Just thought this would be fun :)
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Encourage & Thank Obama: Overturning the Global Gag Rule
Want to take action against the Global Gag Rule? Below I have posted a letter that I typed up to send to President-elect Obama. Just copy & paste into Word, print, sign & send to Obama. Although Obama has already said he will be overturning the Global Gag Rule, it never hurts to remind him that it is a priority to you, and to thank him for making it a priority as well!
His address is P.O. Box 8102 Chicago, IL, 60680. Here is the letter:
Dear President-elect Obama,
Congratulations on your history-making victory. I am writing to inform you that I am very proud to have a pro-choice President elected. More specifically, I wanted to write you about protecting and advancing women’s reproductive rights, starting with repealing the Global Gag Rule.
Several news sources have reported that you will be repealing the Global Gag Rule, which would be the most significant and effective change in sexual and reproductive health care we’ve seen in eight years. I would like to take this time to remind you that eight years ago, on George W. Bush’s first day in office, he reinstated the Global Gag Rule, preventing safe reproductive options from being available to women across the world. I am so appreciative that you have agreed to reverse this terrible policy.
I would also like to remind you of the importance of the Global Gag Rule and why I support its repeal. The Global Gag Rule has prohibited U.S. funding for contraception (such as condoms) and abortion referrals overseas. This policy prevents abortion counseling in any way, even when pregnancy is the result of sexual violence. Often the women in need of the abortions are teenage girls. They are denied abortions despite the fact that complications in childbirth and pregnancy are the leading causes of death in teenage girls in developing countries (70,000 adolescent mothers and 1 million infants die each year because the mother is not physically ready to give birth). Unfortunately, with the lack of condoms, women have no choice at all, as abstinence does not work in cases of sexual violence or the common practice of forced marriage at a very young age.
It is wrong to deny women in developing countries a choice that will work and protect their lives. Bush’s abstinence-only plan is not working to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS either. Over half a million women die each year of causes related to pregnancy or childbirth. More than one woman every minute of the day dies and 99% of these women live in developing countries. When you are considering the Global Gag Rule, please keep these raw facts in mind, as this policy is killing women in developing countries as well as stifling the freedom of health clinics.
As you can see, there is only one right decision in regards to the Global Gag Rule and that is to overturn it as soon as possible. Creating awareness about the shocking results of this policy has been all pro-choice Americans could do for the past eight years—but now we can finally have the change that we believe in!
Again, thank you for making the Global Gag Rule a priority, as it is also a priority to me. I will be proud to have a pro-choice President, and look forward to the day when the Global Gag Rule will exist no more.
Thank you and congratulations,
His address is P.O. Box 8102 Chicago, IL, 60680. Here is the letter:
Dear President-elect Obama,
Congratulations on your history-making victory. I am writing to inform you that I am very proud to have a pro-choice President elected. More specifically, I wanted to write you about protecting and advancing women’s reproductive rights, starting with repealing the Global Gag Rule.
Several news sources have reported that you will be repealing the Global Gag Rule, which would be the most significant and effective change in sexual and reproductive health care we’ve seen in eight years. I would like to take this time to remind you that eight years ago, on George W. Bush’s first day in office, he reinstated the Global Gag Rule, preventing safe reproductive options from being available to women across the world. I am so appreciative that you have agreed to reverse this terrible policy.
I would also like to remind you of the importance of the Global Gag Rule and why I support its repeal. The Global Gag Rule has prohibited U.S. funding for contraception (such as condoms) and abortion referrals overseas. This policy prevents abortion counseling in any way, even when pregnancy is the result of sexual violence. Often the women in need of the abortions are teenage girls. They are denied abortions despite the fact that complications in childbirth and pregnancy are the leading causes of death in teenage girls in developing countries (70,000 adolescent mothers and 1 million infants die each year because the mother is not physically ready to give birth). Unfortunately, with the lack of condoms, women have no choice at all, as abstinence does not work in cases of sexual violence or the common practice of forced marriage at a very young age.
It is wrong to deny women in developing countries a choice that will work and protect their lives. Bush’s abstinence-only plan is not working to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS either. Over half a million women die each year of causes related to pregnancy or childbirth. More than one woman every minute of the day dies and 99% of these women live in developing countries. When you are considering the Global Gag Rule, please keep these raw facts in mind, as this policy is killing women in developing countries as well as stifling the freedom of health clinics.
As you can see, there is only one right decision in regards to the Global Gag Rule and that is to overturn it as soon as possible. Creating awareness about the shocking results of this policy has been all pro-choice Americans could do for the past eight years—but now we can finally have the change that we believe in!
