Texas Equal Access Fund is happy to work with members of the press to share stories and information about our work as well as abortion access in Texas in general.
If you are a member of the press and would like to set up an interview, please contact us at press@teafund.org. In your email, please include your article topic, interview questions, deadline, link to your work about abortion (this is especially important if we do not have an established relationship already), and the name of the spokesperson you are trying to reach so we may consider your inquiry as quickly as possible. You must provide this information in order for us to consider your request.
We are open to connect you to abortion storytellers depending on what your request is. We will not facilitate interviews with any abortion seekers who are in the process of trying to get an abortion.
Email: press@teafund.org
Only media inquiries will receive a response. If you are a student requesting an interview for a class assignment, please email teafund@teafund.org and please include the name of your school, instructor’s name, and class. If you need abortion support, please text us at: 844-832-3863. Please note: Texas Equal Access Fund has shifted to a four-day week and our office is closed on Fridays. We are generally not available on Fridays or the weekend unless your request is of great interest to us.
Learn more about us:
- ABOUT
- TEA Fund 2023 Year In Review
- 2022 CommuniTEA Year In Review
- 2020-2021 Annual Report
- 2021 CommuniTEA Year In Review
- 2020 CommuniTEA Year In Review
- 2020 Fact Sheet
Important Information About Our Process:
- We prioritize publications that reach our audiences which are in the DFW, East Texas, Panhandle, and West Texas areas of the state as well as across the US. If your publication is not based in the US and the piece will not reach US audiences, especially audiences in our service area, we will decline.
- If you do not hear back from us in 48 hours, please either send a follow up or assume that we are not able to accommodate your request. We also ask that you do not attempt to follow up or reach out to individual staff members, as they are not able to respond to personal media inquiries via social media, phone, or email.
- We do not take interviews where our expertise will be used as a counter to anti-abortion activists and their ideology, which is rooted in white supremacy. We will not do “both sides” interviews. We are an organization that deals with real people in real life situations. We provide factual, evidence-based information for the benefit of our communities. Anti-abortion organizations and activists rely on misinformation and shame to advance their ideological agenda. While their views may be relevant in stories about political battles surrounding abortion care, presenting our work as a counter to them creates a false equivalence between their perspective and those of medical experts and advocates who rely on science and research to offer factual information about abortion.
Recent Releases:
Texas Equal Access Fund Responds to Ruling on Mifepristone
On Friday, April 7, a federal court in Texas, presided by Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, issued a ruling that rescinds the FDA’s approval of Mifepristone, a component of the medication abortion regimen that people have been using safely for more than 20 years. This ruling means that unless challenged, mifepristone could be unavailable by the end of this week across the country, even in states where abortion is legal. This case is part of a strategy to further restrict access of abortion since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Anti-abortion extremists are using fear and stigma to rush their efforts of further criminalizing abortion care. Join our partners, The Women’s March, this Saturday in Amarillo to show your support of abortion access.
Statement from Texas Equal Access Fund (TEA Fund) executive director, Kamyon Conner:
“Any threat to abortion access is a threat to everyone’s bodily autonomy. The ruling on April 7 is an example of how anti-abortion extremists are determined to strip our bodily autonomy by further criminalizing abortion. The criminalization of abortion further emboldens police, ICE, and other law enforcement agencies to surveil and investigate people for their pregnancy outcomes.
Abortions are a part of the full spectrum of pregnancy care. All pregnant people should be able to access abortions when they need them and in a setting where they feel comfortable. This means in clinical settings as well as being at home surrounded by family, doulas, or with their support system.
As we saw with the Dobbs decision in 2022, we know that we cannot count on the legal system to protect our bodily autonomy. We have to do it ourselves. We keep each other safe. TEA Fund will continue to fight cruel and unjust abortion laws and will be here to help Texans access abortion care out-of-state.”
Texas Equal Access Fund Reopens Abortion Funding Program For Texans Going to Other States for Care
Texas Equal Access Fund (TEA Fund) is excited to announce that on Monday, March 27, 2023, Texas Equal Access Fund will resume funding abortions for Texans who travel to other states for abortion care.
