Amplify Issues - Abortion

Planned Parenthoods Funding Demystified

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:06:00 -0500

Recently, people have had a lot to say about Planned Parenthood, specifically their government funding. During debates at the federal government and state government levels, there has been a lot of misinformation spread about Planned Parenthood and how public funding is used. This misinformation has come from various organizations which have publicly stated their goal is to “defunding Planned Parenthood.” The Expose Planned Parenthood Coalition includes many of these organization, such as Live Action, the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women for America and LifeNews.com.

To help clear the air I have responded to several statements made about Planned Parenthood and its use of government funding.

”Are we really supposed to believe that a billion dollar organization that takes nearly half a billion dollars from taxpayers doesn’t use that money to support the 332,278 abortions it performs?” Source

Yes, Planned Parenthood does receive federal funding
It is true that a large portion of Planned Parenthood’s budget comes from government health services grants and reimbursements from federally funded health insurance programs, mainly Medicaid. This makes up 46% of Planned Parenthood’s revenues. Keeping in mind, over 80% of expenses go directly to providing programs and services to clients.

There are strict rules on public funding and abortion
There are strict government regulations on public funds and abortion care
Those who oppose Planned Parenthood half-answered their own question in another article by stating “federal law prevents tax dollars from directly funding abortions.” This is because of the Hyde Amendment.

The Hyde Amendment was first introduced shortly after the legalization of abortion, and has been added every year following to different appropriation bills (bills that define government spending). The Hyde Amendment mainly impacts Medicaid, a joint program between the federal and state governments to offer health insurance for low-income people. Each state’s Medicaid program is different. I was once told if you have seen one Medicaid program, you have seen one Medicaid program.

Under the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid recipients only have coverage for abortion care in cases of rape, incest and life of the mother. Because of these regulations, low income women have much less access to abortion than women with private insurance. The original sponsor of the Hyde amendment was not coy about this effort, and even stated in 1977, "I certainly would like to prevent, if I could legally, anybody having an abortion, a rich woman, a middle-class woman, or a poor woman. Unfortunately, the only vehicle available is the…Medicaid bill."

In addition to Medicaid, Planned Parenthood also receives funding under the federal Title X Family Planning Program. This program is dedicated to “solely providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The Title X program is designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low-income families.” Essentially, it helps low-income women access family planning services. This funding cannot be used for abortion, but can be used to provide non-directive information about abortion, and abortion referrals.

In conclusions, there are some rare cases where federal funding can be used for abortion care or to provide information about abortion.

“I believe my Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee should review the findings of this report and possibly hold a hearing on why taxpayers are funding Planned Parenthood with its record of abuse and violations of state laws.” Rep. Cliff Stearns

Planned Parenthood has a track record of abiding by funding rules and regulations
Ok, so now that we know there are strict regulations related to public funding, the question should be asked: Does Planned Parenthood follow those rules? Representative Cliff Stearns sure doesn’t think so.

Rep. Stearns is the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee. He is on the record opposing the allocation of any federal funds to Planned Parenthood He is stanchly anti-choice, and his current attack on Planned Parenthood is a politically motivated investigation of billing and referral practices. He has requested an audit of Planned Parenthood’s documents covering a 20-year period of time, and demanded detailed information about billing and referral practices.

The reality is that the federal government and state governments already regularly audit Planned Parenthood. These audits are publicly available and have never identified misuse of funds. Representative Henry Waxman has stated, “We are committed to strong congressional oversight. But we are opposed to investigations that appear to be designed to harass and shut down an organization simply because Republicans disagree with the work that it does.”

“There is nothing that prevents Planned Parenthood from using these hundreds of millions of tax dollars to free up other funds for abortions” source

Public funding does not “free up” money for abortion care
The reality is that Planned Parenthood is a safety net provider, like free clinics and public health department clinics. Planned Parenthood health centers ensure that all people have access to services, regardless of their ability to pay. Planned Parenthood’s commitment to serving all people is the reason why they receive federal funds. It has nothing to do with “freeing up funds” to pay for abortion.

“It is time to defund Planned Parenthood. In a time of economic crisis with debt spiraling out of control, nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayer funds could be put to better use. The abortion industry doesn’t need our money, and the American people are tired of their tax dollars being used to subsidize the abortion industry.” Source

During an economic crisis is the most essential time to invest in organizations like Planned Parenthood
It is true that during difficult economic times for our country, government agencies as well as individuals should review their spending practices and look for ways to save. This does not mean cutting all programs, regardless of their economic impact. Instead, the government needs to continue to fund programs that have positive social and economic impacts in the long run. For example, as more and more women become uninsured or underinsured, the need for an organization like Planned Parenthood increases. In addition, programs that ensure women have access to birth control save the federal government money in the long run. For every 1 dollar spent on family planning services, 4 dollars is saved in Medicaid (source).

