#StopTheBans
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About
#StopTheBans is a hashtag used by pro-choice activists to spread information about protests and information surrounding state abortion laws.
Origin
On March 18th, 2013, The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL)[1] began using #StopTheBans to spread pro-choice when North Dakota was facing a ban on abortion (shown below).
Spread
In 2015, activists began using the hashtag in regards to proposed laws in West Virginia and Ohio. The Stop the Bans website[2] was introduced to list activist events around the United States. On February 25th, @URGE_org[3] tweeted, "Happy that URGE students are able to support this @ProChoiceOH #stopthebans press conference!" (shown below, left). On March 6th, Planned Parenthood Action[4] tweetd, "BREAKING: The #wvlegis just overrode Gov. Tomblin's veto to pass the 20-week abortion ban. #WVbullies #stopthebans" (shown below, right). Most of the tweets using the hashtag in 2015 didn't receive over 20 likes over four years.
In 2017, along with using #StopTheBans as a pro-choice hashtag many Twitter users began using it when referring to the Muslim Ban. On Jan 29th, @ProChoiceMass[6] tweeted a picture of a protest saying, "20k+ in Copley Sq protesting the inhuman #MuslimBan & showing what #BostonStrong can be #NoBanNoWall #RefugeesWelcome #StoptheBans" (shown below, left). The tweet gained over 70 likes in two years. Activist continued to spread #StopThe Bans when recording and pro-choice events. On February 6th, Twitter user @KellCope[5] tweeted a picture of "Civil rights attorney Jennifer Branch telling activists about the legal battles being waged to keep abortion legal in Ohio. #StopTheBans" (shown below, right).
Movement Protests
In May 2019, Stop the Bands became a wider movement following strike laws on abortions being passed in Georgia, Ohio, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Alabama. According to The Daily Dot,[9] on May 21st, "protesters gathered across the U.S.[…] as a part of the #StopTheBans movement to push back against restrictive anti-abortion legislation sweeping the states." That day, the ACLU[7] tweeted a map of all the protests happening that day (shown below, left). The tweet gained over 1,400 likes and 700 retweets in a day. California Rep. Speier[8] tweet a picture of herself speaking at a protest and wrote, "Today, I shared my story of my 2nd trimester abortion, a painful procedure that became necessary after the fetus I was carrying moved from my uterus to my vagina. I am not ashamed. Neither should anyone else be. Those who treat women like chattel should be ashamed. #StopTheBans" (shown below, right). The tweet gained over 1,600 retweets and 6,500 likes in a day.
Many activists shared pictures and videos of protests in tweets using the hashtag. Twitter user @skenigsberg tweeted a video of a woman sharing her story in front of the Supreme Court building (shown below). The tweet gained over 7,500 likes and 3,600 retweets in a day.
“Roe v. Wade saved my life.” Susan, age 70, just came up to me sobbing at the #StopTheBans action in front of the Supreme Court. Please LISTEN to her and Retweet to share her story! pic.twitter.com/bYKgPGxZWD
— Sara Pearl (@skenigsberg) May 21, 2019
Various Examples
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