On International Safe Abortion Day, Support the Indigenous Fight for Reproductive Freedom

Written by Jessica Engelking

September 28th is International Safe Abortion Day, but in Iowa we do not have access to safe abortion care. At Great Plains Action Society, we remain steadfast in our commitment to upholding land and body sovereignty. The current six-week abortion ban is a denial of body sovereignty and an instance of white supremacist violence. As we continue to fight for bodily autonomy, we must work to dismantle the white supremacist roots from where these abortion bans originate. 

One clear giveaway to the white supremacist origin of these bans is that abortion laws are determined by the state. “States rights” are what the Confederacy fought for. In their case, the issue was whether states had the right to allow slavery. Now, the issue is whether or not the state has the right to ban access to necessary medical care. 

At first, the claim that states should be able to make their own decisions regarding abortion access doesn’t seem like a bad idea. It’s presented as the alternative to the federal government making these decisions for them. When considered as a choice between federal and state control, state control seems preferable, more representative of the people’s wants. But this framing of state vs. federal distracts from the real issue of whether or not people’s bodily autonomy is something that the state can overrule. It’s not state vs. federal, it’s state vs. body sovereignty. We stand firmly in our commitment to upholding body sovereignty. 

We will continue to support our Indigenous communities in the wake of this harmful legislation. One of the ways white supremacy functions through these abortion bans is by keeping people trapped in a cycle of poverty. We are working towards breaking cycles of poverty through our mutual aid and community care work. Relatives can access reproductive resources at our Sioux City location. It is our hope that next year Iowa and everywhere else will be in position to celebrate International Safe Abortion Day because safe abortions are accessible. 

Please help us keep reproductive resources in stock such as Plan B and condoms by donating to Great Plains Action Society