After the overturning of Roe, TEA Fund made the difficult decision to pause abortion funding while the court system determined whether Texas abortion laws applied to funding abortions outside of Texas due to the risk of criminalization brought on by the Supreme Court decision Dobbs v JWHO. Extremist anti-abortion lawmakers were threatening legal action even before Roe was overturned.
On February 24, Judge Robert Pitman ruled that Texas could not go after abortion funds for funding abortions in other states because local district attorneys can’t apply Texas laws in other states. This decision opened the door for TEA Fund to resume funding abortions for Texans going to other states for care.
Statement from Kamyon Conner, she/her, executive director of TEA Fund:
“Abortion remains illegal—for now—in Texas and, because there are no more abortion clinics in the state, all of the abortions we fund are for Texans who are traveling out of state for care. As the last line of support for pregnant Texans who need abortions, we know that we are a critical resource,” said Kamyon Conner, executive director of Texas Equal Access Fund. “Without open abortion clinics in our state, abortion funds are THE NETWORK OF SUPPORT that will ensure Texans access abortion care out of state that they desperately need. Clinics have been the target of anti-abortion laws and legislation and now anti-abortion extremists will focus on attacking abortion funds, the only safety net Texans have in seeking abortion care,” said Conner. “We need community support now more than ever so that as many Texans who need care can get it. We hope that folks will show their support for our Helpline reopening to provide care for Texans seeking abortion care in legal states.”
Texans who need help paying for abortion care can text Texas Equal Access Fund on our confidential text line for help at 1-844-TEA-FUND (1-844-832-3863). Visit our website teafund.org for more information.
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Texas Equal Access Fund provides financial and emotional support to Texans who need help paying for abortion care while also doing the work to shift our culture towards Reproductive Justice. Follow us @teafund.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 27, 2023
Federal Ruling Protects Texas Abortion Funds’ Ability to Pay for Out-of-State Abortions and Travel
Victory for abortion advocates: Paxton cannot prosecute abortion funds or healthcare providers for assisting Texans with out-of-state abortions, federal injunction protects plaintiffs against criminalization
TEXAS — Today, plaintiffs in a pro-abortion lawsuit released a statement in response to a federal ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman on February 24th, indicating that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cannot enforce the state’s abortion ban on abortions that are obtained outside state lines — allowing abortion funds to provide financial assistance to Texans seeking an abortion out of state and allowing Texas healthcare providers to continue caring for Texans without fear of criminal prosecution.
Statement from Kamyon Conner, Executive Director at Texas Equal Access Fund:
“We knew we were always right and on the right side of history. This ruling affirms our constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association, as well as the right of Texans to travel freely between states in order to access necessary health care, such as abortion. There is still so much more that needs to be done to restore the right to access abortion in our state. We will continue to fight until ALL Texans are able to access abortion care in their own communities and in an environment that feels safe for them. We are happy to have this win for the Texans who cannot afford the cost of their abortion care and look forward to the day we can safely support Texans who need that care. For now, we are eager to continue the fight to make reproductive rights and abortion care a reality for Texans once again.”
Joint statement from Texas Abortion Funds and Practical Support Organizations, plaintiffs in the lawsuit:
“No extremist, anti-abortion politician should be able to prevent Texans from leaving the state to seek abortion care. All Texans deserve the right to control their reproductive lives and futures. The state’s abortion ban has had devastating impacts on all pregnant Texans, especially on our hotline callers, who are mostly working people, people of color, and young people. Texans should be able to access abortion care in their own communities when they need it without delay, and we’re looking forward to supporting Texans who are forced to leave the state to access abortion.”
Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, abortion provider and plaintiff, said:
“Abortion care is a necessary part of healthy pregnancies and thriving communities – every Texan deserves timely access to abortion care. As an OB/GYN and a Texas-based abortion provider, I know all abortion bans are medically unnecessary, imprecise tools of reproductive oppression that harm the people I care for. I’m proud to provide full-spectrum reproductive healthcare, even when that means leaving the state to continue caring for my neighbors. This ruling helps me continue providing healthcare for people in other states without fear of criminalization at home. As long as Texans’ rights to abortion are withheld, abortion providers will continue to fight for a Texas that puts patient care first.”
