EqualityQuilt

Buzzworthy

Hey folks!  It's Friday and that means it's time to catch up on headlines you might have missed this week.

• In case you hadn't heard, American women's reproductive rights are under attack.
• On a brighter note, a school is actually getting smart about preventing teen pregnancies and STIs by providing free condoms to students!
• We found out that the Komen Foundation/Planned Parenthood debacle was the result of pressure from the Catholic Church.  Shocking!
• Oh hay, Duchess of Cornwall.  Good to know you're on our team.
• A new report from the Guttmacher Institute found that over 50% of American women live in states that are "hostile" to their reproductive rights.  Dang, America.
• Texas just can't abide Planned Parenthood, so they gave up on Women's health altogether.
• The Women in the World Summit happened.

 

In other news, Hillary Clinton:

 

Have a great weekend, y'all!

-Trisha

Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act Values Men's, Grandparents' Wishes Over Pregnant Women's Health and Agency

Among the barrage of new legislation at local and national levels that threaten women's right to choose, as well as access to contraception, there's an especially offensive bill making its way through the US House of Representatives, even as I write this very article.  The atrocious Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act that would allow would-be fathers and grandparents to prevent a pregnant woman from having an abortion by obtaining a legal injunction, the violation of which could result in a civil lawsuit against the woman and/or her physicians or advocates.

Friday Highlights: What You Might Have Missed This Week

"Pregnancy Centers Come Under Fire for Abortion Info"

NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota released a report this week which chronicled the types of information given to women who seek help at crisis pregnancy centers. Get the full story from the Star Tribune.

"Birth Control for Men?"

Ms. Magazine's blog takes another look at what new birth control methods developed for men might look like. For the full story see the Ms. Magazine Blog.

"Duluth Joins Campaign to Defeat the Marriage Amendment"

The Duluth City Council just announced they voted to formally oppose the Marriage Amendment which will appear on the ballot in November. Check out MNUnited.org or the Duluth News Tribune for more information.

"Taboos Undercut Nepal's Marital Rape Law"

Some women in Nepal are trying to figure out how to handle marital rape and domestic violence. Get the full story at WomensENews.org.

"Pittsburgh's Milk Truck Breaks for Nursing Moms"

A new organization is blooming in Pittsburgh. Figure out why it might soon be easier to breastfeed on the streets from WomensENews.

Headlines: What You Might Have Missed This Week

Here are some highlights from the first week of 2012:

"Employed Students Workload Puts Studies at Risk"

Women are attending college in record numbers and in Minnesota students are working more than ever before to help finance their education. Check out how college students are doing double duty - work and school - in this MPR article.

"Why There's No Such Thing as 'Reverse Racism'"

Our society still struggles with institutions that support domination and discrimination. For an excellent analysis of power structures in society definitely check out this article on Daily Kos.

"Yet Another Huge Comprehensive Study Finds that Abortion Doesn't Cause Mental Health Problems"

While reproductive rights were vehemently attacked in the last legislative session, we can rest assured that legitimate research is on our side. Ms. Magazine Blog reports on a new study regarding the long term effects of abortion.

"Bachmann Ends White House Bid"

After the Iowa caucus earlier this week Rep. Michele Bachmann formally announced the end of her presidential campaign. For more details check out the full article.

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Check out facts and prevention tips regarding cervical cancer on Planned Parenthood's website or through the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.

Woman-Centered Health Care for All: Pro-Choice Resources

Celebration 32 is one day closer! Take a look at Pro-Choice Resources, the 2012 honoree for Woman-Centered Health Care for All.

Pro-Choice resources is a unique, grassroots organization which provides several far-reaching services (education, financial, advocacy) in regards to women's reproductive health. Pro-Choice resources is the only organization of its kind and operates through collaboration of staff and volunteers. Though based in Minnesota, their resources and services span the globe; making reproductive health services more accessible for all.

Congratulations Pro-Choice Resources and we'll see you at Celebration 32!

For more information on Pro-Choice Resources (and the Birds & Bees Project) click here.

