Fight for Someone: Love-Politics in Organizing for Reproductive Health Care Legislation in Rhode Island

• In Event: Radical Love for Creative and Transformative Justice

Abstract

The Rhode Island State House was the place to be with activists waiting outside before the doors opened and streaming in throughout the day to claim a space in the House or Senate Gallery. After years of work, Rhode Island was about to pass legislation protecting the right to abortion, despite lacking the support of any legislative leaders. On this warm 19th day of June in 2019, this legislation would pass the RI Senate, the RI House, be signed by the Governor, and shortly afterwards, activists would be ushered out of the building. This paper explores the movement to codify abortion access in law in Rhode Island between 2017 and 2019, drawing on a community-engaged public oral history archive that is currently under development and that includes oral histories of activists, community leaders, and elected officials both working for and opposed to the codification of Roe in state law. In particular, it examines the role of love-politics in both organizing and strategy as activists working for abortion access envisioned a different world.

Authors

• Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur, Rhode Island College

• Jordan Banick, none

• Robert Warner Widell, University of Rhode Island