On Thanks Birth Control Day, Every Story Counts
“21.4 million women of reproductive age in the United States in need of low- or no- cost contraception live in a county with an access gap—where the need for publicly funded services is greater than the availability of these services.” New data from Power to Decide and Guttmacher Institute shows this policy-made contraceptive care disparity, which is contributing to the epidemic of forced pregnancy and forced parenthood in the U.S. Lori Adelman, CEO of Power to Decide, sits down to talk with us about why #ThxBirthControl Day is more important than ever in the fight for contraceptive access.
Storytelling is a powerful facet of birth control advocacy. When we candidly share our birth control experiences, we fight back against fast-travelling mis- and disinformation in the media landscape—information often propagated and weaponized by anti-choice state and federal lawmakers to further restrict access to sexual and reproductive health care. In the 2026 Youth Reproductive Health Access (YouR HeAlth) Survey, Power to Decide found that 1 in 5 young people have considered changing their birth control because of something they saw on social media. Power to Decide’s Thanks Birth Control Day is a community effort to ensure that the information they are receiving is accurate and comprehensive.
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Transcript
Jennie: Welcome to rePROs Fight Back, a podcast on all things related to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. [music intro]
Jennie: Hi, rePROs. Real quick call for help before we start this week's episode. After almost nine years, rePROs Fight Back is going to redesign our website and launch a brand new one. So, whether you've been with us for years or you're just meeting us, we want to make sure that this site is a place that works for you. We would love your help in making it a warm, safe, welcoming space that is meeting your needs. So, if you could take a short survey that's going to take like about five minutes, we would really love your input. It's anonymous and you don't need to answer all the questions. They are all optional. We would just really appreciate some time from y'all. So that way our website will be a great home for you as you are coming to engage with our work. So, we will have a link in our show notes. So please stop by and make sure to give us your thoughts. Thank you so much. Welcome to rePROs Fight Back, a podcast on all things related to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice.
Hi, rePROs. How's everybody doing? I'm your host, Jennie Wetter, and my pronouns are she/her. So, last week I was in Texas for the American Public Health Association's annual conference. We had a booth for rePROs. And so, I got to talk to a bunch of y'all, which was so wonderful. And I got to talk about the podcast, which I love getting to do. I also get to hang out in San Antonio for a little bit. I had a free day to explore, which was really nice. I had been in San Antonio once before, but I hadn't spent a ton of time there. It was kind of similar to this. I was there for a conference, so I didn't get to like walk around too much. But I came in a day early and was able to walk around. And so, I went and had some amazing barbecue, which was so nice. I really enjoyed that. I also then, as I was walking back to the hotel, stumbled upon the Alamo. I didn't realize it was like right on my way back. So that was kind of fun. Got to walk around that for a little bit. And yeah, it was so fun. There was like I was walking to the barbecue place and saw this gorgeous old mission. Like it was just so much fun getting to walk around that area. Spent a little bit of time on the River Walk and seeing all the people out and about in their Halloween costumes was a lot of fun as well. And there was like a little park near the hotel that was I had all this, all these sculptures for Day of the Dead that were really cool. So that was really fun to see as well. I took a lot of pictures there. It was so much fun. So yeah, it was nice. It was also really interesting because we were in Texas on election day. And so that was also interesting. I unfortunately had a 6 a.m. flight out of Texas on Wednesday. So, I didn't really get to go out and experience any of the watch parties or, like, hang out and be on the streets, but it was still really interesting to just be in Texas as all of that was going on. So yeah, it was really nice. I'm dealing with some very whiny cats since I've been back. And by cats, let's be fair, it's one, it's Cinder. She has been very yelly since I got back. Hopefully, it will get better as I am back now for a while. She just has a lot of opinions at the moment to share. Let's see what else is exciting. Oh, well, the other huge news is Repro's Fight Back won two Anthem Awards this year. That is so amazing, y'all. I am just feeling so overwhelmed by all of the love for the podcast. We won a Silver for podcasts in Belonging and Inclusion. And we won a Bronze anthem award for Human and Civil Rights for podcasts. Y'all, it just makes my heart so happy and just so excited. I'm so, so stinking proud of my team. Like this was just a really amazing week for us. Like last week, we had three really hard days of tabling at a conference that is huge and it's exhausting and draining and really just drains your social battery. But Rachel and Elena were so amazing. We are lucky to have Maniza from the Population Institute team