Written by Mike Rogge, editor
If the headline didn't make it clear, this is bullshit. By "this" I of course mean the leaked Supreme Court decision on overturning Roe v. Wade which fundamentally guarantees a woman's right to end a pregnancy without excessive government restriction.
Perhaps you believe it's not the place of an outdoor title to speak on political matters. In a lot of instances you're probably right about that. Outdoor magazines can seem shallow and opportunistic chasing social issues here and there in an effort to seem relevant. This is not about being a social justice warrior. At Mountain Gazette, we fundamentally believe in sticking up for our friends, our colleagues, and human beings in general. It's our firm belief that people make outdoor places special. If this decision is made official by the Supreme Court later this summer many of the places we love to recreate will become a lot less safe for women. In other words, this is bullshit.
Restricting a person's right to healthcare procedures is Draconian. That's what this is about. Plain and simple. Rather than carry on here with my personal feelings on the matter, I reached out to my longtime friend Cassie Abel, CEO of Wild Rye, a rad women's mountain bike and ski apparel company based in Idaho. Idaho, of course, is famously home to Sun Valley and, more recently, one of the more terrifying anti-abortion laws on the books. Hard to reconcile putting those two attributes in the same sentence, but alas this is what you have going for you Idaho. Thankfully, you also have my friend, Cassie.
Cassie and Wild Rye are raising funds to help local abortion access funds. Rather than do our own thing, we want to lend support to Cassie and her team's efforts.
You don't need to be for abortions to be in this fight. You only need to give a shit about your fellow human being and understand that any restriction on access to healthcare procedures is simply a move backward. Let's move forward together. Let's protect women. Please.
Given this leaked decision by the Supreme Court, how do you, as a vocal advocate for women in the outdoors with both Wild Rye and Women-Led Wednesday, fight this?
Here at Wild Rye, we’re a brand for and by women. We fervently believe that women’s rights are human rights and will not stand down whenever those rights are threatened. In the wake of this leak indicating the SCOTUS’ plan to overturn Roe v Wade, we re-launched our Bikes, Baddies, Brews and (NO) Bans crop tee, with 100% of net proceeds benefiting non-profits that disseminate dollars to local abortion access funds. This is our fourth round of launching a benefit product to fight for women’s rights – the first was in the wake of RBG’s passing, the second was following the first SB8 abortion ban last September in Texas and the most recent was when our own state of Idaho followed Texas’ lead with a similar cruel abortion ban. To date we’ve donated thousands to Planned Parenthood and are on track to be able to donate thousands more to local abortion funds with this pre-sale. All net proceeds from the BBBB crop tee will be passed directly through to AbortionFunds.org and KeepOurClinics.org to fight to maintain essential reproductive healthcare access for all. Join us and pick up a tee here.
What can our readers do?
In speaking with friends at PPFA, I’ve been encouraged to direct funds to local abortion funds or national funds that directly support local funds, rather large national organizations. Why? Local funds help people who need abortions pay for them. Some funds provide support that includes transportation, food, lodging, childcare, etc. When you donate to an AF, you are directly supporting someone who needs an abortion but for whom financial obstacles exist. If you want to find a local fund in your area, this list is a great state-by-state resource. Or consider a direct donation to AbortionFunds.org and KeepOurClinics.org.
What is Wild Rye? Women owned, run, and designed, Wild Rye is a rapidly growing mountain bike, snow sports & outdoor apparel company with a cult-like following. We're dedicated to elevating women-identifying riders and adventurers from the backcountry to the boardroom. That said, we try not to take ourselves too seriously (this week is a clear exception because this sh*t is serious) and are committed to bringing along the big après energy every step of the way. We hope you'll join us on the journey! @wild_rye_
What is Women-Led Wednesday? In addition to bringing women beautiful and technical outdoor apparel that fits, we launched the Women-Led Wednesday initiative almost four years ago to shine the spotlight on women-led brands. Women-Led Wednesday features a robust (and growing) women-led brand directory and celebrates the annual Women-Led Wednesday shopping holiday annually the day before US Thanksgiving. The day is a day much like Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, but this particular day is designed to encourage the general public to shop women-led brands in an effort to elevate more women into leadership positions.
Please visit Wild-Rye.com to learn more.
