How to Talk about Reproductive Freedom: My Conversation with Dina Montemarano

20 Minutes with Bronwyn

I was NOT planning on dropping this episode until much later in the summer, but within a few days of recording this conversation, a draft opinion on the overturning of Roe vs. Wade was leaked to Politico.

My intention from the beginning was to talk with an expert about the language around reproductive freedom.

Because here’s what I know for sure:

Women cannot compete economically and/or provide for our families if we lose our right to determine when (or whether) to have children.

I don’t know any other way to say it.

And yet somehow, despite the simple truth of this statement, we’re at the precipice of losing that right. It makes me wonder if we’ve been talking about this all wrong.

So … to help take us deeper into the language and messaging of reproductive freedom (and how we might protect it), my guest this week is Dina Montemarano, Research Director at NARAL Pro-Choice America, where she leads messaging, opposition, and disinformation-focused research on abortion access and the anti-choice movement.

Prior to NARAL, Dina worked on Senator Warren's and Vice President Harris' Presidential campaigns, and at Global Health Strategies, where she managed global health communication programs for the Gates Foundation. She has a BA from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Dina is a wonder woman, and was incredibly kind and patient with me while I had a good cry during this conversation.

To find out how you can donate to pro-choice candidates in the midterms, here is a list of political candidates working to protect reproductive freedom in the US.

One small note … for reasons beyond my ken, you have to have already donated to NARAL to be able to use this system. Just donate as little as $1 to NARAL and then you’ll be able to use this link effectively and efficiently to support multiple candidates doing this incredibly important work.

As always, the most powerful thing you can do is VOTE. Do NOT sit out midterms. Vote for candidates that prioritize women’s health. We are not a special niche interest group. We make up half of the population.

Stay strong. Shine on.

https://bit.ly/NARAL_LINK