Stand UP Speak OUT DocuSeries

10/30/2026

The FDA wants to talk about abortion pills after the midterms. We need to talk about them NOW.

The Trump administration plans to delay releasing its review of mifepristone, a medication widely used in abortion care, until March 2027—after the 2026 midterm elections.

Why does the timing matter? Because the findings could be used to justify new restrictions on medication abortion, potentially affecting access even in states where abortion remains legal.

The FDA’s review also comes as the administration faces legal challenges over telehealth access to abortion pills. These decisions could have far-reaching consequences for reproductive healthcare nationwide.

This is about more than one medication. It’s about who gets to make decisions about our bodies, our healthcare and our futures.

We cannot afford to look away until after the votes are counted. Reproductive rights belong in the conversation before we head to the ballot box.

📢 Stay informed. Speak up. Vote for candidates who will protect reproductive freedom and access to comprehensive healthcare.

Read the full article from Ms. Magazine and join us in keeping reproductive rights in focus.

10/29/2026

https://msmagazine.com/2026/09/24/sarah-orne-jewett-stamp-reproductive-rights/?fbclid=IwY2xjawVQQotleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR99-h5gVFYc-K4O056BzTO00JTf0lgJ4_7drEOEdeUL4DUrlA43bY4s0Wk2CA_aem_RE26g_oNu6rZ6n5m0Hj96g

A new USPS stamp honors Sarah Orne Jewett, whose stories imagined independent lives for women beyond marriage.

10/29/2026

Pregnancy shouldn’t be a crime. Yet, people are being prosecuted for it.

A new report from Pregnancy Justice reveals a disturbing reality: between 2022 and 2025, prosecutors initiated at least 𝟵𝟬𝟮 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 criminalizing pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. That’s nearly half the number of cases documented across the entire 50 years Roe v. Wade was in effect.

And the reasons are alarming.

⚖️ People are being charged under child abuse and neglect laws, even when prosecutors don’t have to prove that harm occurred.
🏥 In at least 77 cases, authorities cited a lack of prenatal care as evidence of a crime—even though millions live in areas with limited access to maternal healthcare.
💔 Nearly three-quarters of the cases involved low-income pregnant people, highlighting how these prosecutions disproportionately affect those already facing barriers to care.

The consequences can be devastating. In some states, these charges carry the possibility of a life sentence.

When seeking medical care can put someone at risk of criminal prosecution, the result isn’t better healthcare. It’s fear, punishment, and greater barriers to care.
Pregnancy is not a crime. Poverty is not neglect. And healthcare should never be a reason to put someone behind bars.

We must pay attention to how reproductive rights are being restricted—not just through abortion bans, but through laws that can criminalize pregnancy itself.

10/28/2026

𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟖, 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟒: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬.

Imagine being denied a credit card or loan—not because you couldn’t repay it, but because you were a woman.

Before the 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐭 (ECOA) became law on October 28, 1974, women faced widespread discrimination when applying for credit. Lenders could treat them unfairly because of their s*x or marital status, making financial independence harder to achieve.

Women fought back.

✊ 𝐵𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎 𝐴𝑏𝑧𝑢𝑔 (1920–1998), a U.S. representative and longtime women’s rights advocate, introduced legislation to prohibit credit discrimination. On November 13, 1973, she spoke before Congress about discrimination against women seeking credit, helping bring national attention to the issue.

✊ Women’s rights advocates collected thousands of letters documenting women’s experiences with discriminatory banking practices, building public pressure for change.

Their efforts helped pave the way for the ECOA, signed into law on October 28, 1974. In 1976, Congress expanded its protections to cover discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, and receipt of public assistance.

This was more than a banking reform. It was a fight for women’s ability to build credit, buy homes, start businesses, and make financial decisions independently.

The lesson? Rights that seem ordinary today were once denied—and people had to organize, speak out, and demand change to win them.

💬 Can you imagine needing someone else’s permission to access credit simply because of your gender? What does financial independence mean to you today?

Let’s honor those who fought for equality and keep working toward a world where opportunity is not limited by discrimination.

10/27/2026

What does it mean to have the freedom to choose whom we love—and the freedom to leave?

For more than 200 years, American women have fought for the financial independence, political power, and s*xual autonomy to decide whether, when, and whom to marry or partner with—without shame or fear.

In the latest episode of 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐏, 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐎𝐔𝐓: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 – 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, we explore the women who challenged restrictive laws, the lives they built over the past 50+ years, and the rights and freedoms now at risk.

Join BC Voices for an Online Premiere and Q&A to watch, reflect, and share your reactions with others. Together, let's examine the history of women's autonomy in personal relationships, from the founding of the United States to today's political climate.

📅 Tuesday, November 17
🕢 7:30–9:00 PM ET
💻 Online Premiere and Q&A

Your rights. Your choices. Your future. These freedoms are worth understanding—and defending.

10/27/2026

"Patients who depend on daily medications that carry potential risks of birth defects, miscarriages or abortion have lost access to those prescriptions. In some cases, this includes patients who are not physically capable of becoming pregnant."

Abortion bans are disrupting access to medications, miscarriage care, fertility treatments and medical research.

10/27/2026

Hard to believe that a gubernatorial candidate would defend his opponent's abusive mother who acquiesced in her husband's molestation of their daughter.

Jonathan Jackson condemns the use of a child’s suffering for political gain, questioning what it reveals about America’s moral conscience.

10/23/2026

Where Are the Men Speaking Up?

Sexual violence is not just a women’s issue. It’s a responsibility we all share.

The Cornell 7 case raises a difficult question: Why do so many men remain silent when other men harm women?

As Ms. Magazine writer Rob Okun argues, outrage alone isn’t enough. Saying “I would never do that” means little without action. Real change requires challenging misogyny, confronting harmful ideas about masculinity, teaching boys empathy and respect, and holding institutions accountable.

Women have been leading this fight for generations. Men must do more than stand on the sidelines.

Being an ally means speaking up, challenging harmful behavior, supporting survivors, and helping change the culture that allows s*xual violence to persist.

Silence is not neutral when it allows harm to continue.

💜 We need more men to stand with survivors—not just in words, but through meaningful action.

10/23/2026

"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair."

As part of our 60th Anniversary Film, NOW members are featured "bri...

10/22/2026

State Supreme Court Elections Matter. A Lot.

When we talk about protecting abortion access, voting rights, and fair elections, we can’t overlook state supreme courts.

In 2026, 31 state supreme court elections will put 64 seats at stake. These justices can determine whether people retain access to reproductive healthcare, whether every eligible voter can cast a ballot, and whether congressional maps are drawn fairly.

With federal courts weakening protections, state courts are becoming a critical line of defense for our rights and democracy.

These elections aren’t just about judges. They’re about who gets protected, whose voices get heard, and whether our democracy works for everyone.

Every election matters—including the ones down the ballot. Know the candidates. Understand what’s at stake. Make your vote count.