joined us for some of the days. So that was also really great, but just so amazing to have my team there, and they were so great at talking about the podcast and talking about the other work at rePROs. We also had this really cute ornament that we were selling while we were there. Don't worry if y'all missed out. You can get it on our bonfire site. We'll make sure to include links in the show notes. The design is just so stinking cute. It has a really cute goose on it and it says, "patriarchy roasting over an open fire." And the goose has a lit match in its mouth. It's adorable. Okay, that's like a side project, but I was like so excited uh for my team. They did such a great job. And then to have us get back from this trip where we were all drained and exhausted and really just drained. And to find out we won two awards was just the rejuvenation we needed. I am so, so proud of my team for all of the work they do every day. So, Rachel, Elena, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for all of your help with the podcast and the site and all of the other work that rePROs does. I am so proud of you. We could not do this without you, and also to Meg, who does such a great job editing the podcast every week, and to Devin and Holly at Tink, who do so much work helping us promote the podcast. So, I am so proud of my team and all of the support around us, and for all of our cheerleaders at Population Institute. We couldn't do this without you guys either. So thank you. Thank you to all of you for listening, for voting for us. I appreciate that so much. We all do. And I am just also so grateful to all of the amazing guests we have on the podcast who come and share their brilliance and all of the hard work that they do. I am so grateful to all of them. We would not have a podcast without them. I had no interest in being just a talking head. So, this relies on all of their amazing work. So, thank you. And yeah, I'm just so humbled and honored and grateful and feeling all of the feelings. And sometimes, you know, this work can be so draining and emotionally taxing, and you feel like you're just putting this thing out into the world and to get recognition for something that we put our heart and soul into means the world to all of us. So, thank you.
Okay. With that, I think let's just jump to this week's episode. I am very excited to have on an old friend who's in a new position. We are so excited this week to have on Lori Adelman, the new executive director at Power to Decide, to talk about Thanks Birth Control and why it's so important that we talk about contraception. So, with that, let's turn to my interview with Lori.
Hi, Lori. Thank you so much for being here today.
Lori: Hi, Jennie. It's such a pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Jennie: I'm so excited to have you, but first, congrats on the new role. I'm so excited to see you now at Power to Decide.
Lori: Thank you so much. Yeah, it's an incredible organization. I've been following their work for a long time. And, you know, it's been less than two months, so you're gonna get some very early impressions.
Jennie: Before we get started, would you like to do a fuller introduction of yourself?
Lori: Sure, absolutely. So, I am Lori Adelman, as you just mentioned. I am the relatively new CEO at Power to Decide, which is a fabulous organization that works to increase sexual and reproductive health information for folks. We run platforms like Bedsider to help you make decisions about the birth control that's right for you and Abortion Finder, which is a continuously verified database of abortion providers across the US. And we also do things like work with people in the media to make sure that there are accurate representations of sexual and reproductive health stories in media, including in Hollywood produced television and movies. And we also have some in-person place programming, notably among a number of HBCUs.
Jennie: 08:45 That's so wonderful. Actually, I don't think I knew that last one. That's so great to hear.
Lori: Yeah. Yeah. And if it's helpful for folks to share, because I think the last time we talked, I was here in my role as the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global. So, I am obviously a repro girly. I'm a fan of your show. I have taken the journey, which is becoming more common, of you know, communications director to executive leadership. And, you know, one of the reasons that I feel so passionately about the role of communications in this work is because we know, you know, people are constantly taking in messaging about these issues. And that messaging is priming them for the health care that they may or may not need at different stages in their life. And so, when they may end up deciding to, hey, I want to go explore birth control methods or I'm finding myself pregnant and I don't want to be, the messages that they've received to date out there in the culture from their community are going to determine to some extent the experience they have in actually getting that care. And so that's been a big passion of mine. I've worked across reproductive health care in both domestic and global settings. And so, it's been really exciting for me in this time where there is so much need across the United States with regards to reproductive health and the fall of Roe and so many attacks and targeting of our sector that I've been able to come back to an organization with such a historic legacy and with a focus on the domestic landscape.