Accordingly, some states have expanded their family planning programs as a cost-savings initiative. Last June legislators in Washington State did just this, and it is estimated that this expansion will save their state 3.85 million dollars by preventing unintended pregnancy. Washington State Senator Karen Keiser stated that, “this is a commonsense bill that saves our state money during these tough economic times by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies Washington pays for. This bill not only helps women plan their families, it’s one of the smartest fiscal decisions we could make.”

Vivid discussion, amazing people - Abortion Diaries in Northeast Ohio

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:58:00 -0500

You wouldn't know it from some of the current laws being introduced to the Ohio General Assembly, but there are AMAZING reproductive justice activists in Ohio! I was reminder of the power of our movement early last January.

As January drew closer I wanted to do something to honor the anniversary of Roe V. Wade. I also have been wanting for over a year to host a screening of the Abortion Diaries. I loved the film when I first saw it at Preterm, and loved it more as I started working with the 1 in 3 Campaign. One night on a whim I put out a Facebook event request for a screening on the Monday after Roe V. Wade anniversary. It was a hit! The page grew, people were interested, and so I went ahead with the screening.

We had a great turn out.Over 20 people came out to Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio to see the film. There was a wide range of people, which contributed greatly to the discussion after the screening.

Honestly, I had to do very little facilitating. There was so much experience, stories, and knowledge in the room, I really got to just sit back and learn. For me, the experience was very nourishing. Working in reproductive justice wears you down. It felt so enriching to be in a room with so many passionate, engaged activists in this movement. I also love seeing new connections and friendships made.

All in all, I was impressed by the people who attended the event, I learned so much, and I can't wait for the next screenings at the University of Akron and University of Cincinnati!

My thoughts on the anniversary of Roe V. Wade

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:08:00 -0500

1.Elect prochoice candidates.

Reproductive rights impact the economy, educational attainment and public health of our country. It is a cornerstone of the American dream for not only women, but all people. It is not a single issue, it is essential for the betterment of all people. Therefore, we must promote candidates that support reproductive justice.

2.Elect women. Women, run.

If we want the issues that most intimately impact women to be addressed, the perspectives of women need to be brought to our legislative bodies. This is like diversity 101 people. I love my prochoice men and will do everything I can this year to re-elect Sherrod Brown in Ohio, but that does not negate the need for women elected officials, include state and federal legislators and judges.

This rings true for other communities as well. For the advancement of people who are transgendered, queer, disabled and so on we need to people from these communities. I feel Harvey Milk sums this up best.

3.Move away from abortion as a partisan issue through election reform.

Abortion will remain a partisan issue until we reform our election systems throughout the country. Abortion is a deeply personal issue, and therefore politically is divisive. There really is not a political party that champions reproductive justice, so voters are left to choose between a party that rabidly attacks reproductive justice or another that passively lets reproductive justice crumble. An election system that allows for more discourse and less talking points would spur not only better legislative outcomes from reproductive justice, but all issues added in government.

Some starting points to improve our election systems includes the use of independent commissions to draw district lines, better campaign financing regulations and ending burdensome regulations on voters (voter ID bills, and other attacks we have seen this year).

4.Make spaces for young people to grow as leaders in this movement.

“Establishment” prochoice organizations need to make space for young people to become leaders in the movement. Young people (not just young women) bring fresh energy, innovation, and perspective to the movement. If we want to win this war, we need to continuously work to expand to ensure there are leaders for the movement for generations to come. Shelby Knox explains this philosophy well in her post honoring Gloria Steinem.

Shelby Knox's wonderful blog.

5.Seeing reproductive justice as more than access to abortion.

This weekend I watched the film, “The Business of Being Born,” a documentary about home births and the “business” of child birth. It really opened my eyes to how little freedom women have when it comes to the birthing process. It reminded me that reproductive justice is broad, and impacts all people. If you choose to delay becoming a parents, avoid becoming a parent, or become a parent (birthing a child, adoption) you should care about this issue. Wait, that is everyone. Point made.

An Apology, But Not A Reversal, From the Susan G. Komen Foundation

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:58:00 -0500

Moments ago, the Susan G. Komen Foundation issued a formal apology for their recent decision to discontinue more than $600,000 in annual funding for cancer screenings and prevention services at Planned Parenthood. After an unrelenting outcry from the general public and grassroots activists across the country, the Komen Foundation found itself facing a nearly unprecedented public relations nightmare.

