Amplify Issues - Social Justice and Human Rights

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.”

Love to Lust even though people think Lust is Love

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:03:00 -0500

Last night when I was about to write my IC3 exams, I met a young woman who was to
writing hers. as we sat waiting for our center coordinator to fix the computers, We started to conversation, somehow I hit a spot in the conversation we both were familier with, then she started to share an incidents that happen in her house with one of the tenant in the building said “ I was chatting with him last night about his girlfriend.
The guy who was in a relationship with a girl for about six month just before the holidays had a fight with the girlfriend and so he told her that they can’t get married not knowing that the girl was pregnant for him, when they had the fight the girl just left without a telling him where she was moving out to and also not telling him about the pregnancy and after few days his friend who was a the reason for the relationship came to tell him of the girl being pregnant and also wanted to know more about why they break up in the first place.

During the holiday the boyfriend travelled to his hometown for few days just to comeback and meet his apartment emptied by the girl. The girl came to the house while he was away and parked all that is in the house and took it with her living the house as empty as a new house. After the holiday he was coming back to the his house with the hope of coming home and having a good night sleep, but coming back he net an empty house, he was surprise to open his house and found that his house is empty, he stopped to think who is playing these pranks to him but who will do that to him, he could not think of anybody that could pull this prank for him, then he remembered that his girlfriend had his key, so he tried to call her and when she picked the call she only said that “this is just the beginning, the way you ruined my life is just the way I will do for you starting with your credential I just finished burning them so you better be careful with me” he became shocked with the new attitude even though it was not a big surprise for him the way she acted, he then called his friend to tell him what happened and to help[p go and find out where she is, but the friend told him that he has been looking for her for some time now but could not find out where she live because she always gives a location where they will meet ( you might be wondering who is the friend to her, well the friend is her cousin) after two days the friend visited the boyfriend to tell him that even though he is not 100% sure of the girl burning the credentials he will advise him to start preparing for getting a new one if possible.
It’s been over a month now but all the methods he tries to get the girl to tell him about his credentials and that the relationship can be mended the girl will either cut his call or will started making a whole lot of noise so he can’t speak. Well this is what is going on with this young man life today, what you will suggest for him to do and at least get his credentials back.
However don’t forget that this young man does not want to be violent or irresponsible and he also accepted his child but made it clear to her that they can be together, this is to show you that he is ready to accept his responsibility as a father.

Welcome to Charm City!

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:22:00 -0500

This past weekend, I attended the LGBT Equality Conference: Creating Change. I must say that it was one of the GREATEST experiences of my life. I learned a lot, I listened even more and the things I saw were incredible. On my flight going to Baltimore around this time last week I was hoping to find something to dedicate my passion to and as I expected I came back home to North Carolina full of inspiration and motivation. The human rights movement is an amazing one. Hearing Ben Jealous, President of the NAACP, spoke volumes to me. I realized I have responsibility to my NAACP chapter at home and the greater community to speak up on the issues of education, jobs, housing, immigration, marriage, and the right to love, dignity, and respect. All these things affect all of us regardless of whether we are black, white, purple, gay, transgender, rich, poor and everything in between. Once we start to realize that we are one human race, I guarantee we will be better off. But honestly, if we knew that I wouldn’t be posting this blog nor would there be a need for Creating Change.

To anyone reading this, you don’t have to go to a conference or travel anywhere to get involved in a movement. Find something to be passionate about whether its LGBT rights or the DREAM Act. Make sure that it comes from the heart and I promise everything will fall into place. There are an abundance of organizations, that specialize and do advocacy work in ALL areas. We live in an era where the world is literally at our fingertips (those who have that privilege… conversation coming in my next blog). Don’t let ANYONE deter you from your goal… the work isn’t easy nor will it happen overnight but it can be done. Like my mother tells me all the time “The world is yours, take it”

Go out and Create Change.

The proof that one truly believes is in action. –Bayard Rustin

With Black History Month, quickly approaching (tomorrow)… take the time to attend events highlighting the achievements of African-Americans not the Martin Luther Kings or Malcolm X’s. But those who helped them get where they are in history. Find your passion and find a spot for yourself.

February 7: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:37:00 -0500

by Trina Scott, Senior Program Manager, Young Women of Color Empowerment at Advocates for Youth

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeted at Blacks in the United States and the Diaspora. Watch the video below on how young people can get involved and protect themselves. We'll also be tweeting facts and resources throughout the day via #NBHAAD — follow us and retweet!

African Americans experience disproportionate rates of HIV and AIDS. In their lifetimes, 1 in 16 black men and 1 in 32 black women will be diagnosed with HIV; and African Americans make up 14% of the population but account for 44% of all new HIV infections.

Why the disproportionate rates?

