Erin Heger
Erin Heger is a freelance writer living in the Kansas City area. Her reporting and essays on maternal mental health, parenting, and health-care policy have been featured in the Atlantic, Refinery29, Ravishly and DAME Magazine.
All Work
![[Photo: A young, brown woman looks at her computer screen.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/telemedicine_2-740x525.jpg)
As the FDA Continues to Restrict Remote Abortion Access, Doctors Are Fighting Back
The pandemic has "really laid bare the fiction" that physical clinics are needed to safely provide abortion services.
![[Photo: A large crowd of pro-choice supporters in Texas hold signs during a rally.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/trust-respect-740x525.jpg)
Texas Reproductive Rights Groups Fight Anti-Abortion ‘Sanctuary Cities’
The Trust. Respect. Access. coalition in Texas is pushing back against the anti-abortion ordinances by working with local activists to speak out.
![[Photo: A young, Black woman sits in a doctor's office and smiles as she listens to her doctor's assessment.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/clinic_4-740x525.jpg)
New York Taxpayers Could Soon Donate to Abortion Access
A proposed bill in the state legislature would let New Yorkers use their tax returns to help people access abortion care.
![[Photo: A young person of color waits nervously in a doctor's office.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/latinx-patient-in-clinic-740x525.jpg)
We Now Know the ‘True Damage’ of Trump’s Family Planning Restrictions
The Trump administration's domestic "gag rule" has cut the Title X family planning program's capacity by 47 percent.
![[Photo: An outside view of an Obria clinic.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/obria_2-740x525.jpg)
Documents Show Government Funding of Anti-Choice Clinics a ‘Futile Project’
The federally funded Obria Group is spending up to 48 times more per patient compared to other clinics receiving Title X grants.
![[Photo: Exterior view of the New Hampshire Capitol building.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/nh-740x525.jpg)
Republicans Are Trying to Ban Abortion Even in States Where They Have Little Chance
Abortion rights foes in the Democratic-majority New Hampshire legislature are "trying to bring the Trump administration’s abortion agenda" to the state, a Planned Parenthood official said.
![[Photo: A split-screen image of Rep. Steve King and Rep. Marsha Blackburn.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/king-blackburn-740x525.jpg)
The Decade’s Worst Anti-Choice Congressional Lawmakers
These politicians have pushed radical abortion policies and rhetoric into the political mainstream, threatening the constitutional right to abortion.
![[Photo: An illustrated map of the United States on a yellow background depicting states with independent abortion clinics.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Untitled-1-740x525.jpg)
‘Untold Story’: Independent Abortion Clinics Are Closing at a Rapid Pace
Independent abortion clinics lack the visibility, institutional support, and financial resources of other providers, like Planned Parenthood.
![[Photo: An illustration of a map of the United States depicting which states have fetal remains legislation. Some states are colored in black, others in red.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FETAL-BURIAL-01-01-740x525.jpg)
Here’s Why Fetal Burial Legislation Is Surging in the States
These bills aren't about "dignity," abortion rights advocates say. They're about shutting down clinics and eroding abortion access.
‘This Fight Has Existential Stakes’: How a Court Ruling Has Thrown Kansas Abortion Laws Into Flux
The Kansas Supreme Court ruling that abortion is a fundamental right has sent anti-choice organizations and lawmakers scrambling.
![[Photo: Clinic escorts stand in a parking lot as anti-abortion demonstrators hold a protest outside an abortion clinic.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/antichoice-740x525.jpg)
‘It’s All About Power’: Mississippi Anti-Choice Group Targets Buffer Zone Ordinance
The legal attack on patients' right not to be harassed comes amid a spike in threats and violence against abortion providers.
![[Photo: The exterior of the new Planned Parenthood Reproductive Clinic in Fairview Heights, Illinois.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/PP_Illinois-740x525.jpg)
The Strategy Behind Where to Build Abortion Clinics
The bifurcation of abortion access in the United States means more clinics should be built on the border of states with onerous anti-choice restrictions, advocates say.
![[Photo: U.S. Senator Mike Braun speaks during a hearing.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/mike-braun_2-740x525.jpg)
Senate Republicans Push ‘Fetal Burial’ Law to Impose New Burden on Abortion Providers
Anti-choice lawmakers in state legislatures have for years used fetal remains burial laws to create barriers and add costs to abortion care.
![[Photo: An illustrated map of North Carolina, with the cities of Greensboro, Raleigh and Charlotte shown.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/north-carolina-740x525.jpg)
Abortion Patients Across the South Are Traveling to North Carolina for Care
Extreme abortion bans, like the near-total ban passed this year in Georgia's Republican-majority legislature, are contributing to an increase in the number of people leaving their states to seek abortions.
![[Photo: A medical assistant takes a patient's blood pressure.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/clinician-740x525.jpg)
‘We Are Headed Toward a Public Health Crisis’: Title X Clinics Grapple With Trump’s ‘Gag Rule’
Family planning officials in states with anti-choice restrictions see the new Title X rules as yet another barrier to health care for people with low incomes.
