Happy Pride Month! This month, carafem isn’t just slapping a rainbow on all things and calling it a day. We wanted to take a deeper dive into queer and trans justice so we can understand the true roots of the movement, where it is today, and ultimately serve this community better.
Some folks may think, “That’s weird. Obviously, an abortion provider is only providing care to heterosexual, cis-gendered women.” But this is a common misconception. People of many genders and sexualities have abortions and carafem proudly welcomes queer and trans people to our brick and mortar health centers and to use our online care options. carafem aims to provide the most gender-affirming care possible and commits to using people’s correct names and pronouns.
Let’s get back to the history. Did you know Black and Latinx trans women started the movement with protests resisting police brutality? These origins remind us that all of our futures and our liberation are inherently linked. The fight for LGBTQIA2S+1 people is interconnected with abortion rights. Reproductive justice is queer justice and trans justice is abortion justice.
Reproductive justice asserts “the right to have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and healthy environments.” This framework extends to and beyond racial justice, immigration justice, disability justice, gender justice, environmental justice, economic justice, and queer and trans justice. carafem believes all people are deserving of compassionate, high-quality, affirming sexual and reproductive health care.
Queer and Trans people are beautiful and deserve to live in a world where they can unapologetically be their true selves, live authentically, and have their needs met. carafem celebrates the resilience and beauty of queer and trans people. And yet we’re still grieving and outraged by the relentless assault of queerphobic and transphobic hate crimes, legislation, and violent attacks that have been steadily rising.
These targeted attacks on bodily autonomy, healthcare, and our futures are designed to endanger those who have historically been the most exploited and marginalized. As providers of abortion care, carafem believes every person is the expert of their own lives, should be able to decide their futures, and be their true selves – free from oppression.
Queer and trans folks have always existed and will always exist, much like how people have always and will always have abortions. We will always advocate for a world where all people can enjoy their rights fully. For the world with laws and policies that protect everyone’s dignity. Our lives and our love are proof that queer and trans people, like abortion, aren’t going anywhere.
Are you or a friend looking for compassionate, convenient abortion and reproductive care that is centered around your needs, easy to understand, and supportive? Give us a call at 1-855-SAY-CARA or schedule an appointment online.
1Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit. Find definitions of these terms here.