I frequently find myself wondering how I got into this social justice work. I am a white, heterosexual female of privilege; I was raised in an upper-middle class, Christian, small business owning family. Looking back, I sometimes feel as if I grew up in a story book… I never had a care or worry in the world when I was young. I was simply never exposed to much outside of our happy little American dream bubble. My parents were very conservative, and while they did a lot of work to support our local community on behalf of our business and our family, they never pushed any social justice messages upon me. Although, the one thing I do remember my dad always saying was “Always leave a place better than you found it.” While this could be applied to a Boy Scout’s camp site (which is where he got it from), I found that I applied it to life in general.  Today I feel that our world would be a much better place if we could reduce hate and increase love and respect for ALL people.

Again: white. heterosexual. upper-middle class. college educated. These things I identify as would not indicate a personal connection to many of the social justice issues we frequently hear about, yet I cannot help but be outrageously passionate about these issues – specifically, same sex marriage. The first time I realized I cared about this was when a family member had come out on a social networking site, and when discussing it with a cousin of mine who firmly stated that acting on feelings toward someone of the same sex was a sin and would result in that person going to hell I found myself in a great state of confusion and hurt. I cried and cried trying to express to my cousin that I simply didn’t understand how she could say such terrible things about a family member’s life. At that moment, it hit me how much this means to me. It’s not because I have family members and friends who identify as LGBTQ; it’s because I believe in fairness and loving all people equally.

More recently I found myself discussing same sex marriage with a friend who was unsupportive with the argument that “as a Christian, I have to support what the bible says.” Now, it must be stated that I no longer identify as Christian for a variety of reasons, but I do have respect for all religious beliefs. In that moment, again feeling my heart sinking & tears welling up in my eyes, I simply said “Do you feel that it is okay for every person in our country to live by Christian doctrines?” Not expecting (or receiving) a response, I continued to say that as a heterosexual person I do not feel that I am entitled to any more rights than another person simply because God made me heterosexual.

…And that’s what it all came down to. I simply do not feel that I am any more of a valuable asset to this country than any other person. I do not feel that I should be entitled to any more rights than anyone else because I happened to be born as this type of person. So if you find yourself thinking that same sex couples should not be entitled to full rights with marriage equality, this is what I challenge you to: Ask yourself, “Am I more valuable than someone else because I am heterosexual? Is the love in my relationship more meaningful than the love in another couple’s relationship? Knowing that there is a separation of church and state, can I truly say that our country should refuse certain couples the right to be married? Will someone else’s marriage (gay or straight) impact how much I love my partner?” Simply ask yourself these things... and think.

If you find that you are some who does not support same sex marriage, but also claims that you do not support discrimination or hate, then how do you define discrimination? I define it as viewing another individual as less equal due to a particular characteristic about them.   Denying a couple the right to marry is discrimination. Discrimination is simply based out of ignorance. Equality does not exist in the United States... not yet. We must keep living the words of the Constitution and Martin Luther King, Jr., “We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men [and women] are created equal.”

I have a dream.

There is a national movement to adopt state law or amend state constitutions to define a person as a fertilized egg. This movement is often referred to simply as “personhood.” This month Mississippians voted on a “personhood” ballot initiative that was defeated 58%-42%. The most contentious issues on the Mississippi “personhood” campaign related to the proposed law's impact on birth control, in vitro fertilization, and medical emergencies during pregnancy. Below is an in-depth analysis of “personhood” in Mississippi and birth control.

“Personhood” laws put the health and safety of women at risk by limiting medical care for pregnant women. A “personhood” law would ban health services for women that could endanger a fertilized egg. Here is a list of situations in which a woman needs care that could endanger a fertilized egg:

- Chemotherapy for cancer treatment
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Heart disease
- Autoimmune disorders including HIV

Without access to these services a woman could face irreversible harm, and even death. It seems counterintuitive for a movement that supports “protecting life” to allow a pregnant woman to die, which in turn would cause her pregnancy to end as well. Instead of saving one life, two would be lost under “personhood” in this case. 


Abortion restrictions also carry heavy burdens on healthcare providers. Many providers contend that measures like “personhood” would limit their ability to provide care to pregnant women, delay life-saving care, and put them at risk of criminal charges for simply providing their regular standard of appropriate medical care.

I recently sat in on testimony for the Ohio Heartbeat Bill, legislation that is similar to "personhood" measures in that it drastically limits access to abortion care. Almost all of the healthcare providers present stated that if the heartbeat bill were signed into law, obstetricians and gynecologists would have to leave Ohio. Even students currently in their medical residencies in Ohio are discussing not practicing here because of the proposed law.