According to the CDC:

"Blacks do not engage in more risky behavior than members of other racial/ethnic populations. Many of the factors that place blacks at higher risk for chronic diseases also place them at increased risk for HIV. For example, social and economic realities prevalent among blacks — such as higher levels of poverty, racial discrimination, limited access to health care and housing, and higher rates of incarceration — are associated with increased HIV risk."

In fact, studies have found that African Americans are more at risk for HIV and STIs even when they have the same or fewer risk behaviors.

So what will turn the HIV epidemic around for African Americans? It will take a combination of approaches. That's why there are four focal points of this year's NBHAAD: education, testing, involvement, and treatment.

"Educationally, the focus is to get Blacks educated about the basics of HIV/AIDS in their local communities. Testing is at the core of this initiative, as it is hoped that Blacks will mark February 7th of every year as their annual or bi-annual day to get tested for HIV. This is vital for those who are sexually active and those at high risk of contracting HIV. When it comes to community and organization leadership, getting Blacks involved to serve is another key focus. We need Black People from all walks of life, economic classes, literacy levels, shades and tones as well as small and large communities to get connected to the work happening on the ground in their local areas. Getting those living with HIV or recently-tested positive for the virus connected to treatment and care services is paramount. We have learned that you can't lead Black people towards HIV/AIDS education, prevention, testing, leadership or treatment unless you love them. And, we can't save Black people from an epidemic unless we serve Black people."

Advocates considers redressing HIV disparities among African Americans to be one of our most important goals and a vital part of advocating for young people's reproductive and sexual health. Through policy initiatives and through our work with the Young Women of Color Leadership Council and the Youth of Color Initiative, Advocates supports policies and programs which will not only provide young African Americans with the information and tools they need to protect themselves from HIV, but help dismantle structural barriers to prevention and treatment (including poverty, racism, and unequal access to information, employment and health care).

Check out and share our resources on youth of color and HIV, including:

Youth of Color — At Disproportionate Risk of Negative Sexual Health Outcomes

Understanding Disparities in the HIV Epidemic: How Social and Cultural Forces Lead to Unequal Risk for African Americans/Blacks

Young African American Women and HIV

Advocates' Research Guide: the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Youth of Color

And don't forget to watch the video, share the video, like us on Facebook, follow, and retweet!

For more info, please visit www.nationalblackaidsday.org and http://on.fb.me/feb7.

The Girl Who Tattooed Her Rapist

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:38:00 -0500

I write this from my bubble of quiet lightening, a phenomenon that took place after I saw the American adaptation of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. I was hit by many things as I watched that movie, amongst which, of course are the thrill of solving the mystery, and the intricacy of the plot. The most impressing of them all however, was Rooney Mara’s portrayal of Lisbeth Salander, the computer-hacking social misfit. By appearance alone, she is infinitely different from the European version of the character, which was portrayed by Noomi Rapace.

Way back in the earlier months of 2011, I had heard constantly about this movie, and most of the hype was focused on the character of Lisbeth Salander. I knew she’d be queer because there had been a feature on Rooney Mara in Curve Magazine. What I didn’t expect however, was her total badass-ness. Somehow I can completely justify her actions in my mind.

It’s a whole lot more than I can say for ‘Colombiana’, which in my opinion is another ‘hot girl shooting guns for no apparent reason’ movie. Yes she lost her family, yes she wanted to avenge them, yes it was a case of kill or be killed, but I just can’t put it all together to form a solid point. Maybe if it was a little more like ‘Enough’ where Jennifer Lopez engaged her abuser and then killed him in self-defense. Oh I don’t know!

Lisbeth’s badass-ness stems from the complexity of her character. What makes it all so good is not just the way that she punished her abuser, it’s everything about her. From her appearance, to her covetable hacking skills. One of my favorite aspects of the character was her sarcasm and bluntness, the way she eschewed normal practices, choosing instead to say what she had to and end there. With her refusal to conform, she was even more intimidating. What more can you say to a woman who won’t bargain with you?

It was quite sad to see this indomitable character cornered and cowed into submission because society had deemed her unfit to manage her own finances. I watched heartbroken, first as he made her touch him and pleasure him orally, and even worse, the second time as he tore away her clothes and sodomized her as she lay helplessly handcuffed to the bed. I watched, my heart bleeding now, as she gathered her things and limped out of his house; and as she knelt in the shower, the blood flowing with the water down the drain.

When she returned to take her revenge I had no idea what she would do. As she shoved the giant, metal dildo into him and he screamed, I said, “Ha! How d’yu like that now?”. I was in awe of her form of punishment. Not only had she sodomized him in return, and threatened him with footage of him raping her, she marked him mentally and physically so that no other woman would ever fall prey to his ugly intentions. “I AM A RAPIST PIG”.
He would never want anyone to come close enough to see that.

I felt a surge of triumph watching that movie, knowing that one woman somewhere had fought back and left her mark. Far be it from me to say that this should be the model for everyone who has been a victim of rape, I simply hope that Lisbeth Salander, character or not, is a symbol of hope to all that we can fight back and actually win.