Again, thank you for making the Global Gag Rule a priority, as it is also a priority to me. I will be proud to have a pro-choice President, and look forward to the day when the Global Gag Rule will exist no more.
Thank you and congratulations,
Friday, November 14, 2008
Show Bush how to Get F'd: prevent him from redefining abortion!
Bush wants to change the definition of abortion to something much more broad, that could even include birth control! Although the administration said they would not make any new regulations after Nov. 1st, the Bush administration is continuing its attack on women's health.
Show Bush how to Get F'd!
Click here to send a letter to stop the Bush administration from creating this regulation:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/hhsnov08_ppol?rk=tdAcCKE1H0wCE
Show Bush how to Get F'd!
Click here to send a letter to stop the Bush administration from creating this regulation:
http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/hhsnov08_ppol?rk=tdAcCKE1H0wCE
VERY IMPORTANT FOR OHIOANS:
"BREAKING NEWS – Legislative Update
November, 2008 Content:
I - Ohio Prevention First Act hearing scheduled
II - Abortion Veto Bill also to be heard at same committee
III - Ohio House Health Committee meeting info
I - Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio's request for a hearing for the Ohio Prevention First Act has been granted. Ohio House Health Committee Chairman Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon) has scheduled House Bill 251 for a hearing on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. More than 12,600 Planned Parenthood supporters signed a petition urging that a hearing on this landmark bill be scheduled.
Sponsored by Representatives Jon Peterson (R-Delaware) and Tyrone Yates (D-Cincinnati), HB 251 focuses on the prevention of unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sex education for teens, including abstinence, and affordable, accessible birth control.
Among the provisions of the Ohio Prevention First Act are to:
- ensure that Ohio's state funded sexual education programs provide young people with the information they need to make safe, informed, responsible choices;
- launch a teen pregnancy prevention grant program;
- ensure access to emergency contraception in all emergency rooms for sexual assault victims;
- require pharmacies to fill all in-stock legal prescriptions and to dispense all over-the-counter medications;
- require insurance plans that cover prescriptions to also cover birth control; and
earmark existing state funds for family planning purposes.
II – Also being heard on November 19th is HB 287, sponsored by Representative John Adams (R-Sidney). House Bill 287 would require a woman to have the written informed consent of the prospective father of her fetus before being allowed to have an abortion. That's right...If the man says "No," there will be no abortion. Period!
HB 287 also requires that, if the identity of the prospective father is unknown, a paternity test must be performed to determine his identity so that his consent could be obtained prior to performing the abortion. The practical effect of the paternity test requirement would prevent some women from obtaining an abortion during the first trimester.
III - Planned Parenthood supporters are invited to attend. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 2:30PM or later depending on the length of the preceeding House voting session. Because of the session schedule, lengthy committee agenda, and seating capacity limitations, interested persons are encouraged to contact Stephanie Craddock of Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio at 614-358-8729 or advocacy@ppcoh.org for further details about the hearing."
--Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio
I hope for all Ohioans that the Ohio Prevention First Act is successful, and that HB287 is a failure! Good luck and if you want to attend the meeting you should contact Planned Parenthood as it says in the email I received from them above.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Voting
Here are some photos from SARO's "Get Out Her Vote" campaign to promote women voting.
I'm so glad everyone voted, and congrats on a pro-choice president-elect to everyone!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Getting Plan B on Campus
My inspiration for starting this blog is that I live on a college campus, and I see a lot of people who I think need to Get F'ed (Feminist'd). Many college students have the liberal values in place to be a feminist, but are still afraid of the dreaded F word! I've encountered this problem quite specifically when trying to get Plan B onto my college campus. Even though we are a liberal arts school, we have NO WOMENS HEALTH SERVICES. That's right. No pelvic exams, which means no birth control. The only reproductive health services we have is that you can get a few condoms per visit at our health center. Are you shocked yet? If not, please read on, you will be.
These are the FACTS about Plan B:
Emergency Contraception (EC) can be up to 89% effective if used promptly, is easy to use and is less likely to cause an adverse reaction than aspirin. “Plan B” is one brand of EC, and can be used up to 72 hours (three days) after unprotected intercourse, contraceptive failure or rape in order to prevent pregnancy. Plan B does not require a prescription and is FDA approved. EC is sold over-the-counter to people over 18. Plan B is safe, and is not related to RU-486 (the abortion pill), as it would not affect an existing pregnancy if a pregnant woman were to take it.
