Photo: Tiktok
This trend may not be as helpful as it seems.
By Kurtis Condra — Written on Jun 27, 2022
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe V. Wade has created immediate danger for people seeking abortions.
There are 11 states currently where abortion is banned or heavily restricted, but more may soon follow. Now, on TikTok, women are mobilizing themselves to take matters into their own hands by offering refuge for those who may need to travel to access an abortion.
But this strategy comes with some potentially dangerous caveats.
TikTok users are offering to house people traveling to have an abortion.
Using code words from "camping" to "wine-tasting," women who live in areas where safe, legal abortions still exist are offering accommodation, emotional support and secrecy for those who need to travel to access this healthcare.
The videos promise anyone in need of an abortion, assistance in recovery, car rides from borders, and more.
“We are lucky to live in a state where we can easily attend a dog event,” writes one user, “If you don’t have access to dog events where you live, you can come visit us.”
“We have a guest room, puppy cuddles, and we can even give you a ride to your dog event.”
In the background, a song plays with the lyrics “If we go down then we go down together.”
The trend is linked to hashtags that have been appearing on the app such as #roevwade, #ifwegodownwegodowntogether, or #wegodowntogether.
This is not the first time users have taken to TikTok to voice their protests against U.S. abortion laws. Back in May, a trend gained traction with users using the song "Vent" by rapper Baby Keem to recount their abortion stories.
Many of these TikToks are receiving praise, with individuals commenting they are thankful that people are assisting or that others wish they could help, but the states they are in are unsafe.
But, elsewhere, activists are urging both the creators of these videos and those seeking assistance to be cautious.
The TikTok users are not part of an official abortion fund.
Though these people may be well-intentioned, we are entering dangerous territory in which, in some states, accessing abortion or aiding in accessing one could lead to criminal chages.
As one Twitter user, Kiki Djarin, notes, offering assistance via social media is not the safest avenue.
"These people have gone on social media and publicly announced they are a safe haven for abortion seekers," Djarin writes. "Anti-abortion people are now watching them. Law enforcement will learn their names."
She notes that if you want to help the cause or you need an abortion, you should go to an accredited abortion fund or abortion network, not to social media.
The individuals there have years of experience, while TikTok and Twitter users may not have the necessary level of training.
Now that people across the U.S. are facing extreme obstacles while trying to access vital healthcare, we need to offer our support where we can.
Local abortion funds across the nation are helping to fund procedures, abortion pills, transportation and lodging when travel is required, childcare, doulas, emotional support, and more. Find your local abortion fund at AbortionFunds.org.
Or consider donating to help independent clinics keep their doors open as they face increased expenses for security, building repairs, legal fees, and community education and advocacy. Donate to clinics via KeepOurClinics.org.
Kurtis Condra is a writer based in San Francisco. His expertise includes pop-culture deep dives, human interest stories, and news. You can follow his poetry on Instagram.