Abortion Funding as Community Care Amidst COVID-19

Ariana King, Communications Intern

Edited by Lucy Marshall

COIVD-19. We all know it as the virus that has caused the latest global pandemic—one that will be remembered for years to come by the term “social distancing” and a force to be reckoned with that has required the shut-down of all non-essential business.

More than ever, now is the time to take care of each other and make sure everyone has access to essential services. Abortion is one of those essential services; however, several anti-abortion actors have used COVID-19 as reason to shut down abortion clinics. This has happened in both Texas and Ohio, who have both deemed abortion a non-essential health service and enacted a punishment of up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 for any person seeking this vital healthcare procedure.

While we may not have all the power over government and its institutions, we can engage in mutual aid and ensure that people receive the abortion care they need.

Mutual aid is a powerful political act where people work to take care of each other during times of need, knowing they cannot rely on the system to do so. It’s about changing the political landscape by strengthening community relationships and knowing that we have the power to make change now, without having to wait on policymakers.

Mutual aid is entirely different, however, from the idea of charity. While both seek to help others, charity is financial aid provided by rich people for their own benefit—to either feel better about themselves or improve their own social status or power. Charity only “helps” to control poor people by making aid conditional, thus reinforcing the status quo by dictating who is worthy of aid and thus more social mobility. This only reaffirms the supposed moral high-ground rich people have over poor folks who are “responsible” for their poverty.

The strategy of mutual aid takes the exact opposite approach.

Abortion funds like WMF have been taking care of their communities and providing mutual aid for decades. From the get-go, WMF has affirmed the right of every pregnant person to have an abortion with no strings attached. While abortion is a constitutional right, the “right” to abortion is already only given to those with privilege. Yet, no matter income or zip code, everyone deserves the freedom to determine what is best for their pregnancy. Abortion funds support people in making these decisions and organize neighbors to meet these needs by redistributing resources.

We have also proved that effective action can be taken immediately. WMF didn’t wait for Roe v. Wade—we began raising money from our neighbors and redistributing wealth for pregnant people across Wisconsin in 1972 to ensure access to essential reproductive health care. To this day, we continue to fund abortions even as state restrictions steepen, without waiting on politicians to change their minds on anti-abortion policies.

We at WMF take action today because we can make an immediate difference. Our funds provide crucial aid to pregnant people all across the state who cannot afford the full cost of an abortion. Fundraising is even more crucial today as anti-abortion supporters continue to use the COVID-19 pandemic to shut down abortion clinics and call it “non-essential” health care and folks needing abortions face even more financial instability and travel restrictions.

That said, WMF understands that the pandemic has been hard on everyone and we appreciate everything you have done and are able to do to support abortion access. Yet, COVID-19 also makes it more difficult to access abortion, particularly in this xenophobic environment that puts POC, undocumented folks and immigrants at heightened risk. Thus, we encourage those of you who are able to be a part of our mutual aid movement. If you can, you are welcome to contribute to our Fund-a-Thon for Abortion Access campaign, and we thank you. And, mutual aid goes well beyond financial resources. It’s also about building a grassroots movement that seeks broader political and social change.

Currently, WMF and its allies are pushing the FDA to loosen ridiculous regulations on abortion provisions and Mifepristone, one of the pills used in medication abortion. We are also calling for telemedication abortions, particularly in the light of the pandemic, and the repealment of the Hyde amendment, which forbids the government from using federal funds to provide abortions except in cases where the pregnant person’s life is in danger or the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. We hope you’ll join in our advocacy during this urgent time.

In this moment, some of the most important things you can do in this mutual aid movement for abortion access are joining WMF’s virtual gatherings and supporting each other in our community. We all know this has been an uncertain and unprecedented time, but abortion access communities have been building a foundation of supportive networks to navigate challenges for years. This legacy has given us all the tools we need to rise up and meet our neighbors’ needs in this time of crisis.