Couldn't make it to our event honoring what should have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Sunday, January 22nd? Here it is recorded from you! We were joined by abortion doula, clinic worker, and author extraordinaire Hannah Matthews. Check out her bio below!

Hannah Matthews is a writer, abortion funder and care worker, and doula based in Portland, Maine. Her work has been published in or is forthcoming from The New York Times, ELLE, Esquire, McSweeney’s, Catapult, and other publications, and she has previously written for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America blog. Hannah is represented by Jade Wong-Baxter of the Frances Goldin Literary Agency, and her debut book, You or Someone You Love: Reflections of An Abortion Doula, forthcoming from Atria (Simon & Schuster) on 5/2/23, is available for preorder now. More information about Hannah and her work can be found at her website https://www.hannahmatthews.me/.

Image: Gayatri Malhotra (via Unsplash)

Reflections from an Abortion Doula and Clinic Worker (Roe Anniversary)

What better way to wrap up a season themed around pleasure than to revisit an important tool for pleasure--lube! This episode features sexual health rockstar, Nurse Practitioner, and former Mabel's staff member Lindsey Piper.

Osmolality and pH and stigma, oh my! Join our host Aspen as they delve into the slippery world of sexual lubricant. What's the deal with osmolality? This isn't chemistry class, so why does pH matter? Who needs lube? We'll answer all of these questions and more in this episode of Reproductive Left, featuring an interview with Nurse Practitioner Lindsey Piper!
Image: Deon Black (via Unsplash)

References:
badvibes.org/whats-in-your-lube…nce-of-lubricants/
apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/han…A7D2D46?sequence=1

Lube (Again!)

Continuing our Fall theme of pleasure, Aspen is back this month to talk about kink! What is it? Why are people kinky? Is it all whips and chains? What's with all the hype about Fifty Shades of Gray? Join our host to learn all this and more!
Image: Warm Orange via Unsplash

Kink

We're back! For the Fall 2022 season of Reproductive Left, we thought there was nothing better to focus on than pleasure. In this episode, Aspen dives into masturbation to discuss the myths, magic, and benefits of this particular brand of self-love. Listen and learn what cereal, gender stereotypes, and Texas politicians have to do with this messy topic. While you're at it, go love yourself!

Image: Dainis Graveris via Unsplash

Masturbation: Myths and Magic

Welcome back for part 2 of our interview with Viva Ruiz of Thank God for Abortion! Viva and Aspen continue to discuss the importance of abortion access, and how religion is not as cut-and-dry anti abortion as you may think.
Thank God for Abortion can be found on Facebook, Instagram, or thankgodforabortion.com
Image: Malvestida via Unsplash

Interview with Viva Ruiz of Thank God for Abortion part 2

This month's episode of Reproductive Left is part one of an exciting interview with Viva Ruiz of Thank God For abortion! Join Viva and Aspen as they discuss religion, abortion, and autonomy, and how religion absolutely can and should be abortion-positive.

Thank God For Abortion can be found on Facebook, Instagram, or thankgodforabortion.com

Image: Manny Becerra via Unsplash

Interview with Viva Ruiz of Thank God for Abortion part 1

In this month's episode of Reproductive Left, our host Aspen interviews Quinn Gormley, the Executive Director of MaineTransNet. The two discuss trans health, abortion access, Reproductive Justice, and where the three intersect.

MTN is a community based organization led by trans people for trans people. They provide peer-to-peer support groups, social and community events, advocacy for the transgender community across Maine, and education on trans cultural competency. MaineTransNet's mission is, "to support and empower transgender people to create a world where they can thrive."

Resources:

mainetrans.net

https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice

Image: Sierra Houk via Unsplash

Trans Health and Abortion Access: an interview with Quinn Gormley

Join us where we left off in the previous episode with part 2 of the interview with Cait Vaughan! Aspen and Cait continue the conversation and discuss how other elements of oppression interact with our attitudes around substance use, pregnancy, and parenting.

Resources:
Repro Legal Defense Fund -&gt; reprolegaldefensefund.org/

National Advocates for Pregnant Women -&gt; www.nationaladvocatesforpregnantwomen.org/

Movement for Family Power -&gt; www.movementforfamilypower.org/

NWLC--forced sterilization -&gt; nwlc.org/resource/forced-ster…n-the-united-states/

"Killing the Black Body" by Dorothy E. Roberts

Image credit: Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash

Substance Use, Pregnancy, and Parenting: an interview with Cait Vaughan part 2

In this month's episode of Reproductive Left, join our host as they interview reproductive health advocacy powerhouse Cait Vaughan about substance use, pregnancy, and parenting. This topic has a lot of myths and misunderstandings, from the actual impact of substance use on pregnancy to what even "counts" as a substance. Join us in March for part 2!

