Incorporate Our Uteruses!

The GOP calls it a “manufactured” idea but recent actions all lead to the War on Women and groups throughout the United States are preparing to make our voices know. In my hometown of Pueblo, Colo., we are staging protests to counter anti-choice fanatics by out local Planned Parenthood.

We have planned a symposium which will discuss several areas in which women are still poorly represented and even discriminated on. The War on Women is real, and with women holding a majority of voters in this country we should be screaming back for male legislators to keep their business away from our business.

Even though the Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider the dreadful Citizens United decision it may come to this: incorporate your uterus.

Good news out of Florida as the state becomes the first in the South to end the practice of shackling pregnant inmates in labor. The bad news is 35 states still shackle women in custody during labor.

More good news: teen pregnancy rates are down to record lows thanks in large part to the successful use of contraception. More bad news: Republicans continue to push for a return to abstinence-only sex education.

If at first you don’t succeed, try jamming a “heartbeat” abortion ban through a different committee. That’s the GOP way in Mississippi apparently.

In Arizona the Republican controlled House passed a 20 week abortion ban that outlaws abortions at 20 weeks gestation rather than 20 weeks post-fertilization. The bill now goes to Gov. Jan Brewer (R) for signature.

In Oklahoma, the push for personhood could end up becoming a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade. But not all conservatives think this is a good idea.

Sen. Mitch McConnell insists there is no War on Women and cites a host of his female Republican colleagues as proof. The problem with McConnell’s evidence is that each Republican he cites has publicly criticized her party for attacking women and contraception. Oops.

Thankfully we have Herman Cain around to explain the gender gap for us “other people.”

Sony may be supporting anti-choice “crisis pregnancy centers” by distributing the anti-choice movie “October Baby.” A portion of the profits from the film go to funding these groups. Let them know that’s not acceptable.

California finds toxins in “nontoxic” nail polishes.

People in Kansas are standing up for contraception after the state has stripped funding of critical family planning programs.

With Rick Santorum exiting the presidential race will the attacks on women’s rights slow down? Not likely with these guys still around.

The Seattle City Council on Monday made it illegal for businesses and other entities to ask nursing mothers to stop, cover up or move to a different location in public areas, confirming that feeding children in public really shouldn’t be a big deal.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/dispatches-from-the-war-on-women-incorporate-your-uterus.html#ixzz1rkJED3P7

Honor Yourself, Honor All

When any woman honors herself, all women collectively move closer

to becoming what they are truly capable of being.

There are many ways and reasons for women to honor and embrace all that they are.  By honoring her experience and being willing to share it with others - both male and female - she teaches as she learns. When she can trust herself and her inner voice, she teaches those around her to trust her as well. She  allows all to see the self-respect she possesses and accepts their respect, too, that is offered through look, word, and deed.

When a woman can look back into her past, doing so without regret and instead seeing only lessons that brought her to her current strength and wisdom, she embraces the fullness of her experience.

What a nice sentiment. If we can build each other up the unity will stand strong when someone tries to tears us down.

How women benefit

Most people don't know this, but the big health care bill that President Obama signed has a ton of benefits in it that impact women specifically. And studies show that the more people know about what's in the bill, the more likely they are to support it and use those great new benefits. Right now--when health care is in the news and lots of people will be talking about it--is a great time to share what's in it that's great for women with your friends and colleagues.

Top 5 Benefits for Women in the Health Care Law

1. Being a woman is no longer a "pre-existing condition."  Yes, women were denied coverage for just being women before the Affordable Care Act was law. Insurance companies would classify pregnancy, c-sections or even being a domestic violence or rape survivor as pre-existing conditions ¹and deny coverage on that basis. Women will no longer be denied care² for pre-existing conditions.

2. Insurance companies can't charge you more for being a woman either. Before the Affordable Care Act was law, women were sometimes charged up to 150% more than men of the same age. The health care law makes gender discrimination illegal.³

3. Having a pap smear still sucks, but at least you don't have to shell out a co-pay for it.Breast cancer screenings, cervical cancer screenings, domestic violence counseling and screenings and a whole bunch of other preventive care measures must be covered by insurance companies.⁴

4. You also don't need a co-pay for birth control anymore.⁵ And when 1 in 3 women in our country can't afford it, that's a big deal.

