War on Women Rally April 28, 2012 Austin, TX

Today was the War on Women Rally. Jessica made a good point that it was a little anti-climactic. Unfortunately I too have been to a lot of these rallies and I had urges to leave early several times at this event. It was great to see SO MANY people out and from so many parts of Texas, but when you live in Austin and go to these rallies all the time it is kind of... same ol' same ol'. (I'm THRILLED so many people got involved. I can only hope that they will trek to the polls to make their voices heard where it REALLY COUNTS!) Anyway, there are ALWAYS great signs to be had, I got a picture with Dawnna Dukes, I signed some people up for Planned Parenthood's mailing list, did some voter registration, and signed a petition against new outrageous abortion reporting in Texas, so I'd still say it was a success!

Kathy Miller, president of Texas Freedom Network

Dawnna Dukes! She gave a shorter rendition of the speech below- truly inspiring.

Representative Dukes and me... SHERO

(Governor Jan Brewer Signs Arizona's Extreme New Abortion Law)

President Obama's Message to Planned Parenthood Supporters

"Women are not an interest group. They're mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. They're half of this country. They're perfectly capable of making their own choices about their health."

CAN'T ARGUE WITH THAT.

Want to tell the Texas government that women, not politicians, should make their own health decisions? Want to tell the Texas government that you stand with Planned Parenthood? SIGN THE PETITION!

Op-Ed: Texas Loses The Medicaid Women’s Health Program Over Politics

            Rick Perry made a big mistake when he denied Federal Medicaid funding for the Women’s Health Program to make a political statement over abortion.

            The Women’s Health Program (WHP) is a Medicaid program that provides low-income Texas women with annual pap-smears, STI testing, contraceptives, and diabetes screenings among other preventative care.

            At the beginning of the year, Texas state governor Rick Perry decided to make an executive order denying abortion affiliates from receiving federal Medicaid funding for the WHP. He made an exemption for hospitals, meaning that the only affiliate being excluded was, can you guess? Planned Parenthood.

            Texas’ new law explicitly disregards federal Medicaid law that requires women be able to choose any medical provider that is qualified to perform services covered under the WHP.

            Excluding Planned Parenthood from the WHP because they are an abortion affiliate is nonsensical; to qualify for WHP you have to be between the ages of 18 and 44 and importantly, not pregnant. Under the Hyde Amendment, no state or federal money has helped pay for abortions since 1976.

            The Medicaid Women’s Health Program is 90% funded by the federal government- for every $1 Texas invests the feds give us $9. Texas is denying nearly $35 million dollars in federal funding for preventative care for women. Texas pays about $1.3 billion annually for unintended pregnancies, the highest price tag in America except for California whom we are tied with for first place.

            Rick Perry has promised that the state of Texas will cover the funds we will lose by the implementation of the new law. This notion is interesting, because last legislative session, Texas cut preventative care funding from $111 million down to just $38 million when facing a devastating budget crisis. This resulted in nearly 300,000 women losing access to care. By implementation of the new executive order denying abortion affiliates (wait, just Planned Parenthood) from receiving funding, an additional 130,000 women will lose care.

            Rick Perry’s argument has been that Planned Parenthood makes up only 2% of WHP providers. This is true, but they also provide a whopping 44% of the services. A lot of Texas doctors cannot cover Medicaid services, because they get a much higher reimbursement from private insurance companies. Doctors literally cannot afford to accept Medicaid.  Without Planned Parenthood, the WHP will not have the capacity to operate. Jose Camacho, the executive director of the Texas Association of Community Health Centers has said there is no way the remaining health centers that have suffered budget cuts will be able to build the capacity quickly enough to continue care for the 130,000 women who rely on Planned Parenthood for their annual exams and other preventative services.

            A reporter asked the governor what Texas would do if Texas could come up with the money, but providers still could not cover the services. Perry’s response was, “Well, I don’t live in what ifs.” That sounds like an extremely illogical argument, and a dangerous one. I for one am fond of back up plans when it comes to health care for 130,000 Texas women.

            Kay Bailey Hutchison, another staunchly pro-life Texas representative, has actually dissented against Rick Perry’s choice to reject federal funding, a move that surprised Planned Parenthood and its supporters. Someone with political will in Texas knows that the Women’s Health Program in no way funds abortions, because you can’t be pregnant and receive services from the program! There is hope for Texas.

            It is important for Texas’ governor to sit down at the table with the federal government, and decide how to resolve this issue. One in four Texas women lack health insurance, and Texas has the third highest rate of cervical cancer in the nation. Texas cannot afford to reject money for preventative health care for low-income Texas women.

Wendy Davis, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Nancy Keenan, and Articles I'm Reading

Wendy Davis' Office Gets Fire Bombed

On Tuesday, six Molotov cocktails were thrown at Texas State Senator Wendy Davis' office. Thankfully, no one was hurt. While no motive has yet been established, Senator Davis has been in the public eye supporting Planned Parenthood and the Women's Health Program.