The UN Rio+20 Conference Zero Draft: What They Are Missing

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:19:00 -0500

By: Lauren Kalina, Advocates for Youth Intern

On January 10th, the UN released their Zero Draft for the Rio+20 Conference. The Rio+20 Conference is the sobriquet for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). It is being hosted in Brazil this summer to mark the 20th anniversary of 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED.) The conference will focus on the facilitation of sustainable development in the context of today’s society.

While the Zero Draft is an important beginning to outlining needs and priorities for the upcoming conference, there is an important aspect of sustainable development that the draft seems to have forgotten: the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people.

Young people play a crucial role in advocating and organizing around the intersection of environmental sustainability and reproductive rights. An example of this is The Time is Now Campaign, which addresses several of these intersection points, such as: population maintenance, contraception and family planning services, HIV/AIDS prevention, natural resources management, sex education, and more.
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Dying of Red Tape: Ban on Federal Funding for Syringe Exchange Programs Reinstated

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:32:00 -0500

In 1984, Roger Gail Lyon spoke in front of Congress asking that more efforts be made to combat the new disease that was killing him. In Congress, he made an iconic statement: “I came here today with the hope that this administration would do everything possible, make every resource available—there is no reason this disease cannot be conquered. We do not need in fighting, this is not a political issue. This is a health issue. This is not a gay issue. This is a human issue. And I do not intend to be defeated by it. I came here today in the hope that my epitaph would not read that I died of red tape.”

Roger Gail Lyon died later that year. In the early years of the epidemic in America, HIV prevention methods were poorly understood. Today, through the incredible efforts of researchers and activists, HIV is a completely preventable disease. The most vulnerable and oppressed people in America, though, continue to “die of red tape.”

One of the most effective ways of preventing the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections is syringe exchange programs, in which intravenous drug users turn in used needles and receive clean ones in exchange. This prevents addicts from sharing needles with others who already have the disease. One-third of HIV positive people in the United States contract it directly from IV drug use, and many more from sexual contact with infected drug users.

Syringe exchange programs are also one of the most cost-effective HIV prevention methods. Syringes cost less than ten cents, while lifetime anti-retroviral HIV treatment on average costs $385,200. According to The Harm Reduction Coalition, this is enough to prevent 30 HIV transmissions through syringe exchange programs. Additionally, six government studies and much outside scholarship have found that syringe exchanges do not promote increases in drug use rates. In fact, as they provide safe, non-judgmental space for users, they are often a path to rehabilitation and recovery.

In light of this, it was shocking when the FY2012 Budget reinstated a ban on federal funding for syringe exchange programs that President Obama had lifted in 2009. With a single sentence, the budget slashed one of the most important tools in HIV prevention. According to The Drug Policy Alliance, 32,000 people in the US are infected with HIV and Hepatitis C from sharing dirty needles each year. Without federal funding for syringes, each and every one of these people’s lives will be in danger.

This, though, is not merely a health issue: this is a feminist issue. The people who will suffer most from the reinstatement of the ban are women—particularly poor women, queer women, and women of color. Feminists must make syringe exchange a key political issue in the upcoming year. Vocally and actively opposing the ban is a necessary facet in the ongoing fight for social justice.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that in the United Sates, 61% of HIV cases in women are caused by drug use or sexual contact with someone who contracted HIV from sharing needles. In 2009, women comprised 23% of Americans newly infected with HIV. The incidence of HIV in women of color is staggering: 1 in 32 African-American women will contract the virus in her lifetime. The CDC goes on to state, “from 2000–2007, HIV infection was among the top 10 leading causes of death for black females aged 10–54 and Hispanic/Latina females aged 15–54.” The funding ban, then, will only serve to exacerbate the challenges women of color face.

Sex workers are also disproportionately affected by HIV and drug use. A study of sex work among women at US syringe exchange programs found that the percentage of women who were sex workers ranged from 15% to 40%. Sex workers are also very likely to have sex with drug users, and may not be able to negotiate condom use, thereby potentially leaving themselves open to HIV infection from clients, especially in light of the ban.

Poor women are more likely to be drug users, and their addictions exacerbate their poverty. The same study indicated that 53.8% of women at syringe exchange programs who frequently sold sex had lived on the streets in the last six months. Only 42.5% had graduated high school. The ban, then, will heavily impact these vulnerable populations, who are rarely able to afford HIV treatment.

Queer people of all genders will also disproportionately suffer as a result of the federal funding ban. The National Network for Youth estimates that up to 40% of street youth identify as gay or lesbian. When transgender and queer people are included, the figures are even more staggering. A National Gay and Lesbian Task Force study indicates that 26% of surveyed gay males became homeless the day they came out. Unsafe schools, unwelcoming families and discriminatory workplaces leave LGBT young people with few options, making them turn to drugs and sex work in disproportionate numbers; 46% of transgender youth reported sex work. Much like in the case of women sex workers, syringe exchange programs are one of the only barriers between these young people and blood-borne diseases.

