quote:In a spectacular act of complicity with the religious right, the Department of Health and Human Services Monday released a proposal that allows any federal grant recipient to obstruct a woman's access to contraception. In order to do this, the Department is attempting to redefine many forms of contraception, the birth control 40% of Americans use, as abortion. Doing so protects extremists under the Weldon and Church amendments. Those laws prohibit federal grant recipients from requiring employees to help provide or refer for abortion services.
Up until now, the federal government followed the definition of pregnancy accepted by the American Medical Association and our nation's pregnancy experts, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which is: pregnancy begins at implantation. With this proposal, however, HHS is dismissing medical experts and opting instead to accept a definition of pregnancy based on polling data. It now claims that pregnancy begins at some biologically unknowable moment (there's no test to determine if a woman's egg has been fertilized). Under these new standards there would be no way for a woman to prove she's not pregnant. Thus, any woman could be denied contraception under HHS' new science.
I can't do much more in response to this besides sputtering.
I cannot say I'm particularly surprised the Bush administration is trying to do this, but that doesn't make me any less horrified.
Check out the link, and by all means, read the comments as well: there are some really spot-on points in there. There's also a link to the full text of the proposal. I have to say my very favorite part is the administration trying to use diversity sensitivity as a tool to further limit women's right to choose when we want to become pregnant and when we do not, and how insisting women have access to contraception is "intolerant" of others and discriminatory to healthcare workers who don't want women to use contraception.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I just found out about this on another site and I have to join you in the sputtering. I would help with the vote if I could. As it stands I'll be crossing my fingers and keeping an ear to the wind because my idiot nation worships yours and might try to follow suit.
-------------------- What don't kill you is a learning experience. Posts: 65 | From: Caribbean | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I forgot to mention that whoever leaked this to the press before it got pushed further down the line unnoticed?
That person is my HERO.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
This makes me so incredibly frustrated. Not only is it an attempt to stifle a woman's right to chose, its only merit is the realization of extreme views and beliefs forced on the general public. The need for a group of people to control intimate choices made by individual people astounds me- not to mention that if 40% of the US population was denied birth control, as well as abortion, the birth rate would sky rocket- because overpopulation isn't a giant problem the world is facing right now.
Posts: 34 | From: United States | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
As much as I love and miss all of my friends in the US, and as much as I've been saving up for my return for years, if this political down-spiraling to the Dark Ages doesn't stop soon, I may just decide to stay in Europe for good.
It's so seriously sweet that this got leaked. I hope something can still be done about it.
-------------------- -joey Scarleteen Volunteer
"The question is not who will let me, but who is going to stop me." -Ayn Rand Posts: 8422 | From: Cologne, Germany | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wait, but I thought birth control pills were meant to STOP pregnancy. As in the sperm cannot enter the egg. Since that does not happen, there is not a pregnancy risk, therefore it is not abortion. Am I correct on this?
Isn't that what birth control methods do?
-------------------- A guy might be able to slow me down, but he's not going to break me. Posts: 26 | From: Texas | Registered: Oct 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
BCPs don't stop a pregnancy. But they can, and do, prevent one.
Effectively, this document seeks to redefine the definition of pregnancy -- to a definition which is not in line with the medical or practical definition -- which would then, in turn, redefine abortion (and in doing so, would potentially make a lot of things abortion which aren't, including natural family planning, the most common method for Catholics, or miscarriage, what have you).
(Given, I'm still of the mind that all these "conscience clauses" are lunacy to begin with. If you don't want to work in women's health because you don't want to provide it, pick a different job. I'm vegan, but you don't see me planning to work in a steakhouse then telling my employer that because of my personal ethics, I refuse to touch or serve the steak, and expect to keep that job. No one is forced into a given job or profession: these are choices, and it's sound to only choose to do work we are okay with doing and want to do. Denying others services one is in agreement to provide, electively, and privileging the person with the choice rather than the one without is total backwards-land in my book.)