Plan B is especially important to have on campus because of the limited time frame in which you can take it. Why not just get it at a local pharmacy? Well, many of the closest pharmacies only carry 1 dosage, and do not order another dose of Plan B until the first is sold. This means once Plan B is sold out, one would still have to wait for a new dosage to get shipped in! The pharamacies nearby that do carry it charge up to twenty dollars more, making Plan B cost fifty-some dollars instead of thirty-some dollars!
Beyond this, A number of Allegheny’s comparison schools (such as Bucknell University, Pittsburgh University, New York University, Wesleyan University, Bryn Mawr College, Muhlenberg College, College of Wooster, Ohio State University, and Cornell University) offer Emergency Contraception, such as Plan B, at their health centers. Because Allegheny College offers many other over-the-counter medications, there is no reason that “Plan B” should not be carried in our health center!
SARO (Students Advocating Reproductive Options) on behalf of which I'm blogging, is in the process of getting students to sign a petition to gain access to Plan B on campus. We don't expect it to be free, just available. This increased access is a standard of health care for students as can be seen by the number of our comparison schools carrying Plan B. Women on campus often cannot access EC anywhere else, as many of our local pharmacies sell out or over-charge for Plan B. Finally, we should have it in our health center because it is the main resource for health information on Allegheny’s campus.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 346 SIGNATURES. If you are a student at Allegheny College, please sign the petition if you care about women's health or reproductive health. You can never know when Plan B might become important in your life, and because of the short time frame it can be taken in, we must have it available to students on campus instead of relying on pharmacies that may not have it.
If you are not an Allegheny College student, but are interested in helping, feel free to email AlleghenySARO@gmail.com. We are looking for any and all assistance we can find! If you need assistance with a similar campaign on your campus, also feel free to contact me-- maybe we can help each other.
This is the time to Get Feminist'd. We need all the support we can get!
Global Gag Rule
What is it?
The current global gag rule prohibits any overseas health clinic to use U.S. funding for 1) abortion services, 2) abortion-related advocacy, or 3) abortion counseling or referrals. This policy now covers the entire State Department budget.
How did it start?
The Global Gag Rule was introduced in 1984 by the Reagan administration and was first announced in Mexico City, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the “Mexico City policy”. President Clinton first repealed the gag rule in 1993, and then agreed to fund a small amount of related restrictions in 1999. In 2001 President George W. Bush reinstated the global gag rule by executive memo on the first business day of the new administration.
Who does this affect?
The global gag rule affects women in developing countries. Over half a million women die each year of causes related to pregnancy or childbirth- more than one woman every minute of the day. 99% of these women live in developing countries.
The global gag rule affects teenage girls in developing countries.
Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause in death for teenage girls in developing countries. An estimated 70,000 adolescent mothers and 1 million infants die each year because they are not physically ready for giving birth. Some young girls are not able to control when they have sex in their arranged marriages and DO NOT want to have babies at such early ages, yet only 17% of sexually active adolescents use any form of contraception.
The global gag rule’s other harmful effects:
In the world’s poorest regions there are clinics closing, lack of contraceptive supplies, fewer condoms available, free speech being denied, and women not receiving accurate counseling, or abortion services even where abortion is legal.
How to get involved?
Global Gag Rule Petition: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/youth/advocacy/yan/familyplanning/petition.asp
The current global gag rule prohibits any overseas health clinic to use U.S. funding for 1) abortion services, 2) abortion-related advocacy, or 3) abortion counseling or referrals. This policy now covers the entire State Department budget.
How did it start?
The Global Gag Rule was introduced in 1984 by the Reagan administration and was first announced in Mexico City, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the “Mexico City policy”. President Clinton first repealed the gag rule in 1993, and then agreed to fund a small amount of related restrictions in 1999. In 2001 President George W. Bush reinstated the global gag rule by executive memo on the first business day of the new administration.
Who does this affect?
The global gag rule affects women in developing countries. Over half a million women die each year of causes related to pregnancy or childbirth- more than one woman every minute of the day. 99% of these women live in developing countries.
The global gag rule affects teenage girls in developing countries.
Complications from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause in death for teenage girls in developing countries. An estimated 70,000 adolescent mothers and 1 million infants die each year because they are not physically ready for giving birth. Some young girls are not able to control when they have sex in their arranged marriages and DO NOT want to have babies at such early ages, yet only 17% of sexually active adolescents use any form of contraception.