Transgender people are also at particular risk as those who buy black-market hormones rarely have access to safe, clean needles. For many transgender people, hormone treatments are essential for good mental health and to help prevent violence against them in the work place and elsewhere based on gender presentation. A San Francisco Transgender Health Project study found that over 50% of clients had injected hormones outside of traditional medical settings. As 29% of transgender people have experienced harassment in medical settings, and as transgender people are four times as likely to have an annual income of under $10,000 than the general population, it is unsurprising that the hormone black market is flourishing. Without needle exchanges, these many transgender people will have struggle even more to find safe access to the hormones that they need. They, like so many other impoverished and excluded populations, will have a vital health measure removed.

The federal government made a cowardly decision at the end of last year. The language of the ban does not cut any money—it simply makes it impossible for groups to apply the funding in the best way that they see fit. 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.

Albert Camus once stated, “It is the job of thinking people not to be on the side of the executioners.” As feminists, as progressives, as activists, we must not stand by as the federal government sentences people to death for their poverty, their work, their gender, their color. We must speak for the politically voiceless. Feminists have changed the world a thousand times over before—and we can do it again.

If we believe that discrimination is wrong, we will stand in opposition of the ban. If we want to claim the “AIDS-Free Generation” our president so optimistically speaks about, we will push him to not include the ban in his FY2013 budget and to push Congress to remove the ban.

Roger Gail Lyon died of red tape. He died because to the federal government, he was unimportant—after all, he was a homosexual sufferer of a disease of difference. The ban on federal funding for syringe exchange programs will only perpetuate the myth that some people are disposable, and that it is not our obligation to prevent disease whenever possible. Feminists, as leaders and “thinking people,” must apply our skills, our energy, and our passion to this issue. No one should have to die of red tape.

This post was originally published in Broad Recogniton, an online feminist magazine at Yale.

Round-up: State of the Union Address

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:53:00 -0500

Watching the State of the Union Address last night, we didn't hear too much about young people, but what we heard was good: more assistance with college tuition, and an endorsement of a path to citizenship for young people who want to "staff our labs, start new businesses, defend this country." Much of the speech focused on the economy and how to create jobs and ease the burden of unemployment and income inequity, while the President also touched on energy reform and the his achievements while in office. Here's a roundup of reactions to the speech from media and the blogosphere:

State of the Union: Obama appeals — again — for unity (Washington Post)

In this election year, it might be too much to hope that the spirit Obama invoked in the House chamber tonight will stay. But the nation depends on it happening. The 535 members of the House and Senate were sent to Washington to get things done on the voters’ behalf. It’s about time they got to work.

President Obama officially starts campaigning with the State of the Union (Feministing)

President Obama spoke with a level confidence and command I haven’t seen in a long while. It seems that this speech marks the official start to his 2012 re-election campaign.

Obama To Congress: Make College Affordable, Invest in Worker Training (Campus Progress)

During the address, Obama called on members of Congress to prioritize the middle class, including by making college more affordable and investing in worker training. And he put colleges and universities “on notice” to ensure Americans can afford degrees.

Obama’s Big Shift: Let’s Truly Investigate the Banking Sector’s Crimes (Colorlines)

Obama grabbed hold of the debate over taxes and reframed it as a debate over opportunity and fairness. That’ll be a welcome change for the broad swath of communities from which Democrats are seeking support, not just for Obama, but for congressional races as well.

Obama's And Daniels' Speeches Follow Classic Party Lines (NPR)

There were appeals to what unites Americans, and even to what may unite the warring parties in Washington. But the spirit and bite of the address were not found in these moments, but in the throwing down of the gauntlet.

The State of the Union’s Most Memorable Moments (Jezebel)

A slide show of interesting visuals from the broadcast.

If you're interested in reading ongoing commentary about the speech, its impact, and what it means for the 2012 election, check out Slate, Salon, and DailyKos. And share your own thoughts about what it means for youth activism and reproductive and sexual health and rights, right here!

Exposing the "Honest Girl Scouts"

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:50:00 -0500

Ya know, children are our future, and it is best that tolerance is taught early. I remember when I was at home for Christmas, my 11-year old cousin came to my parents house unexpectedly, and had not been previously briefed on my gender transition. She handled it just fine, which of course, gives me hope for the younger generation.

Of course, it makes me sad that some girl in California has decided to let bigotry stand in the way.

TRIGGER ALERT FOR FOLLOWING VIDEO:

Apparently, one girl scout, angry that the Girl Scouts decided to let in seven year old Bobby Montoya, a transgender child (note that we do not yet have a preferred name for Bobby, she is male assigned at birth who is transitioning to female), decides that she should go on a campaign to boycott girl scout cookies, simply because all girls are allowed.