The lawsuit challenged the state’s authority to go after individuals, organizations, and businesses that help pregnant Texans obtain an abortion outside the state. Plaintiffs filed in August of last year a few days before HB1280, better known as the Trigger Ban, went into effect.
Elizabeth Myers, partner at Thompson & Coburn, LLP, who represents the abortion funds and provider, said:
“Under this ruling, no state official can enforce the Trigger Ban against anyone who helps a Texan obtain an abortion out of state where abortion care is legal.”
Judge Pitman’s ruling also protects the plaintiffs from criminalization under the pre-Roe statutes and acknowledges the seriousness of threats made by Attorney General Paxton against abortion funds, practical support organizations, abortion providers, and all Texans. The ruling reaffirms key constitutional rights to provide information, funding, healthcare, and support to Texans in need of care.
The plaintiffs in the case are Fund Texas Choice, Texas Equal Access (TEA) Fund, Frontera Fund, The Afiya Center, West Fund, Jane’s Due Process, Clinic Access Support Network, Lilith Fund, and Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi.
For interview requests and background, please contact:
The Afiya Center at theafiyacenter@berlinrosen.com
Fund Texas Choice at communications@fundtexaschoice.org
Frontera Fund at media@fronterafundrgv.org
Janes Due Process at press@janesdueprocess.org
Lilith Fund at media@lilithfund.org
Texas Equal Access Fund at press@teafund.org
For Immediate Release
June 24, 2022
Media Contact:
Denise Rodriguez
press@teafund.org
Texas Equal Access Fund Reacts To Supreme Court Decision To Shred Abortion Rights
Dallas, TX: Earlier today the Supreme Court of the United States ruled to uphold Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban and overturn Roe v. Wade. and Planned Parenthood v Casey.
Kamyon Conner, executive director of Texas Equal Access Fund released the following statement:
“The Supreme Court has destroyed the last shreds of our national right to abortion, without concern for our dignity and basic human rights. This does not come as a surprise. Last year, the Court refused to grant Texans relief from SB 8, the cruel and unjust abortion ban in Texas. The Justices have once again shown their utter disregard for people who need abortions and are bowing down to the whims of white supremacists and extremists.
We are learning in real time of the potential impact of a post-Roe ban in Texas going into effect after the Dobbs decision. Due to the uncertainty and risk of what the decision could bring, we are pausing funding today until we have had a chance to understand the decision.
From the beginning, extremists have been targeting us. As we saw with SB8, there is an organized body of anti-abortion extremists that will use the pre-Roe abortion laws as part of a concerted campaign to intimidate and harass abortion funds in Texas even when we help people access legal abortion, whether here or in other states.
Abortion fund staff and volunteers could be at risk of arrest and involvement with the racist criminal justice system. As a Black, Indigenous and people of color led organization, we are holding the weight of this. We are working diligently to get clarity on what services and information sharing we can safely resume and when. Doing so will take a few weeks at minimum and maybe even more time but please be assured that we will update you as soon as we have more information.
What is happening is not right, fair, or just. It’s a blatant disregard for people that we know and love as well as to people we may never know but would have supported. Abortions help people who don’t want to be pregnant or can’t be pregnant due to medical reasons. Everyone should be able to access abortion care without stigma or barriers.’
FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY:
June 1, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT:
Denise Rodriguez, press@teafund.org
**ADVISORY**
Abortion Advocates Will Rally in Response to SCOTUS Decision at Dallas City Hall
Texans to Protest Supreme Court Decision That Could Overturn Roe at Dallas City Hall.
DALLAS – Abortion rights organizations in Dallas will hold a rally at Dallas City Hall to protest the Supreme Court decision for the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case that will be released in June.
Abortion rights advocates will rally on Wednesday, June 29 at 12 pm central time at Dallas City Hall. With a preview of what’s to come, we want to make sure that people know where and how to find their fellow pro-abortion community and join them in collective power.
Who: The Afiya Center, Jane’s Due Process, Fund Texas Choice,
Texas Equal Access Fund, Avow, ACLU of Texas, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas
What: Rally for Abortion Justice
Date: Wednesday, June 29
Time: 12 pm central time
Location: Dallas City Hall Plaza, 1500 Marilla St, Dallas, TX 75201
Background: On Monday, May 2 Politico published a leaked opinion draft by Justice Samuel Alito that shows the Court plans to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent guaranteeing the right to abortion. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature already enacted a trigger law to prohibit abortion by making it a crime. These criminal penalties will be effective 30 days after a final Supreme Court opinion is released.