Jennie: So, you all have a big day coming up this week when this comes out. So, I thought we would start there just in case, you know, we lose listeners at the end. We want to make sure that we have the information about Thanks Birth Control Day up top. So, what is it and why is it important?
Lori: Absolutely. So, this is such an important campaign, and it's one that is so near and dear to my heart because I had heard about it even before I joined Power to Decide. And Power to Decide has been doing Thanks Birth Control Day for 14 years. So, this is gonna be our 14th year of Thanks Birth Control Day, and Jenny, I know you've been on that journey with us. So, thank you for lifting this up year after year. And I want folks to understand first and foremost, because I know your audience is a lot of people who are passionate about repro, and as am I, this campaign is special because it also reaches beyond the reproductive health community. And what I want people to know about it is that it has reached tens of millions of people, right? Just in the past five years, we know there have been 25 million engagements around Thanks Birth Control. And we want to get the message out that every birth control story matters, it's worth protecting, and we want people to understand that whether you know it's about what birth control has made possible for them, or even some challenges that they've had in accessing birth control along the way, their story matters. That experience is worth lifting up and protecting. And we want people to know that as this comes under attack and as there's more and more opposition and focus on this issue, that we are standing with them and that there are so many people who are having these same experiences and seeing their experiences in those of others. And so, we want to show what access to birth control really looks like today.
Jennie: I love Thanks Birth Control Day. You always have such great graphics. I have a range of Thanks Birth Control t-shirts at home. I don't know if you still have it, but you used to have like a pet t-shirt. And yes, I bought one and I forced Cinder to put it on for a picture. And then I think she took it and destroyed it and hid it somewhere because I had never seen it again since that original picture, and I have no idea where it went. And it's not like my place is that huge, but like, yeah, it's gone. I have to try and find it.
Lori: Jennie, we gotta get you some swag, okay? That's coming. Watch your watch your mailbox. I have to say Power to Decide has the best swag. We have a swag store. Maybe we can link it. But-
Jennie: Oh yeah, yeah.
Lori: I think I know exactly which one you're talking about, and it's there, and there's also new swag. I'm pretty sure that Power to Decide socks were the talk of the town at Society of Family Planning last week. So, I do recommend folks get their swag up ahead of Thanks Birth Control Day. And of course, benefit Power to Decide, which is a good byproduct.
Jennie: Yes, absolutely. I will definitely have to check that out. I do not have birth control-related socks yet, so that needs to happen. I will have to make sure. What are you waiting for? Exactly. This is such an important campaign. I think this is one of those things that it takes me back to like the pre-Roe days, and everyone's like, abortion will always be safe. And like, I think we see that replaying in the birth control space of like, why are you being so panicky about protecting birth control? Like, they're never coming for birth control, but like the pieces are already in place and they're already starting to chip away. Yeah, so this is such an important day to talk about why birth control is so important to people.
Lori: Yeah, I mean, I think you said it, and I'll be honest, you know, I'm someone who works on abortion. I work on birth control, right? I believe in the comprehensive nature of sexual and reproductive health and rights. So, let's just get that out of the way. And I have, of course, heard those attitudes as well, and I understand where they're coming from because there is so much stigma around abortion. I really want people to know and understand the way in which political attacks on abortion are and morph into political attacks on birth control, on IVF, that these things are related and intermixed. And when we are seeing such high, you know, when we see abortion bans, of course, we see an uptick in interest in birth control, and that corresponds at the same time to increased attacks on birth control or people purposefully trying to blur the lines between what birth control and abortion are. And so misinformation about birth control is everywhere, it's on the rise, it has real consequences. And so these things are not mutually exclusive. These are things that exist together on a spectrum, and we're here standing for the full spectrum of care. And one of the ways that we are doing that is highlighting, you know, the importance of birth control, celebrating birth control on this day as part of that overall journey.
Jennie: I think one of the things you raised is really important, and that's like mis and disinformation. And so that leads me to think of like: how is social media shaping particularly young people and how they are viewing birth control?
