Trust Women

Daily Press Clips – Feb 22

Tanya — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:16:13 +0000

As Catholic hospitals have expanded, so have the restrictions on abortion, birth control, and other reproductive services that come with them. In areas with few medical providers, this presents real problems for women’s access.
Confusion in Oklahoma as two “personhood” bills move simultaneously through the legislature.
Ireland, home to the most stringent bans in Europe, is considering allowing abortions for the first time.
Rick Santorum is now claiming that prenatal screenings encourage abortions.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 21

Tanya — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:14:49 +0000

In a powerful and moving display, Virginians linked arms and stood silently outside the the State Capitol in protest of the invasive new anti-abortion laws the legislature has proposed. The bills may still come for a vote this week.

A new bill in Pennsylvania would require women to undergo an ultrasound 24 hours before having an abortion.

South Dakota is seeking to clarify controversial anti-abortion bills passed last year, possibly to give them a better chance of holding up in court.

Did you know 49 countries have a lower maternal mortality rate than the United States? An amazing infographic from Amnesty International rounds up some scary numbers.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 20

Tanya — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:09:33 +0000

Amy Poehler returned to SNL Saturday night to comment on the recent Congressional hearing on birth control, at which no women were present (Really?!), and to tell the government, “Don’t tell me what to do!”
Texas’ new abortion restrictions are sparking anger among doctors, who insist that adult women already understand the choices they are making about their bodies and their health, without government interference.
AlterNet looks at four states passing shocking anti-choice measures, and Kansas is first on the list.
Rick Santorum is in favor of prosecuting abortion providers as criminals, a 2011 interview reveals.

Trust Women Tesifies Against New Bill that Allows Appalling Government Invasion of Privacy

Tanya — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:44:14 +0000

HB 2523 Would Put Patients in Danger and Control Women’s Reproductive Autonomy

Topeka, KS –Virginia Phillips of Trust Women testified today against Kansas House Bill 2523, a pharmacist refusal and medical personnel non-referral act, which dismisses good medicine and puts patients directly in danger by a continually overreaching government.

The bill would allow medical professionals, including pharmacists, to refuse to prescribe or distribute even basic contraceptive services such as the pill. The bill would also allow those same medical professionals to refuse to refer patients to another doctor or pharmacist, potentially leaving many women in rural parts of the state without coverage or recourse.

“This bill would absolutely put patients’ lives at risk,” said Trust Women Founder and Director Julie Burkhart. “It would allow medical professionals to do as their ‘conscience,’ and not their patients’ health, dictates. It’s an unconscionable government invasion into the private medical decisions of women and their families.”

In addition to the dangers the bill poses, Trust Women emphasized at today’s hearing that the culture of fear the legislation creates would undermine the sacred trust held between doctors and patients.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 17

Tanya — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:50:54 +0000

Reid will allow a vote on the health insurance birth control mandate to go forward in the Senate. The Hill speculates that Democrats want to use this issue to energize the party and women’s rights groups.

New Hampshire, which has enforced birth control coverage for twelve years, may now overturn that law.

However, for once, in good news you can use, Washington State will begin requiring that insurances that cover maternity care also cover abortion care.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 16

Tanya — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:10:46 +0000

The Oklahoma Senate has passed “personhood” by an overwhelming majority. It still needs to pass the State House.

The new trans-vaginal ultrasound laws, which require an invasive form of ultrasound administered through a vaginal probe, are being likened to state sanctioned rape.

GOOD has a great article on the prohibitive expense of birth control. You can add your story to the ones they’ve collected on twitter using the hashtag #priceiswrong.

Two women in Virginia speak out eloquently against the state’s new anti-abortion laws.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 15

Tanya — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:36:51 +0000

The Virginia State House has managed to pass a “personhood” initiative. They also passed ultrasound legislation which, “would constitute an unprecedented government mandate to insert vaginal ultrasonic probes into women as part of a state-ordered effort to dissuade them from terminating pregnancies.”

During the debates, a Republican legislator referred to abortion as a “lifestyle convenience.” He quickly said that he regretted those comments.

The South Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill to ban abortions from any taxpayer-subsidized health care plans on a South Dakota health insurance exchange.

An attempt is being made to add the District of Columbia to the states banning abortions at 20 weeks.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 14

Tanya — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:05:45 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day! For some people, today means romance, but for others, V-Day is a day to raise awareness ofdomestic violence, and how far on the topic we, as a nation, still have to go. We hope you have a great day, however you spend it!

With the supply-side economic assault on birth control and abortion care, the cost of reproductive rights is rising.

So fascinating: as Roe v Wade turns 40, Justice Ginsburg reflects on the case she wishes had come before it.

In more evidence of the cost to taxpayers of these anti-abortion legislative wars, Kansas abortion providers who won a temporary injunction to keep clinics from closing are seeking to recoup legal costs from the state.

Daily Press Clips – Feb 13

Tanya — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:26:19 +0000

A fairly brilliant compromise on birth control coverage by the White House, in attempting to please everyone, manages to please no one. Or everyone. It’s a terrible idea. It was a great triumph! It depends who you ask. The end.
“Bad few weeks” aside, claims the Daily Best, conservatives are not losing the culture war.
Those “bad few weeks” may have more to follow; abortion opponents are split over tactics, leading one anti-abortion activist to oppose Kansas’ “personhood” amendment for fear it won’t hold up to a court challenge.
Charting Romney’s path to “pro-life” with The New York Times.

Opponents criticize latest abortion bill in Kansas Legislature

Tanya — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:19:22 +0000

By Thomas Knapp, LJWorld.com
February 9, 2012

Topeka — Last year, five bills limiting abortion services and affordable contraception were passed by the Kansas Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Sam Brownback.

On Wednesday, a House committee started consideration of the first abortion bill of the current session that opponents say will create more limitations. READ MORE