Posts Categorized: Health and Wellness
URGE RESPONDS TO SENATE’S FAILURE TO PASS THE WOMEN’S HEALTH PROTECTION ACT
WASHINGTON – Today, in a 46-48 vote the U.S. Senate refused to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA). URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is disappointed by the Senate’s vote on this necessary legislation that would move us one step closer to real abortion access for all. WHPA is bold federal legislation that creates a statutory right for healthcare providers to provide abortion care, and a corresponding right for their patients to receive that care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions that single out abortion and impede access. At a time when states like Texas and Mississippi have launched attacks on Reproductive Justice, it is critical that the federal government steps in to defend abortion care across our nation. Yet, despite these consistent and dangerous attacks on abortion, many politicians… Read more »
A Triple Threat: My Thoughts on Three California Bills That Champion for Reproductive Justice
On October 8th, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 453, AB 367, and AB 1171 into law. What does this mean for the fight against sexual violence and the battle for increased access to reproductive healthcare? California is currently at the forefront of protecting reproductive rights for all of its citizens. With the passing of three major bills — AB 453, AB 367, and AB 1171 — comes a major promise of ensuring that voices of victims of sexual assault and period poverty are being heard and listened to. By making stealthing illegal, ending the “spousal rape exception”, and requiring period products to be put in public school bathrooms across California, these radical new laws will close many gaps in ensuring equity that existed previously. These bills could easily be the… Read more »
Menstrual Transphobia: Women Aren’t the Only Ones with Periods
Increased awareness and support against period poverty and stigma in recent years is liberating periods — but not for trans individuals. As we enter a new era of feminist history, the menstrual movement (the movement to increase access to period products and combat the harmful stigma surrounding periods) has gained a lot of attention. Since the movement is crucial for the advancement of gender equity, activists and supporters have fervently advocated for policy changes (requiring free period products in public facilities/schools, removing the Tampon Tax, and allowing better access to affordable healthcare just to name a few) and created community resources to ensure that no person has to live in period poverty or with stigma. Despite the rise in interest and discourse around the subject, inclusive language remains a struggle,… Read more »
Being A College Student During A Pandemic Sucks And Here’s Why
As a college student, I ask myself two questions quite often. The first question is “Do I have anything due tonight?” and the second is “Does anyone else feel this way?” Being sent home from school due to the Covid-19 pandemic as a college freshman and coming back to a fully open campus (still in a pandemic by the way) as a junior has been incredibly difficult. My grades are not nearly as good as they once were, my social skills are borderline embarrassing, and my mental health has definitely been better. However, something that has been reassuring but also deeply concerning is that other college students are feeling like this too. Since the pandemic, college students are experiencing higher levels of food insecurity, emotional, and financial stress than ever… Read more »
Biden Begins to Restore Pre-Trump Status Quo with Administrative Action on Reproductive Health – Young People Say More is Needed
(Washington, DC) — Statement from Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity in response to the Biden-Harris Administration’s executive actions on sexual and reproductive health. “Today, the Biden-Harris Administration took steps to address some of the Trump–Pence Administration’s damage to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and undo some of their appalling sexual and reproductive health policies.” “While we applaud the administration’s actions: to revoke the global gag rule, open Medicaid enrollment under the ACA, withdraw from the anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ Geneva Consensus Declaration, and plans to restore Title X contraception funding, we are here to remind them: there is much more work to be done.” “Black women, people of color, queer and trans folks, and families with low incomes are facing multiple crises: a deadly pandemic, economic devastation, and systemic racism. At the same time, abortion access is vanishing. The racist Hyde Amendment continues to deny abortion coverage to families pushed to the economic brink and hundreds of abortion restrictions combine to render the legal right to end a pregnancy meaningless for many. The Biden-Harris Administration must listen to those most harmed… Read more »
There is No Self-Care without Community Care
Illustration: Dani Pendergast You know that weird thing that happens when you say a word too many times repeatedly, and it starts to feel funny on your tongue when you pronounce it, and sound funny when you hear it? After a while, you don’t even know if the word you’re saying is real? That’s what the term “self-care” has become for me. Your favorite instagram therapist has a bulleted list of ideas on how to care for self. Cosmetic brands are selling 98% petroleum jelly, 2% lavender essential oil eye creams under the guise of self care. At the end of every hour-long zoom meeting (which let’s be real, could have easily been an email, but I digress,) there’s some kind of self-care lecture and plug. At this point, I… Read more »
Resonance is Radical
If you were to ask me a month ago what the most fundamental aspect of relationship building is, I would’ve said relatability- aside from intentionality. Relatability helps us build connection and understanding within our interpersonal relationships, in a hyper-individualistic and capitalistic world that leads many of us to believe that our struggles are solely our own to bare. Sometimes, in moments of distress or uncertainty, simply hearing “I can relate to that because…” can move us to be more open and transparent about our struggles. As someone who has endured a great deal of hardship, trauma, and calamity, I find myself connecting with people through those shared experiences often. To me, relatability has always been synonymous with comfort. By being relatable, I believed I was doing a fine job at… Read more »
Period Politics Symposium at Otterbein
The event was an educational panel that hosted 4 advocates and thinkers on period activism, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, author of Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity, Nancy Kramer, founder and director of Free The Tampons, Elizabeth Brown, Columbus City Council member and advocate for menstrual equity, Claire Coder, founder and director of Aunt Flow. The panel was followed by a q&a sessions from the 93-person audience, and URGE members announcing the new free menstrual products initiative on Otterbein’s campus and a book signing with Jennifer.
University of Toledo Feminist Alliance holds successful counter-protest
The University of Toledo Feminist Alliance held a successful counter protest against an anti-choice group on campus this week. Chapter leaders passed out condoms, had conversations with other students and recruited more students to get involved with their activist work on campus.
BGSU Chapter Raises $3,000 for Local Shelter
The Bowling Green State University chapter, FORCE, recently hosted their annual Vagina Monologues performance on campus over Valentine’s Day weekend. With 30 cast and crew members and 300 attendees over 4 nights, FORCE was able to fundraise $3,000 for the local domestic violence shelter. For the rest of the semester, they plan on continuing to uplift campus dialogue around the It’s On Us campaign recently introduced to campus, and to fight for an on-call Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner on campus. They will also be having a screening of After Tiller on campus with URGE in order to generate petition signatures against an upcoming abortion ban in Ohio.