Lori: Yeah. So, it's shaping it quite a lot, and we've actually been looking into this because we have a number of sort of direct lines to this data. And so, we have been able to issue a survey annually. It's called Your Health stands for Youth Reproductive Health Access, right? We love an acronym. So, in our most recent YouR HeAlth survey, we actually found that one in five young people have considered changing their birth control because of something they saw on social media. And nearly three in four young people at least somewhat trust what they see about birth control on social media. And so, for us, what this means is that what does reach them needs to be accurate and come from sources they can trust. And I think, you know, there are so many ways in which our sector is investing in that accurate information. And it doesn't always get to the platforms, right? We know this, that where young people are or where they're taking in their information. So, we need to make sure that we don't seed that space of social media because they are taking in a lot. And we need those real stories and the trusted facts to break through the noise so that young people and all of us really are better equipped to make the choice that's right for us and that we have the experience to look at the full, the full range of methods that might work for us and make that choice for ourselves in an informed manner.
Jennie: Yeah, I think the other thing I really think about when I think of trying to counter the narratives that that young people are seeing is not just like the social media space, but like the way algorithms work that keeps our information from getting to as many people. Like they really thrive on hot takes or controversy, and those things get pushed out harder than a lot of the fact-based information. You know, the old saying, like: a lie travels around the world three times while the truth is putting on its shoes. Like, that's really what it feels like in this space that like there's just like gas poured on all of the mis and disinformation in a way that the factual information just doesn't have.
Lori: Yeah, I think unfortunately that theory does hold water. And so, what we do see is that, you know, algorithmically we do see a lot of mis- and disinformation spread quickly on social media because much of it is so inflammatory, it is so extreme. And, you know, for many of us might look at that and say, wow, that's not clinical or that's not accurate. But unfortunately, you know, due to the data that I just shared, we know that it actually can have a very strong impact. And we have an AI-based model that we use to scan social media for trends in mis and disinformation. And a lot of what we're seeing right now are false claims about side effects, about impacts to fertility, and of course, um, content that confuses birth control with abortion across social media, and that we know is driven by a lot of the opposition to anyone accessing any of this care. So, it is ideological. And so, you know, I think it's maybe worth giving people a sense of what kinds of information we're actually seeing out there because I think it will make you mad. It makes me mad, and it makes me want to counter it with a day like thanks birth control, right? So we've seen just this week a very popular TikTok video where a wellness influencer is talking about, you know, disproven or not true claims about hormonal birth control and how it quote unquote “disrupts” gut health and these things, these claims that um are not based in science. And they use one person's story, which might be upsetting or extreme, but travel quickly to make blanket assumptions about everyone's experience. Um, and that's why I really feel like the storytelling component of thanks birth control is very powerful for the moment we're in today, because birth control is healthcare. And for everyone that might have a story about their experience with birth control, where maybe they didn't have the right fit or they didn't have the best experience, there is also another story where someone was able to manage a painful period or have sex worry-free, or help with their PCOS. I think that you're right that this sort of scale is tipped in favor of some of these stories that might be more negative or less true. And so, it's really important that we sort of step in and make sure that those that those full range of stories are appreciated and protected and encouraged so that that you know we reset our algorithm, we reset the conversation.
Jennie: Yeah, I mean, it just is such a fundamental part of a person's life, right? Like it decides that I can stay in school or I can get pregnant when works best for me career-wise, like it is so important, just not just for like health reasons, which are super important, but also just because I don't want to be pregnant and I can to use birth control to decide if, when, and how. And that is just so important.
Lori: Exactly. And listen, I think it's really important to also say birth control access doesn't exist in a vacuum, right? Like there are so many awful, awful things going on right now in this world. People are navigating fear, instability, right? We have ICE violence and fear of deportation. There's just the rising cost of everyday life. I think about Birth control as sort of one more thing that people should not have to fight for, right? It should be something that is available to them, is accessible to them, because these pressures stack up. And so we should not have, you know, it's just another thing that we should not have to fight for. I think you're right to point out that there's just so much that it can make possible. And we don't have to pretend that everyone loves their method or doesn't have real frustrations with side effects to make the case that these stories are important and should be told, and that access for people should remain intact.
Jennie: Yeah. And I think we talked about the information side and making sure that people are getting accurate information and not getting, you know, miss and disinformation on social media. But that's only like one part of the equation. It is also really important that people are able to access the birth control and like access, as I always say on the podcast, it's such a small word that holds so many things, right? That means it's near me, it's affordable, like I can get it. There are just like so many things hidden in access. So, what does access look like right now?