In its press release, the Komen Foundation has promised that only “criminal” investigations will disqualify potential grantees, not political ones. The original criteria (written in late 2011, possibly for the exclusive purpose of ending Planned Parenthood funding) disqualified Planned Parenthood from receiving Komen Foundation funds since it is the target of a political “investigation” [read: “witchhunt”] led by Rep. Cliff Stearns. (What that means for Komen’s $7.5 million grant to Penn State remains to be seen, given the criminal and legal issues for which they are under investigation.)

The Komen Foundation’s statement says that it “will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities.” And that’s where we hit the real problem. From the beginning, the Foundation has been clear that no current grants will be affected. As such, this is NOT a reversal of any kind.

Planned Parenthood will remain “eligible” for future grants, but the Komen Foundation has made no commitment to continue funding or to preserve its relationship with Planned Parenthood in years to come.

After all, when Komen Foundation founder and president Nancy Brinkler appeared on MSNBC earlier this week she said the decision to discontinue funding had nothing to do with the Congressional investigation. Instead, she argued that the Foundation was refocusing its efforts away from breast cancer prevention education and towards "metrics" and "direct service" grants.. Over the past five years, Komen Foundation funding has enabled Planned Parenthood to provide more than 170,000 breast cancer screenings, and they have provided 6,400 mammogram referrals – that this doesn't qualify as "direct service" would surely come as a surprise to the thousands of low-income and young women whose lives have been saved by these services.

So the question remains: Which of the Komen Foundation’s many reasons to sever ties to Planned Parenthood was really behind this decision? Was it a Congressional witchhunt? Or was it new grantmaking priorities?

Or, as we’ve known all along, is this really about abortion? Komen’s blatantly political decision this week followed years of pressure from anti-abortion activists, asking women – primarily low-income and uninsured women, women of color, and young women – to pay for the Komen Foundation’s cowardice with their lives. (In fact, this decision was made over the objections of the scientific staff at the Komen Foundation; their top public health official, Mollie Williams, immediately resigned in protest.)

In fact, the Komen Foundation has also announced that it will stop funding any and all breast cancer research related to stem cells, it is abundantly clear that the Foundation’s decision-making has become infused with politics, placing far-right ideology over science and saving women’s lives. Today’s apology and accompanying PR spin hasn’t changed that at all.

Whether the Komen Foundation’s statement dos in fact signal a reversal of its policy towards Planned Parenthood remains to be seen. It is entirely possible that they intend to fund Planned Parenthood cancer screening services in the future, and we hope they do. It is equally possible that this is simply a public relations move designed to diffuse a lucrative brand from spiraling out of control – and the Komen Foundation will quietly reject future grant proposals from Planned Parenthood once they are out of the media spotlight.

The true lesson this week is the power of grassroots activism – both online and offline – to force a major corporate entity to be accountable for its own actions. This is an enormous victory – for Planned Parenthood, for the movement as a whole, and most of all for advocates like you. This will not be the last time action and anger will be harnessed to protect the sexual and reproductive health of women and young people in America, but it is a striking reminder of how powerfully effective our collective voices can be.

Weekly Round-Up: 1/22-1/29

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:57:00 -0500

Each week, I’ll be posting a list of the most news-worthy and/or inspirational, informative, well-written, thought-provoking, and/or unique posts of the week. While every post and every contributor is valuable to our community, these are the blogs that I feel are must-reads.

January 22- January 29

Stats this week: 26 posts by 14 writers

Trust Women Week: Bianca’s story- by Media_Justice

Inside this post:

Bianca describes her work as an abortion doula.

Dying of Red Tape: Ban on Federal Funding for Syringe Exchange Programs Reinstated- by one_for_all

Inside this post:

HIV prevention groups will no longer be able to use federal funds to buy needles—thus limiting one of the most effective ways of stopping the disease. By cutting funding for needle exchange programs specifically, they condemn women, people of color, poor people, queer people, and sex workers to disease and death.

Tennessee Bathroom Bill…Down, But Not Out- by Jordan

Inside this post:

A Tennessee bill that would ban transgender people from entering the bathroom or dressing room of the gender they identify as was thankfully put aside in the state’s Senate because (correctly) “there were other issues to be addressed.”

Thank you to everyone who posted a blog this week! You are part of what makes this community great!