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yep, Hootie, prevention is pretty much the goal of birth control. But you have to consider the fact that this is the Bush Administration. Things like this only narrow the very, very thin slice of faith I had in Bush by this point.
"A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses." -Hippocrates Posts: 755 | From: United States | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm wondering what they think of masturbation then.
*sigh* I'm not shocked, but I am outraged. It seems to be the way I've felt the past 7 years, and I strongly suspect many many other people feel the same way. But should we really be surprised that someone who vetoes a proposal to give more low-income children health insurance would then play semantics with abortion? (Not to go on a political rant/satire, but think about his speeches: they're full of malapropisms and made-up words. I'm kinda shocked he hasn't taken it upon himself to rewrite the dictionary to his suiting.)
Anyways, as much as I enjoy going on about the stupidity and unfairness of it and feeling the satisfaction of knowing that I'm not alone in my anger, this doesn't really do much good. So what exactly can we do to stop this proposal from going into effect? Blogging from our desks, beds, sofas, and wi-fi hotspots in trendy cafes only does so much; we need to start DOING and stop typing. So what are our options?
-------------------- Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.--Monty Python and the Holy Grail Posts: 2726 | From: North America | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Voting would be a biggie. We do always do some voting pieces when it gets to be about that time, and this year won't be any different. But I know that of our users of age, plenty vote: what may be doubly helpful is to work on friends and family who don't, and fill them in on things like this. Getting active in voting registration is also a biggie, as is truly working, in-person, on someone's campaign who will protest this kind of thing. Youth voting has almost doubled over the last eight years: y'all haven't even gotten to see what would happen yet when you've voted outside the Bush years, and there are more voters under 30 now than voters over 65, which is major.
Writing letters to your senators, state representatives and congresspeople is also a big help. Unless you are a very visible writer, politicians probably aren't reading your blog. The President isn't -- however much he clearly would like to be -- a dictator. What happens with our laws and policies actually has a lot more to do with the house and the senate than it does with him and the folks he places in office.
As usual, I'd also encourage all of you to write op-ed letters to newspapers and the like. All too often, the voices of younger people just aren't heard. They are silenced sometimes, sure, but anymore, I think that that happens less often than young folks just not speaking up in the first place. I mean, I really don't even see blogs or online work from younger people very often that is political.
Organize. Protest in groups and singly. Refuse to shut up. Refuse to give any kind of support, even if any one thing they are doing seems like something you might be in agreement with, with the folks trying to do this kind of crap (example: worry about the terrorists HERE). Vote, vote, vote, vote, vote. Pursue jobs or leadership positions of serious influence. Assume that if someone or something sounds too good to be true, it is. If something seems simple, presume that it's not or is being simplified.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
What about some in-depth research into candidates? Too often, people end up voting for someone based on the TV ads they see or whoever is running for their party or whoever their parents, partners, friends, or other opinion leader votes for. What a candidate says in their speeches or press conferences can also be different from what they actually believe and practice, so it's good to research the way those candidates have voted in the past. And of course, anytime you are researching you have to look at what kind of site you are getting your information from: does the site have an axe to grind? You can find out a good bit by going to the "about us" feature at the bottom of most websites.
(Sorry to derail this by talking about activism. I just feel bad about voicing anger but then not voicing how to change the thing you don't like.)
[ 07-16-2008, 09:48 PM: Message edited by: orca ]
-------------------- Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.--Monty Python and the Holy Grail Posts: 2726 | From: North America | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
sigh. if BC is abortion then they might as well just outlaw condoms as well. since sperm swims around all lively and such, they must be living creatures too. so yes. lets have sex without condoms cause we dont want to kill any of these little guys. lets also get STDs and AIDs and give the child we created AIDs and ruin their future. we wouldnt want to stop that would we?
Posts: 24 | From: S.W. Fl | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
You know, I tried to come up with a response to this all day... I can't. This is the most ridiculous thing that I've heard in a long time, and making me really glad that I live in Canada. (Though I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Harper started following in Bush's footsteps...)
Anyone opposing this: I'm supporting you all the way, and keeping my fingers crossed!
