“Hi, thanks for booking a session with me, I can share a little more about myself. You might have seen this on my website, but just so you know where I'm coming from.”
This is Penny. They’re an abortion doula, but this is not a real phone call. They’re acting out what a usual first consultation would be.
“I've been practicing as an abortion doula for the past five or so years. I’m also and herbalist, I also teach people how to track their cycles for contraception, I have some ideas of how we can spend this hour today but if you want to just share with me how you'd like to spend this hour i'd be happy to start off with any questions or any idea you have.”
I met Penny at their home in the East Bay. They’re in their 30s, with long black hair and light skin. And Penny is not actually their name. Since the overturning of Roe vs Wade, they feel the need to remain anonymous in order to protect themselves and their clients.
Penny explains that abortion doulas can show up in many capacities before, during and after an abortion. And just to be clear, abortion doulas do not provide medical care.
“An abortion doula’s someone who supports someone through an abortion whether that be an abortion that happened previously, or an abortion that's upcoming.”
They also share education and financial resources. Sometimes they even provide childcare or car rides to a clinic.
“As abortion doulas we also in addition to like, the logistical support we're offering, we're holding space for people, we're holding space for wherever they are in their process.”
Whether they’ve made a decision to have an abortion or not. Penny is no stranger to abortion support work. They come from a long line of abortion supporters.
“I remember the first time I heard the word abortion. I was on a family camping trip and I was around a fire. And my dad was telling me what an abortion was, and telling me when I was young, that if I ever needed one that I could get one. And I didn't know why he was telling me this or like, what the political, like why it was so politically charged.”
And when Penny moved to the bay area 6 years ago, they decided to seek training to become an abortion doula.
“I just felt this deep dedication to learn about abortion because I knew there was going to be a gap in that care.”
They discovered The Bay Area Doula Project, a collective that trains volunteers. Penny completed their training program in the summer of 2018. However, it took nine months before Penny even worked with their first client.
“So sometimes what I found after my training was that there was a lot of momentum coming from me about wanting to support people, but then to actually find clients or find people who were seeking support was difficult.”
This is what the work of an abortion doula can look like, sometimes not working at all. Connecting with clients is not so streamline. Because abortion doulas are not part of the clinic system, they heavily rely on online outreach and word of mouth exposure.
"What helped was that I talked to people about abortion. I told people about what abortion doulas do, I told people I started talking about what was happening politically with abortion. And I've learned that when I, when people talk about abortion, people will start feeling that safety to come to you about their abortions.”
Eventually Penny began to see people coming to them for support. Once they’re in touch, they begin with a consultation over the phone.
“That first session will set the tone. We'll have a one hour session to figure out what sort of care they're looking for to weave together their story.”
Their story can look different, but sometimes clients share similar emotions. When I asked what kinds of feelings come up for most clients, Penny said something unexpected.
“Alertness.”
Alertness. I asked Penny to elaborate.
“I think for the majority of my clients, it's a surprise when they have become pregnant, and they would like an abortion. So their nervous system is, you know, they've spent some time already looking online to like, what they're going to choose to do, and they've had to make the decision. And, you know, they may or may not have had to have that conversation with the person they got pregnant with. And so I see my clients coming to me having had to figure out everything. And finally they get a moment to pause and like, be held, because usually they're the ones holding all of it.”
But Penny, like many other abortion doulas, can take on some of that burden. Plus, they told me, all of the logistics – doctor’s appointments, insurance, juggling schedules – can be harder for marginalized people.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, young adults under 18, people of color, people in rural areas or with low incomes, and incarcerated people have a harder time getting access to abortion care, but abortion doulas can make a difference.
“I think that abortion doulas can provide cultural competence in ways that sometimes clinics don't or they can supplement that. There is a gap and abortion doulas create that space with all our might with all of our shoulder power to make sure that marginalized people get the care that they deserve.”
California hasamended the state constitution to protect the right to abortions. Even so, there are hurdles. With nearby states restricting reproductive health care, California is seeing a rise in out of state patients seeking legal and safe abortions. That means that abortion doulas, like Penny, are experiencing an uptick in calls.
“At least, I’m getting four times the number of clients I was before. And something that's changed with my own practices. I feel more protective of myself and of this work as an abortion supporter than I did before because the stakes are higher.”
Their work has increased and so has the worry for their own safety and their client’s. While California remains a sanctuary, abortion providers and supporters, and patients in other states are experiencing threats.
“But it makes me wonder if I should even travel to some states. It's made me question, do I take clients from out of state or not? It makes me, it makes me question, you know, what decisions am I making today that can make a difference in the future? And how can I take more risks because I live in California?”
And as they ponder all these questions, Penny knows one thing for sure: they and other abortion doulas will be here to walk alongside the people who need their help.
