Go Bag for a young lady in a red state
November 9, 2024 9:51 PM Subscribe
My wife and I have some young female friends who we treat as family. They are like minded regarding the election. They do not have the resources we have should certain events occur . If one was to put together go bags for them in advance in the event they or their friends encounter a relevant health issue - what would you put in it and what instructions would you include?
Currently thinking
- Regular generic go bag with first aid kit and a couple days food and water / basically a regular disaster go bag
- Cash (a few hundred in plain US Currency and Canadian.currency - enough for gas and food for a few days and a cheap hotel room for a few nights if needed)
- Certain medication I understand is shelf stable for 3-4 years relevant to female reproductive health (my wife is handling that part)
- Instructions (for example turn of all cell phones and smart watches while traveling in a red state, travel at peak times where you blend in etc)
- Pre printed maps with directions to blue states and closest Canadian border crossing to allow travel without phone directions
- Decoy destination map to be left in their residence
- A lighter to destroy the instructions as needed
What else? What instructions?
Currently thinking
- Regular generic go bag with first aid kit and a couple days food and water / basically a regular disaster go bag
- Cash (a few hundred in plain US Currency and Canadian.currency - enough for gas and food for a few days and a cheap hotel room for a few nights if needed)
- Certain medication I understand is shelf stable for 3-4 years relevant to female reproductive health (my wife is handling that part)
- Instructions (for example turn of all cell phones and smart watches while traveling in a red state, travel at peak times where you blend in etc)
- Pre printed maps with directions to blue states and closest Canadian border crossing to allow travel without phone directions
- Decoy destination map to be left in their residence
- A lighter to destroy the instructions as needed
What else? What instructions?
Echoing that they'll need more money than that for transportation/lodging.
But also...over the last 20 years I've given a lot of thought to the question of "how do you know when it's time to leave". And I think that right now, if you're in a red state and are a vulnerable person, it's time.
Not necessarily to leave the U.S., since that's harder, and also a lot of the world is messed up right now and probably going to get worse in our shadow, but to get out of the red state now before it is an emergency. Being able to leave is a privilege and a disruption, but WWII era history has many examples of how it got progressively harder and more disruptive as time went on.
posted by LadyOscar at 10:46 PM on November 9, 2024 [4 favorites]
But also...over the last 20 years I've given a lot of thought to the question of "how do you know when it's time to leave". And I think that right now, if you're in a red state and are a vulnerable person, it's time.
Not necessarily to leave the U.S., since that's harder, and also a lot of the world is messed up right now and probably going to get worse in our shadow, but to get out of the red state now before it is an emergency. Being able to leave is a privilege and a disruption, but WWII era history has many examples of how it got progressively harder and more disruptive as time went on.
posted by LadyOscar at 10:46 PM on November 9, 2024 [4 favorites]
Good flashlight and extra batteries.
AM/FM/Weather/Emergency Band radio, we have a small one that can charge from wall outlet, battery, silly cute solar panel, and even cuter hand crank. And it hs usb ports so we can charge our phones off it.
Socks, in particular tube socks- they can be bandages, tourniquets, or ways to transports small items like meds or coins or seeds. Or filled with rocks to make a quick defensive weapon.
Small crowbar for breaking into or out of places, also a handy weapon.
Mace, pepper spray, see above.
Maps of the local area. Sterno and canned beans.
posted by vrakatar at 1:23 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
AM/FM/Weather/Emergency Band radio, we have a small one that can charge from wall outlet, battery, silly cute solar panel, and even cuter hand crank. And it hs usb ports so we can charge our phones off it.
Socks, in particular tube socks- they can be bandages, tourniquets, or ways to transports small items like meds or coins or seeds. Or filled with rocks to make a quick defensive weapon.
Small crowbar for breaking into or out of places, also a handy weapon.
Mace, pepper spray, see above.
Maps of the local area. Sterno and canned beans.
posted by vrakatar at 1:23 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
There was a recent thread on bug out bags (though more weather focused) with many useful comments that I’d recommend perusing…
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:36 AM on November 10, 2024
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:36 AM on November 10, 2024
It’s not clear specifically what type of go bag you’re looking to create (and that’s fine), but connection with groups already doing this work would be a lot more helpful than starting from scratch on your own. I recommend doing this by reaching out to local groups by you.
posted by raccoon409 at 4:49 AM on November 10, 2024 [11 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 4:49 AM on November 10, 2024 [11 favorites]
Maybe, uh, “plan” to stock up on lots of the kinds of pills that are going to become increasingly hard to get, so hopefully they won’t urgently need to travel.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:52 AM on November 10, 2024 [12 favorites]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:52 AM on November 10, 2024 [12 favorites]
And printed information about dosing in case online searches start getting tracked. I can’t believe I’m typing this
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:58 AM on November 10, 2024 [7 favorites]
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:58 AM on November 10, 2024 [7 favorites]
Copies or originals of all important paperwork such as birth certificates. These should in something waterproof and preferably tear proof.