The reason why healthcare providers oppose these laws is because it makes it more difficult for them to do their job. In medicine, there is never a clear answer. If a “personhood” law passes and a doctor provides an abortion because they conclude that it is medically necessary, they could be questioned about it later, which in turn could possibly lead to criminal action.

Bills such as personhood not only limit access to abortion, but could also result in less access to other reproductive health services – pap smears, birth control consultations, prenatal care – because the healthcare providers who deliver these services will be few and far between in communities in need. Also, providers might delay life-saving care for fear that providing this care prematurely could results in criminal charges against them.

Medical care during pregnancy is complicated and every situation is different. Therefore, it makes the most sense for medical decisions to be made between a doctor, a women, and her family – not state or federal legislators.

Related resources:
http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Medical_Reasons_for_Abortion
http://healthyfamiliesohio.com/facts.html

This is the second post in a three-part series on some of the most contentious aspects of proposed “personhood” laws. I’ll be focusing on the impact that these measures would have on birth control, in vitro fertilization and medical emergencies during pregnancy.

The Downfall of “personhood” – BC, IVF and medical emergencies during pregnancy

There is a national movement to adopt state law or amend state constitutions to define a person as a fertilized egg. This movement is often referred to simply as “personhood.” This month Mississippians voted on a “personhood” ballot initiative, that was defeated 58-42. The most contentious issues on the Mississippi “personhood” campaign related to the laws impact on birth control, in vitro fertilization, and medical emergencies during pregnancy. Below is an in depth analysis of “personhood” in Mississippi and birth control.

Would a “personhood” law ban fertility treatments?

IVF, intro vitro fertilization, is one treatment for infertility. During IVF an egg is removed from a women’s body, and mixed with sperm in a fluid medium. In this medium the egg is fertilized by a sperm and then begins to divide and grow, becoming an embryo. The embryo is then placed back into the women’s body, into her uterus, where it will further grow and develop.

If you are more a visual learner, here is a video of the IVF procedure.

During IVF some embryos are frozen for use later. Other embryos are disposed of because they stop growing and multiplying and are no longer viable. Anti-choice groups, including the Catholic Church, strongly oppose IVF because the procedure disposes of human embryos or manipulates them, as stated above.

IVF was an issue many Mississippi voters I talked to were concerned about. I talked to several people who themselves or family members used IVF to become pregnant. The voters were aware that the path to parenthood can be complicated and difficult, and that without IVF many families would be unable to have children.

“Personhood” further demonstrates the breadth of reproductive justice

The “personhood” campaigns across the country are further demonstrating the breadth of issues addressed in the reproductive justice framework. Reproductive rights and justice commonly is narrowed to the right of a woman to access an abortion. Reproductive justice is about so much more! It is about women and families having the resources and information enabling them to make decisions about whether or when they want to become parents. This includesaccess to birth control, abortion AND fertility treatment (and much more).

While the anti-choice movement has better championed messaging on families, it is actually reproductive justice advocates that fight for a culture and policies that allow people to have the family of their choosing – from access to IVF all the way to marriage equality. By overreaching on reproductive rights and banning fertility treatments the anti-choice movement shows its true colors. The movement sets unrealistic expectations of people, contributes to a sex negative culture, and disapproves of diverse family structures.

...someday I will learn to come up with catchy, creative titles for my blog posts.  But not today.

I don't know what you've heard about the Heartbeat Bill in the state of Ohio, but it is quite crazy and needs to be stopped.  The bill states that abortion will not be legal after a heartbeat is detected, even in the cases of rape, incest, health of the mother and viability of the fetus (whether or not it can live outside of the womb).  There are a whole host of issues with this bill, a few of them being: 
- Most women don't even know they're pregnant until they are at least 6 weeks along; a heartbeat is typically detected for the first time around 4-6 weeks.  Therefore, this law essentially outlaws abortion for everyone who is not expecting a pregnancy.
- It forces women to carry an unhealthy fetus to term knowing that within hours after birth the baby will die.
- It forces survivors of rape to carry the child of their rapist for 9 months.
- It is UNCONSTITUTIONAL! The ACLU has already declared that it will file a lawsuit against the state if this piece of legislation is passed.
- There are hundreds of other reasons as to why this whole thing is terrible, but I won't spend all of my time telling listing them...