Will the Courts "Heart Boobies?"

Advocates of body image and breast health seem to have coalesced around advocacy for breast self-exams. Women (and men!) from around the country are joining campaigns to raise awareness about breast cancer and beat the number one killer for women under 40. You've seen the pink ribbons, the walk to support breast health signs, in the various local and national campaigns. But what you may not have heard of (yet) is the "I <3 boobies" campaign. "The what?!" you ask. And the response: exactly. That's exactly the reaction they want you to have.

This non-profit, formally called the 'Keep A Breast' Foundation (pun intended, I am sure) stirs up public awareness by catching your attention in what some call a "lewd" manner. T-shirts and bracelets emblazoned with the colorful logo, in lower-case bubble letters are available for purchase directly through their website for $22.99 and $3.99 respectively. The non-profit explains that their linguistic choices spur conversations, awareness, and increase self-confidence in young women. All of which, they assert, increases the number of women who perform breast self-exams-- potentially catching this life-threatening disease in a treatable stage. 

The problem comes when students in public schools wear this breast health awareness garb to school. Administrators and teachers report violations of dress code, classes are disrupted, and ultimately, the students find themselves suspended. The argument of schools cannot be taken lightly: school is for learning, and t-shirts declaring "I heart boobies" disrupts a classroom. But do the public policy implications of this campaign supersede that concern?

Buzzworthy

It’s been hot. It’s been sticky. Here’s what you may have missed if you’ve been beating the heat lakeside:

1. Pasadena court case spurs Supreme Court to examine GLBTQ rights in the context of theConstitutional Equal Protection Clause

2. To be girly or to be geeky, that is the question

3. One for women: new insurance policies will be required to cover co-pays for birth control

4. The debt debate is done, largely ignoring social issues that normally fuel the US legislature

5. Europe’s great debate on burqa bans hits Italy

6. Women and children are left the most vulnerable in the Horn of Africa famine

7. What’s a girl to do about abstinence only sex ed

8. Media with a message gets a shout out from an industry favorite

9. Anderson Cooper puts Chris Brown on the Ridiculist

Birth Control: A Purely Female Responsibility?

For years women had little to no control over their fertility. Education and accessibility of birth control was almost non-existent. In fact, it is only in the past century birth control has become widely accessible; although comprehensive sex education is still lacking. Much credit for the increase in birth control use and education can be given to Margaret Sanger. However, Sanger was of the opinion birth control was purely a woman's responsibility. Consider of course Sanger's time - giving sole responsibility of birth control to women also gave them power they did not previously possess. Her decision to give women primary responsibility was probably the best one for her purposes. Yet, the world has changed dramatically since Sanger begin her fight and now we must ask, should women really be solely responsible for pregnancy prevention?

Other important questions to consider while analyzing birth control are:

Do birth control methods promote gender equality?

Do they empower women like we think they do?

Is birth control empowering for men?

Well, how many birth control methods are made only for men? According to Planned Parenthood’s website men have five options: condoms, abstinence, vasectomy, withdrawal and outercourse. Women have: female condoms, tubal ligation, IUD’s, the Pill, the Nuva Ring, the Patch, diaphragm, cervical cap, Plan B, spermicidal jellies/foams, the sponge, Depo-Provera, outercourse and abstinence. Based on methods alone we see responsibility of preventing pregnancy is placed much more heavily on women. This responsibility carries over into other aspects of life as well: it is also no coincidence that overall women still perform more childcare tasks than their male counterparts (although the gap is lessening).

Abortion: A Necessary Option

Abortion. It is one of the most controversial, political, and emotionally charged topics in our country. Until 1973, with the passage of Roe v. Wade, abortion was illegal. However, today it is a constitutionally protected right. The legalization of abortion gave women the ability to control their bodies and childbearing safely. Before the legalization of abortion thousands of women were killed or seriously injured because they had no viable or safe way to terminate a pregnancy.