~ Samantha
Community Editor

___________________________________
My posts this week:
Survey Results: How We Describe Others
Target card calls pregnant girls whores

Trust Women Week: Harriett's Story

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:09:00 -0500

EDITOR'S NOTE: Trust Women Week overlaps with the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and reasserts our firm commitment to reclaiming the future of reproductive decision-making in 2012. Throughout the week, Amplify will be honoring women's experiences and voices by featuring a different story from The 1 in 3 Campaign January 21-27.

As we close out our week of storytelling, Harriett talks about abortion access before Roe v. Wade and the terrible impact of income inequality on women's ability to access safe abortion care. In October, Harriet was featured in The San Francisco Chronicle sharing her own abortion story and her hope that more women who have had abortions will come forward. She is also the founder of California Republicans for Choice.

1in3Campaign.org: Harriett - Part 2 of 2 from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

HARRIETT: Before abortion was legal here in California – and we were one of the first states – we wealthy women would go to a pro-choice doctor, a pro-choice obstetrician and explain the problem, why she couldn’t have the child.

Then he’d say, “Well, can you afford to go to Japan, fly to Japan?”

And she said, “Yes, we could swing that.”

And he said say, Then you call Japan Airlines and you ask for Miss Suzuki. You don’t have to use the ‘A Word’ you just say Miss Suzuki. All she handles are the abortion package deals, and that involves air and ground transportation, meals, lodging, and surgery. And thousands of women are doing this.”

And yet a young woman, or an older woman without money, they would have to go – if they really wanted one – they’d have to try to find somebody in the Bay Area who could do it…Go to Mexico…It’s very chancy and terribly unfair.

The biggest difference I see is that it’s even for everybody, because in California low-income women can get abortions. We got Pete Wilson to change his stand on that. That’s when I was running California Republicans for Choice and we had…Low-income women can get abortions.

And there’s some thing else that…You know, we who have money, we don’t understand really what it’s like to live when you’re really poor. And so many people just can’t understand that, and I think that’s a terrible thing. They’re pushing something…

All of them who are making these laws have plenty of money to get their wives, sisters, children to where they can have a safe abortion if they wanted. But they’re not going to suffer. Low-income women are going to suffer. And that’s just terribly, terribly unfair.

The 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to basic health care. As we tell our stories and support our family and friends as they come forward with theirs, we begin build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support. No one should be made to feel ashamed or alone. It's time for us to come out in support of each other and in support of access to legal and safe abortion care in our communities.

Share the 1 in 3 Campaign videos — or your own story — with three other people. And click here find out how you can bring the campaign to your campus or your community.
It's time to start the conversation.

What's Roe got to do?

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:34:00 -0500

This blog was originally posted for ACRJ.

“I want you to cuddle me while I fall asleep. That’s what mommies and daddies are for.”

I kept my daughter, Maddie, home from preschool yesterday to see if we could kick her persistent cold. All morning I had juggled streaming Netflix with phone meetings. Now I was trying to convince her to take a nap while I began drafting a blog piece on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, writing in my head until I could get her settled and return to my computer.

I was distractedly making coaxing sounds and bargains with her—yes, you can nap in the living room….no, you can’t drink milk on the couch--but I wasn’t really paying attention. I was mostly thinking about what I wanted to say about Roe, abortion, and reproductive justice when she cut through my mental chatter with, “cuddling—that’s what mommies and daddies are for.”

I have had two abortions—one when I was 21 and another when I was 30. Each was both clear and complex in its own way, and each brought its own complicated feelings and waves of relief.
[More]

Trust Women Week: Bianca's story

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:14:00 -0500

1in3Campaign - Bianca from biancalaureano on Vimeo.

Media Justice Mash-Up: Roe v. Wade Anniversary Edition

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:10:00 -0500

by Bianca Laureano

This week marks a fantastic anniversary as I’m entering the 100th post for the Media Justice column. I plan to do a few series highlighting some of my favorite pieces, ones that I’m most proud of, that still invoke something magnificent and specific for me, and that I just really dig. I’d like to start with a mash-up of posts that I’ve written that centers and discusses abortion. As this is the 39th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Trust Women Week, and a week where we will be featuring testimonios from people about their experiences with abortion for the 1 in 3 Campaign, I think this mash-up fits well.

What Did The Doula Do?
The first time I shared my experiences being an abortion doula was in the article What Did The Doula Do? I was inspired by the conversation that actor Taye Diggs had on the Jimmy Kimmel show where he discussed the birth of his most recent child and how he and his wife worked with a doula. Unfortunately, the video of their interview is no longer available online, but their conversation started a public discussion about doulas and the type of work we do. Many folks only know doulas to work with people who are pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term. What I and many other abortion doulas do is be present for the person who is terminating their pregnancy. We offer support, pain management, comfort, and compassion to people who are making a very difficult decision. There are some folks who think this type of care is not care, and they are entitled to their opinions and I hope that if they ever find themselves feeling isolated, judged, shamed, that they too have someone who can be compassionate, kind, a witness and sit with them as they heal.