They should memorize at least one contact's phone number in case preprogrammed phones are not available.
posted by beaning at 5:30 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
They should memorize at least one contact's phone number in case preprogrammed phones are not available.
posted by beaning at 5:30 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
Also, are they planning on returning to the state of origin after this relevant medical event? Are they wanting the people in the original state to know where they're at once this medical event is accomplished? Some of this changes what I would pack and how I would handle things like shared passwords, shared location devices and needed documents.
Are they going to need a cover story? Some relevant medical procedures can take a week or so, especially with travel time And if they're teenager, someone may well miss them and start an investigation during this time.
posted by beaning at 5:46 AM on November 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
Are they going to need a cover story? Some relevant medical procedures can take a week or so, especially with travel time And if they're teenager, someone may well miss them and start an investigation during this time.
posted by beaning at 5:46 AM on November 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
Have you seen the movie Unpregnant? It's fantastic, go watch it.
The only "go bag" anyone needs is "if you think you might be pregnant, call me. I will help you do whatever you feel like you need to do in whatever way you need."
Beyond that: sex education and unrestricted access to contraception.
Socks, in particular tube socks- they can be ...ways to transports... items like ...seeds.
posted by phunniemee at 7:57 AM on November 10, 2024 [14 favorites]
The only "go bag" anyone needs is "if you think you might be pregnant, call me. I will help you do whatever you feel like you need to do in whatever way you need."
Beyond that: sex education and unrestricted access to contraception.
Socks, in particular tube socks- they can be ...ways to transports... items like ...seeds.
posted by phunniemee at 7:57 AM on November 10, 2024 [14 favorites]
If the procedure in discussion is actually reproductive-related, then keep in mind that pills can be not used properly (especially by teens who often forget to take them on the required very regular schedule), or stolen/taken away by someone who doesn't approve of a teen's use of such. Might still want a stock of Plan B tho for their friends.
So consider helping them achieve a 3-5 yr implant; teens are also eligible for IUDs. This would get them to adulthood and the next stage of decision-making from both a personal and policy stance.
posted by beaning at 8:49 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
So consider helping them achieve a 3-5 yr implant; teens are also eligible for IUDs. This would get them to adulthood and the next stage of decision-making from both a personal and policy stance.
posted by beaning at 8:49 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
Here's a website that tracks where pay phones still exist around the country. If I were your friends, I'd start testing the phones near me to see if they work, to reduce the stress of not having cell phones if a situation starts to go south rapidly.
- Document, date, and legalize (it's different per state) who their health care proxies are, otherwise they will default to certain roles or kin. Make copies of those docs and file them with their own doctors and any major local hospitals. Keep hard copies with their important papers.
- Same for power of attorney. Should your friends simply 'disappear,' POA could be handed over to certain roles or kin. A lawyer can act as POA. There may well be female lawyers who are signaling their availability to act in this capacity.
- Are they in relationships that make this travel more difficult? One way I built up 'running away' money without notice was to get small amounts of cash back when grocery shopping, $20-30 here and there. I had a friend who kept my kitty at their house.
- A plausible cover story... can they join some national club, group, crafting forum, or slice of fandom that exists at a low enough boil in daily life to be realistic (or, even better, true) and which could justify their absence should the need arise? An amazing opportunity to be the [crew role] on a short film being entered at the [X] Film Fest. Ten fellow crafters are paying for [amazing knitter] to give 5 days of master-classes in [city] and one person dropped out, leaving a place for your friend. Last minute housesitting in [remote place] for a friend of a friend who's in a bind. None of those are really googleable, which is the main benefit, and they all give good cover to not answering the phone for long stretches.
- If they are in relationships, do they have trusted local friends who would hold all their important documents and cash off site? Or can your friends open a bank safety deposit box a few towns away? Docs should be in a grab & go state of readiness: waterproof with some silica gel packs, fire proof. Include hard copies of phone numbers and addresses as important docs.
- Me? I'd include two wigs and, if your two women are noticeably different heights, I'd switch up who wears them. It just adds a lot of peace of mind for very little cost.
- Are they currently sharing their locations with anyone? Sometimes we turn this on for innocuous and temporary reasons, and forget to turn it off. Check now. Check regularly.