Lori: Yeah. Thank you for the question, Jennie. And unfortunately, millions of people are living in a contraceptive access gap today in the United States. And we know this because Power to Decide partnered with Guttmacher Institute. I love Guttmacher, and we recently released our Contraceptive Access Map Project. And what this showed is that 21.4 million women of reproductive age in the United States who are in need of low or no cost contraception actually live in a county with an access gap. And how we defined that the need for publicly funded services is greater than the availability of these services in that county. Right? So again, our access maps show that out of those 21.4 million women in need, 15.7 million women, so almost 75% of the women in need, live in a county with what we would call an extreme access gap, where that service availability meets only 25% or less of the need. And over 1 million live in a county that does not have a single publicly funded health center offering any contraceptive care whatsoever. And so I think, when I hear those numbers, it sort of puts a different spin on a conversation about mis- and disinformation or a conversation about birth control not being as important as another issue because those are real people. They're real women whose lives are being impacted by the access that does or does not exist in their community. And just as a side note, you know, we use the term women to align with our data sources, but we recognize that, you know, there are all types of folks who need access to these services of all genders. And so, what we really are thinking about is the fact that this is not just a safety net. This is something that we all should have the right to. And these barriers don't happen in isolation either. So, for a lot of people, it's not just that they're living in an access gap, but that they're living in an access gap, and that's an obstacle that stacks on top of higher cost of living, uh lack of transportation, not being able to take time off work or find childcare or move freely without fear of deportation or ICE violence. And so, when we think about this and we combine it with the fact that there are increased abortion bans, abortion is becoming less accessible, we're really talking about an epidemic of forced pregnancy, of forced parenthood in this country that is sort of being pieced together at many different places along the reproductive health journey of a person.
That picture is already troubling, and it's likely to get worse. This month, many of the Medicaid cuts in last year's reconciliation bill begin taking effect, which will further restrict access to care. The administration is also trying to reshape Title X so that it no longer provides low-cost or no-cost birth control. Given how bad the situation you just described already is, we should brace for it to deteriorate.
Lori: Yeah. So, these policy-based attacks are making the gaps wider, right? These gaps are not naturally occurring, they are created by policy choices and disinvestment. Yeah. And so, closing them needs to take the same kind of intentional effort. And so, we actually need to go in the opposite direction, right? We need significant new investment in Title X, which is, of course, you know, the nation's family planning program. We need to reverse the health insurance losses that have been caused by HR one. And we need to make sure people actually get the no co-pay birth control coverage that they are entitled to.
Jennie: Yeah, this is again the part where, you know, people may not see that there are attacks on birth control happening, but like here's where it's already starting, right? By attacking Title X. I worry that cuts on Medicaid, there's like quite a few states have family planning expansions to their Medicaid programs. But if they're having to worry about budget allocations and like where the money is to keep as many people covered, like places where they have expanded maybe places that they pull back. So, starting to worry about what that looks like.
Lori: That's right. And, you know, we're also seeing some concerning things from the administration around how they're awarding these contracts.
Jennie: 28:22 Yeah. And you mentioned: this is never gonna hit everybody equally. And so, I also think of like the LGBTQ community and how they are gonna be impacted in a place where you really see those deserts. Also, thinking of rural communities. There are just so many people that are gonna feel this in in ways that not everybody is gonna feel.
Lori: It's really true. And that's part of what makes me so, you know, angry about the state of things. I also think the irony is that we actually have more ways than ever to get birth control when it comes to the science and the medicine. So, you know, there is an over-the-counter option, there's telehealth, we see pharmacists prescribing, you know, there are birth control vending machines. And I think I do want people to understand that piece as well, even as the access gaps are real and the access is under attack, because obviously Power to Decide has Bedsider, and that is always there as a resource to help people find the option that works best for them, given you know where they are and what they're looking for. And I think all of our jobs in this work is to keep those pathways open and expand them. And always we are focused on making sure that content works for all different kinds of folks, you know, folks who are LGBTQ, young people, people, as you said, living in rural areas. And even if you are having a digital divide or lacking access to steady internet access, there are low bandwidth ways to access Bedsider as well.