Now, it is true that the Girl Scouts are a all-girls organization. However, Bobby Montoya and other transfeminine children ARE NOT BOYS!!! We are not talking about allowing boys in, indeed, if Bobby was a boy, identified as a boy, presented as a boy, and was proud to be a boy, Bobby would not have been allowed in, and rightfully so. But Bobby is a GIRL, and thus, she needs to be in the GIRL SCOUTS. Now, everyone thinks that allowing transfeminine children into the girl scouts will create problems, however, as stated before, children are an adaptable bunch, and my 11 and 13 year old cousins have been able to accept me as a girl.

Also, one of my biggest pet peeves is bullying. This hateful screed may not necessarily be overt bullying, harassment, or intimidation, but almost a third of all trans youth have attempted suicide at one point in their lives. This girl from California is just stoking the fires, and if Bobby or any other trans* child killed themselves just because one person cannot stand the concept of gender self-determination, she would have blood on her hands she could never wash off.

But of course, around the same time as this video, a website went up called "Honest Girl Scouts", which is basically trying to turn the Girl Scouts Into The Boy Scouts. Among other things, they:

-Rip people who are considered role models to the Girl Scouts, such as Houston mayor Annise Parker, singer Sara Bareilles, and TV anchor Katie Couric, all because they are pro-choice and pro-queer. But lets forget about their politics for a moment and remember, these are all powerful women who have made something of themselves. Hell, there are major cities in America that have never even had a female mayor (my home, Philadelphia, is one of them), and when the Today Show, which launched Katie Couric's career began, it was a total boy's club (including the monkey). In fact, I am mature enough to say that Susan B. Anthony, an anti-choice woman who gave us the right to vote, is an empowering woman, even if I'm not a fan of her views on reproductive health.
-In an image of a broken girl scout cookie, HGS claims that Girl Scouts "Support United Nations Anti-Population Goals". Because apparently, this group thinks that world overpopulation is a good thing, and that women should remain barefooted breeders.
-Repeatedly claiming throughout the site that Girl Scouts are connected with Planned Parenthood, a meme that has been circulating throughout the internet:

It was hard to find any article linking the two that was not from some pro-life, "pro-family", mouthpiece, but on page two of my search results, I find this article by Amanda Marcotte from Slate.com

The realities behind the Girl Scouts-U.N.-Planned Parenthood myth perfectly illustrate the moderately feminist approach the organization takes toward scouting. Almost the moment the myth began to spread last year, the Girl Scouts' national organization circulated a statement debunking it. According to this statement, in March 2010, the Girl Scouts held a meeting at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, gathering 30 to 35 teenage girls and encouraging them to "take action on global issues concerning women and girls." The International Planned Parenthood Federation brochure that the right-wing blogosphere accused the Girl Scouts of having passed around ("Healthy, Happy and Hot: A young person's guide to their rights, sexuality, and living with HIV") was not distributed at the meeting. None of the girls in attendance or their chaperones ever saw the brochure until after it started circulating on the Internet, according to a Girl Scouts of the USA press spokesperson.

The article also contrasts the Boy Scouts focus on traditionalist viewpoints, with no change for the times, with the Girl Scouts, who have addressed many current issues, from body image to bullying, and sexual health, in which sex before maturity is discouraged. This is just another example of the double standards that exist in society, where women (of all stripes) calling for their empowerment is looked upon as unholy and somehow something to be shamed.

And even if there is more of a connection between the two groups, please remember that Planned Parenthood does a lot more than just abortions. They deal with a lot of women's health issues, including breast cancer screenings (a special concern for women, and yes, that includes transwomen) and, *gasp*, even men's health too. Believe me, the male opponents of reproductive choice could benefit heavily from regular testicular cancer screenings.

Oh, and as a bonus, here's another interesting faux outrage concerning the Girl Scouts, which was picked up by religiously conservative media:

The incident involved Renise Rodriguez, a 21-year-old Girl Experience Associate for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona in Tuscon. She was wearing a “Pray to End Abortion” shirt when she went into the office during off-duty hours to prepare materials for a meeting. It was there that she was told twice by a supervisor to turn her shirt inside out if she planned to stay in the office or attend a troop meeting, according to Priests for Life

But then, they manage to cover this part of the story:

The leaders had decided that all employees, volunteers and troop members should be in professional business attire, Girl Scout attire or plain shirts without any social, political or commercial messages when present in the council offices.

So, if she was wearing a pro-choice t-shirt, she would have been told to change also, and I doubt that somebody who was in that position would be unreasonable enough to say "boo" over it, nor would Planned Parenthood be calling for an inquisition.

The moral of this story is, while the Girl Scouts, as well as the pro-choice, pro-queer movement handles their points of view in a mostly mature manner and back up their assertions with facts, the anti-choice movement continues to run with simple lies, straw person arguments, and scare tactics.

In conclusion, I would like to say to Bobby Montoya and all transfeminine children who wish to join the Girl Scouts: You go girl, don't ever let anyone get in the way of your dreams. You were always a girl, and nobody can ever take that away from you.