We know that attacks on abortion access disproportionately harm Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities, the LGBTQ+ community, young people, those living in rural communities, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes. These are the same communities that will be most impacted by the overturning of Roe.
For Immediate Release: May 3, 2022
Contact: Denise Rodriguez, press@teafund.org
Leaked Draft Opinion From Justice Alito Shows That The Supreme Court Will Ultimately Overturn Roe V. Wade
“The overturning of Roe would almost immediately lead to stricter limits on abortion access in large swaths of the South and Midwest, with about half of the states set to immediately impose broad abortion bans.” [Politico, May 2, 2022]
BACKGROUND: Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature already enacted a trigger law to prohibit abortion by making it a crime. These criminal penalties will be effective 30 days after a final Supreme Court opinion is released.
Kamyon Conner, executive director of Texas Equal Access Fund issued the following statement:
“Texans have had to deal with a near-total ban of abortion for almost a year under SB 8. Texans who need abortion care are forced to travel to other states, causing them to delay care or go without it altogether. This leaked draft decision shows us what we already knew: The Justices on the Supreme Court have once again shown their utter disregard for people who need abortions in this nation and are bowing down to the whims of white supremacists and extremists.
As an abortion fund that serves 110 counties in Texas, we witness the damage and cruelty that abortion restrictions inflict on the people who reach out to us for support. Policies that take away access and implement financial barriers on abortion have the hardest impact on the most marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, disabled people, people with low incomes, and so on. This is no way for people to have to experience health care and it will create a national health crisis if half of the country is forced to travel for abortion care, the way Texans have been for almost a year now.
We know that things will likely get worse before they get better and that is why we’re not backing down. We are growing stronger than ever with the support of our community that is driven by the undeniable right to bodily autonomy. All people deserve access to abortion care when they need it, on a timeline of their choosing, and in a community and an environment they trust and feel safe in.
Attacking abortion access is the most blatant affront to people’s ability to make their own decisions about their futures. These extremists are relentless, but we’re ready to fight so that we can continue serving our community, people who have had abortions and each other, the way abortion funds always have.”
For Immediate Release: March 18, 2022
Contact: press@teafund.org
Texas Abortion Funds Take Proactive Legal Action Against Intimidation from Anti-Abortion Extremists
AUSTIN, TEXAS — This week, the Lilith Fund and Texas Equal Access Fund, two of Texas’ oldest abortion funds, announced legal action (available to view here, here, here, and here) against two private individuals in Texas and two organizations based outside the state seeking to enforce Senate Bill 8, which has been in place for more than six months. The Texas bill deputizes private citizens to sue anyone who assists someone with getting an abortion – a move designed to intimidate abortion funds, providers, and the people they serve.
The lawsuits, filed in state and federal courts, would protect abortion funds and the people they support from being sued by anti-abortion extremists in the state and outside organizations.
The filings come as Texas’ abortion ban – the most extreme in the country – has almost entirely cut off access to abortion in a state of more than 29 million people, disproportionately harming people of color and those working to make ends meet who can’t afford to travel for care. Since the ban first took effect, nearly 1,400 Texans have left the state every month and traveled thousands of miles to get their abortions in states as far as Illinois, Washington, Ohio, and Maryland.
“We are yet again being forced to protect the work we do and show up for Texans who need abortions and the people who love them,” said Amanda Beatriz Williams, Executive Director of Lilith Fund. “We won’t be harassed or intimidated out of serving our community, in the courts or anywhere else. We are proud to fight back, even when we have no choice.”
In the face of criminalization and legal attacks, abortion funds have never stopped showing up for their communities. Senate Bill 8, along with the endless restrictions anti-abortion politicians in the Texas legislature have enacted over the last 10 years, has created an unprecedented and unsustainable situation in Texas. Now, with other states passing Texas copycat abortion bans, the impact is permeating far and wide.