Rachel Maddow Interviews Wendy Davis

CW33: Ft. Worth Police Arrest Suspect in the Firebombing Attack of Senator Wendy Davis' Office

Brief history on anti-choice violence.

Check out Keep Your Boehner Out of My Uterus Tumblr for more info. (This is just a great blog in general for reproductive health issues throughout our nation.)

Senator Hutchison Supports the Medicaid Women's Health Program


I often get automated response e-mail from Senator Hutchison's office in response to petitions that say something along the lines of... "I do everything I can to support life and this doesn't do that," etc. So, hearing Senator Hutchison support Planned Parenthood as a provider for the Medicaid Women's Health Program was exhilarating. Someone with political will in Texas understands that the WHP in no way funds abortions! (Everyone is aware that to qualify for WHP you have to be between the ages of 18-44 and NOT PREGNANT, right?) See below!

CALL TO ACTION
PLEASE take 2 minutes out of your life to call Rick Perry's Opinion Hotline at 1-800-252-9600. Don't know what to say? I made a little script for my call that I'm happy to share.

Governor Perry,

My name is ___________ and I'm from ___________, Texas. I am calling in regards to the defunding of the Medicaid Women's Health Program. Texas is about to reject 35 million dollars in federal funds for preventative care because YOU don't want Planned Parenthood to receive any money. Medicaid law requires that patients have the right to choose their provider. We both know that Texas does not have the 35 million to cover the lost federal funds like you have promised. It is also evident that Medicaid providers can not handle the influx of 44% of the program's patients that will lose access when Planned Parenthood is excluded. Please reconsider your decision to defund the Women's Health Program.



Nancy Keenan (President of NARAL) Talks With Jennifer Granholm on "The War Room"

Lilith Fund Bowl-a-Thon

Like what I'm doing and want to support? Please consider making a donation to my Lilith Fund Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser. By raising money, I am filling a vital health care gap by helping women pay for abortion care, emergency contraception, options counseling, child care during abortion procedures, and transportation costs to clinics. I'm supporting our community members when they need me the most.

Here's a little more about Lilith - the fund has been around for 10 years.  Its first challenge was to raise $10,000 to begin assisting low-income folks with abortion funding.  Last year, Lilith gave away $80,000 to over 1,000 patients - so the average grant is around $75.  Once clients have an appointment with a clinic and know how much money they need, they call the hotline.  A volunteer responds to their call, provides financial counseling, and ultimately determines the amount of money they can grant to the client.  They work with clinics across Texas from El Paso to Beaumont, as far north as Killeen and south into the RGV.  The TEA Fund is Lilith's "sister" fund for North Texas.  

My goal as of now is $100, but I'd love to blow that out of the water. PLEASE MAKE A DONATION! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

Other Links

Tell HHS: Support Birth Control With No Co-Pays For Every Woman. Sign the petition!

Tell Governor Perry: Don't Mess with Texas Women. Sign the petition!

RSVP to the War on Women Rally April 28th at the Capitol.

Check out the We Are Women March website.

Apply for the White House Young America Series hosted by UT on April 10th. Submissions are due March 30th.

Blacksnob: No Apologies: On the Killing of Trayvon Martin and Being "Good"

NPR: What Your Gyno Doesn't Know About Your Sex Life, But Should

Amy Johnson: My Problem with Purity Balls

Please "Like" the Voices for Reproductive Justice Facebook page!

Follow me on Twitter!

Doonesbury Comics, Rick Perry, and Fundraising

Doonesbury Comic Strips

GOP War on Women

CALL TO ACTION
PLEASE take 2 minutes out of your life to call Rick Perry's Opinion Hotline at 1-800-252-9600. Don't know what to say? I made a little script for my call that I'm happy to share.

Governor Perry,

My name is ___________ and I'm from ___________, Texas. I am calling in regards to the defunding of the Medicaid Women's Health Program. Texas is about to reject 35 million dollars in federal funds for preventative care because YOU don't want Planned Parenthood to receive any money. Medicaid law requires that patients have the right to choose their provider. We both know that Texas does not have the 35 million to cover the lost federal funds like you have promised. It is also evident that Medicaid providers can not handle the influx of 44% of the program's patients that will lose access when Planned Parenthood is excluded. Please reconsider your decision to defund the Women's Health Program.

Lilith Fund Bowl-a-Thon

Like what I'm doing and want to support? Please consider making a donation to my Lilith Fund Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser. By raising money, I am filling a vital health care gap by helping women pay for abortion care, emergency contraception, options counseling, child care during abortion procedures, and transportation costs to clinics. I'm supporting our community members when they need me the most.

