Tag: abortion

22Sep

Yes, there are pro-choice NY Republicans. Gina Arena is NOT one of them!

Catherine Lederer-Plaskett responds in The Journal News:

Gina Arena, who is running for the fourth time, is definitely NOT pro-choice. She has shared her staunch anti-choice views in her answers on the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion — Choice Matters questionnaire and in her follow-up interview in 2019. Choice Matters sends its questionnaire to each individual running for the Westchester County Legislature and for every higher office, every year. Arena has refused to participate in her three subsequent races and has been marked ANTI-CHOICE each time. She has also been endorsed by the anti-abortion anti-contraception group Westchester Putnam Right to Life PAC.

In her own handwriting, Arena has stated that abortion should be legal only in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the woman — and only in the first trimester. She opposes both Roe v. Wade and the New York State Reproductive Health Act that enshrined Roe in state law. She advocates for harsh regulations for both patients and healthcare providers, and opposes assistance to the incarcerated. She is against the FDA decision making emergency contraception available over-the-counter. And that’s just for starters.

From abortion to contraception to facility and provider access, Arena stands vehemently opposed to women’s comprehensive reproductive health care.

But now as she works to defeat Proposition No. 1, the NY Equal Rights Amendment, she is attempting to placate voters by whitewashing her real position in order to “rebrand” herself. Why? Because New York voters support abortion rights and comprehensive reproductive care by a huge margin. Contrary to her op-ed, Arena’s anti-abortion position does not make her pro-choice. Choice Matters will not allow Arena to redefine the term pro-choice to suit her campaign and suggest that the term “anti-choice” applies only to those who advocate for a total abortion ban.

New Yorkers should not be fooled by her deceitful use of alternate facts.

Arena belongs to a formidable opposition movement led by MAGA-style anti-choice extremists that is spreading disinformation with the goal of defeating Prop #1.

Prop #1 closes loopholes to make sure that no New Yorker can be discriminated against. In addition to protecting abortion rights in the state Constitution, it will elevate access to all reproductive health care including contraception and IVF, protect older New Yorkers, those with disabilities, and the LGBT community.

The truth is that Pro. No. 1 is totally consistent with the federal Title IX and NYS Human Rights Laws. States must comply with federal legislation. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972, Title IX “prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.” Women have benefited beyond anyone’s wildest dreams from Title IX, and will continue to!

On Nov. 5, New Yorkers have the opportunity to stand up against discrimination and for equality and abortion rights. We must seize the moment. Turn over the ballot and vote yes on Prop #1.

Catherine Lederer-Plaskett is president of WCLA – Choice Matters. WCLA – Choice Matters’ mission is to ensure that all women – regardless of age, race, class, immigration status, geography or ability to pay – have full, unimpeded access to reproductive health care. The oldest ongoing pro-choice advocacy organization in the nation, Choice Matters is and always has been non-partisan.

08Nov

Abortion Rights – The BIG Winner!

Abortion Rights WON BIG on Tuesday, November 7th!

Abortion was on the ballot across the country — from Ohio to Kentucky to Virginia to Westchester County — and voters were decisive and unequivocal They voted to protect abortion rights and the candidates who stand for comprehensive reproductive health care, by a clear margin.

Ohio passed its proposition, putting abortion rights into the state constitution despite an onslaught of intentional deception by anti-choice zealots. With the passage of the ballot measure, Ohio’s six-week abortion ban is derailed. Ohio will be prevented from restricting abortion access before fetal viability.

Kentucky re-elected pro-choice Democratic Governor Andy Beshear in a bright red state. Beshear ran openly and proudly as a champion of comprehensive reproductive health care while his Republican opponent Daniel Cameron’s anti-abortion record became a key issue in the race. Cameron supports a total abortion ban with very limited exceptions.

Virginia defeated anti-choice Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin who wasn’t even on the ballot. Youngkin invested heavily in supporting GOP candidates to take control of the state’s Senate and House of Delegates. Youngkin — promoting what would have resulted in a GOP trifecta state win — promised a 15-week abortion ban. He LOST! Not only did the Democrats maintain control of the Virginia State Senate, they flipped the House of Delegates in their favor!

Westchester has re-elected its pro-choice Board of Legislators — a pro-active board that in the face of violence against women, providers and reproductive health care facilities — passed the first safe clinic access bill to ever become law in our County.

The candidates running on the Republican line for Westchester County Board of Legislators (and in several of the towns and villages) were anti-choice and many were extreme MAGA Republicans — with a primary focus being to overturn the “Safe Clinic Access” legislation passed into law in 2022. There were enough contested seats on the ballot to change the balance of the Board on Legislators from pro-choice to anti-choice.