“These attacks against our fund are meant to stigmatize funding abortion and prevent us from supporting Texans seeking care,” said Kamyon Conner, Executive Director of Texas Equal Access Fund. “The work we do to help people access abortion helps communities thrive. We will not be intimidated. We’ll continue to stand up to the bullies who have launched this attack on our work, our rights, and our communities.”
Anti-abortion extremists, many of whom don’t even reside in Texas, have one goal to cut off access to abortion, and have targeted abortion funds who help Texans get care. With this legal action, Texas abortion funds are fighting back to ensure their work and the privacy of the people they serve is not threatened.
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The court filings are available here, here, here, and here.
Lilith Fund, founded in 2001, provides financial assistance and emotional support while building community spaces for people who need abortions in Texas—unapologetically, with compassion and conviction. Lilith Fund operates a mostly volunteer-run hotline in order to provide direct financial assistance to people in the central and southern regions of Texas. Lilith Fund has provided grants to more than 15,000 people. Follow us @lilithfund.
Texas Equal Access Fund provides emotional and financial support to people in Texas who are seeking abortion and cannot afford it, while simultaneously working to end barriers to abortion access through community education and shifting the current culture toward reproductive justice.
Fate of Texas Abortion Ban is with the Supreme Court
Supreme Court is asked to intervene on an emergency basis to block Texas abortion ban from taking effect on September 1
08.30.2021 – (PRESS RELEASE) Today, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood, the Lawyering Project, the ACLU, the ACLU of Texas, and Morrison & Foerster LLP filed an emergency request
Today’s filing at the Supreme Court comes after the Fifth Circuit paused all proceedings in the district court while also refusing to take any action itself to prevent this unconstitutional ban from taking effect. The plaintiffs today asked the Supreme Court to block the law, or alternatively, allow district court proceedings to continue.
S.B. 8 bans abortion after six weeks into a pregnancy – before most people even know they’re pregnant – and creates a bounty hunting scheme that encourages the general public to bring costly and harassing lawsuits against anyone who they believe has violated the ban. Anyone who successfully sues a health center worker, an abortion provider, or any person who helps someone access an abortion after six weeks will be rewarded with at least $10,000, to be paid by the person sued. Lawsuits may be filed against a broad range of people, including: a person who drives their friend to obtain an abortion; abortion funds providing financial assistance to patients; health center staff; and even a member of the clergy who assists an abortion patient.
Anti-abortion groups in Texas have already set up online forms enlisting people to sue anyone they believe is violating the law and encouraging people to submit “anonymous tips” on doctors, clinics, and others who violate the law. One defendant testified that there are “countless” abortion opponents standing at the ready to bring these suits. If this law is allowed to take effect, the average one-way driving distance for pregnant Texans seeking an abortion would increase 20-fold, from 12 miles to 248 miles, according to new research from the Guttmacher Institute. The law would present an insurmountable barrier for many patients, with particularly
Twelve other states have passed bans on abortion at early stages of pregnancy, but none have been allowed to take effect. Texas’s ban is different than those laws because it allows the public to enforce the ban rather than the traditional state officials – like prosecutors and health departments – enforcing it directly. Anti-abortion politicians designed the law this way to try to insulate it from federal court review.
The plaintiffs include Whole Woman’s Health and other Texas abortion providers, Texas abortion funds and support networks including The Afiya Center, Frontera Fund, Fund Texas Choice, Jane’s Due Process, Lilith Fund, and Texas Equal Access Fund , doctors, health center staff, and clergy members. Plaintiffs are represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Lawyering Project, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas, and Morrison & Foerster LLP. The defendants include every state court trial judge and county clerk i
Timeline of the case:
- May 19: TX Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 8 into law.
- July 13: Plaintiffs filed the case in federal district court.
- August 4-5: The defendants filed four motions to dismiss, asking the district court to end the case.
- August 12: The federal district court judge scheduled a preliminary injunction hearing for August 30 to determine whether to block the law before it takes effect on September 1.
- August 25: The federal district court judge denied the defendant’s
motions to dismiss the case. Defendants immediately filed a notice of appeal with the Fifth Circuit, as well as a motion to stop all proceedings in the district court, including canceling the district court’s preliminary injunction hearing. - August 27: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order stopping all proceedings in the district court, including canceling
the district court’s preliminary injunction hearing. The court also denied the plaintiffs’ request to expedite the appeal of the state’s motion to dismiss. Without expediting the appeal process, the law could be in effect for months before the Fifth Circuit issues a decision. - August 29: The plaintiffs filed for emergency relief with the Fifth Circuit, which was quickly denied.