Posts: 206 | From: Canada | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Planned Parenthood currently has a form letter you can email via their site and there is contact information on this LiveJournal page if you want to send snail mail or make a phone call. That LJ user's previous post on the matter sums up a lot of people's feelings, going from the comments. (Fair warning that it is profanity-riddled, instant gut-reaction, apocalyptic venting in no way connected to this site, so mind how you surf if you do).
-------------------- What don't kill you is a learning experience. Posts: 65 | From: Caribbean | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've been following this story for quite a while, and it disgusts me that not only would our current "administration" consider stripping women of their reproductive freedom but also make reproductive health less available. Obviously this proposed rule will not and cannot be enforced, the best thing to do is make our voice heard.
“any of the various procedures — including the prescription, dispensing and administration of any drug or the performance of any procedure or any other action — that results in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation.”
By writing your local, state, national officials we can make our disapproval of this definition heard. Planned Parenthood has made great advances, and I suggest everyone send another letter to their representative. I am hopeful that our Congress will prevent Bush's proposed infringement on our reproductive health care accessibility.
The following link is the best way to contact your representative and also provides suggestions on how to address officials.
posted
I'm with alli. By all means, one thing to do is to use form letters for another organization, but what gets lost in that is your own voice.
It's very easy anymore for folks like this to blow off Planned Parenthood or kind of make them into a monolith. But a big pile of letters from single voices, self-representing, is something I think is really powerful and tougher to generalize about.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
allik, thanks for that link! I so wish I didn't go to a pro-life school. It'd be great to set up a letter-writing group one night, but I doubt many people would show up. Though maybe if one of you go to schools where there is more of a pro-choice crowd, you could set up something like that. I know the pro-life group at my school has letter-writing nights on occassion, so why not one for the pro-choice group?
-------------------- Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.--Monty Python and the Holy Grail Posts: 2726 | From: North America | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
...or, you might use your environment to see if you can't set up a dialogue. For instance, many young people stating they are pro-life and allying themselves with pro-life groups aren't aware that ALL of the established pro-life groups are also, on record, also anti-contraception.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
I'm going to do a little research and see if any friends or groups on campus are organizing anything.
I'm nowhere near my college for the summer but we're very politically active and have a huge pro-choice activist group, we're only a few blocks away from the White House so it would be very easy to handwrite and deliver letters in person.
I can't imagine there would be any support for this regulation, it's so entirely outrageous. Let's hope that this gets enough publicity and opposition. Posts: 48 | From: USA | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Loki: sigh. if BC is abortion then they might as well just outlaw condoms as well. since sperm swims around all lively and such, they must be living creatures too. so yes. lets have sex without condoms cause we dont want to kill any of these little guys. lets also get STDs and AIDs and give the child we created AIDs and ruin their future. we wouldnt want to stop that would we?
posted
Are they talking (forgive me, I'm a bit lost with some of the terminology) about essentially banning IUDs and RU-486, etc.? Surely this can't get through in a Democratic congress? I'm just lost for words.
-------------------- “In a strange room, before you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are filled with sleep you never were. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know if I am or not... how often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.” Posts: 1269 | From: London, UK | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
RU-486 is abortion. It is medical abortion (though it should stand to mention that the medications used for medical abortion also have other uses, too).
Abortion procedures are already included under these "conscience clauses" in the states. What this is about is expanding what is defined as abortion -- adding contraceptive methods to that classification, despite the fact that that stands completely counter to medical definitions of abortion and pregnancy -- in order to allow employees of programs which receive federal grants to deny contraception based on their own personal feelings. That's a big deal because a) those folks get to choose if they want to work in reproductive services, b) many of those programs serve women whose access to contraception is already limited as-is, and c) because it is suggesting that protocols for medical services be defined not by science, but my religious or personal beliefs.