Here's a little more about Lilith - the fund has been around for 10 years.  Its first challenge was to raise $10,000 to begin assisting low-income folks with abortion funding.  Last year, Lilith gave away $80,000 to over 1,000 patients - so the average grant is around $75.  Once clients have an appointment with a clinic and know how much money they need, they call the hotline.  A volunteer responds to their call, provides financial counseling, and ultimately determines the amount of money they can grant to the client.  They work with clinics across Texas from El Paso to Beaumont, as far north as Killeen and south into the RGV.  The TEA Fund is Lilith's "sister" fund for North Texas.  

My goal as of now is $100, but I'd love to blow that out of the water. PLEASE MAKE A DONATION! 

Other Links

Tell Governor Perry: Don't Mess with Texas Women. Sign the petition!

RSVP to the War on Women Rally April 28th at the Capitol.

Check out the We Are Women March website.

Jezebel: Idaho Bill Requires Women to Go to CPCs Before Getting Abortions

Texas Observer: The Right Not to Know

Joyce Arthur: The Only Moral Abortion is My Abortion

Jezebel: Single Women Are Becoming the Evangelicals of the Democratic Party

Ashley Judd on Family Planning and Contraception 

Learn more about Rick Santorum's views via Huffington Post.

Please "Like" the Voices for Reproductive Justice Facebook page!

Follow me on Twitter!

Seeing Red Rally and Planned Parenthood's Final Bus Tour Stop March 13, 2012

CALL TO ACTION
PLEASE take 2 minutes out of your life to call Rick Perry's Opinion Hotline at 1-800-252-9600. Don't know what to say? I made a little script for my call that I'm happy to share.

Governor Perry,

My name is ___________ and I'm from ___________, Texas. I am calling in regards to the defunding of the Medicaid Women's Health Program. Texas is about to reject 35 million dollars in federal funds for preventative care because YOU don't want Planned Parenthood to receive any money. Medicaid law requires that patients have the right to choose their provider. We both know that Texas does not have the 35 million to cover the lost federal funds like you have promised. It is also evident that Medicaid providers can not handle the influx of 44% of the program's patients that will lose access when Planned Parenthood is excluded. Please reconsider your decision to defund the Women's Health Program.


Seeing Red Rally
This weeks Seeing Red Rally was way bigger!

The best part of rallies are the signs, and really they explain what's happening better than any summary I could come up with.

Second-wave sign

VRJ Prez, Liz

Rocking the "controversial" Doonesbury comics. (Has anyone been paying attention? If people are offended by the comics, why aren't they offended by the LAWS?)

YOUNG PEOPLE, YAY!

"Rhymes for the win," as this nice young lady says.

#winning

My mom says the same thing.

Please, and thank you.

Right? How is denying access to preventative/life saving health care pro-life?

"Roll over Rick Perry, we gotta probe for you."

I would have opted not to post this picture if I didn't see that little girl smiling and banging pans later. I think her pissed off face adds a little something special. DON'T MESS WITH MY MOM!

The last amazing thing that happened at this rally is I met the mysterious author of the Keep Your Boehner Out Of My Uterus! This blog is fantastic, and I highly recommend it as a regular read. 

Planned Parenthood Final Bus Tour Stop

This is what I saw when I came back to The Capitol later.

Liz and I held this sign through the rally.

"I'M MAD AS HELL!"

Let me just say, Representative Dawna Dukes is my new hero. By far the best speech of the night.

Liz and me after the rally.

KVUE News Report on Planned Parenthood's Final Bus Tour Stop.

Texas Tribune on What's Next for Texas' Women's Health Program.

Planned Parenthood's Bus Tour Tumblr.

The Texas Independent: Rule Excluding Planned Parenthood from Medicaid Program Takes Effect Today

Lilith Fund Bowl-a-Thon

Like what I'm doing and want to support? Please consider making a donation to my Lilith Fund Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser. By raising money, I am filling a vital health care gap by helping women pay for abortion care, emergency contraception, options counseling, child care during abortion procedures, and transportation costs to clinics. I'm supporting our community members when they need me the most.

After interning at Whole Woman's Health, I am very aware of how helpful the Lilith Fund is. Their donations are made on a sliding income scale.

My goal as of now is $100, but I'd love to blow that out of the water. PLEASE MAKE A DONATION! Hugs will be aplenty. 

Other Links

Tell Governor Perry: Don't Mess with Texas Women. Sign the petition!

RSVP to the War on Women Rally April 28th at the Capitol.

Doonesbury Comic Strips about Texas abortion laws.

Donate to my abortion fundraiser. 

Jezebel: Hillary Clinton Urges Women Not to Take Any Shit

UT's Sexual Health Educator has an interview with CycleBeads.

Sir Richards: Sluts Unite

Please "Like" the Voices for Reproductive Justice Facebook page!

Follow me on twitter!