-Jordan Gwendolyn Davis

Living in a Glass House & Throwing Stones - Syd 'tha' Kid

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:17:00 -0500

It seems pretty ludicrous that Syd ‘tha’ Kid of the infamous, controversial group OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) would dare to openly criticize others about their lifestyle choices. Syd recently revealed her sexual orientation in the music video for ‘Cocaine’, one of the collaborations between herself and Matt Martians, the second half of the sub-group ‘The Internet’.

In an interview for LA Weekly, Syd shared some unsolicited information about the sexual orientation of certain celebrities.

"There's Alicia Keys, who's married to Swizz Beatz - we know that shit ain't real. You got Queen Latifah kissing Common in movies. Missy Elliott saying she don't wanna hang with bitches. You know she loves her some bitches."

Granted, the question was about the lack of out and proud urban artists, and I completely get the frustration she feels as a young gay woman who doesn’t have too many people to look up to. Still, I can’t believe that someone who is affiliated with a group as hateful as Odd Future, would dare to point fingers at anyone else over their lifestyle choices.

It’s baffling enough that a GAY WOMAN would ever defend homophobic, misogynist, racist music. It’s like the story of the half Hawaiian/half Hispanic woman who married a white supremacist on Hitler’s birthday. How can anyone associate with someone who seems to hate a part of their identity? I don’t get it.

I can’t say anything about the sexual orientations of the people who she ‘outed’. If there’s one thing that I have learned, it’s that human sexuality is way too fluid and complicated to ever be categorized as one thing or another. People constantly evolve, and when they do, we learn new things about the human capacity for love and desire.

Take for instance concepts like pansexuality, queer-genderedness, and the identifier ‘masculine of center’. A few years ago, we hadn't heard of these. We never knew that anyone could possibly feel this way. And while most people can barely wrap their heads around ‘queer’ and ‘intersex’, let alone pomosexuality and others, they exist. Maybe the reason why these people haven’t come out is because they still haven’t figured out who they are.

Hey! It happened to Chris Crocker. He went from being a pretty boy, to a pretty girl, and now he’s back to being a good-looking young man with a stubbled chin. When asked why he went back to identifying as a man, he said that was who he felt he was right now (“…isn’t the point of life to grow and to change?”). It’s all about evolution and transitioning. There’s absolutely nothing that dictates that we must nail ourselves to a certain identity.

It could be said that Syd is at a stage in her life where she hasn’t quite decided who she is. Hence her dislike of the word ‘lesbian’ and hanging out with ‘groups of lesbians’. Maybe she’ll come to identify as queer. Maybe she’ll identify as male. The point here is, for someone with such a scrambled agenda, you’d think she would sympathize with Queen Latifah and co. instead of stating unfounded accusations as though they were hard facts. Hell, it’s almost as if she felt lonely after coming out and decided to out some other people to keep her company.

As for the whole Odd Future controversy thing, the duo had this to say,

Martians: "Hodgy, Tyler and Earl didn't plan to rap about those things to get a reaction from the media. They were doing it from the jump. So don't crown us for being these 'important' guys, and then what you crown us for, you wanna clown us for. We didn't ask for you to put us up here like this."

Syd: "If you don't like it, don't listen to it."

Martians: "Right. But a lot of people do because they feel like they have to listen to Odd Future. They feel like they need to have an opinion."

Syd: "That, and a lot of people feel like they don't have a cause to fight for. So when they can get on the internet and rant about something, they take their chance."

Martians: "People like being offended. Let's be real."

If the interview was a courtroom and they were the defendants, they’d lose the case before it even started. First, if they had been rapping like that from the get go and people had started to tell them their music was hateful, why didn't they just stop? If they recognize that their lyrics celebrate rape, homophobia, and misogyny (all bad things clearly), isn’t there a better way to express their talent without offending so many people?

Second, it’s true that we could all just not listen to their music if we don’t like it. I personally have applied the “shut your eyes/ears if you don’t like it” theory, but I bet that if I came on the radio everyday and said something hateful directed at the group (Like Will & Grace’s Karen Walker did to Beverly Leslie – “Attention Republicans! Beverly Leslie is a homosexual. I repeat, a homosexual”), I bet they’d have some interesting things to say.

I’m going to break my rule about not calling things stupid just because I don’t agree, to say yes, the theory that people are so mad at Odd Future because they feel they need to have an opinion and have no other cause to fight for is stupid. The statement claims that people essentially do not have anything better to do. Stupidest of all, is the statement that people like being offended. REALLY?! I don’t know about you but I don’t like to get my feathers ruffled for no reason. Like anyone would ever go, “Hmmmm, I’m bored. Lemme go on the internet and find something to get angry about.”

I blame the people who are constantly hyping up their music, telling them that they can do no wrong and to please, go ahead and call everyone names even if the world keeps telling you we don’t like it.