Abortion is currently under fire at both federal and state levels. In Minnesota, bills that would ban abortion past twenty weeks are advancing and a massive funding cut to Planned Parenthood passed in the House of Representatives at the federal level. Pro-lifers are fighting hard against abortion because they want to protect unborn children. They see abortion, and those who opt for abortions, as irrational "baby killers" with no morals. They are not seeing the big picture - to them reproduction exists in a box. They do not consider the long term efforts and financial responsibilities it takes to raise a child. They are turning deaf ears on the women and men who made the excruciatingly painful decision to terminate a pregnancy due to complications. People do not have abortions because they want to kill unborn children. They have abortions for a multitude of reasons, and are chastised for their actions, for using a constitutional right.

A constitutional right that does not deserve to be attacked any longer. Abortion is a necessary option. It is not a perfect option, and the decision to have an abortion is never made lightly. If abortions were illegal or severely restricted how would society handle these situations?

- What about women who are raped?

-Victims of incest?

-Young girls who are raped or victims of incest?

-What if the mother could die from completing the pregnancy?

-A woman in an abusive relationship?

Like it or not, these situations are real and abortion provides safe options for these women and women who might have gotten pregnant because of contraceptive failure. Often these women (and their partners) do not have the financial or emotional tools to raise a child in a safe, productive environment. They do not choose abortion because it is "the easy way out" they chose abortion because it is the best option.

The key to analyzing abortion is recognizing the facts and looking at broad effects, regardless of personal opinion. There are so many unwanted, neglected, and abused children in this world - do we really want to increase that number? Do we want to limit women's freedom over their bodies and chain them to childbearing? If abortion continues to be attacked, is society prepared to pay to feed, clothe, and educate children parents were forced to bring into this world? As a society we attack welfare and abortion but do not consider how decreasing abortion could very well increase the need for welfare. What we do need is more comprehensive sex education and wider availability of contraceptives - but this plan is often attacked by Pro-lifers as well.

We need to look at what is best for society, and right now having the option of legal and safe abortions is best. Perhaps one-day women and men will not have to make the painful decision to terminate a pregnancy. Perhaps contraception will become so widely available that unwanted pregnancies will be prevented not terminated. Perhaps medical science will advance and fetuses with chromosome disorders and other anomalies will be able to live happy, healthy lives instead of being born into a world of pain with almost no chance of survival. The decision to bear and raise a child is sacred - and every individual deserves to have the ability to make that decision, not be forced into a parental role. - JEN KALTVEIT

 

 

What Would Margaret Sanger Do?!

A bill has been proposed in Congress that, if passed, would slash funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood. Part of Planned Parenthood's budget is comprised of funds that are allotted through Title X - which is a family planning program that helps ensure health care access for lower income individuals. The logic behind this bill is to slash funding for organizations that provide abortion services. Supporters of the bill believe this will benefit society.

Precisely how society will benefit from this bill is yet to be explained. Planned Parenthood provides services like sexual health education, sexually transmitted infections (STI) screening, cancer screenings, contraception education and distribution, and other women's health services. Planned Parenthood clinics across the country are used predominantly by women and men who have no main health care provider. The services that Planned Parenthood provides allows these individuals to practice a more healthy lifestyle and engage in family planning - necessary components for better public health.

Abortion comprises only 3% of all services provided by Planned Parenthood and not all clinics provide abortion services. Cutting funding based on whether an organization provides abortions is ludicrous, especially since abortion is LEGAL and a right protected by federal law. Federal law also states that government funds are not to be used for abortion. Planned Parenthood funds abortion through other means - and uses government allotments to provide preventative services.

Regardless of what supporters say, this bill will have definite negative impacts. Planned Parenthood as an organization will likely survive if the bill passes but all it's clinics will not. Closing clinics means that avenues to contraception, sexual health education, and preventative care will be dismantled for individuals who do not have alternate access. Society needs these services! Women and men need access to services and education, cutting funds for sexual health services will not improve the sexual health and behavior in society. In fact, it will have the opposite effect. - Jen Kaltveit