![[Photo: Gregorio Casar speaks passionately during a press conference.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/city-council_2-740x525.jpg)
How One Texas City Exploited a Loophole in an Anti-Choice State Law (Updated)
Officials in Austin, Texas believe they've found a way around a Republican state law targeting a lease agreement between the city and a Planned Parenthood health center.
![[Photo: A woman looks at the HealthCare.gov site on her laptop screen.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/aca_2-740x525.jpg)
Abortion ‘Stigma’ Prevalent in Many Affordable Care Act Plans
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is creating unnecessary administrative burdens for those receiving abortion care through ACA plans.
![[Photo: A group of diverse high school students learning in a classroom.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/classroom-740x525.jpg)
Another State Could Soon Insert Anti-Abortion Propaganda Into Public Schools
Republican-backed legislation in Ohio would mandate that teachers use anti-choice talking points in sex ed classes.
![[Photo: A large billboard that reads 'Abortion is Freedom’ rises between buildings.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/abortion-billboard-740x525.jpg)
The Real Goal Behind Unenforceable City Council Abortion Bans (Updated)
City councils are passing abortion bans that serve to confuse and intimidate those seeking abortion care. Pro-choice advocates are pushing back.
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Texas GOP Outlaws Local Governments From Having ‘Any Transaction’ With Abortion Providers
The law is intended to target the Planned Parenthood health center in Austin, Texas, which doesn't provide abortion care.
![[Photo: The exterior of a Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St Louis, Missouri.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/PP-Missouri-740x525.jpg)
‘They’ve Moved the Goalpost’: How Missouri Lawmakers Are Regulating Legal Abortion Out of Existence
Anti-choice government officials have altered rules and regulations to shut down abortion care facilities across Missouri.
![[Photo: Illustration of a United States map depicting Illinois in blue and surrounding states in red.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/illinois-01-740x525.jpg)
Pro-Choice Bills Could Cement Illinois as the Midwest’s Abortion Care Oasis (Updated)
Illinois Democrats' pro-choice push could help providers cope with an influx of out-of-state patients by expanding the number of medical professionals who can provide in-clinic abortion services.
16 Black Moms Are Getting a Basic Income in Mississippi. Here’s How It’s Working.
A group of Black mothers in Mississippi are receiving $1,000 a month as part of a basic income program designed to provide an income floor and help people out of poverty.
Mitch McConnell Determined to Confirm Trump’s Radical Anti-Choice Judges (Updated)
The latest slate of President Trump's judges include longtime abortion rights foes who could undo reproductive rights for decades to come.
19 Black Women Judges Swept to Victory in Texas. Here’s Why It Matters.
Adding women of color to judicial seats in Harris County, Texas, not only bolsters racial diversity on the bench, but could affect bail reform and housing cases.
‘We Want to Flip the Narrative’: Religious Groups Bring Pro-Choice Billboards to Oklahoma
“Abortion stigma is everywhere. In medical institutions ... even among people who have abortions, and the only way we can ever hope to overcome stigma is to talk about it."
Confusing and Onerous Work Requirements Lead to Loss of Medicaid Coverage in Arkansas (Updated)
“The assumption of personal responsibility that is underlying this policy doesn’t necessarily take into consideration the challenges people are facing on a daily basis," said Jessica Greene, a health policy professor.
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Teacher Strikes Could Be on Their Way to Washington State
The push for better pay from teachers this summer is a result of the Washington Supreme Court’s ruling that the state was not adequately funding education.
![[Photo: A Missourian enters a polling place to vote]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/GettyImages-515697300-740x525.jpg)
Missouri Democrats Just Voted to Remove Anti-Choice Language From State Platform
Sixty-one of 68 members voted on Saturday in support of removing the language.
![[Photo: Laura Kelly]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Laura-Kelly-740x525.png)
Pro-Choice Democrat Wins Kansas Gubernatorial Primary (Updated)
Kansas could make history this fall if its U.S. Congressional Democratic candidates are successful.
![[Photo: A stressed nurse practitioner]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_141463099-740x525.jpg)
Planned Parenthood Has a History of Trying to Beat Back Labor Unions
Planned Parenthood has fought against workers' union drives since at least the early-2000s. “I’m passionate about reproductive health but ... I am so disillusioned by the exploitation of those working and sacrificing for the cause.”
![[Photo: Planned Parenthood Building]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GettyImages-483023100-740x525.jpg)
Planned Parenthood Denies Sending Police to Intimidate Pro-Union Abortion Provider
“What happened at the fundraiser triggered post traumatic stress disorder symptoms because the perpetrators were people on my side who I am not supposed to be fighting."
![[Photo: A Planned Parenthood staff stands next to posters]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GettyImages-635640160-740x525.jpg)
‘Frustrating,’ ‘Confusing’: Planned Parenthood Workers Grapple With Organization’s Union Fight
A fight in Colorado over Planned Parenthood unionization has some wondering why the reproductive health-care champion would stand in the way.