So far, there has been a pretty powerful response to all of this as far as it being outrageous: even Hillary Clinton blogged about it on the same site, and action is being taken broadly. This likely would not really be something to pass through Congress, btw, or to be put forth as a bill: it's an HHS policy issue.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Damn; Catholic school taught me RU-486/EC/the morning after pill were all the same thing. I keep finding misconceptions they drilled into me all the time. So this is of the same ilk as what they were proposing for registrars in California being able to opt out of officiating gay marriages on conscience? 'Conscience' is the wrong word to choose when something like 'bigotry' would do, but still.
-------------------- “In a strange room, before you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are filled with sleep you never were. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know if I am or not... how often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.” Posts: 1269 | From: London, UK | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
They are very different things, and you cannot substitute one for the other.
Plan B/EC (a progestin called levonorgestrel, or when regular BCPs are used, other progestins or progestin plus estrogen) does not have the capacity to terminate an existing pregnancy: it can only prevent pregnancy from occurring the same way daily BCPs work: by suppressing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, and/or thinning the lining of the endometrium. Mifepristone and misoprostol, the two medications used for medical abortion, don't work the same way at all. Mifeprisone stops existing fetal development and causes the placenta to separate from the endometrium, and also softens the cervix. Misoprostol causes uterine contractions so that a woman miscarries.
And yes, this is a pretty similar thing, and believe me, I'm with you. "Conscience" strikes me as a highly inappropriate term -- to the point of being grotesquely ironic -- with these things. In my book, it's even bigger than bigotry: it enters into the arena of slavery when you try to limit, prohibit or take away the rights of a group to become pregnant and reproduce when THEY want to, not when YOU want them to. Given that pregnancy and parenting also costs -- physically, emotionally and financially -- and costs women most, it's also a way of assuring that women stay oppressed.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Of course, this action by the HHS is nothing compared to organizations such as the RC Church, for instance (banning contraception altogether), to which politicians don't bat an eyelid. It doesn't half make me angry either way, though.
EDIT: Something that's just occurred to me - it's presumably (since I've never done it) an at least faintly embarrassing experience to buy EC anyway, and quite an intelligent, and in some ways brave response by the woman to go get some in time, without the cashier mouthing off at them, because their 'conscience' allows them to treat such people like dirt on the floor, surely?
-------------------- “In a strange room, before you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are filled with sleep you never were. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know if I am or not... how often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.” Posts: 1269 | From: London, UK | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't know that it's nothing compared to that should it go through, but I agree, the RC ban on contraception is similar, save that a church isn't bound to be driven by science: healthcare services are. As well, understand that someone here in the states using federally-funded healthcare orgs is generally someone who has no other sources of healthcare. If a staffer refuses to supply them with contraception, they're just not going to get any.
HHS has control over who gets what health services here when we are talking about those who are most vulnerable. So, should this policy go through, it would potentially have some pretty scary effects: not just even less access to contraception, but a legal precedent that contraception is the same as abortion.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, awesome! It's heartening to know there's a group trying to make this happen. Incidentally, I seem to remember at the last papal election there was a Latin American guy who was all for allowing contraception, cohabitation, homosexuality etc., I was gutted he didn't get in - he got a third of the vote or something like that. It's actually quite comforting to see Rowan Williams doing the same sort of thing with the C of E just recently (don't know how well-covered that's been in America, mind).
-------------------- “In a strange room, before you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are filled with sleep you never were. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know if I am or not... how often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.” Posts: 1269 | From: London, UK | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
That group is AMAZING and has been for a long time now. Pay attention to them: they're so worthy.
I confess, I only keep up so much with church issues. Both my parents were pretty equally scarred by Catholicism (Irish and Roman, respectively) and how it was either practiced or preached, and as a Buddhist, it's not something that impacts me directly, so when I follow the issues, it's generally professional, not personal interest.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
What about people who use contraception, such as the pill, for medical/health reasons? What about women who have health conditions like PCOS or ovarian cysts or painful periods or other conditions that birth control can help to relieve?
