Dana Buhl, Director of Social Justice

September 5, 2021

Like many of you, my mind, gut and heart keep traveling to Texas in rage, in despair, in fear, and back again to rage. Abortion has essentially been made illegal in Texas. Vigilantes have been released on women, girls, people with a uterus…and on anyone who would support us in any way to get primary healthcare we need. Those of us who are most adversely affected are poor and working class people, — disproportionately Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant. 

Vigilantes. 

Bounty hunters. 

$10,000 reward.

My Mom and I spent some time the other morning crying together. I thanked her again for her decades-long service in reproductive rights, co-founding and directing the nonprofit abortion clinic in Ohio and serving a term as chair of the National Abortion Rights Action League or NARAL. 

Prior to Roe v. Wade, and after I was born, Mom had two difficult abortion experiences while living in Massachusetts. One was through the help of the underground Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion which helped women get safe, if illegal, abortions. It is these experiences that compelled her to collaborate with a dedicated group of women to create the nonprofit clinic, even though none of them was medically trained. This may be where we are headed again.  

During Mom’s tenure, the clinic received bomb threats.       There was always someone at the clinic harassing clients and staff.        Sometimes there were larger organized attacks such as Operation Rescue.       Our home was picketed and stalked.      Colleagues of Mom were killed. 

When speaking with her about this law, I said, “Mom, all of that was horrible, and it feels like what is happening now is worse.” She agreed.

Women, girls, people who have a uterus are at the crosshairs of this particular Supreme-Court-sanctioned, bounty-hunter-enforced law. And trans people are at the tip of the spear of body sovereignty legislation, testing ground for all gender justice issues. 

This attack on our rights and ability to get primary health care and make fundamental choices about our lives is personal. It is not lost on us that legislatures which are passing these laws are overwhelmingly, dominantly cisgender men and white and wealthy. True reproductive justice is racial justice, gender justice and economic justice. 

Women, femmes and gender queer folks in my orb are outraged and scared. I’ve seen a few outraged men, too, but not enough. Not nearly.  Our outrage and our fear is justified. We need space to grieve and rage. To organize. 

Men: Make room to check in with, listen to and support the women, girls, gender queer folks in your life. 

• Are you allying yourself with other men to support women/and trans people? 
• Are you speaking up about the role of men in unplanned pregnancies? 
• Are you talking with the men and boys in your life about what you need to do to fight the numbness that lets sexism and misogyny run rampant? 
• Are you putting your body, money, time on the line to help secure a truly representative electoral system where our electeds reflect the make-up of our communities, and all citizens have access to free and fair elections?

We aren’t going to just “get over” this. In fact, the only way for us to “get over” THIS —  and most of the crises of our time — is by expanding electoral justice. On the same day that Texas passed this horrific law, they passed one of the most restrictive voting laws in the country whose aim is to disenfranchise Black and Brown citizens. 

This isn’t just about Texas.

My hope at First Unitarian is that more of us get behind a strong electoral justice movement. We can join with the UUA Side with Love Action Center and UU the Vote. Please keep your eye on the enews over the coming months for how we here in Oregon can be involved. Our bodies, our communities, our shared home depend on it.

All the while, let us be inspired — our bodies moved  — by the myriad creative and powerful acts of resistance and revolution that erupt through the land.

Shared Concern About Reproductive Justice

We have no parish concerns to share today, but we do have a collective concern I will voice. 

Like many of you, my mind, gut and heart keep traveling to Texas in rage, in despair, in fear, and back again to rage. Abortion has essentially been made illegal in Texas. Vigilantes have been released on women…and anyone who would support women to get primary healthcare they need. Those who are most adversely affected are poor and working class women and people with uteruses, — disproportionately Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant.

Vigilantes. 

Bounty hunters. 

$10,000 reward.

My Mom and I spent some time yesterday crying together. I thanked her again for her decades-long service in reproductive rights, founding and directing the nonprofit abortion clinic in Ohio and serving a term as chair of The National Abortion Rights Action League. Prior to Roe v. Wade and after I was born, Mom had two horrible abortion experiences while living in Massachusetts. Those experiences compelled her to work with an underground clergy and laity network that helped women get safe abortion services. That was the network that emboldened her to co-create the nonprofit women’s abortion clinic once the family moved to Ohio. They were poised to open just after the Roe v Wade decision was made.

During Mom’s tenure, the clinic received bomb threats.There was always some one at the clinic at minimum harassing clients and staff. Sometimes there were larger organized attacks such as Operation Rescue. Our home was picketed and stalked. Colleagues of Mom’s were killed. When speaking with her yesterday, I said, “Mom, all of that was horrible, and it feels like what is happening now is worse.” She agreed.