Jennie: Yeah. Earlier, when we were talking about miss and disinformation, there was a lot of information around side effects. And so having the ability to access that full range of contraception means that you can find the method that works best for you. And so maybe you had side effects with one method, you can switch and choose to find the one that works for you. But if you're in a desert, you might have to settle for what you can get versus the one that is the best for you, which is not exactly what we do not want.
Lori: I think that's right. And you're seeing something really clearly that I think we've been dancing around this whole interview, which is that, you know, there's sort of two prongs. There's the information and there's the access. And, you know, one thing I do want to shout out for folks who are listening to this is that our playlist on Bedsider that is sort of debunking the most viral myths that are out there right now about birth control is very good, very popular. I think we have like nearly a million views on that already across those videos. And it will, it can tell you, right, whether what you're seeing and hearing is true, and you can go and look to get all of the information that you're looking to get. But then to your point, if you're living in a gap or you know, not able to afford the method that you would choose, then you know, the access isn't complete. And so, we need both sides of that formula to be in place for folks. And I think, you know, for me, I I really do think about what people can do because they these things can be a little bit depressing and it can be frustrating. And I know it it makes people feel a type of way that we're in 2026 still needing to talk about this and advocate for this. So, I also like that there are ways to get involved on November 12th for Thanks Birth Control Day that are pretty positive and can be fun and can be um accessible for a lot of people and can get even folks involved in the conversation who aren't necessarily always involved.
Jennie: Oh, perfect segue. Let's not just talk about how things are bad and need to change. What can our audience do in this moment? How can they get involved?
Lori: I love how action-oriented this space is. So, thank you for having us. And I think the number one thing I'd invite people to do is share your story, right? Post about your story, your method, and what it's made possible in your life. And you can use the hashtag #ThxBirthControl. Thanks, of course, being THX. And I really want people to know and really accept that every story counts here, including the complicated ones. So, this is not a rah-rah. We're only looking for this story that adheres to this message. We really want to know if you love your method, if you have mixed feelings, if you're still looking for the right fit. That's part of this conversation. And that's exactly what we want to hear about and what we think people need to hear more of. It's these real stories that are people-driven, people-centered, and that are not being, you know, skewed by an algorithm that is really filtering for only the negative misinformation, but that it's actually a real story that's already part of the solution.
Jennie: Lori, I am so excited to get to work with you again in a new space. So again, congratulations and thank you so much for being here.
Lori: Same. Thank you so much, Jennie. And one more thing I should say is that the Contraceptive Access Maps that I mentioned earlier in this interview, they are also available at powertodecide.org/ContraceptiveAccessMaps. And one thing that is really cool about those is you can look up your specific county and see exactly where you fall. And you could use our contraceptive access toolkit to push for greater access in your community if you're not happy with what you find on that map. So, I think that is a fun and good way to kind of understand a little bit better about your local reality. And sometimes we know things or think we see things, but we don't know how it fits into the bigger picture. So, I think that's a great tool as well.
Jennie: I'm gonna have to go look up my county back where I grew up to see what it looks like.
Lori: Yes, please. And let us know when you do what you find.
Jennie: Yes. Well, Lori, thank you so much for being here.
Lori: Thank you, Jennie. Appreciate you so much.
Jennie: Okay, y'all. I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Lori. I hope you all participate in Thanks Birth Control Day later this week. I will be sharing my Thanks Birth Control shout-outs as well. So, please join us and take part in this really important day. And I will see everybody next week. If you have any questions, comments, or topics you would like us to cover, always feel free to shoot me an email. You can reach me at jennie@reprosfightback.org, or you can find us on social media. We're at rePROs Fight Back on Facebook and Twitter, or @reprosfb on Instagram. If you love our podcast and want to make sure more people find it, take the time to rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Or if you want to make sure to support the podcast, you can also donate on our website at reprosfightback.com. Thanks all.
Follow Power to Decide on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Youtube and Bedsider on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and YouTube.
Share your birth control story, and what your method(s) of birth control have made possible for you, using the hashtag #ThxBirthControl.
Use Power to Decide’s Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit to help increase birth control access in your community.