This is absolutely atrocious. Without going too much into my political views and turning this into a political debate, I actually am a staunch Republican, but I am still a woman and cannot believe that an elderly man is helping to make a decision that could greatly impact my life and the lives of all other women. I actually recently wrote a letter to John McCain's campaign regarding his pro-life/pro-adoption views and how a politician, particularly a man, has no right to make decisions regarding a woman's body and reproductive rights. I happen to live in a congressional district with a relatively influential congressman, and he will be hearing from me.
-------------------- "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller Posts: 76 | From: New York, USA | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dancrgrl: last year, while on a ferry home from doing book promotion in Victoria, by a very amazing coincidence, I wound up sitting next to an older woman who was one of the heads of the board for Planned Parenthood in Nassau County.
Who was also republican. She said something very interesting and compelling to me, when I was stricken by the conflict between her being a big part of PP and in that party, which was this: her reason for being in that party is that she was of the mind that she felt she should join a political party she most wanted to see change in. I thought it was a pretty fascinating take, and it wasn't an approach I'd heard before. Mind, that wouldn't work for me -- I'm a lifelong Green, and I also just have way too many problems with the Republican party from a social justice perspective, but I thought you might appreciate that story.
But yes, indeed, what about those women? (And it's pretty creepy, too, to think about the fact that when access becomes even more limited for low-income women than it already is to prescription contraception, that means we're only talking about over-the-counter methods or free methods being available to many, which means either unreliable methods or condoms, the method where control of use is often out of a woman's hands: in other words, it boils it down more and more to contraception only with male approval, be that the approval of a male-dominated administration or a male partner.) And what about the women, too, who want a choice in if and when they become pregnant, or how often they become pregnant, something which also is about more than life goals, finances and parenting -- it, too, is also about health.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote: I have to say my very favorite part is the administration trying to use diversity sensitivity as a tool to further limit women's right to choose when we want to become pregnant and when we do not, and how insisting women have access to contraception is "intolerant" of others and discriminatory to healthcare workers who don't want women to use contraception.
Irony! It's almost funny, but not really. I cannot imagine how how dense you'd have to be to have this opinion of who is being intolerant here.
Posts: 1180 | From: WA | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for the story, Heather. That is certainly an interesting approach that woman has to her political choices.
I've been telling all of my friends about this...they are appalled (so is my boyfriend lol). But honestly, I feel that this would be a hard proposal to get through Congress, particularly since Congress is currently controlled by the Democrats. I just think the scariest part is that the American Medical Association and the Department of Health and Human Services is going along with the Religious Right. It's just very disturbing that medically they know there is a difference between contraception and abortion and that pregnancy does not happen immediately. Definitely creepy.
-------------------- "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller Posts: 76 | From: New York, USA | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, the HHS (and other federal orgs/positions which are in charge of things like Title X) during the Bush administration has been staffed largely by him, and he's done a lot of cherry-picking to put people like Susan Orr, Erik Keroack, and now Mike Leavitt, people he knows (and wants them to be) are anti-contraception and antichoice in those spots. In other words, the folks Bush keeps putting in these positions were going along with the RR before he chose them and that tends to be WHY he puts them there.
The AMA, on the other hand, I do not know to be going along with this stuff at all. As well, I don't know that they even have any influence with these policies, since these are issues of federal funding.
In terms of getting it through Congress, this one should be tough since we lucked out, had someone leak it, and a lot of attention has been brought to it. But a lot of the time, stuff like this, like omnibus bills, are basically packed with so much to review that they can actually get lost in the shuffle.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
This piece, which went up today does, IMO, a really fantastic job of lying out much of the meat of this issue as well as of providing a good sense of what's led to this proposal.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
And Mike Leavitt, the secretary of the HHS has now made two statements on this, both... well, let's just say it's obvious why Bush put another person like this in that position, one yet another person in it clearly should not have as their attitudes are counter to their actual job description.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm with you, Heather... When I read this earlier today, I couldn't say anything coherent for a few minutes. I first found out about this from the wonderful folks at MoveOn.org, and I wish I could say I'm surprised.
