Advocating for family planning in a politically hostile climate-Advocating for family planning in a politically hostile climate

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Video Summary

The plenary discussion features senior ACLU attorney Scarlet Kim, Dr. Caitlin Bernard, Dr. Nisha Verma, and Sharon Lau of the National Abortion Federation, addressing advocacy for family planning amid political hostility. They outline the unprecedented challenges including government censorship and threats stemming from restrictive abortion laws and hostile administrations, like the Trump-era anti-speech and anti-family planning policies.<br /><br />Speakers share personal advocacy experiences post-Dobbs, balancing risk and safety while remaining vocal. Strategies include institutional advocacy, testimony at legislative sessions with organizational support, research with patient-consented storytelling, public and private engagement, and professional society involvement (ACOG, AMA). They highlight the importance of localized research to sway regional policymakers, joining amicus briefs and lawsuits as effective tools.<br /><br />Sharon Lau discusses an uptick in violence and online harassment risks, urging vigilance, privacy management, and security planning tailored to personal risk levels. Practical safety measures suggested include VPNs, monitoring online presence, vetted media engagements, situational awareness in public events, home security systems, and knowing safe community havens.<br /><br />The panel clarifies First Amendment protections, emphasizing that most advocacy speech—even controversial—is protected except narrowly defined exceptions like incitement or true threats. Government-employed advocates must understand employment speech protections, with risk varying by context, especially for public employees and academic freedom.<br /><br />Medical students and residents are encouraged to participate confidently, recognizing their expertise and influence in shaping training and advocacy frameworks. The panel concludes urging continued resilient advocacy, emphasizing planning, securing support networks, and blending risk assessment with action to protect family planning rights despite hostile political climates.

Keywords

ACLU

family planning advocacy

abortion laws

political hostility

Dobbs decision

institutional advocacy

legislative testimony

patient storytelling

online harassment

First Amendment protections

medical advocacy