Our voters came out in force here in Westchester and pro-choice voters came out across the country. That did not happen by accident.

A lot of hard work, sweat and, yes, tears goes into this work. It cannot happen without your support. We need to keep our eyes on 2024 and use this election to propel us forward.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO!

THE 2024 Elections are HERE! The ERA will be on the ballot in New York AND all the seats in the NYS Senate and Assembly. Please make a donation now in support of our work that starts today as we turn our focus to the 2024 elections.

CAN WE COUNT ON YOU?

10Oct

The Post-Roe Monologues – Don’t Miss Out!

Dear Friends,

On November 6th, the night before Election Day 2023, you have the unique opportunity to see The Post-Roe Monologues, written by Mimi Zieman, an OB/GYN, researcher and interviewer. Zieman wrote this play in direct response to the Dobbs decision. It was and is inspired by the true stories from her work.

Those of us who care “know”.

What do we know? That the past 16 months have been hell for anyone seeking or providing abortion care in the United States.

The Dobbs decision brought with it a tidal wave of assaults on access to abortion care.

But it has also brought very loud voices, spanning the country, coming from every single state, fighting back. Whether for candidates who support comprehensive reproductive health care or referendums demanding the inclusion of abortion care in state constitutions, our voices are loud. We will be heard.

THIS PLAY – The Post-Roe Monologues – IS INSPIRATIONAL!!!!!

https://www.kaufmanmusiccenter.org/mch/event/the-post-roe-monologues/

Special availability for Seniors and Students.
To Become a Sponsor – Click Here!

The Post-Roe Monologues

The Post-Roe Monologues, a play with music, was written by an OB/GYN in the trenches of caring for people affected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The play uniquely delivers on all levels, presenting a diverse cast of characters—inspired by true stories, interviews, and research—who deliver poignant monologues, and who interact in surprising ways. Those interactions underlie the theme of “we are all connected,” because although people may think that the Dobbs Supreme Court ruling doesn’t affect them – it does. These stories are intimate. These stories increase understanding, compassion, and motivate action.

We are planning a timely and urgent one-night presentation of The Post-Roe Monologues and are reaching out to you to join our team.

This performance will feature star actors, followed by a panel discussion to raise funds for reproductive rights groups including the National Abortion Hotline, and Choice Matters.Will you join us?

Sponsorship* Opportunities, and listing in the program:
Co-Producer: $5,000.00, includes four tickets to the show and post-panel reception.
Associate Producer: $2,500.00 includes two tickets to the show and post-panel reception.
Champion: $1,000.00 includes two tickets to the show and post-panel reception.

The Post-Roe Team
Amas Musical theater (Donna Trinkoff/Artistic Producer) is a non-profit theater devoted to the creation of new American musicals, celebration of equity and minority perspectives, and the emergence of new artistic talent.

Executive Producer:Jim Kierstead is a Grammy-nominated, Emmy, Olivier, and six-time Tony Award-winning producer of the Broadway, touring, Toronto, and London productions of Kinky Boots, Pippin, Hadestown, The Inheritance, The Lehman Trilogy, and Company.

Producer:Lisa Reich co-produced regional, and Off-Broadway shows, and executive produced several award-winning short films and was associate producer for an Emmy nominated series.

Director:Maria Torres is a world-renowned choreographer, director, producer, and performer whose contributions have led the way for Latinos in the arts. She is an active member of the League of Professional Theater Women and founded the Maria Torres Emerging Artists Foundation to mentor aspiring artists.

Playwright and Producer:Mimi Zieman, MD is the author of Managing Contraception, the forthcoming memoir, Tap Dancing on Everest, and numerous published essays.

*tax-deductible and payable to Amas for “Post-Roe.” ID: 23-7057226. Address: 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1400, New York, NY 10036

Co-Hosts Include:
in formation

31Dec

2022 Accomplishments – A Timeline

We were joined by the many who know how much Choice Matters has done to advance abortion rights — including US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, NYS Attorney General Tish James, NYS Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Assembly members Amy Paulin, Tom Abinanti & Sandy Galef and Emmy-Award winning comedian Judy Gold. It was a night spent toasting accomplishments & strategizing for the future.

03Jul

TOGETHER WE DID THIS! Equality Amendment PASSES!

YOU DID THIS!

>The NYS Legislature heard you and at their Special Session they voted to pass the Equality Amendment. (Click here to read it.)