- Tire inflator, car battery jump starter and/or jumper cables. Then also watch a couple of YT videos on how to change a car tire and practice, or better yet, find a local woman who knows how to change a tire and pay her to help you practice. Add in learning how to check the fluids.
- I like the Luci solar lights. Just leave them on the grass, or on the front or rear car dash while you drive during the day and they charge. For tasks, I prefer a headlamp to a flashlight.
I don't think I'd leave a decoy map. But maybe a note to a 'housesitter' who was coming to look after plants. Something that communicates "It's perfectly legitimate and transparent that I am away." Again, it depends on whose antenna is up about what. But generally, keeping suspicions at bay as long as possible is better than raising suspicions and misdirecting them.
posted by cocoagirl at 8:52 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
- Document, date, and legalize (it's different per state) who their health care proxies are, otherwise they will default to certain roles or kin. Make copies of those docs and file them with their own doctors and any major local hospitals. Keep hard copies with their important papers.
- Same for power of attorney. Should your friends simply 'disappear,' POA could be handed over to certain roles or kin. A lawyer can act as POA. There may well be female lawyers who are signaling their availability to act in this capacity.
- Are they in relationships that make this travel more difficult? One way I built up 'running away' money without notice was to get small amounts of cash back when grocery shopping, $20-30 here and there. I had a friend who kept my kitty at their house.
- A plausible cover story... can they join some national club, group, crafting forum, or slice of fandom that exists at a low enough boil in daily life to be realistic (or, even better, true) and which could justify their absence should the need arise? An amazing opportunity to be the [crew role] on a short film being entered at the [X] Film Fest. Ten fellow crafters are paying for [amazing knitter] to give 5 days of master-classes in [city] and one person dropped out, leaving a place for your friend. Last minute housesitting in [remote place] for a friend of a friend who's in a bind. None of those are really googleable, which is the main benefit, and they all give good cover to not answering the phone for long stretches.
- If they are in relationships, do they have trusted local friends who would hold all their important documents and cash off site? Or can your friends open a bank safety deposit box a few towns away? Docs should be in a grab & go state of readiness: waterproof with some silica gel packs, fire proof. Include hard copies of phone numbers and addresses as important docs.
- Me? I'd include two wigs and, if your two women are noticeably different heights, I'd switch up who wears them. It just adds a lot of peace of mind for very little cost.
- Are they currently sharing their locations with anyone? Sometimes we turn this on for innocuous and temporary reasons, and forget to turn it off. Check now. Check regularly.
- Tire inflator, car battery jump starter and/or jumper cables. Then also watch a couple of YT videos on how to change a car tire and practice, or better yet, find a local woman who knows how to change a tire and pay her to help you practice. Add in learning how to check the fluids.
- I like the Luci solar lights. Just leave them on the grass, or on the front or rear car dash while you drive during the day and they charge. For tasks, I prefer a headlamp to a flashlight.
I don't think I'd leave a decoy map. But maybe a note to a 'housesitter' who was coming to look after plants. Something that communicates "It's perfectly legitimate and transparent that I am away." Again, it depends on whose antenna is up about what. But generally, keeping suspicions at bay as long as possible is better than raising suspicions and misdirecting them.
posted by cocoagirl at 8:52 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
There are abortion access groups that can facilitate travel to states where abortion is legal. One I’m familiar with is the Northwest Abortion Access Fund. Such groups will be the experts in safely getting people the healthcare they need. So I’d make sure the contact info for such a group is on your list. Besides that, get them an IUD now.
posted by bluloo at 9:19 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by bluloo at 9:19 AM on November 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
Menstrual Extraction is a method of treating many reproductive complaints by restoring regularity. It can be done at home, but takes practice and the kit you need you'll probably have to order. It's worth evaluating as an option, especially if your friends are medically-inclined.
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:41 AM on November 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by blnkfrnk at 11:41 AM on November 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
Do the young women in question have passports? It's not as simple to cross the border as it used to be. Canada isn't a magic bullet for escape anymore. And if things get to the point where travelers need to "blend in" with traffic, the borders will be closed/guarded.
Agreed with supplies of the pill and Plan B so that the need for any further medical intervention can be avoided. And strong agree on phone numbers of people who will help along the way to those blue states, and once they get there.
posted by cinnamonduff at 11:50 AM on November 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Agreed with supplies of the pill and Plan B so that the need for any further medical intervention can be avoided. And strong agree on phone numbers of people who will help along the way to those blue states, and once they get there.
posted by cinnamonduff at 11:50 AM on November 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
I think you and a lot of folks here are overthinking this in a sort of Mad Max direction? First aid kit and food/water aren't a bad idea but in my mind that's more for natural disasters where you might reasonably expect to have been injured in the process of getting out of dodge and where you can reasonably expect that even the mighty Waffle House will be closed.
