Mary Tuma

Freelance Journalist, Texas Reproductive Rights | Bylines @GuardianUS @theintercept @TheNation @MotherJones @nytopinion @TexasMonthly | Email [email protected]

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Pregnant with twins, Texas mother Ashley Brandt faced a lethal fetal abnormality. Even though it threatened her health – and her other twin's life – state abortion law makes no exception for this diagnosis.

For @NPR affiliate @TPRNews + @pubhealthwatch: https://t.co/ndQH7zPZTz

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Takeaways for the repro rights movement from my conversations w/ @AmyHM for @MotherJones:

-> Listen to abortion providers in the South, they've lived it!

-> National repro groups need to better invest in local orgs in banned states

-> "Do not comply in advance" under Trump

[Mother Jones @MotherJones]

She championed abortion rights in Texas and Amy Hagstrom Miller is ready for the next fight. https://t.co/jk639HedDp

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

NEW Texas anti-abortion bill filed would make abortion equal to criminal homicide and could outlaw birth control: HB 2197 meant to "protect the lives of preborn children with the same criminal and civil laws protecting the lives of human beings born alive"
https://t.co/eOoShjZFY5

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

My latest for @GuardianUS: As the Texas Legislature convenes, Republicans have filed a slew of bills aimed at stopping the flow of abortion pills.

And anti-abortion activists are recruiting men to sue people who helped their partner obtain those pills:

https://t.co/8IGQptDCRg

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

For @MotherJones, I talked to longtime independent abortion provider @AmyHM about how she's planning to pushback during the Trump era, including *expanding* services amid the anti-abortion administration.

"Do not comply in advance," she stresses.

https://t.co/jvF2e0fovU

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

My recent interview with Cecile is up now. We talked about the importance of sharing often tragic abortion stories, what Trump's second term means for abortion care, and how individuals can protect their repro rights under Trump: https://t.co/eZ614NC3KJ

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Honored to have interviewed Cecile Richards for this month's issue of @TexasObserver magazine, likely one of her final. The Texas-born repro rights icon stressed the importance of abortion storytelling. She truly never gave up the fight. I'll share a link to our conversation soon

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

My recent interview with reproductive rights champion Cecile Richards is up now at @TexasObserver. We talked about the importance of sharing often tragic abortion stories, what Trump's second term means for abortion, and how individuals can protect their repro rights under Trump:

[Texas Observer @TexasObserver]

Cecile Richards, who passed away today at 67, was interviewed for the current print issue of the Texas Observer.

This story was going to run online later this month, but here is the interview now in light of the news: https://t.co/unYMk7G8oW Interview by @TumaTime

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

In addition to the several bills seeking to block access to abortion pills by mail, Texas Republicans also plan to file an expanded "Heartbeat Law" this session.

And activists say expect men to file more "wrongful death" for abortion lawsuits soon.

https://t.co/8IGQptDCRg

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

My latest for @GuardianUS: As the Texas Legislature convenes, Republicans have filed a slew of bills aimed at stopping the flow of abortion pills.

And anti-abortion activists are recruiting men to sue people who helped their partner obtain those pills:

https://t.co/8IGQptDCRg

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Hi all! Thank you so much for following my stories on Texas reproductive rights! I will likely be posting more often on Bluesky, you can find me there at: @marytuma.bsky.social. And don't hesitate to contact me discreetly w/ tips, documents etc. on Signal or [email protected]

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Texas AG Ken Paxton is suing a New York doctor for allegedly "unlawfully" providing abortion drugs to Texas residents, setting up a battle that asserts Texas law over NY's shield law, the filing here: https://t.co/HQflPIyhJe

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Bill text: https://t.co/4enZJMqFiL
And background on the Louisiana law from @lorenaoneil here: https://t.co/S3WD3ddX5h

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

The Texas Legislature meets this January for an (at least) five-month session. A GOP lawmaker has already filed a bill to classify abortion drugs as "controlled substances" – similar to a Louisiana law, which could prevent doctors from helping patients w/ postpartum hemorrhaging

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Not The Onion: Author of the Texas abortion ban argues the reason docs aren't saving patients – leading to deaths like ones recently reported by ProPublica – is not b/c of the law's lack of clarity but b/c "of articles like these published by ProPublica."
https://t.co/XUS7aczhng

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

A remarkable abortion rights ballot victory in conservative Amarillo, Texas not only protected out-of-state abortion care but thwarted anti-abortion activists’ efforts to revive a nationwide ban on medication abortion.

For @MotherJones:

https://t.co/smA8Xs6kI5

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

The ordinance failed with 59% of the vote – remarkable in a conservative city that voted for Trump by about 70% of the vote in 2020.

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

BREAKING: A *rare* abortion rights win in Texas – voters in the conservative city of Amarillo have voted AGAINST an abortion travel ban that would have empowered residents to sue anyone who "aids and abets" abortion access across state lines.

Bkgrnd: https://t.co/zo0KKBZReE

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Crafted by the anti-abortion architects of SB 8, the measure could have had national implications for abortion rights, as activists hoped to use the ordinance to revive a lawsuit that sought to revoke approval of medication abortion drug mifepristone.

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

Voters in the city of Amarillo, Texas will decide if they want to pass an abortion travel ban that encourages residents to file suit against anyone who helps a patient seek out-of-state care.

Early voting totals show 57.9% are AGAINST it.

Bkgrnd: https://t.co/zo0KKBZReE

[Mary Tuma @TumaTime]

@garnethenderson Thank you for pointing this out, Garnet!

[Garnet Henderson garnethenderson.com on Bluesky @garnethenderson]

Josseli died in Sept 2021. That’s after SB 8, the TX 6 week abortion ban, went into effect but before Roe was overturned. I appreciate ProPublica covering this bc it feels like many have already forgotten that Texans lived under a near-total ban for almost a year pre-Dobbs