5. Have kids? Or want to? The law helps with that too. If you have kids, they can stay on your health insurance until they're 26 years old--regardless of whether they live with you or are married or not.⁶ And if you want to have kids, the law will help you get pre-natal care and counseling and help with breast feeding and supplies too.⁷

Sources:

1. "I Am Not A Pre-Existing Condition," RH Reality Check, October 14, 2009
2. "The Affordable Care Act Gives Women Greater Control Over Their Own Health Care." White House Fact-sheet
3. Ibid
4. "Preventive Services Covered Under the Affordable Care Act," Department of Health and Human Services Fact-sheet
5."Women's Preventive Services: Required Health Plan Coverage Guidelines," Department of Health and Human Services Fact-sheet
6. "Young Adult Coverage," Department of Health and Human Services Fact-sheet
7. "Women's Preventive Services: Required Health Plan Coverage Guidelines," Department of Health and Human Services Fact-sheet

From:
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/signup/hcrtop5/?akid=59.118595.XS2aX4&rd=1&t=1

Healthcare in High Court

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/supreme-court-health-care-reform-case-expect-094452929.html

Today, March 26, the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether to keep or kill the largest reform package for healthcare in America, and their decision affects the 99% far more than the 1% (*of which most judges probably fall into that category.)
I am part of the 99 percent and this action scares the bejesus out of me. First, I was witness to the fiasco when the Supreme Court basically stole the presidency from Al Gore, and plunged us into a four-year debacle that had the younger George Bush sending this country into spiraling debt. (Remember President Bill Clinton left office with a balanced budget). But I digress.
For the next three days, the Court's Honorable Judges will decide whether 30 million Americans will be able to get health insurance - something that should be an inalienable right! Twenty-six states, including my home state of Colorado (how embarrassing) joined forces to question the validity of the newly-embraced moniker of Obamacare, named for our beloved President Barack Obama, who passed this law as one of the first he signed during his first term.
Insurance companies forced this action because Obamacare will mandate that no-one with a pre-existing condition can be denied health insurance (jeez, who needs it most!). It also limits how much insurance companies can charge older people.
Obamacare also expands Medicare and will open coverage to more than 15 million who earn too much to qualify. The Congressional Budget Office says by 2019, with Obamacare, 95 percent of all Americans will have health insurance. 
I don't. And I don't think it should be an issue. Everyone needs health insurance. Without the Veterans Administration (VA - I am a U.S. Navy veteran) I would be dead. I wonder how many others who are uninsured couldn't wait.

Okay, I like Obamacare

Obamacare turns two years old today. It's a big day for the young law. That's why people across the country are joining us today in saying Thanks Obamacare.

• Thanks from the 20 million women in the U.S. who have taken advantage of the law's preventative care benefits.

• Thanks from the 973,000 Coloradans who received at least one new preventative service in 2011.

• Thanks from the 28 million children in the U.S. for getting rid of lifetime coverage benefits.

• Thanks from the 2.5 million people under the age of 26 who are now able to stay on their parents' health insurance.

• Thanks for making sure no woman is ever denied coverage by removing pregnancy and domestic abuse as pre-existing conditions.

Join I will Not Be Denied

Thanks to the health care law:

• Over 20 million women with private insurance have received at least one preventive health care service without a co-pay or deductible.
• Over 39 million women no longer face lifetime limits on coverage, so they can get the health care they need.
• About 2.5 million young adults gained health coverage because they could stay on their parents' plans.

And this is just the beginning. The health care law is working for women by helping them get the care they need. So why are some opponents of the law fighting to take away these benefits and common-sense protections?   


Join the national I Will Not Be Denied movement now. http://www.nwlc.org//i-will-not-be-denied-protect-womens-health-care

Disgusting

From NARAL ProChoice America:

The attacks on women’s insurance coverage for birth control and other reproductive-health services keep coming fast.

• The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops – which has a $26 million lobbying budget – declared that its top priority is gutting the new birth-control policy.
• One anti-choice organization that encourages its supporters to harass abortion providers – the Pro-Life Action League – is organizing rallies across the country this Friday.
• And in less than a week, the Supreme Court will soon hear arguments from 26 governors who want to overturn the health-care law that President Obama signed into law two years ago.