Repro Health Hub

U.S. Senator David Vitter of Louisiana finally got his discriminatory bill passed on February 26, 2008, a bill that essentially does nothing but verify that pro-life politicians have the wrong idea on how to decrease abortion rates.   

The Vitter Amendment limits abortion funding by Indian Health Services (IHS), which is the government-funded source of health care for Native Americans.  The Hyde Amendment already prohibits Indian Health Services from providing funds for abortions, as it does for federally funded Medicaid, except in cases of rape, incest, and life endangerment.  Basically, the Vitter Amendment was put into place to absorb the language of the Hyde Amendment into a more specific context, if in fact Hyde becomes overturned in the future.   

Vitter explains his amendment as an effort to “close the loophole” of the Hyde Amendment, which “has allowed [abortion funding] to continue in certain instances.”  However, the amendment maintains the same three exceptions as under the Hyde Amendment. As a redundant bill, the Vitter Amendment does nothing to introduce new anti-abortion legislation, nor does it do anything to actively address the fact that Native American women have some of the highest teen pregnancy rates.  Worst, Native American women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted. 

Good work on not assessing the matter at hand and taking away help from women that need it the most, Vitter.  American democracy at its finest. 

 With so much positive and progressive work going on around the country, those of us at the Repro Health Hub would like to take a moment out of each week to give the spotlight to some of the awesome organizations that are working hard to promote equality and reproductive health, rights and justice by initiating our Hero of the Week!   Without further ado, our first Hero of the Week is (drumroll please!)… 

The Pro-Choice Public Education Project!   Based out of  New York City, the project is an empowering resource for young women looking to develop their leadership skills and become more active in the promotion of reproductive justice. Just check out their mission statement: 

To educate young women and the organizations that serve them about reproductive health, rights, and justice in order to develop a new generation of leaders. 

Aside from leadership development and effective pro-choice campaigning, the Public Education Project (PEP) also conducts research initiatives in reproductive health. Their latest undertaking (which comes out this spring! We can’t wait!) will focus on African-American,  Latina, and Asian Pacific Islander women and provide a quantitative study on these populations’ perspectives regarding reproductive health, rights, and activism.  Be sure to check out their website for volunteer opportunities near you or to download some of their great campaign material! 

A big cheers and thanks from your friends here at the Repro Health Hub!

A little over a week ago, the U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Leighton made emergency contraception even more difficult to gain access to in Washington State.   

It all started last year with a lawsuit filed by a couple of pharmacists who claimed the state law requiring EC distribution from pharmacies violated their civil rights. Leighton issued an injunction in November which implemented a “refuse and refer” policy throughout the state. The policy is exactly as its name implies - pharmacists are legally able to refuse to give out EC as long as they refer their patients to other distributors of the contraceptive. Earlier this month, Leighton refused to lift this injunction that stifles reproductive health access.  

But thanks to NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, it has become easier for women in the state to avoid having their rights be refused and referred at all. In response to a survey  they conducted which found that 10% of Washington pharmacies turn away women seeking emergency contraceptives, the local chapter of the women’s rights advocacy organization just released an interactive map informing Washington residents on the status of pharmacies throughout the state. You can find out which pharmacies stock and offer Plan B, those which stock and refuse Plan B, and of course those which do not stock the birth control at all. So if you’re a Washington resident and ever need to back up your birth control, make sure to visit the site so you aren’t denied access to EC!

Our young and determined friends over at Choice USA and Advocates for Youth always make us so proud! The two organizations have been hard at work to make Emergency Contraception (EC) available to everyone, and they need your help!  

At this very moment the Center for Reproductive Rights has a lawsuit against the FDA to reverse its decision that limits women’s access to EC without prescription, claiming that the decision was based around political agenda rather than science. The heat is on the FDA right now- and with your help, we can change their policy.  

A petition is available online so be sure to sign it, send it to your friends, send it to your family -  in fact, send it to everyone you know and tell them to pass it along too!  You can also collect signatures the old fashioned way. Simply download the Petition Kit PDF and ask your neighbors and loved ones to put down their names and contact info. Just be sure to return the petition to Choice USA by March 7^th, 2008. 

