Don't Put Abortion Pills in Your Vag If You're Self-Managing
Also, please welcome political fashion to the blog.
Welcome to my weekly roundup for people leaving Twitter or spending less time there. You can also find me on Mastodon at @SusanRinkunas@journa.host.
Hi hello I’m going to talk about pills in vaginas in a second but first here is why I am talking about that: We are still waiting to hear whether a Trump-appointed judge in Texas will try to ban mifepristone, the main medication abortion, drug nationwide. (The plaintiffs in the lawsuit submitted their reply brief at 6pm Friday and now we wait to see if the judge will hold a hearing or just issue a ruling.) Many abortion providers are prepared the switch to medication abortions using only the second drug in the FDA protocol, misoprostol. It’s safe and effective on its own and can be taken three ways: sublingually (under the tongue), buccally (between the cheek and gum), or vaginally.
But vaginal use can leave pill residue behind, which could be dangerous if someone getting misoprostol uses it in a state with an abortion ban—or frankly any state. That’s because if they seek post-miscarriage or abortion medical care, a healthcare worker can legally call the cops on them. No, HIPAA doesn’t necessarily protect people in this scenario, because there’s an exception if a healthcare provider thinks a crime has occurred. (Self-managed abortion is generally not a crime but that hasn’t stopped law enforcement from arresting and charging people.) Advocates, doctors, and lawmakers are actively calling on the Biden administration to fix this HIPAA loophole, as I reported recently.
So I was pretty surprised to see this tweet from abortion clinic group Whole Woman’s Health suggesting people self-managing with misoprostol could go the vaginal route.
South Texans for Reproductive Justice rightly took WWH to task. STRJ is the group that rallied for the release of a Texas woman arrested on suspicion of self-managing her abortion last year. The prosecutor dropped the charges in that case, but people should not count on that.
More things I wrote this week:
Alabama Lawmaker Who Ran on 'Medical Freedom' Proposes Murder Charges for Having an Abortion
Conspiracy Theorist Who Called Abortion 'Satanic Practice' Is Elected Chair of Michigan GOP
Indiana Republicans Vote to Defund Kinsey Sex Institute Over Old, Debunked 'Pedo' Claims
Flaco the Escaped Central Park Zoo Owl Is My King
What I’m reading:
Desperate Ohio Moms Speak Out on ‘Dehumanizing’ Response to East Palestine Disaster, by Audra Heinrichs in Jezebel
DeSantis wants to roll back press freedoms — with an eye toward overturning Supreme Court ruling, by Matt Dixon in Politico
Many Birders Are Wondering: Will Flaco Fuck?, by Scott Heins in Hell Gate
*record scratch* FASHION
This blog is called Body Politic and it’s about abortion and our shitty healthcare system, but I also happen to pay attention to what politicians (and their family members) put on their bodies and what those garments communicate.
Like Ivanka ‘So Happy for My Half-Sister’ Trump, here. (At Tiffany’s actual wedding, Ivanka wore a Grace Kelly knockoff then cropped out her brother’s fiancee, Kimberly Guilfolye who wore black, from photos shared on her Instagram.)
I recently noticed that Ron DeSantis’ wife Casey is very unsubtly engaging in conservative First Lady cosplay with gold, MAGA red, and many capes. He’s definitely running.
So I’d like to take a moment to discuss another famous political clotheshorse, Kyrsten Sinema. The Arizona Senator’s recent choices have included a coral sweater and teal sequin skirt and sneakers for a marriage equality bill, a sheep-like vest at Davos (where she was proud to say she supports keeping the progress-blocking Senate filibuster), and a poofy-sleeved Big Bird dress for the State of the Union. She is the queen of wearing things totally inappropriate for the occasion, like Chanel sunglasses to meet with flood victims, but she also loves distracting pieces like this muppet coat.
For someone who is supposed to be very busy making her home state and the country better, Sinema appears to spend a lot of time shopping for and/or thinking about her clothes. She might even be personally listing items she’s selling on Facebook Marketplace! When do you have time to do your demanding job? Oh right, you don’t really do shit, except vote against good bills and pose for photo ops. She stands for nothing except more attention and power for herself and she dresses like a lifestyle blogger who just started making more money and is ~shoulder shimmy~ having a little fun.
So now I want to talk about something Sinema wore earlier this week. She’s meeting with the director of the Phoenix VA Medical Center in a belted…..jean jacket…..midi dress that could have only been found by flicking through every single hanger at Marshall’s. Ma’am you do not have time for that. If it’s an assistant doing the hanger-flicking, I’m sure she could be put on more important projects.
I am grimacing at the thought of that bottom hem and button hitting me in the shins.
Palate cleanser
Bye!