Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS)

On the 2nd anniversary of Dobbs, I don't have much to say other than what I always say. 1. Roe was not a ceiling but a floor (and an incredibly patchy one at that, especially for marginalized groups). We can and should do far better in providing abortion access to every human being with the capacity for pregnancy if they should desire it. 2. Abortion is a human right full stop. The only excuse you need for an abortion is that you don't want to be pregnant. 3. Y'all keep asking what you can do. Well, I can tell you what you've stopped doing--providing donations to the abortion funds and small clinics that make the impossible possible. Planned Parenthood doesn't need your money. Donate to your state abortion funds, the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS) and repro justice orgs like Yellowhammer Fund . 4. Voting isn't the only thing you can do, but it's still a critical thing that we must do to have a chance at pushing back the very well-organized machine of the US Right. 5. Abortion bans result in terrible outcomes for birthing people and babies. See my comments on the JAMA study released today (linked below). Texas banned abortions after embryonic cardiac activity was detected (fetal heartbeat is scientifically inaccurage and inflammatory language from the anti-abortion crowd). Researchers found that the bans resulted in higher than expected neonatal and infant deaths in Texas relative to other states.

Thanks for your support, Tiffany Green! Happy Birthday!

The Bridgespan Group has recognized the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS) as one of the organizations that surmount barriers to direct service! I'm proud to see our work highlighted among amazing organizations, including ineedana.com, Right By You, If/When/How, and carafem.

Have you listened to our BONUS episode of The Defenders? Join Gloria Riviera as she talks to Ariella Messing, the founder of the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS), or OARS. They moderate the r/abortion subreddit, a group on Reddit that is dedicated to answering questions about abortion. Not only are they helping people find care – they are ensuring that every question is answered with the truth. You can listen to The Defenders here: https://lnkd.in/e-vk9APB

"OARS, the Online Abortion Resource Squad, is a group of volunteers that runs the abortion subreddit. They ensure each post gets a helpful and accurate response. Lots of times, they are helping people find care. They'll work back and forth with a user until that person is on the phone with the clinic they need to be on the phone with or has arrived to their appointment. Nothing like this exists right now: a one stop shop for every kind of abortion need. And at a time when getting accurate information is more crucial than ever." Thank you to Gloria Riviera and Lemonada Media for using your platform to highlight the critical work we do every day at OARS. Learn more and support our efforts at abortionsquad.org!

This week on rePROs Fight Back I talked to the wonderful Ariella Messing with the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS) about the amazing work they do on the r/abortion subreddit fighting misinformation, disinformation, and ensuring people get the information they need to access abortion care. https://lnkd.in/d9DRrAyZ

People all around the world post on Reddit when they need help getting abortions. The Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS) makes sure they get the support they need. We run the abortion forum on Reddit: r/abortion. In 2023, more than 800,000 people went to r/abortion; more than 90,000 did in December alone. Throughout the year, people submitted more than 16,000 posts and more than 100,000 comments. Our team moderated and/or responded to every single one of them. Last year, your generous donations enabled us to provide resources, information, and personalized support to three-quarters of a million people. We expect these numbers to continue to rise in 2024. Consider becoming a monthly donor to help us sustain and expand this critical resource for abortion access. Like, comment, or share to spread the word about our work. Wishing you all a very happy new year! ❤️ https://lnkd.in/eGxFFPNY

In a post-Roe America, accurate information about abortion is more critical than ever before. The Online Abortion Resource Squad runs r/abortion, the only abortion resource staffed by experts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Each day, more than 4,000 people turn to r/abortion in search of help accessing abortion. We get approximately one million hits per month, underscoring a widespread need for accessible abortion information and support. This Giving Tuesday, we are raising $10,000 toward our end-of-year $150,000 fundraising campaign. This target is key to helping us sustain and expand our reach, ensuring that every individual seeking abortion care online receives the support and information they deserve. Can we count on you to help OARS support thousands of abortion seekers every day? Thank you for supporting abortion access in this critical moment.

People turn to Reddit when they have nowhere else to go for trustworthy abortion information. The Online Abortion Resource Squad meets them there. Amidst a confusing and changing legal and logistical landscape, we help people navigate the resources available to them in the context of their unique circumstances, priorities, and values. Round-the-clock moderation We review every r/abortion post to make sure everyone receives a quality answer, whether it’s from a fellow poster or one of our volunteers. If a comment is incorrect, unhelpful, or otherwise conflicts with our community standards, we’ll remove it. Publicly accessible to all By keeping all posts public, even people who can’t or won’t post themselves have the opportunity to learn how to navigate their issues and support others through theirs. A supportive corner of the internet Regardless of what someone’s support system looks like in real life, r/abortion posters have a positive, affirming space to be in community with others facing similar barriers. Be a part of improving abortion information online at https://lnkd.in/e_NkVtnw!