Virginia Legislators Just Voted to Make Medicaid Available to 400,000 More People
Likely voters in Virginia overwhelmingly support Medicaid expansion in every state house and state senate district, according to recent data.
Missouri GOP Rams Through Planned Parenthood Defunding in Budget Vote
Cutting Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid program harms the 7,000 Medicaid patients who visit Planned Parenthood health centers every year in Missouri, leaving them with few options to access preventive health care.
![[photo: A woman holds a rainbow flag up.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GettyImages-800875378-740x525.jpg)
No One Faces Higher Barriers to Paid Leave Than LGBTQ Workers of Color
Forty percent of LGBTQ respondents of color reported their employer has LGBTQ-inclusive leave policies, while 27 percent say they are afraid to request time off to care for a loved one because it might disclose their LGBTQ identity.
![[Photo: An empty classroom with old, dusty tables and chairs]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/shutterstock_415657423-740x525.jpg)
Kansas Schools Just Got a $530 Million Increase. It Might Not Be Enough.
Should the Kansas Supreme Court find the legislature’s school funding attempts are still in violation of the state constitution, lawmakers will be back for a special session or risk schools not opening in August.
Kansas Schools Could Soon Shut Down if Republicans Don’t Reverse Spending Cuts (Updated)
Kansas schools need $2 billion in additional funding over the next five years, according to a study commissioned by state legislators.
![[Photo: A female patient wearing a hospital gown sits on an examination table in a doctor's office]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/shutterstock_149926544-740x525.jpg)
Nebraska GOP Takes Trump’s Lead, Seeks to Deny Funds to Family Planning Centers
The Nebraska GOP plan to deny Title X funds to health centers that perform, counsel about, or refer for abortion services would harm family planning health centers in the state, potentially setting them up to violate federal law.
![[Photo: An empty classroom.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/shutterstock_583046317-740x525.jpg)
Oklahoma Teachers, Ready to Strike, Have an Unlikely Ally in the Fight for Better Pay
Republican lawmakers in 2013 reduced the state’s top income tax rate and extended tax cuts for oil and gas companies, leaving Oklahoma with a budget deficit that has resulted in drastic cuts to social services, including education.
![[Photo: West Virginia teachers, students and supporters hold signs on a Morgantown street as they continue their strike.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/GettyImages-926417022-740x525.jpg)
West Virginia GOP Leader Refused to Pay Teachers with Tax Hikes on Big Oil, His Major Campaign Funder
Tax cuts for oil and gas giants have starved state coffers as teacher pay in West Virginia has stagnated. Senate President Mitch Carmichael has opposed any oil and gas tax increases that could be used to pay teachers decent wages.
Kansas Republicans Mostly Silent on Party Resolution Invalidating Transgender People
“Do they know how brave a child has to be to come out to their parents that they are transgender? .... And on top of that, how frightening it is to read the new Republican resolution?”
![[Photo: A Mother tends to her sick child.]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/shutterstock_472626583-740x525.jpg)
Medicaid Work Requirements Could Mean Disaster for Many Parents
In states where GOP lawmakers have not expanded Medicaid access, "the families we are talking about who would be subject to the work requirement are really the poorest families. They are struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis.”
How Anti-Choice Activists Turned Anecdotes Into Public Policy
"We have socially constructed women into law as lacking agency and being incapable of making their own decisions.”
When Lawmakers Slash Assistance for Families, Foster Care Cases Increase
“If we could take even just a fraction of the money that we spend on foster care and give it to families where kids are being removed and put into foster care, we could prevent much of the need for foster care."
Scott Walker Looks to ‘Stigmatize’ Wisconsin Families Receiving Food Assistance
“These policies are based on an idea that drug use is prevalent among welfare recipients, and that harmful stereotype is simply not true."
Virginia’s Anti-Choice Floodgates Could Open if Republicans Win Governorship
“[Ed] Gillespie has tried to appeal to the far right during the campaign and align himself with the religious right, and if he wins he will owe them."
For Many, Keeping a Job Means Hiding an Abortion
“These are the positions we find ourselves in as women. We might advocate for access to reproductive health care, but when we need it we find ourselves alone.”
Anti-Choice Kansas Democrat Enters Gubernatorial Fray
Josh Svaty cast ten votes against abortion rights during his time in the GOP-held Kansas legislature.
GOP Retains Kansas Congressional Seat After Last-Minute Anti-Choice Attack Ads
Attack ads tried to tap into the GOP’s fervent anti-abortion base by claiming Democrat James Thompson supports taxpayer-funded sex selective and later abortion care.
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![[PHOTO: Black woman doctor talking to young patient]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/shutterstock_536008132-2-740x525.jpg)
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![[PHOTO: Black woman sits beside a doctor, a Black woman]](https://rewirenewsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/GettyImages-482136351-740x525.png)