Planned Parenthood Bus Tour Stop in Dallas Texas March 11, 2011

I happened to be in Dallas over the weekend where the Planned Parenthood Bus Tour made a stop on Sunday, March 11.

This was the only picture I got worth posting, but here I am repping for Voices for Reproductive Justice. Thanks for the signs, Dru!

My friend sent me this picture when she was cutting video at her work. Thanks, Katia!

I didn't get many pictures from this rally, but I did find some great links.

CW33 News Clip about the Planned Parenthood Bus Tour stop in Dallas.

Planned Parenthood Tumblr for the Bus Tour stops.

Planned Parenthood Flickr set

Upcoming Rallies

The Seeing Red Rally takes place at The Capitol tomorrow, March 13, from 12pm-2pm.

The last stop of the Planned Parenthood Bus Tour is at The Capitol tomorrow, Mach 13, from 6:30pm-7:30pm. CECILE RICHARDS WILL BE SPEAKING!

Other Links

Tell Governor Perry: Don't Mess with Texas Women. Sign the petition!

RSVP to the War on Women Rally April 28th at the Capitol.

The Texas Tribune speaks with Kathleen Sebelius about the Women's Health Program.

Texas Tribune: Feds Will Not Renew Women's Health Program

MSNBC News Clip on defunding the Women's Health Program

Rachel Maddow Clip on Texas' Mandatory Vaginal Ultrasound and the Doonesbury Comic Strip

The Guardian: Doonesbury Comic Strip on Texas Abortion Laws Dropped

All of the Doonesbury Comic Strips about Texas' Abortion Laws running this week.

UPDATE: The above link is no longer active. They will repost when all of the comics have run. See this link and this link for now.

The Nation: The Genius of Cecile Richards

Sir Richards: Sluts Unite

Please "Like" the Voices for Reproductive Justice Facebook page!

Follow me on twitter!

Empowerment Week, Student Day at the Legislature, Volunteering with Planned Parenthood, UT Spring Break Kits, Project 2012, and Friends from Dallas

Empowerment Week/Meeting with James from Resist Attack

This year, Social Work Council will be hosting Empowerment Week: Safety. The three tenets are: Personal Safety, Sexual Safety, and Alcohol Safety.

This week I officially reserved Gregory Plaza for April 3rd and 4th from 10am-2pm. Come join us for lots of free goodies!

For Personal Safety, we are teaming up with Resist Attack to hand out free pepper spray. I met with the owner, James Shaw, on Friday to collaborate on how to hand out as many free pepper sprays as possible. He agreed to table with us, so you will have the opportunity to speak with him and learn more about Resist Attack's mission.

Here is the free pepper spray James gave me, and what we will be giving away in April!

For Sexual Safety, Voices for Reproductive Justice ("Like" our Facebook page!) will be handing out free condom goodie bags. More information to come!

For Alcohol Safety, I am still waiting to hear back from HealthyHorns, but I am hoping they will table with us. More information to come on this one, too!

Student Day at the Legislature

On Wednesday, I met with the planning committee to discuss Social Work's Student Day at the Legislature on March 6. Attending students are meeting this Friday, March 2, at 3pm in the School of Social Work's Utopia Theatre to group into caucuses (meetings have already been scheduled with several committees and representatives) to discuss what issues we want to address. To sign up, please e-mail kavita.khandekar@utexas.edu.

Volunteering with Planned Parenthood

Thursday was a pretty exciting day volunteering at Planned Parenthood. I took notes on a national Planned Parenthood conference call, and then I dropped off letters at the state capitol. (No big deal, just walking through the Texas House and Senate floors! [It really isn't a big deal, but it was pretty exciting for me]). Unfortunately, the letters were in regards to Texas defunding health care for 130,000 women.

UT Spring Break Kits

University Health Services will be handing out THREE THOUSAND free Spring Break kits this week on the West Mall. On Friday, a few fellow HSPEs and myself helped package them.

You get this sweet water bottle,

and all of these goodies: 6 resource cards (oops, one is a double in this pic), a bookmark, sunscreen, an energy bar, condoms, and lube!

I think they were about half done on Friday.

Project 2012

Project is UT's largest day of service, so of course Social Work Council was there. We teamed up at River City Youth Foundation.

We had to be there at 7:30am, so Gwen brought us homemade breakfast tacos. She is an awesome cook. Thanks, Gwen!

I didn't have a great vision of what we were doing as we started, so this is kind of a "middle" stage picture. We raked up a trail (this picture is a very SMALL portion of what we actually did).

Here is the finished product (again, a very small portion)!

Augie and Krista

Teamwork!

More teamwork!

Gwen and Melissa worked in the garden.

Hook 'em! We had a great time.

Before You Go:

Did you see Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers "Really?!?" last week on Saturday Night Live talking about birth control? Really with Seth and Amy. "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!"