> Tell your legislators Thank You! They passed the Equality Amendment.

> Call them and say, “Thank You!”

Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins – (518) 455-2585
Speaker Heastie – (518) 455-3791; AND
your own NYS Senator and Assembly representative. Find their contact information here: https://openstates.org/ny/legislators/

The Bill numbers are: (A10468A/S8797A)

Here is a Sample Script you can use:
“Hello, my name is __________ from zip code ________. I’m contacting {legislator’s name} to say THANK YOU for passing the Equality Amendment. With the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and the protections it provides, we must protect abortion in our state constitution. New York State has taken one step closer. Thank you.”

DO IT TODAY.

> What happens next: The Equality Amendment will now start the three year process needed to put Roe on the ballot in New York in 2024. Next year, the NYS legislature must again pass the Equality Amendment. Once that happens, it will be placed on the ballot.

> Summary of the Equality Amendment: “Provides that no person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof; provides no person shall, because of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, reproductive healthcare and autonomy, be subjected to any discrimination in their civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state.”

13Jun

LGBTQ+ People are effected by the overturning of Roe v. Wade too!

By Olivia Halligan

The first week of May was met with breaking news that the extremist majority of Supreme Court will most likely issue a decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Roe established abortion as a constitutional right in the United States. Since the leaking of decision, protests have taken place around the Supreme Court, and NPR reporter Ayen Bior with people about the effect this reversal would have on people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Alexis Rangel, a policy counselor at the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), stated, “Abortion rights and reproductive rights in this decision are about trans rights.” Rangel advocates for transgender rights by organizing in legislative offices at both the federal and state level. She points to the necessity of reproductive healthcare and abortion for transgender men and nonbinary people. Rangel was able to attend a midnight protest after the leaked decision was made public on the night of May 2nd, and she doesn’t plan on stopping there. LGBTQ+ activists warn of the dangers of overturning Roe v. Wade, specifically in vulnerable groups who could lose access to gender-affirming care.

Oneida, a senior national organizer for NCTE, feels attacks on other rights are just beginning. They said, “The tactics that we’re seeing on the attacks of abortion care, are the same tactics we’re seeing with gender-affirming care, and access to it. The attacks are on our health care providers, and then our vital body autonomy.” NCTE is discussing the impact of the reversal with lawmakers at the local, state, and federal levels. The organization is also pushing for the Senate to pass the Equality Act, which would expand protections for LGBTQ+ people.

“There’s a level of violence that comes from forcing people to be pregnant. There’s another layer when you’re trans, you know, issues of gender dysphoria,” says Oneida.

Cathryn Oakley, senior counsel at the Human Right Campaign declared, “The court is opening the door to having things like contraception be put at risk…What we really need now is outrage, anger and action for those among our community who are about to see the most destructive attack on our civil rights in a generation”

The harm that the reversal of Roe v. Wade will cause won’t stop at women’s rights. As Sarah Epperson (@sarah.epperson on instagram) states, “people of all gender identities need and have abortions”.

But what can you do to protect our reproductive rights?

Most importantly, vote. Get active. Join our email list to receive our voting guide, showing which candidates are pro-choice and which are anti-choice. You can also show your support by volunteering with and donating to Choice Matters.

08Feb

Dorothy Brown, MD – Always remember and never forget

Dorothy Brown, MD
1919 – 2004

“Dorothy Brown, MD, the first black female surgeon in the U.S., was also the first American state legislator to attempt to legalize abortion. As a member of the Tennessee state legislature in 1967, she proposed a bill to that effect and her commitment to reproductive rights remained strong in the decades that followed. In a 1983 interview she cut to the heart of the conflict about abortion in the black community when she said black women “should dispense quickly the notion that abortion is genocide; genocide in this county dates back to 1619,” the year African slaves were first brought to America.” A Simple Human Right, The History of Black Women and Abortion by Loretta J. Ross, On The Issues Spring 1994

I was going through Choice Matters’ amazing archives and came across this piece about Dorothy Brown, MD.

Many have come before us, but too often we don’t remember. This struggle has been fought and lead by women of all different demographics. Loretta J. Ross shares important insights on her website.

When we allow ourselves to be divided, we lose.

Please join with us. United we stand.

20Jan

Men. Owning. Women.

Will New Hampshire legalize slavery?

Just days before the 49^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a bill, House Bill 1181, allowing men to sue women to stop them from having an abortion was introduced in New Hampshire.