La Femme Fetal
One of the first columns I wrote about abortion and how it intersected with media justice was called La Femme Fetal. It was almost 2 years ago today that this column was published and it discussed one of the only songs in the Hip-Hop genre that discussed abortion from a pro-choice lens. The song “La Femme Fetal” by Digable Planets is one of the only songs, still today, that speaks to the compassion people making one of the hardest decisions in their life need. In this post I reflected on my contribution to the question “what does choice mean to me,” and my activism within the field of reproductive justice and the legacy of Rosie Jimenez. The song “La Femme Fetal” is now 19 years old and we still remain without a similar contribution to this genre. Do you know of others that exist today? If so, please share them!

Reflecting on No Easy Decision
When MTV (finally) did a show (not series) on young women who had abortions they called the show “No Easy Decision.” This show was the first of its kind on the network and gave a different perspective to their hit shows 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and Teen Mom 2. There was a lot of talk about the series, many efforts to support the testimonios of those young people who shared their experiences. I also had some doubts about the show as Dr. Drew was going to be the facilitator. I shared those concerns in this post where I reflected on the show. I had to admit that I was impressed with the show, the quality and lack of judgmental rhetoric and language that was present as the young people spoke. It’s a show that I’d like to see become a series where the voices of other youth can be shared and we may begin to have a better understanding of the complexity that comes with being a young person, reproductive health, access to quality care, and access to services.

Abortion and the Sons of Anarchy
If you have not seen the Sons of Anarchy I still don’t know what to tell you about yourself. In this post I discuss one of my favorite television shows Sons of Anarchy, what stereotypes I had about the show prior to watching and why I’m now in support of the series. This show is really part of a ground-breaking series where multiple perspectives we often rarely hear are shared. One of the first (and only?) times a character chooses to terminate a pregnancy, seeks support, receives support, and follows through with the procedure occurred during the third season of Sons of Anarchy. This post discusses that representation and how it was created on screen to be extremely effective and realistic. I can’t recall another television show that has had a similar storyline. Often the character changes their mind, or miscarries, or something happens where the termination does not occur. This was not the case for this episode and I am very grateful for this narrative being shared.

Online Course: Sociology of Human Sexuality Part 3
You may have read along when I was posting on the course I was teaching last summer (a total of 5 parts). This section was the discussion on pregnancy options and abortion. We had a birth and postpartum doula join us in class to discuss what type of work they do with pregnant people. We then had a section on abortion where the history of how abortion became legal in the US was provided, along with an understanding of the laws in the US that may be state specific, and a discussion of what research has shown about the health and well-being of people who terminate a pregnancy. I remember this class and this summer very fondly. The students are amazing intellecutals and just brilliant people overall. I was very humbled and honored that students self-selected to share with the group their own personal experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, and abortion. It is times like this when I’m so thankful and happy to be a part of a community of people who find comfort in the class and learning space we create together.

I’m also extremely honored and thankful for remaining with you over these past years and interacting with readers at Amplify. It’s been more than I could have imagined and so enjoyable! Thank you all for reading, tweeting, sharing, and leaving comments. Thank you for seeing me.

Trust Women Week: Alex's Story

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:37:00 -0500

1in3Campaign.org: Alex from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

ALEX: I had my daughter and then nine months went past and I got pregnant again. And that was a big shock. And I wasn’t contemplating keeping the baby but this would have been my first abortion and I was very scared. And me and my daughter’s father didn’t have any money. Abortions cost money. A lot of money. $350 is not cheap when you’re 19 with no job and a new baby and the baby’s father is halfway trying to support us.

I ended up calling a friend of my mom’s who had gone through… Who was an older woman, but she related to young people and she knew, you know, certain people who knew certain people who knew certain people who could help me with terminating the pregnancy. So she referred us to a clinic.

And before that, we had to go borrow money from two different family members to get the abortion done. We didn’t even have any money… We didn’t even have any money to get the abortion done, and that’s just… Like, how could we not have any money to do that, but we would have money to raise another one? You know what I mean? Like there woulda just been no way. So that day, we rushed around, we got our money, and we went to the clinic.

I think that women should definitely share these stories - especially if they’re older women and they’ve been through this before. I think knowledge is power. And if no one talks about it, then how are we supposed to know what to do or what to expect?

