losing all hope was freedom

For anyone in the UK and Europe and wherever else who needs this -

Close blinds and drapes to keep the sun out of your house and reduce the incoming heat.

Drink a lot of a water. Like a shit ton of water. More than you think. I know ice water is less of a thing in some countries, but it's preferable because it'll keep you cooler.

In addition to plain water, make sure to replace electrolytes lost through sweating, by drinking something like Gatorade. You can make a homemade electrolyte drink by mixing water with a small amount of sea salt (~ 1/4 tsp) and half a lemon or lime, and sweetener if needed.

Dip a non-terrycloth tea towel (or any spare cotton like an old undershirt) in water and then stick it in the freezer for 5-7 minutes until it is icy cold but still pliable. Drape these cloths over bare skin, like your neck, legs, and forehead, and sit in front of a fan. The fan will continually evaporate heat and the cloth will stay very cold against you for quite a while.

Fill up a spare spray bottle with water and spray yourself while in front of a fan. (Not quite as effective as #4 but still good.)

Don't exercise. It exacerbates the stress on your body. You can skip one day gym bro.

Don't forget to eat, and only eat cold things. If you don't have an appetite because of the heat, drink something like a smoothie.

If you are in a red state, your state either has an abortion ban in place or is rated by the Guttmacher Institute as likely to enact a ban. Your focus should be on protecting yourself and others who need abortions.

stop using electronic period tracking apps or software

educate yourself and others about pregnancy prevention and join groups that are making preventative birth control more accessible

learn the nearest and most accessible routes to states where you and your loved ones can access abortion

contribute to mutual aid funds to help transport people over state lines if they are in need of abortion

consider joining The Satanic Temple so you can claim protections under the Religious Abortion Ritual if you are prosecuted for obtaining an abortion

keep a stock of by-mail abortion pills for yourself and/or others who may need them (you may need to travel out of state to obtain them)

form community provider networks and see if you or someone you know can be trained to use manual vacuum aspiration kits or a Del-Em

all of the above should be done in complete secrecy using verbal communication, end-to-end encrypted apps such as Signal, or a VPN

If you are in a yellow state, you currently have constitutional abortion protections but they are in jeopardy. Get active in local political groups NOW to fight back against constitutional amendments to ban abortion. Your focus should be purely on political action.

If you are in Michigan, you currently have a ban in place which is being challenged, and your governor is working to add abortion protections into the Michigan state constitution. Your focus should be on supporting the work that is currently under way.

If you are in a green state, your state has constitutional protections for abortion that are unlikely to be challenged. Your focus should be on helping others to enter your state for abortion care.

connect with abortion access groups such as Aid Access, Abortion on Demand, the National Network of Abortion Funds, or Just The Pill

volunteer to help people enter your state for abortion care, either with transportation help or letting someone crash on your couch

if you live in a green state with no current or predicted primary routes from other states for abortion access, you can focus your efforts on supporting political action in other areas