- August 30: The plaintiffs filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to block the law before it can take effect on Wednesday and allow district court proceedings to resume.
You can read the full complaint here.
Quotes from plaintiffs and litigators:
Kamyon Conner, Executive Director of Texas Equal Access (TEA) Fund:
“In the last decade, the Texas legislature has passed many racist, classist, and dangerous abortion restrictions that have made it very difficult to access care. That’s why we are asking the Supreme Court to stop it. This law essentially bans abortions and codifies intimidation. Anti-abortion politicians are empowering extremists to use lawsuits to harass and intimidate anyone who helps someone get an abortion. Abortions help people plan their futures and thrive. Everyone should be able to get abortion care when they need it—without stigma or harassment. These extremists are relentless, but we’re ready to fight so that we can continue helping each other, the way abortion funds always have.”
Amy Hagstrom Miller, president and CEO of Whole Woman’s Health and Whole Woman’s Health Alliance:
“Texans, like everyone else in this country, should be able to count on safe abortion care in their own state. No one should be forced to drive hundreds of miles or be made to continue a pregnancy against their will, yet that’s what will happen unless the Supreme Court steps in. Whole Woman’s Health clinics will provide the full scope of abortion care services up until the minute this law takes effect. We urge the Supreme Court to protect patients’ health and allow us to continue providing the essential healthcare Texans deserve.”
Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights:
“In less than two days, Texas politicians will have effectively overturned Roe v. Wade. We have filed an emergency motion in the Supreme Court to block this law before clinics are forced to turn patients away. Patients will have to travel out of state – in the middle of a pandemic – to receive constitutionally guaranteed healthcare. And many will not have the means to do so. It’s cruel, unconscionable, and unlawful.”
Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America:
“We’ve always said that we will do everything we can to fight for our patients and their access to abortion, and that’s why we’re asking the Supreme Court to step in to stop this abortion ban from taking effect. Without relief, starting Wednesday most Texans will be forced to travel hundreds of miles out of state for their abortion, if they can afford to do so. The harm this law will cause will be insurmountable for far too many Texans, particularly Black, Latino, Indigenous people, those with low incomes, and Texans in rural areas who already face significant barriers to care. To be clear: Planned Parenthood health centers remain open, and our providers will see as many patients as they can, as long as they can within the law. We are asking the Supreme Court to uphold fifty years of precedent and ensure Texans won’t be denied their constitutional right to abortion.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 13, 2021
Media Contact: Denise Rodriguez, 469-353-0152, press@teafund.org
Abortion and Practical Support Funds Join Legal Challenge to Cruel Texas Abortion Ban
07.13.21 (PRESS RELEASE) – Half a dozen abortion and practical support funds earlier today joined a coalition of abortion providers and clergy in challenging Texas’ ban on abortion as early as six weeks of pregnancy.
The restriction encourages any private individual —including anti-abortion protestors with no connection to the patient—to “enforce” the law by filing frivolous, destructive lawsuits against anyone who assists Texans in accessing abortion care after six weeks, including abortion and practical support funds.
The Afiya Center, Frontera Fund, Fund Texas Choice, Jane’s Due Process, Lilith Fund, and Texas Equal Access Fund provide a broad range of services to pregnant people seeking abortion care throughout Texas, including funding, emotional support and abortion doula services, transportation, accommodation, childcare, legal representation, and judicial bypass support for young people.
This is not the first time abortion and practical support funds have challenged unconstitutional abortion restrictions. In 2018, many of the same funds joined the legal challenge to a host of Texas abortion restrictions which have proliferated over time, steadily increasing the burdens faced by people seeking to end their pregnancies.