The bill was passed in the Ohio House of Representatives, and was then passed on to the Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Aging.  Last week, supporters of the bill testified in front of the committee; some of these individuals speaking about how they had at least one, if not two abortions and now regret their decision after seeking help from extremely religious organizations that have shamed them into believing that they are murderers.  Other supporters of the bill testified this week with thousands of Bible verses and incorrect "facts" about abortion.  I also testified on Tuesday (after about 7 hours of being at the statehouse and 4 hours into the committee hearing)... but I was testifying against the bill.  Some main points that I made were:
- I am a female of childbearing age & this legislation that directly impacts me & my peers (I had to point this out as the majority, if not all of the pro-lifers were white, male, and (of the women) post-childbearing age.)
- Until the state government was willing to fully fund education and social programs (including adoption services), they should not be passing a bill that requires families to bring another child into this world that they are unable to care for.
- This piece of legislation tells me that my state government does not respect me as an individual or trust me to make the best decision for my life and my body.  Therefore, it makes me want to take my Master's degree & income tax from my well paying job to another state where I am respected and trusted.
- There must be a separation of church and state.  While I don't know if I would ever have an abortion, I do know that it's not my right to make that choice for someone else.  We are all entitled to worship or not worship in whatever way we choose; we should not be subjected to follow the rules of someone else's religious beliefs.  If your faith tells you that abortion is not a good choice, then you should take that into consideration for your own life; you cannot make someone else abide of the rules of your religion.   (I wish I would have articulated this point better after hearing all of the other testimonies...)
- We need to stop wasting time trying to pass unconstitutional legislation and start investing in prevention that works, ie: comprehensive sex education.

Other interesting points made at the hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday were:
- How many individuals on the pro-life movement are adopting children?  Specifically children born right here in Ohio, not from third world countries.  Realistic answer:  not enough.
- What is the pro-life movement doing to support other issues such as education, Medicaid and social programs to support children outside of the womb?  Realistic answer:  nothing.
- Is Faith to Action (the pro-life group sponsoring this legislation) going to pay the state's legal fees when this is taken to the Supreme Court for being unconstitutional?  Given answer:  Only through tax dollars.  
- Will current and future physicians choose to practice medicine in Ohio knowing that they could be arrested if they felt the best medical decision to save a patient's life was to abort their fetus?  Answer:  Yes, with absolute certainty.

Testifying was a great experience!  The room was definitely full of tension, and it certainly was a longggg day - but we made it out alive!  I felt very respected by the committee, and occasionally individuals on the othe rside of the debate were semi-cordial.  After the hearing was over, I spoke to my senator (who happened to be the vice chair of the committee).  He thanked me for coming down and stating my views on the bill; he then went on to express how even though there are very strong beliefs on both sides, he has the highest respect for individuals (especially young people) who come to Columbus to make their voice heard (meaning he didn't agree with me, but he was glad I was there).  

The only downfall to all of this was that there were VERY few young people there testifying. While the pro-choice-ers had a few young people testify, the majority of all people who spoke were 40+.... It made me realize even more how important it is for young people to get involved & make their voice heard.  No matter where you stand on an issue, if you feel passionately about it and have done your research to develop an opinion, let the legislators know how you feel!!  You are the future of this country and the decisions made today are about YOUR life - they will impact you & generations to come.  Voting is huge, but advocating for something can make an incredible difference.  Get involved, folks!  Stop letting the baby boomers make all of the decisions - this is YOUR country, too!

If you're wondering what happened with the heartbeat bill - it is going to continue to sit in the committee until further notice.  The Senate president told the committee chair to suspend all hearings on the Heartbeat Bill until further notice (which is good news for us because their goal was to pass it by Christmas) .... So who knows when hearings will come about again, but thankfully Ohioans maintain their right to choose.... for now. :-/

Oh, and here is the link to the news clip with my testimony!
http://www.10tv.com/content/sections/video/index.html?video=/videos/2011/12/14/heartbeat-bill-.xml 

I’m pro-choice and I’m pro-life. It’s a definition that I’ve come to myself, interest-group free.

For a long time, I was about nothing more than ensuring a women’s right to choice—to choose if and when she would become a mother. Over time, my beliefs have become more complicated with the more people I meet, the more stories I hear, and the older I get.

Before either side sounds the alarm, hear me out.

In the abortion world, there are two camps: the extreme pro-choicers and the extreme pro-lifers. We seldom (if ever) see the regular people who have been touched by abortion. Planned Parenthood and the Ohio Right to Life both have testimonials from women to advance the organization’s interests, not necessarily the story of everyday women.

I’m not relinquishing my pro-choice beliefs. Instead, I’m adopting some new ones. Sitting for an entire day listening to testimony for both sides on House Bill 125, the “Heartbeat” Bill, I’m rattled and frustrated. Perhaps you should be, too.