The global gag rule’s other harmful effects:
In the world’s poorest regions there are clinics closing, lack of contraceptive supplies, fewer condoms available, free speech being denied, and women not receiving accurate counseling, or abortion services even where abortion is legal.
How to get involved?
Global Gag Rule Petition: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/youth/advocacy/yan/familyplanning/petition.asp
The ERA & gender discrimination
Remember when Constitution passed legislation to give women full equality to men in this country? No? Well that's because it has not happened yet. The ERA, or Equal Rights Amendment, is made up of 3 parts--
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
The ERA was written in 1923 by Alice Paul who founded the National Woman’s Party. The ERA would guarantee equal rights for all women in society and send a clear message that the United States has a zero tolerance policy for sex discrimination. Congress would have the power to punish institutions that discriminate on the basis of sex. The Equal Rights Amendment was introduced into every session of congress until it passed in 1972 where it went to the states. 35 out of the 38 required, ratified the amendment and the proposed amendment expired in 1982.
So why isn't it a law? Opponents of the ERA claim that it will remove laws that are in affect to protect women. Yet these same opponents keep women unequal in society by denying the ERA. Society today still believes in the inherent differences between sexes which are keeping women unequal before the law, and this amendment cannot pass with this ideology in mind.
The ERA has been reintroduced into every session of Congress since 1982 and still has not been made into law because 15 states have not ratified it (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia).
If you're interested in the ERA, here is a list of supporting organizations that can help you take action: http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/supportorgs.htm
info cited from equalrightsamendment.org
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
The ERA was written in 1923 by Alice Paul who founded the National Woman’s Party. The ERA would guarantee equal rights for all women in society and send a clear message that the United States has a zero tolerance policy for sex discrimination. Congress would have the power to punish institutions that discriminate on the basis of sex. The Equal Rights Amendment was introduced into every session of congress until it passed in 1972 where it went to the states. 35 out of the 38 required, ratified the amendment and the proposed amendment expired in 1982.
So why isn't it a law? Opponents of the ERA claim that it will remove laws that are in affect to protect women. Yet these same opponents keep women unequal in society by denying the ERA. Society today still believes in the inherent differences between sexes which are keeping women unequal before the law, and this amendment cannot pass with this ideology in mind.
The ERA has been reintroduced into every session of Congress since 1982 and still has not been made into law because 15 states have not ratified it (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia).
If you're interested in the ERA, here is a list of supporting organizations that can help you take action: http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/supportorgs.htm
info cited from equalrightsamendment.org
General family planning advocacy
Here are some more links. These are all related to family planning, but I think its best to click the link and read about them and do some research on your own for these issues. These are all important to pro-choice legislation & I encourage you to take action on them.
Prevention First Act: https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr005=r04g6ccst1.app23a&pagename=homepage&id=555&page=UserAction
Title X increase: http://capwiz.com/nfprha/issues/alert/?alertid=10590781&PROCESS=Take+Action
Freedom of Choice Act:https://secure.aclu.org/site/AdvocacyJServSessionIdr005=r04g6ccst1.app23a&pagename=homepage&id=638&page=UserAction
Tell Congress not to support the WRFA (Workplace Religious Freedom Act): https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr005=r04g6ccst1.app23a&pagename=homepage&id=156&page=UserAction
Repeal the Hyde Act, which stops Medicaid from funding abortions:
http://action.ncjw.org/campaign/hyde_petition
Prevention First Act: https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr005=r04g6ccst1.app23a&pagename=homepage&id=555&page=UserAction
Title X increase: http://capwiz.com/nfprha/issues/alert/?alertid=10590781&PROCESS=Take+Action
Freedom of Choice Act:https://secure.aclu.org/site/AdvocacyJServSessionIdr005=r04g6ccst1.app23a&pagename=homepage&id=638&page=UserAction
Tell Congress not to support the WRFA (Workplace Religious Freedom Act): https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr005=r04g6ccst1.app23a&pagename=homepage&id=156&page=UserAction
Repeal the Hyde Act, which stops Medicaid from funding abortions:
http://action.ncjw.org/campaign/hyde_petition
Support realistic sex education
The only thing that can truly prevent unwanted pregnancies from happening is EDUCATION & AWARENESS. In this country, we have tried abstinence only education and the results are plain & simple: IT DOES NOT WORK in preventing unwanted teenage pregnancies. The following are links that allow you to take action towards realistic sex education, including the end of abstinence-only education and campaigning for education on all forms of contraceptives.