Quite literally, a man would be able to hold a woman hostage for the length of her pregnancy. All he has to do is claim he is the father. He only needs to prove it if the woman publicly claims he is not the father. Then, on his say-so, a DNA test will be performed. All of this takes time and denies the woman privacy and control of her own body—and is even applicable if the woman is raped, unless she reported the rape at the time it occurred.

The reality is that if this bill becomes law, it legalizes the ownership of a woman by a man without any responsibility for the subsequent offspring. The bill only details limited responsibilities of the man during pregnancy and none post-pregnancy.

The Assembly person introducing the bill is challenging pro-choice Congresswoman Ann Kuster (D). Local elections have consequences.

This is a moment that demands courage. The courage to stand up and fight back. Join us. Make a contribution and/or Volunteer.

We are working 24/7 to pass a clinic access bill here in Westchester and to get sexuality education and insurance reform passed in Albany.

United we stand.

09Nov

A Head-Spinning Week – a recap

Over the last week we’ve witnessed:

The Supreme Court hear oral arguments against Texas’ extreme 6-week abortion ban;
The Supreme Court side with the Albany Diocese AGAINST New York State, potentially overturning health insurance requirements concerning abortion;
Ohio’s introduction of HB 480 that is a total ban of all abortions and is structured like the Texas law, making citizens vigilante bounty hunters;
Anti-choice Republican candidates, including the gubernatorial one, win across Virginia; and
Close to home, in Nassau County, anti-choice Republicans win everything.But here in Westchester, it was different. WE WON!
We couldn’t have done it without you.

On Election Day, 90% of WCLA PAC’s endorsed candidates, rated 100% pro-choice by Choice Matters, WON! The “wins” for County Executive and County Clerk were overwhelming, in both cases 62% to 38%. The legislative races were tight, with our pro-choice voters making the key difference between winning and losing. (YEAH YOU!)

Candidates who ran on a pro-choice platform won, and anti-choice ones lost.

We proved again that abortion rights is a defining issue. Help us to continue to drive home this truth as we move forward into 2022. Contribute.

And in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy proved that abortion rights is a core issue when he won re-election – the first Democratic governor in New Jersey to win a second term in 4 decades! And he won as proudly pro-choice, pounding the airwaves and mailings with ads that highlighted his opponent’s extreme anti-reproductive rights, anti-woman positions.

This week must be a wake-up call for anyone concerned about reproductive freedom or access to abortion care. Our rights are under attack in Washington and in state-houses across the country. But that doesn’t mean we’re throwing in the towel.

This is why Choice Matters, together with its two political action committees WCLA PAC and ProChoice Voter, is laser focused on electing pro-choice champions in our communities — locally, statewide and nationally. They are key to defending our reproductive freedoms.

As we move forward, into 2022 and beyond, please know that we will stand with those who stand with us today and moving forward.

Our champions must protect reproductive healthcare clinics, birth control, and science-based sex education. They must stand for access for all, not just some.

24Sep

WE DID IT! WHPA passed the House!

WE DID IT!!

WHPA PASSED THE HOUSE!!

We DID it!
➤Today, 218 members of the U.S. Congress voted to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. This is the first time in history, the House of Representatives has voted on proactive legislation to protect abortion rights.

The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) is federal legislation that works toward a future where all of us are free to make the personal decisions that shape our lives, our futures, and our families, without political interference.

The passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act is the first step in ensuring equal access to abortion care—everywhere and for everyone. The passage is essential for social and economic equality, reproductive autonomy, and the right to determine our own lives.

It could not be any clearer than it is today that we MUST continue to elect pro-choice candidates. The bill passed 218-211 with Representative Henry Cuellar (D., Texas) joining Republicans in voting “no.” Henry Cuellar is up for re-election in 2022. We need to get this anti-choice, anti-woman Democrat out of office!

Take the time to thank the New York Democratic delegation – all of whom voted YES! (CLICK HERE for the link and contact information.)

You can use these sample tweets:
Sample Tweet #1Today, @TKTKTK voted YES for the Women’s Health Protection Act. Thank you for standing with us to #ActforAbortionAccess. 👏👏👏 #legalchoicematters

Sample Tweet #2 @TKTKTKTK, @TKTKTKTKT, @TKTKTKT: Today, you stood up for equal access to abortion, everywhere. Thank you for voting YES for the Women’s Health Protection Act! #ActforAbortionAccess #legalchoicematters

What comes next?
The WHPA now goes to the Senate. At this time, we do not have any details on when the bill will be introduced.

However, it is imperative that everyone urge their Senators to support the Women’s Health Protection Act!

We need everyone united to get the WHPA passed in the Senate. Our strength is in our numbers.

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN!