I’ve Posted This To Twitter But I Will Post It Here Too, And Before Anyone Asks YES THIS IS SAFE TO

I’ve posted this to Twitter but I will post it here too, and before anyone asks YES THIS IS SAFE TO REBLOG EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT INDIGENOUS (AND I ASK YOU TO DO SO):

In the aftermath of the draft of the decision, I saw people, specifically white, non-Indigenous people (as Indigenous people who do speak on this are different), who were demanding on social media reservations and tribal governments to open abortion clinics on their lands, since our governments function separately from state governments and are sovereign.

AND I AM ASKING TO MY WHITE, NON-INDIGENOUS FOLLOWERS TO PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS.

If a tribe wants to do it, that is really fucking amazing! And I, as an Indigenous woman, hope that tribes do, but you, again I’m mostly talking to white, non-Indigenous people, should NOT be demanding that they do.

Here’s just two reasons:

White, non-Indigenous people in this country have always had some sort of damn entitlement to what tribal governments should do. Yes, we are entitled to the right to an abortion. But what no one, who is not Indigenous (and especially who is white and not Indigenous), has no right to feel entitled to what tribal governments choose to do.

Is it not clear our Supreme Court is shitty, not just with this Roe v. Wade decision, but with multiple that have happened over the past couple of weeks? How do you think that tribal governments have gotten so many rights to be so separate from state governments and to be sovereign? It’s usually been arguing things to the Supreme Court. I even did my undergraduate Capstone on how the Supreme Court has played an important role in determining reservation disestablishment or diminishment, and most of those come through tribal jurisdiction cases against state governments. Do you not think that many states, especially red states (who are the ones who are going to immediately outlaw abortion), aren’t just waiting to take tribal governments to the Supreme Court over these jurisdiction matters? And do you think our current Supreme Court will rule in the states favor or the tribes favor? I’m betting the states.

Again, if tribal governments decide to do it, good for them! I, as an Indigenous woman, hope they do! But please, as white, non-Indigenous people, do not demand this.

PS: There’s currently a case that the Supreme Court will be hearing soon, and then ruling a decision on, called Haaland v. Brackeen, where the states of Texas, Louisiana, and Indiana (kinda funny how these are also states with trigger bills on abortion, isn’t it!) are trying to get the Supreme Court to rule the Indian Child Welfare Act unconstitutional! For those who don’t know, the Indian Child Welfare Act was put in place because of horrendous abuse that happened with Native children being adopted by non-Native (especially white) families. And states would disproportionally take Native children away to adopt them out to non-Native (especially white) families. And so the Indian Child Welfare Act was put in place so that, to protect Native children from abuse and to keep Native children connected to their culture(s), they can only be adopted by Native families.

If you care so much about Indigenous people, maybe also direct attention to fighting so that the Supreme Court doesn’t rule the Indian Child Welfare Act unconstitutional!