Wyoming is a beautiful state where on an individual basis people will accept you for who you are and give you the space to be who you are.
When I did my last batch of donations on Christmas Eve, I worried a bit that folks wouldn’t see these organizations as much as they did those highlighted earlier in the month. I’m extra grateful for the feedback I’ve received. Thanks to Christine Lichtenfels from Women for Women in Wyoming for taking the time to talk about the abortion rights work that they do.
Why is it critical to serve the population you support in the state where you are?
Wyoming is a very rural and red state. This causes too many women to be isolated, with limited access to support, information and services. Additionally, unlike some states like CA or MA, Medicaid does not cover abortion services, and of course thanks to the Hyde amendment Indian Health Services also does not cover abortions services. This leaves the women who have the least financial resources without any insurance to pay for this medical service. Third, given the long distances many women have to travel in Wyoming to access abortion services, the full cost of getting an abortion is higher than if she did not have to travel so far.
What will Women for Women’s main focus(es) be in 2017?
We continue to work to spread information to Wyoming women about abortion services and that if they can’t afford them there is help —us! No woman should feel trapped into carrying a pregnancy to term.
While you struggle against serious challenges in a red state, what is something positive that those of us outside of Wyoming should know about the state or its people?
Wyoming is a beautiful state where on an individual basis people will accept you for who you are and give you the space to be who you are.
Advent Activism 