College is a time in which students often experiment sexually, which is why it’s important to be familiar with sexual health resources. Considering the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, as well as the recent ban on gender-affirming care in Louisiana, it is especially important to know which birth control and health resources Tulane University provides.  

In Louisiana, abortion at any stage is banned. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, Louisiana laws are not supportive of those seeking abortions. Prior to June 2022, Louisiana’s then-governor, Kathleen Blanco, signed the trigger ban stating that if Roe v. Wade was overturned there would be an immediate ban on abortion, and that those who performed abortions could face up to one to five years of jail time. 

A recent bill, signed by Governor John Bel Edwards in June 2022, raises jail time up to 10 years. In both the original law from 2006 and the bill signed in 2022, victims of rape nor incest are exempt from this. For more context, Louisiana state law says those who commit second degree rape in Louisiana can be sentenced to as little as five years in prison. In accordance with state law, if a doctor were to perform an abortion on a victim of rape, they could face more jail time than the actual rapist. 

Louisiana residents seeking abortions must leave the state to receive such care. Seventy-five percent of abortion patients are considered poor or low income, making the necessary travel expenses unrealistic for many. These financial barriers are unrealistic and unjust. Having access to reproductive health care should simply be a given right. 

Tulane provides on-campus medical resources such as gynecological services, STI testing, HPV vaccines, free pregnancy testing, IUD insertion and removal, free emergency contraception and  Transgender and Non-Binary Health Services. These are essential considering Louisiana is not only a conservative state, but a state with low protection rates for the LGBTQ+ community. 

In fact, the Louisiana Senate passed a bill banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Although the governor vetoed this bill, lawmakers overturned his veto. This means that following Jan. 1, 2024, gender-affirming medical care for minors will be limited, if not completely banned. With both a Republican Senate and House of Representatives in Louisiana, there will be little change unless there is a shift in political power. 

Despite the state’s politics, Tulane University Campus Health said it is, “committed to providing caring, high quality, and confidential services to our campus community, inclusive of all sexual orientations, romantic orientations, and gender identities.” Tulane’s Transgender and Non-Binary Health Services include gender-affirming hormone therapy, counseling services and more that can be found on the Campus Health page. Students are also able to make appointments with the Campus Health gender-affirming care specialist, Dr. Jamie Buth. Buth can help students seeking gender-affirming hormonal treatments explore their options.

Aside from on-campus resources, there is an In-and-Out Urgent Care at 6225 South Claiborne Avenue that welcomes walk-ins. There is also a Planned Parenthood about one mile from campus. However, state law says that, “Except in the case of a medical emergency, before a physician performs an abortion, the physician, by use of his good faith medical judgment, shall first determine if the unborn child is viable.” Unless the doctor decides in “good faith” that the mother’s life is in danger because of her pregnancy, no abortion will be performed.

Because of the recent ban on gender-affirming care for minors, puberty blockers, hormone treatments and gender reassignment surgery are also banned or constricted. This is causing, and will continue to cause, youth struggles with depression and other mental illnesses, as will a ban on abortion. 

With all of this in mind, it is imperative Tulane students and Louisianians in general remember to be safe and stay updated on statewide laws, as they are constantly changing.