Resources:
Repro Legal Defense Fund -&gt; https://reprolegaldefensefund.org/

National Advocates for Pregnant Women -&gt; https://www.nationaladvocatesforpregnantwomen.org/

Movement for Family Power -&gt; https://www.movementforfamilypower.org/

NWLC--forced sterilization -&gt; https://nwlc.org/resource/forced-sterilization-of-disabled-people-in-the-united-states/

"Killing the Black Body" by Dorothy E. Roberts

Image: Anna Civolani (via Unsplash)

Substance Use, Pregnancy, and Parenting: an interview with Cait Vaughan part 1

Join Aspen as they interview Mabel Wadsworth Center Nurse Practitioner Finn about PrEP, an important HIV prevention medication. What is PrEP, and who is it for? Why don't more people know about it? Aspen and Finn answer these questions and more in this month's PrEPisode!

Image: Stillness InMotion (via Unsplash)

The PrEPisode

To finish up 2021, Aspen is exploring the ins and outs of hymens! What really is the hymen, anyways? Does a hymen by any other name perpetuate the same patriarchal sexual values? Why is the image for this episode a crown? Join us to answer these questions and more!

Image: Nathan Mcgregor (via Unsplash)

What's up with hymens?

In this episode of Reproductive Left, join Aspen as they chat with Sarah Haas (they/she), local queer sex educator, about fertility care. What are the barriers to accessing it? What's the bad fertility advice we're all tired of hearing? What are the different barriers faced by cisgender/straight people seeking fertility care and LGBTQ+ people? Listen as we answer these questions and more!

Image: Dainis Graveris (via Unsplash)

Fertility Care

Happy Spooky Season! For our October episode, join Aspen as they explore the history of witches, midwives, and where the two overlap. From the history of witch hunts that Hollywood never told you to the present realities of childbirth. Grab some candy corn, light some candles, and enjoy!

Image: Ksenia Yakovleva (via Unsplash)

References:
Witches, Midwives, and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/10/c-section-rate-high/600172/
https://www.statnews.com/2016/04/04/medical-students-beliefs-race-pain/
https://www.pnas.org/content/113/16/4296.abstract
https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice

Witches and Midwives

Osmolality and pH and stigma, oh my! Join our host Aspen as they delve into the slippery world of sexual lubricant. What's the deal with osmolality? This isn't chemistry class, so why does pH matter? Who needs lube? We'll answer all of these questions and more in this episode of Reproductive Left, featuring an interview with Nurse Practitioner Lindsey Piper!
Image: Deon Black (via Unsplash)

References:
https://badvibes.org/whats-in-your-lube/the-science-of-lubricants/
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/76580/WHO_RHR_12.33_eng.pdf;jsessionid=F2717415C8839529E67BECDA8A7D2D46?sequence=1

Lube

Join our host Aspen as they discuss herpes and the stigma surrounding it. Why is such a common virus that usually has a minimal impact on people's lives seen as such a big deal? If someone has herpes, what do they do? What's the deal with cold sores? How many people have herpes? Explore all of these questions and more on this episode of Reproductive Left!

Image: Sincerely Media (via Unsplash)

Reference list: 
https://slate.com/technology/2019/12/genital-herpes-stigma-history-explained.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7265941/
https://www.instagram.com/safe.slut/

Herpes

Join our host Aspen and special guest Samaa Abdurraqib as they discuss Samaa's poetry and how different elements of identity influence her work. Along with being a talented and published writer, Samaa is a dear friend, supporter, and board member of Mabel Wadsworth Center.

Image: Nicolas Messifet (via Unsplash)

Interview with Samaa Abdurraqib

Join our host Aspen as they discuss the topic of feminist poetry. What is feminist poetry, and who is a feminist poet? Enjoy some of their favorite feminist poets along with favorites from other members of the Mabel Wadsworth Center team as we explore poetry that touches on sexuality, identity, and more!

Image:Laura Chouette (via Unsplash)

Feminist Poetry

Join Cat and Aspen for the final installment of their three-part adventure in exploring gender.

Interview with a Trans Educator Part 3

Join Cat and Aspen for part two of a three-part adventure in exploring gender! In this episode, the pair focuses on gender roles in our culture.  Our host Aspen could talk about gender all day, the final episode in the series will be released in May.

Interview with a Trans Educator Part 2

Join Cat and Aspen for a three-part adventure in exploring gender! In this episode, the pair focuses on a few identity labels and language questions. Our host Aspen could talk about gender all day, and this conversation spread across three episodes is just the tip of the iceberg.
 
Image: Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

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