It’s not just the fact that this legislation would prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected that brings about frustration. If you know me, you know I think that this is the wrong approach. If you disagree, then let’s agree to disagree. Still hear me out.

What I cannot understand—what baffles and confuses and angers me—is the fact that we have a middle ground, yet so few are willing to leave the comfort of their talking points and their derisive language to try to come up with a solution.

Abortion is “erroneous” fetuses have “civil rights,” and the constitution is “perverted”. Ok, ok—I get it. You are opposed to abortion. Fine. I personally believe it’s less black and white, but can we set those arguments aside and move toward the one that really matters: prevention?

When we want to prevent car accidents, we teach people how to drive safely. When we want to prevent poverty, we attack its root causes: addiction, education, unplanned pregnancies, etc. And when we want to prevent abortion—which we must all have a stake in—then we have to start with preventing unplanned pregnancies.

How? We could start with improving sex education. On an issue that clearly drums up endless passion on both sides, would we ever come up short on ideas? I doubt it. The key is to put our differences aside and reunite as Americans with a singular purpose: to improve the quality of life for everyone, young and old. There is something inherently pro-life sounding in that, if you ask me.

Yes, I’m pro-choice. But, like many others, including those on the pro-life side, we are so much more than our labels, so, if you dare, leave yours at the door and let’s actually solve a problem instead of creating new ones.

In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that a woman has the right to have an abortion as found within the right to privacy (first recognized in the case Griswold v. Connecticut) and protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. They declared that as long as the fetus is not “viable” outside the womb (the first trimester) a woman could have an abortion and even into the second and third trimesters would still have this right — weighed only against different levels of state interest.

Today, anti-choice groups around the country are rapidly leveling their attacks against this decision through personhood legislation. This week, however, the most intimately invasive legislation resurfaced in the Ohio Senate — House Bill 125 or the “heartbeat bill”. This bill would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. This usually occurs around six to eight weeks — before a woman often knows she is even pregnant. An exception is made for the life of the mother but none is given for rape or incest. The bill passed the Ohio House on June 28th, 2011, and was moved to the Senate Health Committee this week. If it passes the Senate, it is very likely that governor John Kasich will sign it into law.

This an all-out attack on women’s rights and the most intimate right a person has to control what happens within one’s own body. In passing this legislation the Pro-Life movement not only is able to legislate what an individual can do with their own body but also what legal procedures a doctor can perform on their patients. One of the most blatant stabs at doctor patient confidentiality, this bill would discourage even legal pre-heartbeat abortions when the cost of violating the law is so great. Not only would doctors who perform abortions violating the law be fined and lose their medical license, but they would also be charged with a felony.

This most intimate violation of privacy is also blatantly unconstitutional and will create many expensive lawsuits that will drain already low tax revenue. Currently abortion is a legal procedure although there is no federal funding for it. Not only that but the Supreme Court has ruled that having an abortion is a right inherently found in the Constitution of the United States. The Court has also been consistent about upholding viability as the threshold for abortions. In fact, the Ohio Right to Life and the Ohio Catholic Conference refuse to support this legislation because of the legal setbacks it will cause if it is passed — possibly leading to a reaffirmation by the Supreme Court that these laws as well as others are unconstitutional.

What can you do about the heartbeat bill? There will be a Senate Hearing tomorrow, Wednesday the 7th. Senator Oelslager, Chairman of the Senate Health Committee, should be getting a deluge of phone calls explaining the poisonous consequences of this bill. Call the Senator at 614-466-0626. Remember, what happens in Ohio will set the precedent for other heartbeat bills being introduced in states like Kansas.

This legislation will not only be affecting woman receiving abortions but also all individuals with wombs whose very bodies are being controlled by the choices the Ohio government is making today! So make some NOISE and stand up for your fundamental rights as citizens and women!!!

At my school, my GSA (Gay-straight alliance), many local public health organizations, and I organized the campus world aids day events. We gave out safer sex kits, condoms, coupons to the nearest Planned Parenthood Location, and pamphlets. We also offered FREE HIV testing and Chlamydia/Gonorrhea testing.  Anyone who was tested was automatically entered in a raffle to win gift cards and other prizes.  We even had two people dressed up in Penis costumes handing out condoms, and information encouraging people to get themselves tested.  After gettnig tested we gave everyone a sticker that said "I got myself tested." 

It was incredibly successful. Students, Faculty and staff all over the campus were seen wearing these stickers and many, who did not get tested stopped by for information for themselves and their friends. It was awesome! 

