Every day, abortion providers across the country take a deep breath, unlock the clinic door, and begin their day. They know that patients who need their time, care, compassion, and medical expertise are about to walk through their doors.
And they also know protesters will flood their sidewalks, harass their patients and colleagues, and sometimes even attempt to block or breach their doors. They will face the day not knowing if the internet service provider will come to repair their Wi-Fi once they see the crowd of protesters outside, or whether the police will help patients enter the clinic safely or side with the protesters.
Abortion providers keep showing up, and we’re so very grateful they do. That’s why we’re taking time to honor Abortion Provider Appreciation Day on March 10: to celebrate the exceptional, loving dedication of abortion providers who show up in communities across the country and provide respectful, compassionate care every single day.
As co-chairs of the board of directors at the Abortion Care Network, as an abortion provider, and as a proud provider ally, we know firsthand that independent clinics (indies) are the heart of reproductive health care in this country. Independent clinics are vital to maintaining the current level of abortion access, and they are completely necessary to build a future in which a full range of care—from miscarriage management to later abortion—is locally available for anybody who needs it.
Independent abortion providers provide the majority of care in the United States. Indie clinics are innovators, often on the front lines of difficult and hostile environments, dedicated to providing comprehensive abortion care to their communities.
We are sending our love to abortion providers across the country today. We want to start with abortion providers in the 14 states where abortion is no longer legal and the 11 states that are highly restricted. We see you!
We see those who have had to close their clinics and who pivoted to provide other services to their community. We see each and every person who continues to advocate to make their home states better and make abortion accessible. We stand with you, and together, we hold the vision of a country with true reproductive access.
To those in states where abortion is still legal, you have our heartfelt thanks for holding the line for reproductive rights and abortion care. We see you. We see the dedication, the exhaustion, and most importantly, the compassion you are showing to all those who travel to you.
We also want to show our love and appreciation for all organizations that help patients travel to get care that is so desperately needed. For decades, and since the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, our movement has created and shored up a range of scrappy, creative, and bold systems to get people the abortions they need: Funds and practical support organizations continue working around the clock to ensure that people have the financial and logistical resources to get their abortions. Legal organizations are avidly protecting people and pursuing every legal avenue. Advocacy organizations are changing the way people think and act for abortion rights and access. Activists are sharing information about self-managed abortion and abortion pills by mail.
In this ecosystem of access, indie clinics are irreplaceable, and they must be protected at all costs. Indies are the leaders at providing care throughout pregnancy—so no matter when a person may need an abortion, and no matter what the reasons, indies are there to give them the emotional support and medical expertise they need. Indies are innovators at ensuring that people can access abortion care in clinics, in their homes, or in another space that feels safe and comfortable. Even in restrictive states, many indies continue to provide miscarriage management—and in a country where pregnancy outcomes may be criminalized, we desperately need trusted providers to help people experiencing any kind of pregnancy loss.
Abortion providers deserve not only respect, but also celebration. In an era where the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and is poised to continue to make abortion care increasingly difficult to access, celebration feels radical, and radical celebration is not only necessary but defiant. We need to shout our love for indie providers from the rooftops, and we need to show up for them.
Abortion providers across the country deserve trust, rest, and common sense policies that allow them to treat their patients in private environments with dignity, respect, and medical best practices at the center.
Indie providers are creative, caring, and strong—they show up to provide abortions every day while working toward a world in which we can shape our futures. Abortion providers, their supporters, and allies are determined to create a future with fully accessible abortion care. We encourage you to celebrate the abortion providers in your community today and every day—by working to normalize abortion, becoming a resource in your community by understanding the post-Dobbs landscape and by knowing the abortion care providers that are closest to you, and working to keep the clinics in your community and across the country open by donating to Keep Our Clinics.
Abortion providers don’t just dream of a world where their expert medical care is accessible, affordable, and available to everyone who needs it—they work for it every day. Today, we celebrate them and invite you to join us in celebrating independent abortion providers and working toward creating a new world—one where everyone can seek the care they deserve and need on their timeline and their terms.
