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As elections loom, abortion ballot measure leaves students wondering about access

Organizations on and off campus provide students with sexual health and reproductive care resources

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"Arizona organizations on and off campus supply students with insight into sexual health and reproductive rights."


Students and faculty have access to a plethora of sexual health and wellness resources in the months leading up to the vote on Proposition 139, named the Arizona Abortion Access Act.

In early April, the Arizona Supreme Court voted to uphold the 1864 near-total abortion ban, which Gov. Katie Hobbs later repealed for a 15-week limit on abortions, according to a news release from Hobbs' office.

Proposition 139, if amended, will create a fundamental right to abortion in Arizona and will limit the state's ability to "interfere with that right before fetal viability," according to the proposition's descriptive title. Fetal viability is the ability of a fetus to survive outside the uterus. 

At that time, Jodi Liggett, the founder of Arizona Center for Women's Advancement, said they spent their time and energy "educating the community on what this all meant."

According to its website, ACWA is focused on providing information and action to help improve the lives of Arizona women.

"We work in coalitions that want to get information out to prospective patients and others who need to know where they can go and what they can do," Liggett said about their present practices. 

Arizona organizations on and off campus supply students with insight into sexual health and reproductive rights. Some of these organizations work alongside each other, while others work directly on campus.

Planned Parenthood Arizona frequently partners with the ACWA. It offers services including family planning resources, gender-affirming care and vasectomies — a new service they offer — according to Paige Daniel, a community organizer for PPAZ. 

READ MORE: Gov. Katie Hobbs signs repeal of 1864 abortion ban: What this means for students, community

They also offer birth control consultations, STI/STD testing and abortion procedures.

Isabel Gonzalez, a community organizer with PPAZ, said ASU students can go to the organization’s closest clinic to the Tempe campus on 1837 E. Baseline Road for reproductive health services.

Daniel said PPAZ hopes to expand its resources if Proposition 139 is passed. However, she said the organization is focused on the present.

"I know sometimes, because obviously reproductive care is stigmatized in Arizona, it can be kind of scary to access those resources," Daniel said.

For students who are looking for reproductive health resources on campus, Devils in the Bedroom, a student organization, also provides sexual health and wellness resources during their general meetings and provides a safe space for open conversation. 

They offer condoms, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception and informational pamphlets. To acquire these resources outside of meetings, community members can fill out a Google Form on what products they want and a board member can meet them at a designated location. 

"These resources can give them ease of mind, can make sure that they have somebody to talk to or get an item that they couldn't elsewhere for free," said Bee O'Callaghan, the media marketing director for DITB and a senior studying psychology.

O’Callaghan said these resources are "available to students, staff and faculty," as well as those not affiliated with the University.

READ MORE: Devils in the Bedroom destigmatizes sexual education, focuses on creating safe space

At the first DITB general meeting, Winx Health, a company specializing in sexual health products, brought in items such as emergency contraceptive pills, early pregnancy tests, and UTI testing and treatment kits.

"Having broad access, not just to contraception, but to the full range of services, including abortion, is really important" said Liggett. 

Edited by George Headley, Sophia Ramirez, Tiya Talwar, Alexis Heichman and Natalia Jarrett.


Reach the reporter at elbradfo@asu.edu and follow @emmalbradford__ on X.

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Emma BradfordPolitics Reporter

Emma is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication and political science, with a minor in business. This is her second semester with The State Press. 


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