22. Roe v. the World

We knew it was coming, but the overturning of Roe v. Wade is still huge news, and sadly for Sarah, it’s too hot to smoke. (Pardon the coughing.) Let’s talk data: How do other countries handle abortion? Why wasn’t abortion codified into law during Obama’s presidency? What will a post-Roe America look like? And what’s going on with that bounty-hunting law in Texas?

Now let’s talk complications: How can we support the choice to not have a baby without turning against motherhood, along with its challenges and rewards? How does the ideological comfort food of despair and outrage become a trap? And how can we understand the abortion debate as part of the modern battle (along with the trans movement, the fertility industry, and many other medical advancements) to control our own destinies?

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Episode Notes:

Fifth Column Podcast with Damon Root: “Guns, Abortion, the End of All Things”

Damon Root bibliography

Things Fell Apart, a podcast on the culture wars by Jon Ronson (BBC)

“Why didn’t Congress codify abortion rights?” by Amanda Becker (The 19th)

A history of birth control

“Pass and Enforce Red Flag Laws. Now,” by David French (The Dispatch)

Recent abortion laws in Europe and the U.S.

“The Texas Abortion Law Creates a Kind of Bounty Hunter. Here’s How It Works,” by Alan Feuer (New York Times)

“The Upshot: Most Women Denied Abortions by Texas Law Got Them Another Way,” by Margot Sanger-Katz, Claire Cain Miller, and Quoctrung Bui (New York Times)

Online abortion access: AidAccess.org and PlanCPill.org

Best swamp coolers for your unbearable summer (Popular Mechanics)

“This Magazine Can Help You Get an Abortion,” May 23, 2022 issue of New York Magazine

“This Is Not An Abortion Story,” by Sarah Jones (NY Mag)

“Onward, Women!,” by Claudia Walls, 2001 Time story on feminism: “Our generation was the human sacrifice," says Elizabeth Mehren, 42, a feature writer for the Los Angeles Times. “We believed the rhetoric. We could control our biological destiny. For a lot of us the clock ran out, and we discovered we couldn't control infertility.”

“This Texas Teen Wanted an Abortion. Now She Has Twins,” by Caroline Kitchener (Washington Post)

“What Do Women Want?,” Smoke ’Em podcast where Sarah talks about her own abortion

“On Not Being a Mother,” by Sarah Hepola (Smoke ’Em Substack)

“Biden’s Cowardly War on Conversion Therapy,” by Kat Rosenfield (Unherd)

“Why the Lia Thomas Movement Failed,” by Ethan Strauss (House of Strauss Substack)

What is A Woman? official trailer

RBG official trailer

Carole King had two children, daughters (Nancy said sons; management regrets the error) by the time she was 20, the same year of her solo debut, “Baby Sittin.” Listeners likely know King’s songs from her gazillion-selling album Tapestry, here's one now!

"Warm Hearts on a Hot News Day: A girl walks into a diner,” by Nancy Rommelmann (Substack)

"The Necessity of Hope in Post-Roe America," by Rebecca Traister (The Cut/NY Mag)

“The Future of Abortion: Frances Kissling on moving forward in a post-Roe America,” The Unspeakable podcast with Meghan Daum

The population of the U.S. is 334 million, in case you were wondering

The wisdom of Instagram:

"The Misery of Twitter: I deleted my account and you should too," by Kit Sargent (The Ankler)

Outro Song: “Don't Dream It’s Over,” Crowded House

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You think Nancy won't sing for our supper? She'll do it for a snack!

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