Rallying for reproductive rights means going beyond the ballot

Hundreds rally at the state Capitol for the MI Body MI Choice event on Oct. 2, 2021 | Allison R. Donahue

The last few years have been hard. We’ve lived through a historic pandemic, unprecedented political turmoil, and significant erosion of some of our most fundamental freedoms — and our future continues to look uncertain.

It’s not surprising that between the prospect of a new presidential administration that would rip away reproductive access and a hostile court system that threatens to destroy all that we’ve built in Michigan the past couple years, many of us are feeling deeply anxious about the future. It’s in these moments that we must find strength and community in each other — because while elections undoubtedly shape public policy, our ongoing collective activism must go beyond the ballot.

I certainly don’t want to discount the power of the vote — for women, Black people, and other marginalized communities, securing our right to vote was a hard-fought battle and is one we’re still fighting to protect today. And it was just two years ago that our votes enshrined the right to reproductive freedom in the Michigan constitution.

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But voting is one of many tools in our toolbox. We must commit to actively participating in our communities and local governments, supporting and amplifying the voices of marginalized people, and working together to build a society that values equity, justice, and bodily autonomy for all. This work must be year-round, both on election years and off.

This kind of deep-rooted community engagement cannot be accomplished by dropping your vote into the ballot box every couple of years and walking away.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan stands firmly at the forefront of this movement, and we’re proud to work in partnership with other organizations and activists statewide who are committed to championing comprehensive reproductive health care, expanded access to abortion, sex education, gender-affirming name change policies, paid family leave and Black maternal health care as part of a broader movement for social justice.

Our work extends beyond the confines of Planned Parenthood’s health centers because in the words of Audre Lorde, an intersectional feminist, Black lesbian poet, and civil rights activist, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” We know that progress can only be achieved when we work together to channel our collective anxiety into action.

There is no one roadmap for what this looks like. But this summer, there are countless opportunities to get involved. Through Planned Parenthood, that could look like attending our Healing in Action Summit on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, volunteering at local Pride events, serving as a clinic escort, or putting together abortion care bags. There are plenty of phenomenal opportunities to get involved in allied organizations and community groups large and small. It doesn’t matter where you start — just start.

We stand on the shoulders of those who fought for the freedom for women to vote, challenged segregation, and won marriage equality. Despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges each of these movements faced, activists dedicated their lives to pushing societal progress forward, no matter how incremental and painstaking the work.

James Baldwin, a prolific author, civil rights activist, and queer Black man, once said, “Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by those doing it.”

So interrupt the pundits, pollsters, and panic, and find a way to join the fight for reproductive rights. Because history shows that when enough people come together, we can turn a moment into a movement — and movements aren’t bound by ballot boxes.

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