The 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to basic health care. As we tell our stories and support our family and friends as they come forward with theirs, we begin build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support. No one should be made to feel ashamed or alone. It's time for us to come out in support of each other and in support of access to legal and safe abortion care in our communities.

Share the 1 in 3 Campaign videos — or your own story — with three other people. And click here to find out how you can bring the campaign to your campus or your community.
It's time to start the conversation.

New research confirms: Abortion is not a threat to a woman's health

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:43:00 -0500

A study has come out this week that contradicts one of the anti-abortion movement's attempts to mislead the public: the common claim that abortion is bad for a woman's health.

Not so, says a study out this week in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

From Reuters:

Researchers [in the United States] found that women were about 14 times more likely to die during or after giving birth to a live baby than to die from complications of an abortion.

It's not that surprising, since abortion procedures are very safe.

Just two months ago, another study found that abortion does not cause women to have mental health problems. In fact, notes the leader of the research team:

Kendall said mental health problems seemed to be linked specifically to unwanted pregnancies rather than abortion.

Being pregnant when you're not ready leads to a heightened risk of depression. That's not an argument against abortion, but it is a good argument for contraception.

Yet 14 states require women seeking abortion to be counseled on the physical or mental health risks of the procedure. These requirements aren't to support the health of women. They're to mislead, scare, and instill guilt.

We've also recently learned that legislating against abortion only renders it more likely to be unsafe, and puts women at risk for bad injury and death.

So don't be fooled when the anti-abortion movement tells you they "care about" women. They should TRUST women instead. Join the Trust Women Week Virtual March today.

Trust Women Week: Joy's Story

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:56:00 -0500

1in3Campaign.org: Joy from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

JOY: Let’s see… I was 23 and I had just finished undergrad and I moved to San Diego on my way… I was going to be teaching English in Korea, so I was there working for the summer. I was in a relationship, taking birth control pills – Not consistently or correctly. I didn’t have a lot of education on how I was supposed to be taking them… – and I was in a sexual relationship. And I ended up getting pregnant.

For me, it was never really a question of what my decision was going to be. I just needed, you know, the resources to be able to do that. I found out relatively quickly that I was pregnant and decided to get an abortion. I was in the state of California and there were really no restrictions. I was 23, also, at the time. The only thing that was a little bit prohibitive was the cost, but that just really wasn’t an issue cause I was… Like I said, I had a partner who was able to support that and I also had a job as well.

I think the interesting thing about me having an abortion is that you kind of keep that under wraps, and I did that for a long time. But, the more I talked to people about it the more I found out there were so many people that I knew who had had abortions. It was a decision that I had to make and I was so grateful that I was able to have that decision. And I think that, you know, we all make mistakes and there’s, you know, some folks who very much think that “You make a mistake. You pay for it. That’s sort of the way that it is.” And I would just argue that having the ability to, like, make a mistake or to not do something the way that, you know, you had planned on doing – and then being able to turn that around is very liberating and has tremendous impact on my life.

I mean, I would not be here if at the age of 23 I did not have the option to have an abortion. I would be a completely different person. And you know, my sister was a teen mom. She had five children before she was the age of 22 and her life is so different than mine.

It’s just… I just couldn’t imagine being in a situation where I wasn’t able to choose how I wanted to plan out my life.

The 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to basic health care. As we tell our stories and support our family and friends as they come forward with theirs, we begin build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support. No one should be made to feel ashamed or alone. It's time for us to come out in support of each other and in support of access to legal and safe abortion care in our communities.

Share the 1 in 3 Campaign videos — or your own story — with three other people. And click here to find out how you can bring the campaign to your campus or your community.
It's time to start the conversation.

Trust Women Week: Angela's Story

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:35:00 -0500

1in3Campaign.org: Angela - Part 1 of 2 from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

ANGELA: My junior year of college was probably, um… In the ‘90s. I was in a relationship with someone that I met, and we’d been dating for about a month. Really great guy. We were having lots… It felt like we were soul-mates, had a lot in common. And after a month of dating, like I said, there was a point where I started feeling really sick. Just didn’t feel good, couldn’t eat the same things. Certain smells made me really sick. And I didn’t know what was wrong with me.

So I went to the doctor. I was in college, like I sad, at the time. Didn’t say anything to my parents, but I was on their health insurance so I had access to go to the doctor when I needed to. I made an appointment and the doctor told me I probably had acid reflux or something and gave me a prescription for something. I got the prescription and took it for about a week or so and nothing changed. In fact, it got worse. So I went to another doctor. And this doctor actually gave me a stronger prescription for my acid reflux. And after taking that second prescription that was given to me by the doctor, I really thought about it. I said “Heeeeey, Angie, it seems like it’s been about three or four weeks and your period should be here. And it hasn’t come. So maybe this could be a pregnancy.”

