Search Results for: parental consent
Keeping an Eye on the “Incremental” Abortion Restrictions in Ohio
I set out to write this piece about the impact that Governor Kasich’s budget bill has had in Ohio since it was signed into law six months ago. I thought the budget bill, or House Bill 59, was the worst blow to Ohio reproductive rights. What I didn’t know was that while House Bill 59 was a pretty tough blow, it was just one of many tough blows to the state’s fragmented reproductive rights protections. Turns out reproductive rights in Ohio have been steadily chipped away by the state’s government officials for over twenty years. Unless you have been part of the small group of people on the ground fighting back, you may not have known. And it’s all because of the approach the state government officials have taken. Instead… Read more »
Roe v. Wade, Young People and the Supreme Court
ThinkProgress recently published a fantastic yet depressing report on the Supreme Court’s gradual and subtle weakening of Roe v. Wade which has effectively nullified the right to an abortion in the United States. For many young people, reports like these may be one of the first instances where court cases that occurred after Roe v. Wade become visible. Planned Parenthood v. Casey has serious implications for young people in the United States, specifically legal minors and those who may need financial assistance. In Casey, the Supreme Court ruled that a state could impose 24-hour waiting periods and parental consent requirements without violating Roe v. Wade’s abortion guarantee. But for many young people, requirements like these effectively violate their right to the entire offering of reproductive choices.
If I lived in a state that had reproductive justice…
The state would respect the humanity of ALL people. The state would not pass laws diverting money from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program to give to Crisis Pregnancy Centers that “routinely lie to and coerce women.” The state would not mandate that in order for rape crisis centers to receive funding, they must not refer to abortion care when they counsel survivors. The state would not mandate that public hospitals can only perform abortions in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. The state would not pass laws requiring abortion clinics to have transfer agreements with a local hospital and then ban public hospitals from getting into transfer agreements with abortion clinics.
Reproductive Justice Glossary
Abortion – The end of a pregnancy before birth; can be “spontaneous”, also known as a miscarriage, or induced, the intentional termination of a pregnancy. Abstinence-only sexuality education – Abstinence-only-until-marriage sexuality education programs teach only the benefits of abstaining from all sexual activity; these programs do not provide medically-accurate or developmentally beneficial information about sexuality, relationships, contraception, HIV and other STIs, etc. Anti-choice – A political position that opposes a woman’s right to choose to continue or terminate a pregnancy and to obtain safe and legal abortion services. People who take an anti-choice stance refer to themselves as “pro-life.” Birth Control Mandate – The Health and Human Services mandate requiring that all health plans provide coverage at no cost (including deductibles and co-payments) for all contraceptives approved by the Food… Read more »
The Fiscal Cliff: Not Sexy but a Big Problem for your Sex Life
This post is part of a series from Campus Progress There is nothing sexy about the fiscal showdown in Washington. It’s a complicated mess. Despite that, it’s imperative that our Representatives hear from young people, and critical that they see the connection between sexual and reproductive health and the fiscal cliff. The fiscal cliff is more than a witty metaphor. Plummeting over the fiscal ledge will result in enormous cuts in Title X family planning services, benefits from the Affordable Care Act, funding for comprehensive sex education programs, and maternal health programs. And in a political climate where these programs already hang in the balance, we can’t afford to stand this one out. As young people, we already face a lot of unique barriers when it comes to accessing services and living sexually… Read more »
Reproductive Justice Glossary
Happy Monday, everyone! Throughout history, social movements have excluded individuals and groups who may have been passionate advocates of the cause. We at Choice USA strive not only to avoid this, but to offer a strong foundation that promotes informed decision-making and consideration of this movement. In line with this, I have compiled a basic glossary for anyone who may be just beginning to dive into reproductive justice. Additionally, I do not purport to be an expert. This glossary can also serve as a talking point. Feel free to critique my definitions for being too simple or to suggest terms to add to the glossary. abortion – the end of a pregnancy before birth; can be “spontaneous”, also known as a miscarriage, or induced, the intentional termination of a pregnancy. Abstinence-only… Read more »
The Kids Will Be All Right
Earlier this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) approved for the first time the use of long-acting contraceptive methods (LARCs) as the first recommended choice for teens. These devices, the intrauterine device (IUD) and the implant, offer the best of protection against unwanted pregnancies for at least three and up to twelve years (ten FDA-approved). This is especially good news considering that Skyla, the newest IUD on the market, was designed explicitly for young people and/or those who haven’t given birth. Two of the biggest reasons why it’s been difficult for those groups to find a gynecologist who would be willing to prescribe them IUDs were the slight risk of expulsion from the uterus before pregnancy has occurred, it was something that doctors used to discourage or outright deny… Read more »
Why “I beat teen pregnancy” is flawed
I celebrated my 20th birthday a few weeks ago, and, like many Millennials on a holiday, I struggled to find the perfect Facebook status to capture the moment. I could have followed in the footsteps of my peers, who have overwhelmingly posted on their respective birthdays some variation of, “I beat teen pregnancy!” The phrase is so common that a friend of mine actually yelled it to me when we crossed paths on my special day—“Happy Birthday, Robyn! And congrats, you beat teen pregnancy!” But is teen pregnancy really something that needs to be “beat”? This terminology implies that teen pregnancy is akin to diseases, like cancer or addiction. When my peers say, “I beat teen pregnancy,” they say it in the same proud tone and in the same congratulatory… Read more »
Sexual Health, Reproduction and Family Formation: Rights, Religion and the State
Choice USA Executive Director, Kierra Johnson, will be traveling this week in Israel with the National Council of Jewish Women, Israel Action Network, and a group of progressive women leaders. While there she will be blogging about the experience for ChoiceWords. This week would not be complete without some commentary about the state of sexual health, reproductive rights and family planning. Below is my quick and dirty report. I received a lot of information. This is not an exhaustive representation of the system but rather consider it a snapshot. Warning: Generally, I try not to compare the US to other places but I just could’t help it this time. I ask for your forgiveness in advance. Abortion: Cons: It is the only medical practice that requires an application and hospital committee approval. Unmarried women… Read more »
Putting the Sex Back in Birth Control: Why the Dominant Narrative on Contraception Undermines Young People
Originally posted on RH Reality Check While I applaud Elizabeth Banks for her new ad supporting Planned Parenthood, birth control, and President Barack Obama–and wholeheartedly empathize with her personal story–I’m reminded of a sobering fact: the progressive community is deathly afraid of talking about sex and young people. That’s right. I said it. Between Banks new web promo aimed at female voters, Sandra Fluke’s testimony before Congress last February, and the reactive messaging around Rush Limbaugh’s vile comments, one thing has remained clear: our movement is far more comfortable elevating stories about birth control when they don’t involve sex. Pure unadulterated sex. Sex without the fear of an unintended pregnancy. You know… the primary reason young Americans use birth control. And for arguments sake, maybe there’s a good reason for this. Maybe–just maaaayyyybe–we’re trying to appeal… Read more »
