Happy Women's Day - Now for Women's Rights
March 8, 2023
Happy International Women’s Day Healthcare Advocates
I am so thankful for all of you and for the actions you take to move us towards a universal healthcare system. Let’s spend today discussing issues related to women.
Current Situation - Could Be Better - Let’s Make It So
I want to share with you a story from the European Union.
BRUSSELS, 24 June 2021 - The European Parliament voted today in favour of a landmark report presented by Croatian MEP Predrag Fred Matić on “the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU”.
The report addresses the full range of sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) and highlights the importance of accessing all essential SRH services, including comprehensive sexuality education, contraception, abortion, maternal health and fertility services; and of preventing and addressing sexual and gender-based violence.
Rapporteur MEP Predrag Fred Matić commented,
“Historic day! I am proud that a majority of our house is recognizing that in the XXI century we must no longer treat women as second-class citizens, but respect their feelings and freedoms, and make sure all women across Europe deserve access to healthcare."
Did you catch that? Having sexual and reproductive health rights helps make sure that you are a full citizen.
By the way, HOW IS THAT Equal Rights Amendment Doing? Not good because it is the only constitutional amendment to have a deadline for completion. Congress needs to remove the deadline and let the votes of the state legislatures complete and get it passed.
Do you remember the language the supreme court used to take away the right of a woman to control her body? I do. It was because the right to choose to have an abortion was not specifically called out in the constitution; it is not a right. .GUESS WHAT? Most of the rights we enjoy on an everyday basis are NOT called out specifically in the constitution. The authoritarians are taking them away and we have to stop it. This same faulty logic could be used over and over again to ignore case law and precedent.
There are positives though (thank you to Susan Rogan on substack))
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have filed a bill that will ensure that medical records regarding abortion or pregnancy loss will remain private and can be released only with the patient’s consent. Let’s tell our two senators to co-sponsor S.323 – Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act, and let’s tell our representative to file companion legislation in the House.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY
RESISTBOT
Text SIGN PDPIFY to 50409 to send your Congressperson, Senators, and the Whitehouse this message (or use it on the phone or copy and paste it to email - Links are in the resources below)
Happy Women’s Day to you. Women and girls need you to step up, stand up and restore their rights as full citizens.
I want you to get legislation passed that affirms a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion or not, to affirm her right to use contraception or not, and that no government entity can take those rights away.
I want you to pass legislation that REMOVES the timeframe for the Equal Rights Amendment to the US constitution so that it becomes law.
My two senators I want you to co-sponsor and support S.323 by US Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI). The bill will ensure that medical records regarding abortion or pregnancy loss will remain private and can be released only with the patient’s consent. It is called Secure Access for Essential Reproductive (SAFER) Health Act
My Congressperson, I want you to file companion legislation in the House to S. 323 the SAFER Health Act.
That’s it for today. More than half the population is counting on counting on you!!!
Resources
Contact White House or other federal agencies: usa.gov/federal-agencies
Contact the White House https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Contact State and Federal Representatives
https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/change-your-address
Contact all members of Congress
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
I posted to Facebook. Thanks for all you are doing.