This week on Behind the Byline, Toledo Free Press reporter Jaden Jefferson is joined by Megan Schmidt, co-founder of Toledo Persists, for a personal and timely conversation about Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights in Ohio and across the country.
In the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned on June 24, 2022, by the U.S. Supreme Court, Schmidt reflects on her frontline advocacy in the abortion rights movement, Ohio’s recent vote to enshrine abortion protections in its state constitution, and the political efforts already underway to undermine those rights.
She also opens up about her own experience with Planned Parenthood, offering insight into the life-saving, often misunderstood healthcare services it provides beyond abortion—including cancer screenings, wellness and preventative care, birth control access, STD testing and gender-affirming care.
The episode delves into growing national efforts to defund Planned Parenthood through federal legislation, the rise of crisis pregnancy centers, and the personal and economic barriers many now face when seeking reproductive care. Schmidt explores how abortion access is not just a political issue, but a human one—impacting people across party lines, income levels and communities.
They also discuss how misinformation, political rhetoric and legislation are shaping the future of reproductive healthcare—and what’s being lost in the national conversation.
🔊 Tune in for a candid, critical look at the real-world consequences of these policy debates, and what’s at stake for the future of healthcare access in Ohio and beyond.
New episodes of the Behind the Byline audio news podcast drop every week on the Pod Station.
Behind the Byline is a production of the Toledo Free Press.
(Recorded on July 2, 2025)
