People should decide for themselves — not politicians — what happens with their own bodies. Reproductive rights are human rights. Abortion is healthcare.

For the 2nd year in a row, I’m participating in the National Abortion Access Bowl-a-Thon! I’m fundraising in my home state for the Eastern Massachusetts Abortion (EMA) Fund Triathlon. But instead of traditional bowling at our event on April 25th, we’re once again Wii Bowling and singing  karaoke.

This year, I’ve teamed up with my friend Sarah H. and joined her team “Binders Full of People of Unspecified Gender.” Sarah came up with the clever name (love it!!). But I clearly can’t get enough of those women and binder jokes!

Hmm, what IS cuterus than your uterus???

What is EMA Fund? The EMA Fund is an all-volunteer group of approximately 60 people who work to ensure people have access to abortion. They provide a vital service, filling the health care gap by helping people pay for abortion care. Founded in 1999, the EMA Fund is a member of the National Network of Abortion Funds.

What does EMA do?

• EMA gives money. They provide grants and financial counseling. If they can’t fund a caller’s needs, they strategize solutions, coordinate with other abortion funds and provide referrals.
• EMA provides resources. They provide aid in emergency contraception, options counseling, childcare during abortion procedures, translation services, and transportation costs (bus, train tickets, cab fare) to clinics.
• EMA changes the system. Most Massachusetts public health insurance (MassHealth, Commonwealth Care, and Health Safety Net) plans fund abortion. But if someone isn’t enrolled, it can take months to sign up and abortion is a time-sensitive procedure (physically and financially). However, because of their connections with other abortion funds, non-profits and government agencies, EMA is often able to expedite the enrollment process, getting people covered within days.

Everyone has the right to shape their own life and decide what’s right for them. No one should ever be denied medical care due to an inability to pay. So I’m raising money to help bridge the gap between healthcare and accessibility.

So let’s make it rain with money:

Your donation will help cover costs for abortion care, emergency contraception, options counseling, translation services, child care during abortion procedures, and transportation costs (bus, train tickets, cab fare) to clinics.

In 2009, the average abortion cost $451. The average cost refers to abortions performed in the first trimester. But the costs vary wildly depending on whether you go to a clinic or your physician’s office, how far along you are, and the state you live in. After the first trimester, prices skyrocket from there, running $3,0000-$6,000 and up, getting exponentially more expensive each week.

What will my donation fund?

• $4 – Round-trip T fare from Somerville to Brighton
• $20 – Lack of reliable transit: cab fare from Beverly to Lynn
• $40 – The need to travel out of state: bus fare to New York City
• $50 – Blood type: RhoGAM shot for women with RH negative blood
• $100 – Someone to talk to: EMA Fund’s average monthly phone bill
• $500 – Average cost of a first trimester abortion in Boston

It’s not a choice if you don’t have the means to choose. So let’s strike down barriers to abortion access together.

If you donate, this is how happy you’ll make me:

You know you want to make me happy. So please donate to my EMA Fund page today! No donation is too small. Every dollar helps someone in need.

Thanks so much for your support!

Hugs,
The Opinioness (aka Unapologetic Leslie Knope Lover)