the REAL Act: https://secure2.convio.net/choice/site/Advocacy?id=195&page=UserAction&JServSessionIdr007=x31snaclv1.app44b
End abstinence-only education: https://secure.aclu.org/site/AdvocacyJServSessionIdr010=nbhp442nz1.app20a&pagename=homepage&id=661&page=UserAction
Stop deceptive ads from anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers:http://action.ncjw.org/campaign/cpc_advertising
the REAL Act: https://secure2.convio.net/choice/site/Advocacy?id=195&page=UserAction&JServSessionIdr007=x31snaclv1.app44b
End abstinence-only education: https://secure.aclu.org/site/AdvocacyJServSessionIdr010=nbhp442nz1.app20a&pagename=homepage&id=661&page=UserAction
Stop deceptive ads from anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers:http://action.ncjw.org/campaign/cpc_advertising
Help lower birth control prices!
Many women, especially college age women, are struggling with the rising costs of birth control. It's sad that women are being forced to choose between necessities such as gas & groceries and their reproductive health. Here are some links I collected over the summer that will allow you to take action towards lowering birth control prices.
3 venues to contact Congress to make Birth Control affordable:
1. http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1400/t/1714/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21624
2. http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/birthcontrolprice/w557wkbf2mddded?qp_source=abc428%5fppol
3. https://secure2.convio.net/choice/site/Advocacy?id=282&page=UserAction&JServSessionIdr007=x31snaclv1.app44b
Choice USA's Petition to restore affordable Birth Control through the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act: http://www.choiceusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=252&Itemid=150
3 venues to contact Congress to make Birth Control affordable:
1. http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1400/t/1714/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=21624
2. http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/birthcontrolprice/w557wkbf2mddded?qp_source=abc428%5fppol
3. https://secure2.convio.net/choice/site/Advocacy?id=282&page=UserAction&JServSessionIdr007=x31snaclv1.app44b
Choice USA's Petition to restore affordable Birth Control through the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act: http://www.choiceusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=252&Itemid=150
Get F'd!
Welcome to Get F'ed, a blog which can help you learn about 3rd wave feminism, it's importance, and how you can take action & get involved. Feminism, also known as the F word, is often misconstrued as unimportant to young women of today because we already have all the benefits of the 1st & 2nd waves of feminism. Women are still not equal in our society, and there is a lot left to fight for! 3rd wave feminism focuses a lot of reproductive rights, women's sexuality, reclaiming derogatory terms & challenging gender stereotypes. At Get F'ed, I will make sure to post links on how to get involved in all 3rd wave feminism issues.
More specifically, if you are a college student, this blog is perfect for you! I'm writing as the president of the only feminist club on Allegheny College's campus, SARO (Students Advocating Reproductive Options). Because of this, I will focus not only on general topics, but also on our specific campaigns & struggles. We are affiliated with the FMLA (Feminist Majority Leadership Association) and focus most of our campaigns on getting women information on the choices they should be able to make for themselves. College students play an important role in feminism, as grassroots organizations are important on a local level, and college is the perfect time for activism.
Because the majority of Congress people are men despite the fact that women are the majority of the American population, it is necessary to take action on women's issues to urge them of their importance. According to scholastic.com, "The U.S. population is 51 percent female. In Congress, however, 90 percent of the lawmakers are male, 89 percent in the House of Representatives and 93 percent in the Senate." If women will not fight for their rights, then who will? If you believe that women deserve equal rights as men, the right to choose, the right to define women's sexuality for themselves, then you are already a feminist.
So, are you ready to get Feministed? Are you ready to get F'ed?
More specifically, if you are a college student, this blog is perfect for you! I'm writing as the president of the only feminist club on Allegheny College's campus, SARO (Students Advocating Reproductive Options). Because of this, I will focus not only on general topics, but also on our specific campaigns & struggles. We are affiliated with the FMLA (Feminist Majority Leadership Association) and focus most of our campaigns on getting women information on the choices they should be able to make for themselves. College students play an important role in feminism, as grassroots organizations are important on a local level, and college is the perfect time for activism.
Because the majority of Congress people are men despite the fact that women are the majority of the American population, it is necessary to take action on women's issues to urge them of their importance. According to scholastic.com, "The U.S. population is 51 percent female. In Congress, however, 90 percent of the lawmakers are male, 89 percent in the House of Representatives and 93 percent in the Senate." If women will not fight for their rights, then who will? If you believe that women deserve equal rights as men, the right to choose, the right to define women's sexuality for themselves, then you are already a feminist.
So, are you ready to get Feministed? Are you ready to get F'ed?
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