URGE Executive Director to Receive Ms. Foundation’s Women of Vision Award
New York, NY – Today, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella) will receive the Ms. Foundation’s Women of Vision award. This award is being given to feminist advocates, activists, and thought leaders who ignite policy and cultural change. Kimberly will be honored alongside Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, Wanda Irving, co-founder of Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project, and LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter. For the past 50 years, the Ms. Foundation for Women has consistently invested in the development of grassroots movements and fighting for gender equity, particularly for communities of color. At URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, we recognize the crucial goals of preserving bodily autonomy, defending the rights of people of color and LGBTQ+ people across… Read more »
URGE, Planned Parenthood Alabama, Yellowhammer Fund Take to State Capitol to Advocate for Reproductive Justice Issues
(Montgomery, AL) – On Thursday, April 27, 2023, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity brought the fight for reproductive justice to Alabama legislators’ doorstep. URGE Alabama partnered with Planned Parenthood Alabama and Yellowhammer Fund to bring together young people from across the state to lobby legislators to support HB 17 and oppose HB 208. BACKGROUND HB 17, introduced by Rep. Christopher England, would repeal the current law that makes it a misdemeanor to induce an abortion, miscarriage, or premature delivery. This bill would be a crucial step toward decriminalizing pregnancy outcomes for Alabamians. HB 208, also known as the Pregnancy Resource Act – introduced by Rep. Jamie Kiel, would provide a tax credit to taxpayers who donate to anti-abortion centers or crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) in Alabama. CPCs are… Read more »
URGE Executive Director Releases Statement on SCOTUS Update Regarding Medication Abortion
(WASHINGTON, DC) – On April 21, 2023, the Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella), released the following statement after the Supreme Court issued its decision to stay restrictions on the FDA approval of Mifepristone – a safe and effective drug used for medication abortion. “Every day that people have access to safe and effective options for abortion care is a good day. While we continue to monitor this case closely, it’s good news to people who need medication abortion that this option remains available. No matter what happens, Mifepristone will remain an essential medicine, and will continue to be used in the United States and around the globe for pregnancy-related care.”
URGE Responds to Initial Ruling on Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al V. U.S. Food and Drug Administration et al
On April 7, a federal judge in Texas ruled to suspend FDA approval of Mifepristone, a safe and effective pill used in clinician-guided and self-managed abortion care. Anti-abortion groups initiated this lawsuit just weeks after the FDA expanded access to abortion pills by allowing them to be offered at retail pharmacies and removing the in-person requirement. This case is the latest attempt by extremists to control people’s bodies and further restrict healthcare options, at a time when abortion pills now account for more than half of all abortions in the US. In response, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE, said: “Today’s decision has brought more confusion than clarity. However, while we anticipate the final outcome and learn how it will impact people – particularly young Black and brown people and LGBTQ+… Read more »
Statements From URGE on the Reintroduction of the Women’s Health Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives reintroduced the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), a bill that would create a statutory right for abortion care across the country. The House previously passed WHPA in 2021 and 2022, but it failed to reach the necessary 60 votes in the Senate each time. In response to this news, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, said: “We applaud the abortion-positive leaders in the House for their continued support and commitment to defending and restoring abortion access. The Women’s Health Protection Act, along with the EACH Act, is a critical element in our broader fight to end abortion bans and attain the access we deserve. Today, we are one step closer to realizing our full vision for reproductive… Read more »
Advocates Take to the [Kansas] Capitol to Oppose Anti-Reproductive and Anti-Transgender Rights Bills
Topeka, Kan. – Today, as lawmakers considered two anti-trans bills – SB 180 and SB 2238 – advocates for reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ rights brought the fight for Kansans’ futures to the state capitol. Dozens of people from across the state participated in Kansans for Bodily Autonomy Advocacy Day, raising the alarm on these renewed attacks on abortion, gender-affirming care, and gender equity. The event was organized by ACLU of Kansas, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, Trust Women, URGE Kansas, and Vote Neigh. Advocates urged lawmakers to vote against a number of anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ bills being considered this session, including bans on gender-affirming care and telemedicine abortion. They also pressed lawmakers to support policy changes that address the steep tax on necessary goods including menstrual products and diapers. Instead… Read more »
Statement from URGE Executive Director on 2023 State of the Union Address
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Following the 2023 State of the Union Address by President Joe Biden, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella) released the following statement: “As President Biden reminded us, anti-abortion extremists won’t stop until they’ve made abortion a crime in every state. We applaud President Biden for speaking in solidarity with people who need abortions, and committing to veto any abortion ban that crosses his desk. But we have much more work to do. Roe was never enough, and abortion bans that have been pushed through in states across the South and Midwest have caused chaos and immense harm to people nationwide. We are in a fight for our lives, our democracy, and our future, and this moment calls for moral clarity… Read more »
Statement From URGE on the Attempt to Take Abortion Pills Off the Market
As early as Feb. 10, a federal judge in Texas will rule on the decision to remove FDA approval of Mifepristone, a safe and effective pill used in clinician-guided and self-managed abortion care. Anti-abortion groups initiated this lawsuit weeks after the FDA expanded access to abortion pills by allowing them to be offered at retail pharmacies and removing the in-person requirement. This case is the latest attempt by extremists to control people’s bodies and further restrict healthcare options, especially as abortion pills now account for more than half of all abortions in the US. Ahead of the decision, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE, said: “Let’s be clear: Abortion pills are a safe and effective option for managing abortions on our own terms, and they should be accessible for… Read more »
URGE Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire Speaks At EACH Act Press Conference
(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Thursday, January 26, 2023, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella) joined All* Above All and several Members of Congress at a press conference announcing the re-introduction of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act in the 118th Congress. These were her remarks: “Good morning, “Let me start by thanking my friends and colleagues at All* Above All as well as our bold legislative champions in the people’s House – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, and each of their staffs. I am proud today to be here with each of you to applaud the re-introduction of the EACH Act, which works to ensure that all of us – regardless… Read more »
URGE Joins Reproductive Justice Leaders in Signing “Visioning New Futures for Reproductive Justice Declaration 2023”
This weekend, in collaboration with SisterSong, Collective Power for Reproductive Justice, and Forward Together, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, anchored the convening of more than 75 reproductive justice leaders for the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. While we mourned the loss of federal protections for abortion and Roe v. Wade – on what would have been its 50th anniversary, this weekend we celebrated our collective power, unyielding resilience and fight of the reproductive justice movement to forge a new path – one where all the tenets of reproductive justice are centered. Hope Jackson, Esq. (she/her/hers), Deputy Director of Programs & Policy for URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity “Grappling with the loss of Roe and the understanding that it was never enough, this weekend was… Read more »