Sadly, I can't. It's Bush...what else can you say? It's horrible, the way he's still screwing things up with only a little time left in his term. JUST A FEW MORE LOUSY STINKING MONTHS! Aaaggghhh..
Anway, this latest move is just a horrible, disgusting, and utterly scary massacre of womens'(and mens') rights. The idea that they want to endanger the health of millions across the country--from STDs, pregnancy complications, the enormous consequences of sexual abuse, and many other factors--is absolutely ridiculous. It's bad enough with Bush's personal vendetta against sexuality; since teaching abstinence-only sex ed (SOOO ineffective, by the way) wasn't effective at all, now we get even more crap. Thanks a lot.
Men and women should have the right to choose when to have children. It's totally unreasonable to take away their means of controlling the rate and timing at which they reproduce. I mean...come on. What do they expect people to do if they don't want children? Get married...and remain abstinent? Like that's ever going to happen. Birth control prevents conception, it doesn't terminate a pregnancy. That's like saying a woman with a family history of breast cancer can't have surgery to remove her breasts before any cancer appears but then barring her from getting treatment when cancer DOES metastasize. [NOTE: I'M NOT SAYING PREGNANCY IS LIKE GETTING CANCER. I'm just trying to point out that taking all of a person's options away to prevent Event A is unjust and totally wrong.]
Hoohhh boy...disease. Dear President Bush... I don't know if you've ever heard of something called a Sexually Transmitted Disease, but let me tell you something:THEY'RE NOT FUN. People DIE from them. Shocking, isn't it? Aaaaannddd...condoms are quite effective at preventing their spread. Take away the condoms, more unwanted pregnancies and diseases will occur. Think about that, genius.
Dude, the government can't tell us when to have children and when not to. WE CHOSE. US. The men and women whose lives will be affected the most.
I think the most infuriating part of this (although there are plenty from which to choose) idiotic effort is the denial of EC to victims of sexual crimes. That is a horrible and low blow by anyone's standards, even his. Rape victims have experienced something so psychologically, emotionally, and physically traumatic I can't even BEGIN to imagine it. My heart goes out to each and every victim, whether he or she survived or not. To endure so much pain and then find out that the attacker impregnated you would be the last kick in the gut. Abortion and EC could prevent that from becoming a reality in many cases. Pro-lifers are always bleating that it's inhumane and unacceptable to take a the life of a fetus, but in a rape case I find it much worse to force the victim to carry a child fathered by a scummy criminal who shouldn't be physically capable of any aggression or sexual activity at ALL. Even if the victim gave the baby up for adoption, those nine months of pregnancy would be a living hell, a constant reminder of the horrific pain. Also, new pain is accrued during the gestation period. A pregnant rape victim is going to attract a lot of negative attitudes...social stigmatization and all that. It's torture to make someone endure so much horror because someone doesn't believe in letting other people make their own choices.
It's utterly ridiculous. All of it. We NEED to get this defeated.
P.S. I don't know who leaked it, but you're one of the best people in the country right now! Posts: 19 | From: California | Registered: Oct 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow, I don't even know how to react to that article. Very interesting, though. What ever happened to doctors having to respect their patients wishes and needs?
-------------------- "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller Posts: 76 | From: New York, USA | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
If this goes through, I've been thinking that I perhaps -- as the Buddhist vegan I am -- take a job in a steakhouse.
I won't tell them, when I get hired, that I am totally against eating animals, as I don't imagine healthworkers or doctors who might be working in Family Planning clinics will be mentioning they are against the exact services provided at them.
I'll then refuse to talk about steak, serve steak or touch steak. I'll wear a face mask so I don't have to smell steak. I'll tell people ordering steak that I refuse to take their order, and maybe if they're lucky, someone else there will, but it's not my problem, since I oppose them eating it in the first place.
Then, when I undoubtedly get fired, I am going to claim that rather than it being MY responsibility to only seek out jobs I know I can do, want to do, and which are within my ethics, I'll claim they are encroaching on my religious freedom and get a lawyer to use these policies as a precedent to get me the job I oppose back.
