to a consensus.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/opinion/abortion-arguments-morality-policy.html


Abortion Is Health Care – End of Story

Abortion Is Health Care — End of Story

June 27, 2017|
By Leah Torres, M.D.

Abortion legislation is reproductive coercion.

Pregnancy is a medical condition. Call it what you will—miracle, blessing, burden, number one fear—it’s a health condition for which people seek medical and/or health care. But people, and our government, treat it like some special exception. People often say to me, “It’s not a disease, it’s a natural part of life.” Yes, well, so are bacteria, yet we call having an infection a “disease.” We cannot ignore that pregnancy alters one’s physiology and puts one’s health and life at risk due to these changes. We must accept this truth to be self evident, that pregnancy, while natural, is a condition that requires medical attention.

To say otherwise is to engage in reproductive coercion.

Continued at source: Self: http://www.self.com/story/abortion-is-health-care-end-of-story


New Zealand: Kiwi women seeking abortions ‘have to basically lie and say they’re mentally ill’

Kiwi women seeking abortions 'have to basically lie and say they're mentally ill'
Sun, Mar 12, 2017

The Prime Minister today again downplayed the impact of his stance against changing New Zealand's abortion laws.

Bill English maintained his vote was one among many when it came to the parliament conscience vote when speaking on this morning's Breakfast programme.

"My view on that isn't that relevant actually," he said, before host Jack Tame called him out on it.

Continued at source: TVNZ: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-kiwi-women-seeking-abortions-have-basically-lie-and-say-theyre-mentally-ill