Said Marsha Jones, Executive Director at the Afiya Center:
“Texas’ insistence on policing folx reproductive choices questions one’s ability to be trusted to make decisions for ourselves and posits that we do not deserve the same bodily autonomy as others. Lawmakers have twisted the political system so far that they have taken away a right before we have time to identify the need. Abortion bans of this kind have a long-term impact on health outcomes. This is a direct threat to organizations like The Afiya Center, which serves as a safety net for Black womxn and girls seeking help with their reproductive healthcare needs, including abortion. It is also important to note, states with sweeping abortion bans also have poor maternal health outcomes, putting to bed the lie that these bans are intended to do anything, but harm the most vulnerable.”
Said Nancy Cardenas Pena, Board Member, Frontera Fund:
“The Rio Grande Valley continues to be one of the most deeply impacted community in Texas when it comes to abortion restrictions. Frontera Fund will continue to serve anyone in our community seeking abortion care in every way possible. As founding members of the Texas Abortion Funds Coalition, we believe that everyone deserves the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare services — including abortion — regardless of income, zip code, immigration status, sexual orientation and gender identity. We are proudly united with other Texas abortion funds to fight back against the unending onslaught of restrictive healthcare bills like Senate Bill 8.”
Said Anna Rupani, co-Executive Director of Fund Texas Choice:
“Fund Texas Choice knows firsthand what bans like SB8 do. FTC came into being when HB2 shuttered 75% of Texas’ abortion clinics in 2013, forcing thousands of Texans to travel long distances to reach the nearest clinic, which often is out of state. With a 6 week ban, Texas is effectively trying to ban abortion outright, as most of our clients do not know they are pregnant before this time period. This ban violates more than half a century of Supreme Court case law, and allows anti-choice extremists to use our court systems to go after organizations like FTC, as we help pregnant Texans get to their abortions. Make no mistake, this ban was created to confuse Texans to make them believe abortion is illegal in Texas, but we are here to remind everyone that it is still legal and we will support any Texan needing help to get to their abortion.”
Said HK Gray, Jane’s Due Process Advocacy Fellow:
“A 6-week ban is extremely harmful for minors who already have to get judicial bypass to access abortion. In my case I waited 12 weeks just for my bypass to be granted. If this law had been in place when I had my abortion at 17 I either would’ve had to face the difficulty of going out of state or be a mother of 2, which is not what I wanted for my life.”
Said Amanda Beatriz Williams, Executive Director, Lilith Fund:
“Today we are saying enough! We are sick and tired of anti-abortion legislators putting politics over the health and wellbeing of our communities. Lilith Fund is proud to link arms with our partners and fight for justice. Abortion access is a human right, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that all Texans can determine what’s best for themselves and their families.”
Said Kamyon Conner, Executive Director of Texas Equal Access Fund:
“In the last decade, the Texas legislature has passed many racist, classist, and dangerous abortion restrictions that make it very difficult to access care. With this new law, anti-abortion politicians are empowering anti-abortion activists to use lawsuits to harrass and intimidate anyone who helps someone get an abortion. Abortions help people plan their futures and thrive. Everyone should be able to get abortion care when they need it—without stigma or harassment. These extremists are relentless, but we’re ready to fight so that we can continue helping each other, the way abortion funds always have.”
The funds are represented in this legal challenge by the Lawyering Project. Other plaintiffs include Whole Woman’s Health, Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, eleven Planned Parenthood health centers, Houston Women’s Clinic, Southwestern Women’s Surgical Center, Austin Women’s Health Center, Alamo Women’s Reproductive Services, Dr. Allison Gilbert, Dr. Bhavik Kumar, Reverend Erika Forbes and Reverend Daniel Kanter and are represented by the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Texas.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 5, 2021
Media Contact: Denise Rodriguez, 469-353-0152, press@teafund.org
Texas Legislature Bans Abortions as Early as 6 Weeks
Austin, TX – Today the Texas House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 8, which will ban abortions as early as 6-weeks and create a private cause of action that allows ANYONE to sue Texans for suspicion of violating the 6-week ban.
Texas Equal Access Fund Executive Director Kamyon Conner issued the following statement:
“It’s outright shameful that anti-abortion politicians in Texas are putting their own ideology and agenda before the health and well-being of Texans and their families. Banning abortion is the most blatant afront to Texans’ ability to make their own decisions about their futures, and on top of that, politicians also want to punish the organizations and providers who help Texans get care. These extremists are relentless, but we’re ready to fight so that we can continue helping each other, the way abortion funds always have.”
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