Testifying Against the Heartbeat Bill

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:25:00 -0500

...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

BCSSH Sex Files #16: The Busy Woman's Guide to Health Care Reform

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:44:00 -0500

Boston College Students for Sexual Health is an unofficial student organization that was formed in response to the lack of sexual health education and resources at Boston College. Among other activities, we blog regularly on Her Campus BC in an effort to reach out to the student body and promote thinking about sex-related issues. This particular entry provides a brief overview of the Affordable Care Act, addresses possible changes to the act, and applies these situations to the average woman, specifically at Boston College. Please note that this blog entry was originally posted on Her Campus BC.

Free birth control coverage? Not so fast...

Regardless of your political interest or stance, it’s becoming increasingly hard to ignore the splash caused by the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress this past March. The much debated act has finally gotten the ball rolling on health care reform in the US and has shone a crucial light on the current state of women’s health, which has been in desperate need of some TLC.

Overall, the Affordable Care Act seeks to reform health insurance companies in favor of patients. It would ban lifetime limits that affect people with long-term or chronic illnesses, cover young adults on their parent’s plan until the age of 26 (this provision has recently been put into place), and prohibit discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions – basically, get rid of all the jerky things that insurance companies have been able to get away with. Yeah, we’ve had enough of that, too. The more controversial aspects of the plan are included under the umbrella of women’s preventative care – like covering contraception without co-pays, which we’re pretty excited about. Since all of this legal jargon can be tricky even for the Pre-Law students among us, we’ve broken down the things we think every woman should know about the Affordable Care Act, and possible threats to it.

1. The Facts
The current plan regarding women's preventative care would:

Allow for annual “Well-Woman” visits, covering all age and developmentally appropriate
services
Provide testing for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Gestational Diabetes
Provide testing and counseling for HIV and other STIs
Provide screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence
Cover all FDA approved forms of contraception, sterilization procedures, and reproductive education and counseling without co-pay, deductible, or other charges

2. Supporting the Bill
Supporters of the new preventative care measures base their reinforcement of the bill on the following facts:

A 2001 study found that half of all pregnancies in the US were unintended. The largest roadblock to contraception for many women is cost (averaging $10 to $50 per month, which isn’t exactly pocket change). Free access to birth control would allow for family planning and place greater emphasis on healthy families.
The plan would support the status quo on abortion policy (no federal money will be used to fund abortions and health plans cannot be required to fund abortion). All contraceptive measures covered will prevent pregnancy, but will not terminate an existing pregnancy.
Allowing personal beliefs to determine what will or will not be covered by health plans undermines the purpose of health insurance. According to Adam Sconfield of the Guttmacher Institute, “You would have people questioning treating lung cancer for smokers or accident victims of a motorcycle wreck, or objecting to people having too many kids." Well said.

3. The Opposition
Of course, a change as momentous as this is likely to draw a few adversaries. This is especially pronounced in cases where religious institutions provide health insurance to their employees. Major arguments against contraceptive coverage include:

Contraception should not be included under preventative care because pregnancy is not a disease.
People against abortion shouldn’t be asked to subsidize methods they believe can cause abortions (which, they claim, happens through their insurance premiums).
More contraception doesn’t necessarily lead to fewer unplanned pregnancies and abortions.

The plan currently offers a narrow religious refusal clause (often called a conscience clause), which allows certain religious institutions to exclude contraception from the insurance plans that they offer to their employees. This clause would apply to an institution that “has inculcation of religious values as its purpose” and primarily serves and employs people that share its religious beliefs. Basically, it exempts institutions such as churches, but not religiously affiliated hospitals, schools, or universities (such as, ahem, Boston College). The Obama administration is currently under pressure to add a wider refusal clause that would exempt these institutions from having to provide this benefit to their employees and students.

4. So what would change at BC, exactly?
Well, not as much as we may hope, but it’s a start. Massachusetts state law already requires all MA medical insurance plans (including student plans) to offer prescription drug coverage, including contraceptive drug consultations and prescriptions. For the average BC woman, this means that contraception would at least be partially covered under BC’s health insurance either way and the student is charged a co-pay. But the exciting part would come in at the register, when we can put our already-scarce college student funds towards more worthwhile means than co-pays on birth control. These changes would be even more drastic to women in states without state laws that mandate these provisions – say, our friends over at Notre Dame. While BC can still refuse to prescribe or distribute birth control pills in Health Services (boo), their student insurance plans would have to completely cover the entire cost of contraception if a student seeks these services elsewhere (yay!).

But don’t put your wallet away just yet. If the opposition’s refusal clause succeeds, plans like Boston College insurance would no longer be obligated to cover the full cost of contraception. To fight the pending broader refusal clause, and to stand up for the rights the federal government is announcing that all women should have, sign Amplify Your Voice’s “Obama, Don’t Cave” Petition.

