South Dakota Planned Parenthood Advocate

Take Action Now: HCR 1002

On the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade how did South Dakota legislators decide to honor the decision?

By filing a concurrent resolution urging the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade.

We do not support this resolution and need your help in letting the legislators know that!

Read the full text of the resolution here.

Please contact your legislators today to tell them that you do not support this resolution and urge them to vote against it.

House: 605-773-3851

Senate: 605-773-3821

Email: http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx

 

South Dakota Planned Parenthood to be highlighted on Rachel Maddow Show

The Rachel Maddow Show recently visited Planned Parenthood in South Dakota to highlight and discuss abortion access issues forty years after abortion was legalized by the landmark Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade.
 
Planned Parenthood is the sole abortion provider in South Dakota. Committed physicians from the Minnesota travel to South Dakota regularly to ensure that South Dakota women have access to their full legal range of reproductive options.  If it weren’t for these dedicated doctors, women in South Dakota would have to travel outside the state to get access to a safe, legal procedure.
 
The show is currently slated to air tonight at 8PM central. Make sure to tune in to see Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota’s President and CEO, Sarah Stoesz, discuss the important work that Planned Parenthood is doing in South Dakota to ensure that women have access to basic reproductive health care they need, whether it’s cancer-screenings, annual exams, birth control, or abortion.
 
If you miss the show, be sure to check back— when a video is available we’ll be sure to share it here!

The Fiscal Cliff and Women’s Health

As we still await Congress to come to a solution for the impending fiscal cliff, do you know how the fiscal cliff and the impending sequestration could affect women’s health?

Specifics of what would be getting cut from programs aren’t clear, but the Title X family Planning program could be facing cuts.

Title X funding provides affordable preventive health care to more than 5 million people a year.

Title X isn’t the only program that could be facing cuts that affects women’s health either.  The Affordable Care Act is also at risk for funding cuts.

This would mean that some of the features of ACA that women are expecting to go into effect with thenew year could be delayed.

Even if a deal is met between Congress and the White House, cuts are still likely to happen, but won’t be across the board.

So what can you do to help fight to protect women’s health on the fiscal cliff? Make sure that your Senators and Congresswoman know what the priorities should be.

Women’s health is a priority. And they need to know that.

Leave Abortion "Alone"

Our friends over at Women are Watching shared a great video where even Senator McCain thinks that the Republicans should leave abortion "alone."

Check out the video:

 

We agree with Senator McCain. Politicians need to leave the issue alone!

Check out the Women are Watching blog post here: http://www.womenarewatching.org/article/john-mccain-says-republicans-should-leave-abortion-alone

 

-Megan Wellner 

Americans Agree, Women Deserve Affordable Access to Birth Control

According to a new survey by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy 70% of adults believe that insurance should be required to cover birth control.

The survey also found that 81% of the people surveyed felt that using birth control is taking personal responsibility.

These findings show that Americans understand the importance of birth control coverage and availability in order to prevent unplanned pregnancies.

 

New Study Confirms What Women Already Know: Birth Control Is an Economic Issue

 

A new study recently released by the Guttmacher Institute confirms what women already know--- that birth control is an important, economic issue.

PPFA’s infographic  breaks down the key results for us:

Time is Running Out

There are only 30 days left until Election Day!

And even more importantly there are only 15 days left to get registered to vote or update your voter registration.

Why is it important to vote?

Voting is one of the easiest and most direct ways to express your views. Whether you vote or not, the person who is elected will help shape laws that might end up affecting you. By voting, you get to help make sure that person is someone you trust to make good choices. 

Are you registered to vote yet?

Well what are you waiting for? Go find out how to register to vote in SD now!

Do you know where you can vote?

Check for your polling location here!

And will you be voting on November 6^th?

Go take our Pledge to Vote and find out answers to your voting questions at http://womenvote2012sd.blogspot.com/.

 

SCOTUS Upholds the Affordable Care Act: What this Means for Women

In a tremendous victory for all Americans, the Supreme Court upheld the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), an act that extends health care coverage and seeks to eliminate the barriers to receiving affordable medical care.  While this ruling will impact the lives of all Americans, it has an especially powerful effect on women’s health care.

Under the current health care system, women can be denied coverage for having had a C-Section, breast cancer, or even for having been sexually assaulted.  The ACA changes this and ensures that insurance companies cannot deny coverage based upon a pre-existing condition. 

Additionally, the ACA ends the practice of charging women more for insurance simply because they are women.  This widespread practice, currently present in 90% of top insurance providers, costs women more than $1 billion dollars annually, with some companies charging women 85% more than their male counterparts.

The Team Roe Times May 2012 Issue!

We are excited to present to you the fifth issue of The Team Roe Times in 2012, a joint project between Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and NARAL Pro Choice South Dakota!

Packed inside this issue is an update on Representative Noem and the Violence Against Women Act, a book review for Lizz Free or Die, information on Measure 3 in North Dakota, AND SO MUCH MORE! Please share widely!

Download The Team Roe Times Vol 2 Issue 5

GUEST: Name it. Change it.

As women involved in politics, Carmen and I often get asked about combating sexism in elections and at the capitol. One of my favorite resources on the subject is a new initiative called “Name it. Change it.”

Name It. Change It. is a non-partisan project of WCF Foundation, Women’s Media Center, and Political Parity. Their goal is to end sexist and misogynistic coverage of women candidates by all members of the press—from bloggers to radio hosts to television pundits.

Name it. Change it. challenges the media to think before they talk about female candidates: If you wouldn’t ask a man about his children at home, don’t ask her. Don’t use shrill or attractive to describe her unless you would use the same to describe him.

The initiative challenges us all to be on the lookout for sexist commentary and remarks about women candidates in the media. When we “name” sexism by calling it out, we have the opportunity to “change” it. If you witness instances of sexist media coverage, they provide a place to report it and a place for journalists to pledge gender neutrality in their reporting.

The hope is that by eliminating media attacks on women, more women will be willing to run for office. In a world where women are 50% less likely than men to seriously consider running, we need all the help we can get.

~ Alisha Sedor, NARAL Pro Choice South Dakota