I will then continue to get paid for a job I refuse to perform. Because that's just how righteous and ethical I am.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
I'll be drafting a letter myself this week, and I'd encourage any of you concerned about this to do the same yourself, either via online commenting there, e-mail or a mailed letter.
This is another one of these scenarios where, per usual, I really think people could stand to hear from young people, since you're one of the groups most reliant on public and clinic care for your contraception, which is where these new rules would be applied if they get passed.
I'd say you're also a group more likely to have workers use this clause to discriminate against you and deny you and your peers services because so many people feel that simply by virtue of age you should not be sexually active.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Heather, if you don't do the steakhouse thing I will. It's so delicious it has to be done
Meanwhile, I assume it's no good writing letters from outside the US? Could I write to my own Foreign Secretary or Health Secretary or something?
-------------------- “In a strange room, before you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are filled with sleep you never were. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know if I am or not... how often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.” Posts: 1269 | From: London, UK | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
I keep thinking we're immune to this type of idiocy over in our land of tolerance and liberal thought otherwise known as Europe (ha ha), but yesterday I opened the newspaper to find an article about a discussion that had apparently taken place on a talk show the other night. Countess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis (dontcha love living in a country that has countesses?) and a cardinal who's name escapes me right now have apparently written a book about the lack of morality in German youth and about the shocking display of sex and sexuality in the world at large, and in the process of introducing this at the talkshow (and this was on ARD, which is Germany's big, respectable public news channel) postulated that the pill is abortion, abortion is mass murder and that condoms don't protect from HIV. Her suggestion for stopping the spread of HIV in Africa was to ask people to stop screwing around. I ranted to my roommate about this for a good half hour yesterday and considered writing an angry letter to the newspaper, but then I opened the paper today and on the second page there was a big article with interviews with representatives of Pro Familia (which is Germany's version of PP) and prominent politicians (even from CSU, which is like the conservative party) who all refuted the Countess's "facts". It was sooo soothing to see all of that written out and to have her BS publicly refuted like that. Clearly, we're a long way from officially re-defining abortion. But the thought is there, and that's fairly scary, too.
-------------------- -joey Scarleteen Volunteer
"The question is not who will let me, but who is going to stop me." -Ayn Rand Posts: 8422 | From: Cologne, Germany | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just FYI, the deadline for public comment on this is TOMORROW.
Any of you who use public sexual healthcare services (or any healthcare services which rely on federal funding) in the states -- or support those who need them, even if you don't use them yourself -- should be very concerned about this, and concerned enough to comment.
On other words, this is me, giving you a last kick to the butt on this.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63261 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote:Yet, sticking to utterly unsubstantiated claims that a climate of religious intolerance is preventing qualified individuals from entering health care professions, HHS finalized a rule that dramatically expands the ability of health care workers and institutions to refuse health care services.
I just don't see how those people would be qualified to enter health care professions when they are putting their own desires ahead of their patients' needs. (I know the author wasn't claiming they were qualified; I'm contesting that claim by the HHS.)
-------------------- Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.--Monty Python and the Holy Grail Posts: 2726 | From: North America | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
In case anyone is interested: I was watching Rachel Maddow tonight and she was so kind as to give out the phone number to the White House on the show, so anyone who wishes to speak to someone in Washington regarding this appalling decision can call them up and voice their opinion.
I won't post the number, just in case that isn't kosher, but you can easily find it on the main page of The Rachel Maddow Show's website. (And a general note: If you do call, please keep it respectful and cordial).
Posts: 59 | From: Anywhere, USA | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
Copyright 1998, 2013 Heather Corinna/Scarleteen
Scarleteen.com: Providing comprehensive sex education online to teens and young adults worldwide since 1998
Information on this site is provided for educational purposes. It is not meant to and cannot substitute for advice or care provided by an in-person medical professional. The information contained herein is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or for prescribing any medication. You should always consult your own healthcare provider if you have a health problem or medical condition.
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
)
Printer-friendly view of this topic