Regardless of your personal stance on the issue, we applaud the Obama administration for striving towards loophole-free protection of women’s health, and for finally taking a firm federal stance on women’s reproductive rights. Our health (...and our rights...and our wallets) is thankful.

Peace, love, and lube
BC Students for Sexual Health

COP17

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:46:00 -0500

The 2011 United Nations High Level Meeting on Climate Change (COP 17) is buzzing with a hive of energetic environmentalist, government officials, environmental NGOs, and its newest inclusion (the Reproductive Health and Rights Groups), all geared up to discuss saving our wonderful planet! The quiet clean street, sandy beaches, and suburban neighbourhoods of Durban have come alive with opinionated, passionate and eager for changed activist and environmental professionals.

COP 17-Durban Marks the annual meeting on climate change by the UNFCCC since it entered into force in 1995. The topic of climate has become a debatable issue which in recent years have become a high political issue for many developed and developing countries such as the US, China, Brazil and South Africa to name a few. To say that Durban South Africa was strategically chosen and is the best place for this year’s COP is an understatement; the beautiful scenery, clean streets and industrialized economy not only makes it the perfect location but also South Africa among many African nations are plagued with epidemics and natural disasters caused by climate change.

South Africa has one of the highest HIV/AIDS percentages, extreme poverty caused by climate change, and lack of access to limited resources as well as issues of deaths related to either diarrhoea caused by usage of unclean water or starvation caused by lack of resources. The Nation is seen as one of the most developing nations and economy along with India and Brazil and as such is being asked to contribute equally internationally to countries such as the US, France, and the UK.

I’m sure by now you’re asking yourself why is Orain In Durban South Africa at a Climate Change Conference, What does Climate Change have to do with Sexual Reproductive Health and Right? Well as you all know there is nothing in this world that exists in isolation and such if you should focus on high population and risk of vulnerable population you would be able to see the connection.

Poor Nations as those in the Global south specifically Africa and East Asia are more prone to the effects of climate change such as droughts, famine, floods, earthquakes among others, coupled with this is the increase in population growth. Having prematurely past the 7 billion mark over 15 years early these poor and highly populated countries/regions become very vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

In many of these poor vulnerable countries women are affected the most as they ones who are the farmers, victims or repressive religious and cultural laws and have little no SRHR rights. These women are given little information about spacing the birth of their children, contraceptives etc. Therefore having burden as wives, mothers, breadwinners among other roles these women are plagued with serious issues of clean water for children and themselves, famine or floods and lost of crops etc. On dec 4th former Iris President Mary Robinson In a session hosted by Population Action International and Aspen Institute stated that on one of her visit to Somalia she asked the women how men children they have and not one replied less than six kids. Their justification was that “they have many kids with the hopes of one or two surviving and becoming adults”, this is a sad state for the community and any country.

There is work to be done my fellow advocates, let’s not boxed ourselves into one area and not acknowledge the importance of relation of others. Support the Time is Now Campaign.

First Anti-Discrimination, Then Marriage Equality!!!

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 00:01:00 -0500

I have touched on this subject on a number of blogs I have written for Amplify, but I would just like to come out and state this, while I do whole-heartedly support gender neutral marriage, I believe that for any state to consider such legislation, they should first have comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, and there are many good rationales behind this.

Consider this, marriage is something which requires a good deal of economic and social stability, and that can only be achieved by being able to find a home and job, as well as being able to get an education, and if there are no anti-discrimination laws, that can become difficult. I am in a financially precarious situation, and I cannot even think about getting married right now. Plus, getting married would prevent me from being able to collect SSD on my parents' record once they retire, die, or if they become disabled, whichever comes first (of course this is in case I am unable to be substantially and gainfully employed).

Thus, marriage is not as much of a personal issue for me, even though it is something I care about. Relate this to Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs, the safety provided by anti-discrimination laws is a more basic need than the love/belonging that is supposed to be the precursor to marriage.[More]

I have a voice, don't expect me to silence it.

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:56:00 -0500

So tonight I had a friend tell me to "be careful" with my activism via social media. It was not that this person did not agree with what I had to say; he was trying to tell me that there might be some people who don't like what I have to say. Well, DUH. If everyone liked what we had to say, we wouldn't need to say it.

Might people get angry and try to debate or fight what I have to say? Yes. And quite frankly, that means I'm doing my job as an activist. There's no point in only preaching to the choir. We should be sure that everyone (no matter what their belief) hears our message. If we catch someone's attention and they challenge what we have to say, then what a great opportunity to educate!! Obviously, it can be and is done in a tasteful, respectful way.

So will everyone agree with what we have to say? Nope. Will some people delete us from Facebook & Twitter because they don't like what we post? Probably. Will someone challenge us with a reply in opposition of what we said? Most likely.

Does all of this mean we stop raising awareness & advocating for change? NOPE.

Keep making your voices heard, fellow advocates. We may face adversity, but we must continue to amplify our voice!