In the events you're thinking of, there's no reason to expect that they'd need to treat cuts they got climbing out of a broken second-story window, and there will be lots of food available convenient to the highways. They can use a cheap android burner phone with a new google account for maps.
Unless they live in south Florida or the Gulf coast, they're going to be like 6-9 hours from a safe state. A moderately shitty day on the road, not a multi-day drive.
This specific kind of go-bag has a few days of clothes, some money, the burner phone, and ID and related documents like health care proxy. Enough money to get to a provider, get health care, and another few days.
I don't think the plan b goes in the go-bag. It and paper pregnancy strips go in the same sort of hidey-hole at home that people use to keep their weed. To me anyway the plan b case looks like "positive test and I live in Miami, take plan b and immediately start driving to Maryland just in case there are complications." If you've already gotten to the safe state, just get professional care there.
The other important thing is planning where to head ahead of time. If they want to be the most paranoid that it's still reasonable to be, go to a library and fiddle with google maps to find the nearest place in a safe state that has a reasonably-sized nonreligious hospital.
Again, not saying a more generic go-bag is a bad idea, especially if they live in hurricane / tornado / earthquake country.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 12:18 PM on November 10, 2024 [17 favorites]
In the events you're thinking of, there's no reason to expect that they'd need to treat cuts they got climbing out of a broken second-story window, and there will be lots of food available convenient to the highways. They can use a cheap android burner phone with a new google account for maps.
Unless they live in south Florida or the Gulf coast, they're going to be like 6-9 hours from a safe state. A moderately shitty day on the road, not a multi-day drive.
This specific kind of go-bag has a few days of clothes, some money, the burner phone, and ID and related documents like health care proxy. Enough money to get to a provider, get health care, and another few days.
I don't think the plan b goes in the go-bag. It and paper pregnancy strips go in the same sort of hidey-hole at home that people use to keep their weed. To me anyway the plan b case looks like "positive test and I live in Miami, take plan b and immediately start driving to Maryland just in case there are complications." If you've already gotten to the safe state, just get professional care there.
The other important thing is planning where to head ahead of time. If they want to be the most paranoid that it's still reasonable to be, go to a library and fiddle with google maps to find the nearest place in a safe state that has a reasonably-sized nonreligious hospital.
Again, not saying a more generic go-bag is a bad idea, especially if they live in hurricane / tornado / earthquake country.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 12:18 PM on November 10, 2024 [17 favorites]
Yeah, I'm not trying to downplay anything, but this feels a bit premature and overkill. As things stand, the problem of an unwanted pregnancy in a red state can be best solved with money. So I'd just let your friends know that if they ever need money because they have to travel out of state, they should feel comfortable asking you for money. Obviously if laws change then it's appropriate to adapt the plan.
posted by coffeecat at 2:45 PM on November 10, 2024 [14 favorites]
posted by coffeecat at 2:45 PM on November 10, 2024 [14 favorites]
It might also be useful to print off information on what to expect when taking Plan B or other such medications, so that they know if things are going normally or otherwise without having to do a Google search in the moment.
posted by rpfields at 5:16 PM on November 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by rpfields at 5:16 PM on November 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Honestly? A network akin to a modern Underground Railroad might be where things eventually need to end up.
Hopefully this is all overkill and won't be necessary, but contact info for some extended family they haven't seen for a while might also be useful.
posted by rpfields at 5:23 PM on November 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Hopefully this is all overkill and won't be necessary, but contact info for some extended family they haven't seen for a while might also be useful.
posted by rpfields at 5:23 PM on November 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
- Not-yet-activated burner phone, and instructions not to log into any of their existing social media with it.
- Either a file on the phone, or a link to file(s) online (easier to update), with things like phone numbers and etc.
- Over-the-counter painkillers.
- Hygiene items, both basic and feminine.
More research about what a cheap hotel room is likely to cost in the nearest blue states, at least. (Sounds like you're thinking $300ish, and I'm leaning toward $1000ish being more realistic, at least in my state.)
At least a couple of phone numbers of people willing to help if they run into trouble in the target states or in the ones between... say if their car breaks down, or anything else where a friendly face nearby could help.
Honestly? A network akin to a modern Underground Railroad might be where things eventually need to end up.
posted by stormyteal at 10:22 PM on November 9, 2024 [12 favorites]