I know, I know. Sometimes it feels like all the news from the world of abortion is just a grab bag of junk science, misogyny, and creepy dudes tracking periods. Yes, this year has been mostly a garbage heap of garbage laws. But lucky for you, I went dumpster diving to find some shiny gems of GOOD NEWS that you may have missed! Without further adieu, here’s my countdown of the top 5 feel good abortion news of the year!

5)    DAGA Takes a Stand

Better late than never! DAGA (Democratic Attorneys General Association) announced this year that it will ONLY endorse candidates who publicly commit to supporting abortion and reproductive rights! We got DAGA increasing our LITMUS FITNESS and we are feeling pumped as hell about it.

DAGA is really important because they recruit AG candidates and help support their campaigns. Currently 12 attorneys general seats are at play in 2020. Should you care? Great question.

HELLS YES YOU SHOULD.

Attorney General have played crucial roles the recent fights over abortion rights at both the state and national levels. They decide which state abortion laws and restrictions to defend, like the so called “heartbeat bills.” They often team up to sue the administration for bullsh*t moves they pull like conscience clauses and domestic gag rules on title X funding. In short, they are rad AF. 

And the good news is, in 44 states, YOU elect them.  

4)    Reproductive Health Act passed in New York and Illinois

RA RA RA for RHA! (That’s as close to cheerleading as I will ever come). We kicked off the year with a bang, with NY passing the Reproductive Health Act – signed on the anniversary of Roe v Wade. One World Trade was even lit in pink to celebrate cuz apparently we are still doing that.

The New York RHA took abortion out of the criminal code and into the public health code. The RHA legalized abortion at any time when necessary to protect a pregnant person’s health and life, and if the fetus is not viable. It also allows licensed health care practitioners other than physicians to perform abortions. While we still don’t have enough people providing abortion later in pregnancy, we’re happy to shake off any draconian laws whenever we can. 

Illinois followed suit this summer by passing their own RHA. In October, Michigan introduced their version. Let’s hope this is a trend that keeps catching on.

3)    Total abortion bans: YA BLOCKED!

Every single state that passed a total abortion ban this year, saw that ban B-L-O-C-K-E-D. Not that this was a surprise, to us or to the 7 states who tried to pull this nonsense. These states purposefully passed these blatantly unconstitutional bans knowing that they would be blocked. Their ultimate goal is to make it to SCOTUS to be the ones to overturn Roe. They can all keep dreaming, for now. In the meantime, taxpayers are shouldering the cost of all this Gilead grandstanding. (And not to be a bummer in the “good news” article but this only applies to total bans, like just this month Kentucky UPHELD a garbage anti-abortion ultrasound bill!) 

2)    Free Medication Abortion for California Public University Students!

This one is a serious game changer. As other states continue to pass 6 week bans and declare their counties “sanctuaries for the unborn,” California passed a bill expanding access to abortion in a big way. In 2023, it will be the first state in the U.S. to require access to medication abortion on its public university campuses. That’s 34 schools in all! Now students won’t have to miss class and can (hopefully) avoid fake clinics that set up around campus to prey on pregnant students. No more California dreamin’ of free medication abortion at public universities, now, it’s a reality.

And, now, in the top spot (and I’m not biased at all)…

1)    WE CHANGED OUR NAME!

In 2019, we doubled down on our in-your-face commitment to all things ABORTION! Saying it, defending it, and supporting the independent clinics who provide it. We’re so committed, we put it in our name. This year, we went from Lady Parts Justice League to Abortion Access Front, or as we like to call it, Abortion AF. Because we’re pumped AF, fired up AF, we’re Abortion AF.

 So there you have it, proof that this year wasn’t all gloom and doom. Proof that badass activists and pro-choice politicians stood up to backwards mysogynists and won. Proof that no amount of period tracking can deter us from exposing sexist d-bags and raising a glass to abortion access in 2020!