The Satanic Temple Is Spending Valentine’s Day Fighting For Reproductive Rights

The Satanic Temple is continuing to fight the good fight for reproductive rights. This Valentine's Day, the Temple is hosting a fundraising initiative to raise money to fight against Missouri's mandatory abortion waiting periods. On February 14, the Temple is seeking participants to get sponsors to pledge money for every kiss and/or hug they receive on that day. Participants will write down each sponsor's name as well as the amount of money the sponsor is donating, and collect money from their sponsors after Valentine's Day to be sent to the Satanic Temple via PayPal, check, or money order. The Temple also acknowledges that seeking hugs or kisses from other people can be misinterpreted, and warns participants to be aware of boundaries. "Be polite and respectful at all times," the protocol reads. "As a participant, you are asking another person to hug or kiss you, which is designed to assure that contact is consensual. If a person shows no interest; move on immediately. Persistent requests are a form of harassment. You might want to present a person you approach with a Satanic Valentine’s card as means to courteously explain the event." According to a press release shared with Refinery29, the "Hugs and Kisses for Satan" fundraiser is aimed to support the Temple's reproductive rights lawsuits, filed against the state of Missouri. The Temple filed lawsuits on behalf of Mary Doe, a pregnant woman seeking an abortion. Missouri law states that a woman seeking an abortion has to wait 72 hours between an initial appointment and the actual abortion feature. "The Temple objects to these restrictions on religious grounds because they violate the Temple’s belief in the inviolability of one’s body," the press statement reads. Malcolm Jarry, a spokesperson for the Satanic Temple, told Refinery29 that the Temple took action in Missouri because a member of the Temple wanted to terminate her pregnancy in the state and was willing to challenge its laws. The Satanic Temple also says that this fundraiser is the first of hopefully many initiatives toward social activity. Next year, the Temple hopes to launch a "My Bloody Valentine" blood drive.