Welcome to Breaking Down Patriarchy. I'm Amy McPhee All the Best. This week began with the 4th of July,

a holiday when Americans celebrate our freedoms from tyranny and oppression. And yet, only a few

days prior, millions of women felt the distress of having an essential freedom to exercise autonomy

over their own reproduction

stripped away. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade threatens the bodily autonomy and

well-being of women all across the country. As of the time of this recording, eight states have

already banned access to abortion, and another 10 states are expected to follow

suit. In fact, abortion access is currently being challenged in over half of this country's

50 states, with activists raising further concerns that the overturning of Roe could lead

to further rulings against civil liberties, such as the right to use birth control and the right

to marry the person you love. In response to this situation, later this week we'll be airing

a special episode on that topic, so please watch for it in your feed later this week. But in the

meantime, today's episode is also extremely timely, as it shares stories from

everyday people who take action in moments of injustice. Today, we'll be hearing two remarkable

stories of people standing up against depression, whether that confrontation happens behind

the lines of a phone bank or face-to-face in the streets. Later in the episode, we'll be

joined by musician and storyteller Dellen Rule for their reflections on a day of chaotic

protests, counter-protests, and clowns. But first, we're going to hear from Teresa Beauchamp,

who shares a story which may feel familiar to some listeners, waking up in

November of 2016 to the shocking news of Donald Trump's election and wondering what we could

possibly do.

Thankfully, Teresa wasted little time before leaping into the fight to defend reproductive rights,

...