The goal is 10,000 hard copy signatures by March 7^th, 2008 - so act fast and spread the word.

On Thursday, March 6^th NARAL Pro-Choice New York will co-sponsor an event called “Universal Health Care: Will Women’s Needs Be Met?”

Participating co-sponsors range from other repro health organizations to student public health groups.  The event will be held from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at New York University’s Silver Center, Room 408.  While universal health care is gaining national attention through campaign platforms and reform movements, women’s rights advocates are left wondering how women’s health will fit into the picture.  The event’s panel will address how women’s rights will come into play during the legislative process of New York State reform, which policies will most protect women’s health, and what advocates should be doing to ensure that women’s voices are heard.   

The panelists will include Byllye Avery, Founder of the Black Women’s Health Imperative and President of the Avery Institute for Social Change, Elisabeth Benjamin, Director of Healthcare Restructuring Initiatives for Community Service Society, Richard Gottfried, Chair of the New York State Commission on Health, and Lois Uttley, Director of Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need.  The event is open to all who are interested in health care reform, including students, advocates, and the general public. 

Those who would like to attend should RSVP to Carolyn Fraker (cfraker@prochoiceny.org) by March 3, 2008. 

Ever since the pivotal, nail biting 2006 vote to kick out the most restrictive abortion ban in the country, we had high hopes for the future of reproductive rights in South Dakota.  

Until this week.  

The progressive interest in women’s health that South Dakotans beautifully displayed over a year ago apparently went unheard by the state legislature as they struck down the “Birth Control Protection Act” 12-22. If passed, the bill would have protected reproductive rights by amending the existing law that gives immunity to pharmacists who deny their patients birth control. Instead, pharmacists and health care providers remain free to impose their own moral beliefs on those seeking contraceptives and block access to medication.

Efforts to counter the measure have been supported by the local chapter of Planned Parenthood. Sarah Stoesz, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota responded to the decision by saying: 

 “The Birth Control Protection Act  would have ensured that women and couples had greater opportunities to prevent unintended pregnancy by making birth control accessible and limiting government intrusion into personal, private health matters. This is a missed opportunity to take a positive, concrete step toward reducing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion in South Dakota.”  

 The organization maintains the Stand Up South Dakota campaign to petition the state to protect accessibility to contraceptives and comprehensive sex ed in South Dakota. Make sure to check it out.

The past couple of weeks have seen quiet a few legislative initiatives regarding reproductive rights all over the country, some for better and others for worse. Here’s a rundown of what’s going on state by state:

• A round of applause for South Dakota whose Health and Welfare Committee sent a bill (SB 164) to the state Senate amending previous law that allowed pharmacists to refuse writing prescriptions for birth control.

Despite these progressive efforts, several state legislators have sadly taken more regressive courses of action.

• The Indiana Senate passed a bill (SB 146) requiring physicians to provide information regarding the possibility of fetal pain and the medical opinion on when life begins to pregnant women considering an abortion at least 18 hours prior to her procedure.

• In Pennsylvania, Senator John Eichelberger has introduced “The Conscientious Objection Act” that would allow medical professionals in the state to refuse their patients contraceptives and abortions out of moral or religious objection.

• And in South Dakota, both the House and Senate have approved bills that would require physicians and clinics to offer patients seeking an abortion to view sonograms of their fetuses. Although women would not be forced to see the sonogram (the other option being to sign a statement of refusal), the measure still stands as a guilt-inducing obstacle in the abortion process.

And people say that reproductive choice isn’t an issue to worry about anymore. Sigh.

 The Repro Health Hub has talked about the many reasons why we heart reproductive rights, health and justice, and now you can discuss why you do too at the I Heart Choice event tomorrow night! The men and women of the Young Professional’s Council for Choice will be hosting a swanky shindig from 9-11pm at Runway in New York City, and you’re invited for free cocktails and a chance to schmooze with other fellow choice lovers. So if you’re in New York City, come have a Mai-Choice-Tai and enjoy the wonderful company of other reproductive choice advocates! Click here to buy tickets.