And I was terrified at that point. I decided to let my partner know that I could possibly be pregnant – maybe it’s not acid reflux, but maybe there’s something else going on – and decided to take a pregnancy test.

I remember going to the drugstore and getting the test and going back home. I was visiting for the summer with my parents, so I went in the downstairs bathroom and locked the door so my nosy sisters didn’t come in. And I sat there before I took the test, and I was so scared. Just terrified. What would I do? I’m in college, I’m a junior, I still have a ways to go. I don’t have a job. I come home and live with my parents when I’m not on campus – and I don’t think on campus is a good place to raise a baby. I was struggling as it was to make sure I was going to school. My parents were scraping every little thing that they could get to make sure that I went to school. So, I knew that it just wasn’t the time for me to be a parent. I was in a relationship with someone that was wonderful… However, it was a month. I sat there and really thought about taking this test. And I decided let me just go ahead and find out and get it over with.

I followed the instructions to the T and it came out positive. And I said, “Well okay I did something wrong. Clearly this isn’t true.” So I took another one and another one – I took three tests – and they all said I was positive. I remember just kind of cowering down on the bathroom floor and feeling so lonely at that point in time. I was afraid. I felt like being a young women – like I said, a junior in college – this is not what I ever planned. It really didn’t take long for me to decide that the only thing I could possibly do was to terminate the pregnancy, to have an abortion.

So I had an abortion.

Once I found out I was pregnant, I talked to my partner at the time and he was very supportive. He said whatever way I decided he would be very supportive - and he agreed with me once I decided to have this abortion that, you know, we were young. And we weren’t ready. And so it was simple, very simple. All I had to do was call to find a clinic because I’d never done this before. So, find a clinic that I could go to and figure out what the process is, how much does it cost… That’s another thing being a college student, you just don’t have money in your pocket all the time so that was terrifying. But he was very supportive. So we made an appointment.

We went in on a Saturday. It was nestled in a suburb that was not too far from where I lived, like the town over. And I went to the clinic that morning, very early morning, and I remember it being a beautiful sunny day. And nothing outside, no protesters, nothing like that. It just was like going to a doctor. So I went in… A very gracious, very nice staff that made me feel… because I was terrified. And not so much terrified about the decision I made, but just thinking all along that my parents would be so disappointed that I’d even gotten pregnant in the first place.

I remember going in. They were really nice. I went through the whole process. They took me in and did kind of a mini physical, made sure everything was okay, talked to me about what I was doing, and asked me if I had any questions. Explained everything. I went through the procedure and woke up. I remember waking up in the recovery room, being a little bit groggy but feeling fine. I was basically left, after that day I probably stayed home the next from work, but I felt fine.

And I finally… I still was really upset. And my upset, again, wasn’t about my decision – it was about just really caring so much about what my parents thought of me, and I thought it was really important for me to have a conversation with my mom. So I actually talked to her about the decision I had made, and my mother was absolutely supportive. But the one thing that she did say that stuck with me – and it’s the reason why I don’t tell my story often – was “That’s fine. You made the right choice for yourself, but this isn’t something you talk about.”

She made it very clear that this is something kind of hush-hush that people do, and it’s okay if you do it, but you dare not speak a word of it. So, I went about my life just really not talking about it or thinking too much about it.

Now, I’m a mother with two beautiful children. And I’m thinking more about it – especially doing the work that I do talking to college students and young adults about sexuality and that kind of thing. This comes up a lot. With the questions I often get, I often wonder why we don’t talk more about this. It’s so important to share our stories. So important. Because I think of those moments when I was crouched down on my bathroom floor terrified, feeling so alone like no one else in the world was facing this.

It’s so important that we tell our stories. And this is why I decided to say that I had an abortion - and be there and be a source for someone else who may need to talk to someone.

If everyone were to share their story, the stigma would be lifted. There would be no reason to be ashamed because you would see how many people have made this decision, made this choice.

The 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to basic health care. As we tell our stories and support our family and friends as they come forward with theirs, we begin build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support. No one should be made to feel ashamed or alone. It's time for us to come out in support of each other and in support of access to legal and safe abortion care in our communities.

Share the 1 in 3 Campaign videos — or your own story — with three other people. And click here to find out how you can bring the campaign to your campus or your community.
It's time to start the conversation.