Women, girls and people with uteruses are at the crosshairs of this particular Supreme Court- sanctioned, bounty hunter-enforced law. This attack on body sovereignty is personal to women, girls, people with uteruses. The attack on body sovereignty weighs most heavily on Black, Brown, Indigenous bodies. Trans people are at the tip of the spear of body sovereignty legislation, the testing ground for all gender justice issues. It is not lost on us that legislatures who are passing these laws are overwhelmingly, dominantly cis male and white. 

True reproductive justice is racial justice, gender justice and economic justice. 

Women, femmes and gender queer folks in my orb are outraged and scared. I’ve seen a few outraged cis men, too, but not enough. Not nearly.  

Our outrage and our fear is justified. 

We need space to grieve and rage. To organize. 

We aren’t going to just “get over” this. And, in fact, the only way for us to “get over” this —  and most of the crises of injustice — is by expanding electoral justice.

Cis men, make room to check in with, listen to and support the women, girls, gender queer folks in your life. Are you allying yourself with other men to support women/femmes? Are you speaking up about men’s roles in unplanned pregnancies? Are you talking with the men in your life about what you need to do to fight the numbness that lets sexism and misogyny run rampant? Are you putting your bodies, resources and time on the line to help secure a truly representative electoral system where our electeds reflect the make-up of our communities, and all citizens have access to free and fair elections?

My hope at First Unitarian is that more of us get behind a strong electoral justice movement through our engagement with the UUA Side with Love Organizing School and UU the Vote. Please keep your eye on the Front Steps over the coming months for how we here in  Oregon can join our voices with national efforts for electoral justice. Our bodies, our communities, our shared home depend on it.

Shared Concern About Reproductive Justice

We have no parish concerns to share today, but we do have this collective concern. 

Like many of you, my mind, gut and heart keep traveling to Texas in rage, in despair, in fear, and back again to rage. Abortion has essentially been made illegal in Texas. Vigilantes have been released on women…and anyone who would support women in any way to get primary healthcare they need. Those who are most adversely affected are poor and working class women and people with uteruses, — disproportionately Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant. 

Vigilantes. 

Bounty hunters. 

$10,000 reward.

My Mom and I spent some time yesterday crying together. I thanked her again for her decades-long service in reproductive rights, co-founding and directing the nonprofit abortion clinic in Ohio and serving a term as chair of The National Abortion Rights Action League. Prior to Roe v. Wade and after I was born, Mom had two horrible abortion experiences while living in Massachusetts, one through the help of the underground Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion which helped women get safe, if illegal, abortions. It is these experiences that compelled her to collaborate with a dedicated group of women, none of them medically trained, to create the nonprofit clinic. This may be where we are headed again.  

During Mom’s tenure, the clinic received bomb threats.There was always someone at the clinic harassing clients and staff. Sometimes there were larger organized attacks such as Operation Rescue. Our home was picketed and stalked. Colleagues of Mom’s were killed. 

When speaking with her yesterday, I said, “Mom, all of that was horrible, and it feels like what is happening now is worse.” She agreed.

Women, girls, people with uteruses are at the crosshairs of this particular Supreme Court- sanctioned, bounty hunter-enforced law. This assault on body sovereignty is personal to women, girls, people who have a uterus. The attack on body sovereignty is personal and weighs most heavily on Black, Brown, Indigenous bodies. Trans people are at the tip of the spear of body sovereignty legislation, the testing ground for all gender justice issues. It is not lost on us that legislatures which are passing these laws are overwhelmingly, dominantly cisgender male and white.

True reproductive justice is racial justice, gender justice and economic justice. 

Women, femmes and gender queer folks in my orb are outraged and scared. I’ve seen a few outraged men, too, but not enough. Not nearly.  

Our outrage and our fear is justified. 

We need space to grieve and rage. To organize. 

We aren’t going to just “get over” this. And, in fact, the only way for us to “get over” this —  and most of the crises of injustice — is by expanding electoral justice.

Men, make room to check in with, listen to and support the women, girls, gender queer folks in your life. Are you allying yourself with other men to support women/femmes? Are you speaking up about men’s roles in unplanned pregnancies? Are you talking with the men in your life about what you need to do to fight the numbness that lets sexism and misogyny run rampant? Are you putting your bodies, resources and time on the line to help secure a truly representative electoral system where our electeds reflect the make-up of our communities, and all citizens have access to free and fair elections?

My hope at First Unitarian is that more of us get behind a strong electoral justice movement through our engagement with the UUA Side with Love Organizing School and UU the Vote. Please keep your eye on the Front Steps over the coming months for how we here in  Oregon can join our voices with national efforts for electoral justice. Our bodies, our communities, our shared home depend on it.