2018 Resolutions
Believe it or not, 2017 is drawing to a close! The New Year is a time for us to reflect on the year behind us and also think about our resolutions for 2018. A bright, shiny new year in which the government will fully fund abortion, stop shaming young people for their sexual health choices, and generally just be functional (ok maybe not, but we are speaking it into existence.) On that note, here is a list of URGE’s 2018 resolutions:
1. Mobilize young people to VOTE!
Listen, y’all: we know it’s been a tough year. You know how you can help next year suck less? By voting for people who you think best represent your interests. I mean, look at Virginia! Virginia elected Danica Roem, one of the first openly transgender people to serve in a U.S. statehouse. And that is due in large part to young people showing up and voting. Your vote matters – GO VOTE.
2. Support taxpayer funding of abortion through the EACH Woman Act.
You know what’s really messed up? That low-income folks are denied basic healthcare services, including abortion, just because they can’t afford it. You know what’s even more messed up? The Hyde Amendment was specifically created to stop low-income folks and people of color from getting abortion care. The EACH Woman Act will lift the ban on abortion funding through Medicaid, and make abortion accessible for low-income folks and people of color. URGE loves the EACH Woman Act and will keep on supporting it in 2018.
3. Defend immigrant justice
Immigrant justice is reproductive justice, as we’ve chatted about. Y’all know that URGE has been doing some really great work with anti-border wall resolutions in Texas. We have helped pass anti-border wall resolutions in 15 cities in Texas now, and we’re going to keep up that momentum in 2018.
Of course, in a perfect world, the Dream Act will pass by the end of the year (send your message asking for just that right now!). But if it doesn’t, we will continue to push for a clean Dream Act before DACA fully expires in March!
4. Advocating for young people’s right to accurate and comprehensive information about their sexual health.
We CANNOT with crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). They are the worst, for real. Young folks should know when they go to get healthcare that the information they receive is accurate, unbiased, and comprehensive. They should also be able to trust that their healthcare providers will put young people’s health first, and not a political agenda. CPCs do literally the opposite of that – they mislead and shame folks, young people especially, and discourage them from getting abortions because of their own personal beliefs. That ain’t right, and URGE will continue to work to expose CPCs and their harmful practices.
5. Support funding for comprehensive sexual education.
The Trump Administration sure does love abstinence only education! (And URGE sure does not!) They’ve been slashing funding for existing sexual health programs, like the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, and putting more money into abstinence only education (or, as they’ve taken to calling it “sexual risk avoidance”). URGE supports sex positive and comprehensive sexual education, which is why we support the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act (REHYA). Get a jump on this resolution by sending a message to your Congress members now to ask them to support REHYA!
Thank you for all you do to help URGE be the radical, sex positive organization that it is. We know that with your help we can see our New Year’s resolutions come true. We’ll see y’all in 2018!