Trust Women Week: Deb's Story

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:58:00 -0500

1in3Campaign.org: Deb from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

DEB: So my story is probably pretty similar to many other women’s stories. I was 35 years old. The year was 1995. I had been married for two and a half years and I had a six month old.

I was the primary bread-winner in our family. I had a good job and had been working. I had taken some maternity leave and was back at work. My husband had a new job. He was a financial planner and had just started. There were some problems in our marriage, when I looked back. But when it really came to be an issue was one day in August of ’95, my husband went to work and he never came home. And the days passed and he didn’t come back. And I called around and I couldn’t find him. The weeks passed, and every day I went to work and every day I came home and took care of my six month old infant.

Eventually, I got a phone call form a friend who said that they had heard from someone else that my husband was in Atlantic City and he had borrowed someone’s car and had pretty much totaled it. And they suggested that I go to the bank and check my bank account, which I proceeded to do, and realized that my husband had basically wiped us out.

It was about three days later that I realized I was pregnant.

I just knew that there was no way that I could have a second child and continue to work and support my son. I didn’t know what was going to happen with my marriage and I didn’t have any money left. So I found a clinic in my area – it was very good and well-reputable – and I decided that it was the best thing for me to do for my son and I… Was to have the abortion and terminate the pregnancy and really be there to focus on raising my son and figuring out what to do in my marriage. I really believe to this day that it was the most responsible action that I could take – and I was forever grateful that there was a clinic that was safe and affordable and that abortion was legal and that I could access it at the time.

There is such a stigma to abortion and to being able to talk about our experiences. I think people – women in particular – have been shamed about those choices. And yet so many of us have those experiences. It’s really important – and I should say really freeing – to finally talk about our experiences. Having shared this story now a couple of times, I feel relief about letting other people know what happened to me, and I’ve heard other people tell me that it’s happened to them. And we need to talk about it. We need to have a conversation about abortion that’s personal. One in three of us have had abortions, according to the statistics, and we really do need to talk about that.

The 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to basic health care. As we tell our stories and support our family and friends as they come forward with theirs, we begin build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support. No one should be made to feel ashamed or alone. It's time for us to come out in support of each other and in support of access to legal and safe abortion care in our communities.

Share the 1 in 3 Campaign videos — or your own story — with three other people. And click here to find out how you can bring the campaign to your campus or your community.
It's time to start the conversation.

Trust Women Week: Judy's Story

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:13:00 -0500

EDITOR'S NOTE: Trust Women Week overlaps with the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and reasserts our firm commitment to reclaiming the future of reproductive decision-making in 2012. Throughout the week, Amplify will be honoring women's experiences and voices by featuring a different story from The 1 in 3 Campaign January 21-27.

Roe v. Wade was decided 39 years ago today. In honor of that decision, we are highlighting Judy's story of the dangers of illegal abortion. During the 1960's, Judy helped run a referral service so that women could find doctors who would provide medically safe (though still illegal) abortion care. Unfortunately, Judy's college roommate - like so many other women - was unable to find a safe, compassionate medical care.

1in3Campaign.org: Judy - Part 1 of 4 from Advocates for Youth on Vimeo.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

JUDY: One of the worst stories was actually one that I knew very well because it was my college roommate, who was in law school in Washington. This would have been the mid-60’s and she was lucky enough to find – I guess lucky is a questionable word here… She got the name of an illegal abortionist and it was the best she thought she could find. She had to meet them on a street corner in downtown DC. As soon as the car pulled up she was blindfolded, forced into the backseat, driven somewhere… She claims she was driven around in circles so she couldn’t try to remember the route and was disoriented, given no kind of anesthesia or painkiller or anything… Was quickly operated on and – still with a blindfold on! – was dumped on the street in Virginia. They didn’t even have the decency to take her back to the District.

So there she was bleeding on a street corner, didn’t know where she was, in pain… She had her abortion alright, but aside from the financial cost which I remember was $800 – which was quite a bit in the mid-60’s – she also paid a very high cost with her body and her emotions…

There were other stories like that, women who did what they could do themselves or went to butchers. We saw them sometimes after to be cleaned up, but what we were hoping to do of course was to see them before.

The 1 in 3 Campaign is a grassroots movement to start a new conversation about abortion — telling our stories, on our own terms. Together, we can end the stigma women face each and every day and assure access to basic health care. As we tell our stories and support our family and friends as they come forward with theirs, we begin build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support. No one should be made to feel ashamed or alone. It's time for us to come out in support of each other and in support of access to legal and safe abortion care in our communities.

Share the 1 in 3 Campaign videos — or your own story — with three other people. And click here to find out how you can bring the campaign to your campus or your community.
It's time to start the conversation.