Dear Readers,

This issue was built around the theme “Reproductive Freedom” and is the most focused issue of Evocations around a single theme. The issue features the three winning essays of the “Reproductive Freedom” essay contest that exhibit the numerous reasons - medical, personal, historical, etc - to protect abortion care from the onslaught of abortion bans rolling across the country. I was heartened by all the submissions to this contest, and I want to give a huge thanks to every writer who shared their thoughts and personal experiences on reproductive justice. It is telling that both men and women submitted to this contest; no matter one’s gender or sexuality, abortion care is a topic that impacts everyone. I could only publish three winners, but please know that I appreciated every submission. 

The other works in this issue are also about gender, reproductive justice, and bodily autonomy. The goal of this focus specifically was to encourage all readers to vote in the midterm elections for politicians who will protect abortion access. So, as if you needed another reason to vote Tuesday, Nov. 8th, make sure to Roe Roe Roe Your Vote all the way to the polls - or to a dropbox for your mail-in ballot - after reading this issue. This page is an amazing resource for planning how and where to vote on Nov. 8th and learning who are the pro-choice candidates in your election.

The goal of the issue more broadly conceived was to raise awareness of the stakes and realities of curbing the rights of over half of the U.S. population based strictly on sex. Maybe Evocations’ readership already are largely aware of the importance of protecting abortion care, and in that case you will feel seen and heard in these pages. But maybe some folks simply haven’t thought about the intricacies or implications of taking away a constitutional right. Maybe some readers support a woman’s right to choose, and consider women full persons under the law, but also consider themselves “apolitical” and don’t like the messiness or argumentation of politics. I hope that even these people will realize that now is not the time for apolitical by-standing or willful ignorance. The right to vote in this country is one all citizens have - for now - and living in a democracy requires exercising that vote. I like to remember that abortion care is not even political, despite the fact that it has been dragged as a central issue into our politics, it is more medical or economic than anything else. The fractious talking heads would have us think otherwise, but that is simply in the name of distracting us from the fact that vast swaths of rights are being minimized in favor of conglomerating power in the hands of a small few. If you aren’t aware of the repercussions of this kind of trajectory, check out The Handmaid’s Tale book or the Hulu series. Hint: it doesn’t end well.

As always, thank you for reading and being a part of this community. Go vote!

Sincerely Yours,

Kim Coates

November 6, 2022