New Organization Launches to Bring Together Oklahomans from All Walks of Life in Support of Reproductive Freedom

A sister organization to We Are Rising, repro46 transcends political ideology 

OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Oklahoma advocates are launching repro46, a new statewide organization dedicated to educating everyday Oklahomans, dispelling misinformation, and building awareness about the harm of the state abortion ban. The new effort comes amid the fallout of the 2022 law and as state lawmakers are poised to further restrict reproductive freedom this year.

"Every Oklahoman should have the freedom to make personal decisions that are best for our lives, our families, and our futures—free from political interference that threatens our health," said Janet Levit, executive consultant to the organization. "repro46 is here to unite everyday Oklahomans—across political divides—to foster understanding, share experiences, and knowledge, and build an Oklahoma that supports reproductive freedom. Rooted in respect and compassion, we're committed to connecting with communities statewide to create real and lasting change."

Since the state abortion ban took effect nearly three years ago, physicians, including OBGYNs, have fled the state due to fear of prosecution and criminalization for providing abortion care, and hospitals are forced to deny pregnant women life-saving stabilizing treatment. The abortion ban also compounds the harm of Oklahoma's maternal health care crisis.

"I've been a gynecologist in Oklahoma for nearly 40 years, and since Oklahoma's abortion ban took effect, my patients are scared. I see patients who are worried that if something goes wrong in a pregnancy, they might not be able to get emergency abortion care. Their concerns are heartbreaking and enraging," said Dr. Jennifer Nelson, M.D., OBGYN, and board member of repro46. "Doctors and nurses are fearful that they'll face prosecution for providing urgent, life-saving abortion care. As a doctor, I know that many things can go wrong in pregnancy. Politicians, with zero training in medicine, shouldn't be standing in the way of doctors providing the care Oklahomans need."

Data also shows that nearly 2,000 Oklahomans have been forced to leave the state for abortion care.

"In Oklahoma, our lives are at the mercy of politicians. Our state's abortion ban has done nothing to protect anyone's health or safety. It has instead hurt Oklahomans like me and my family," said Magon Hoffman, an abortion storyteller who lives in Oklahoma. "In 2022, I received the devastating news that no one wants to hear— the child that I had struggled to conceive had a fatal condition and would not survive, and that continuing the pregnancy put my health in danger. My husband and I made the decision to have an abortion, but because of our laws, I was forced to flee out of state to get the care and compassion that I was denied at home. I am sharing my story because I want others to understand how dangerous these bans are to our freedoms and our future." 

A sister organization to We Are Rising, repro46 founders recognized a need to talk to Oklahomans about the far-reaching impact of the abortion ban and its impact on Oklahomans' health, families, and economic security. Through community roundtable conversations and public awareness campaigns, repro46 is committed to engaging Oklahomans from all political stripes and religious backgrounds to build support for reproductive freedom.

"When Oklahoma politicians banned abortion in 2022, we needed a space for honest, non-judgmental conversations about how this law impacts our health, families, and freedom," said Amy McLaughlin Gray, president of the repro46 board of directors. "I believe in welcoming people of all faiths to grapple with their questions, and as a Republican, I also know this issue transcends party lines. Through the work of repro46, I am excited to have conversations where we all can learn from each other and build a state where everyone has the freedom to get the care they need."

SOURCE repro46