All over campus people were talking about this event and posting about it on facebook. Because this was such a big success, we are going to host two more GYT (get yourself tested) events on campus next semester.

Working with local organizations like the Diversity Center, the AIDS taskforce, Planned Parenthood, etc was incredibly helpful. As a SafeSite this opportunity was amazing for condom distribution!

Whenever I have parties at my house or whenever a friend of mine hosts a party, I always make sure to provide condoms and safer sex information pamphlets to all of the guests. This semester, I hosted a party at my house and while all of the guests were socializing I told everyone that we were going to play a game/have a contest.

I brought out two of our wooden penis models from my HIP kit and told the guests to form two teams. Each member of the teams would have to correctly put a condom on the penis model and explain the steps in the process. The team with the most correct applications would win a prize (a safer sex kit which included condoms, lube, dental dams, latex gloves, pamphlets, and a coupon for $10 off at the local Planned Parenthood).

At first some were put off by this challenge but almost everyone participated. After everyone was finished I demonstrated the correct steps for condom application, awarded the winner and passed out free condoms to everyone.

It was really fun and everyone left the party with valueable information and the necessary materials to keep themselves safe. All in all, the party was a great success!

I sit in my room looking out the window, getting a beautiful glimpse of the Cleveland skyline in the distance. Tower City (a major Cleveland landmark) is lit up a beautiful shade of red for World AIDS Day. Today is World AIDS Day and we use this day to share awareness and celebrate how far the community has come with the AIDS cause as well as remember those who have been victims of the viruses. HIV and AIDS is finally being given the proper amount of publicity it deserves. From advertisements on TV for new HIV medications to the drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race doing a commercial promoting testing and condom use

View the drag queens here.

HIV is being talked about more. However I don’t think from personal standpoint that HIV and AIDS awareness has properly reached young people. In my opinion most of the teens I have observed at school and personally have this ‘don’t worry it won’t happen to me’’ view about HIV and AIDS. I feel this is because that young people have this idea especially around sexual activity that they are invincible, and because young people do not know enough about the virus other than the stigma surrounding it and the myths that society continually perpetuates. Myths like ‘you can get HIV from tears’ and ‘you can get HIV from a toilet seat’ to the classic one ‘ only gay people get HIV’. The truth is that they just don’t see it as an issue that pertains to them. I think the most important step here would be to raise awareness among youth, when we hear someone spreading one of the many myths, debunk it and let that person know that they have been misinformed, perhaps the most important thing we can do if we wish for a future without HIV and AIDS is to make sure young people know the truth about this virus.

My World AIDS Day this year was one of the most memorable, I spent the school day handing out condoms to people and explaining that it was World AIDS Day, I also reminded people to get tested and told them the dates and times for the LGBT Center in Cleveland’s HIV Testing and urged people to get themselves tested and know their status. Even if you don’t have a ‘scare’ or something that makes you need to get tested it’s good to get tested anyway so that when you do have an emergency need to get tested you know how the process is and it will be less scary for you. I also attended one of the most beautifully put together activism related events, sponsored by the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland taking place in downtown Cleveland and had a really great time.

In closing please remember that HIV and AIDS are still here, and we will not forget, and please take the initiative to get tested and know your status as well as always practicing safer sex.

This is the first post in a three-part series on some of the most contentious aspects of proposed “personhood” laws. I’ll be focusing on the impact that these measures would have on birth control, in vitro fertilization and medical emergencies during pregnancy.

The Downfall of “personhood” – BC, IVF and medical emergencies during pregnancy

There is a national movement to adopt state law or amend state constitutions to define a person as a fertilized egg. This movement is often referred to simply as “personhood.” This month Mississippians voted on a “personhood” ballot initiative (Proposition 26) that was defeated 58-42. The most contentious issues with the Mississippi “personhood” campaign related to the proposed law’s impact on birth control, in vitro fertilization, and medical emergencies during pregnancy. Below is an in-depth analysis of “personhood” in Mississippi and birth control.

Would a “personhood” law ban birth control?

It all depends on how you define pregnancy and birth control. Medical professionals define pregnancy as when a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall. Those that believe life begins at fertilization disagree with this definition. In their opinion, pregnancy begins at fertilization.



This March of Dimes video explains and visually presents all of the processes mentioned above.

Hormonal birth control – the shot, patch, pill, ring and IUD - prevent pregnancy through hormones that change the woman’s reproductive system, including:

• Preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg, preventing ovulation
• Thickening cervical mucus, preventing sperm from entering the uterus
• Thinning the walls of the uterus, decreasing the ability of a fertilized egg to implant

Source. 

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