By Katherine 

I had the incredible privilege of speaking with Linn Duvall Harwell, one of the founders of the Clara Bell Duvall Reproductive Freedom Project at the ACLU about the recent legislative attacks on reproductive rights.  During our conversation, Linn shared with me that her husband is in hospice care and doesn’t have long to live. The fact that she wanted to take time to speak with me during such a difficult moment points to her steadfast, lifelong commitment to the issue of reproductive freedom for women.      

 Linn Harwell’s mother, Clara Bell Duvall was the victim of an unsafe abortion in the 1920s, well before abortion was legalized under Roe V. Wade in 1973. This tragic event stayed with her and became the catalyst for her career and commitment to women’s reproductive rights activism. 

During our conversation, she shared her disgust with proposed Senate Bill 732 and said, “I am appalledto witness the continuity of that effort from many years ago to reinstate those kinds of restrictions. For me, it all equals restrictions for women.” 

 She believes that supporters of the anti-abortion movement lack knowledge of the conditions that existed before Roe V. Wade and “do not know the history that preceded Roe v. Wade and why Roe v. Wade came to be.”

She urges Pennsylvanians to open their eyes to the gravity of the issue and reminds us of a time when things were not so easy, a time that could become a reality once again if we do not take action.  “Please don’t take these things for granted. Call your representative and tell them where you are and what you need to prevent tragedies in the public health of our nation,” she said.

She stressed the importance of men’s participation in the effort and believes that educating men about reproductive health and preventative medicine would provide them with a basis to take action. “The relationship of the man who is relating to the woman in need is essential and we are neglecting educating men on this issue,” she said. She believes that her husband’s unwavering support has been a strong presence in her career as an activist and in her role as a mother.  

Linn believes "We've Had Enough" could transform the movement:“All my life I have regretted the nature of my mother’s death and so I have worked for women I have never known and I would love to see Pennsylvania pick up and care about people that they don’t know.”                

This blog post has been cross posted at Speaking Freely, the blog of the ACLU of PA: http://aclupa.blogspot.com/2011/09/when-abortion-was-illegal.html

                                   

By Rachel

With the We’ve Had Enough rally only one month away, now is the time for men and women across Pennsylvania to stand up.  It’s time to commit to telling Harrisburg that we’re sick of legislators trying to over-regulate and thereby eliminate safe abortion care.

Previous blog posts have detailed the many reasons why these bills are dangerous and will negatively impact women. Although those reasons are irrefutable, it may still be difficult for some to fully commit to the event and attend the rally.

The rally is an all-day event, and understandably many in Pennsylvania will find it hard to miss a day of work or classes in order to attend.  However, it is important to remember what we’re rallying for and why you should join us.

We’re fighting for safe abortion care that will remain accessible and affordable in our state.  We oppose ambulatory surgical facility (ASF) regulations legislators want to impose on already regulated and compliant providers.

Imposing these regulationswill significantly increase the cost of an abortion, meaning that the economic burden of which will be placed entirely on the women seeking those services.  Not to mention that these regulations may even force providers to close.   Similar regulations have already eliminated providers in other states such as Kansas, Texas and Mississippi. States such as Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania are on their way to rivaling those states in terms of oppressive, anti-choice legislation. Do we really want Pennsylvania to join the ranks of Texas and Kansas as yet another state where it is oppressive for women to live?

Had Enough?

The We’ve Had Enough Rally will allow men, women, clergy members, health care providers, and others across the state to speak out and become compelling voices in this time of uncertainty.

The House is poised and could vote on SB 732 when they reconvene during the week of Monday, September 26th.  Oftentimes, legislators are not in their offices or arrive moments before session begins. Yet, on September 27th, all members will be present in Harrisburg and will hear us!

This gives you, as a constituent of a Pennsylvania legislator, an opportunity to voice your concerns and tell your elected officials that a vote for SB 732 will endanger the lives of Pennsylvania women.  No previous experience is required for lobbying.  Your presence and action at the rally will make a difference -- so RSVP and purchase your bus tickets now! More information about the day’s events will be posted closer to the rally, but attendees can expect to hear a series of prominent women leaders, clergy members and health care providers as they help us rally against this dangerous legislation.

One in three women will have an abortion by the time she is 45. This significantly increases the chance that someone you know and care about will have an abortion in their lifetime. Isn’t it worth taking the time to support these women?

I’ve Had Enough, Have You?

Posted originally on MomsRising as part of their blog carnival with Ms.  on August 25th, 2011 by Kathleen Scully

The passage of health reform brought many wonderful new protections and benefits for Americans. Unfortunately, for women, these protections and benefits came with a price tag.

States now have the choice to either allow abortion coverage to be included in the state health exchange – with women having to pay for the coverage with a separate check – or states can exclude it from the exchange completely. Many states have already chosen not to include abortion coverage, forcing those who find themselves in need of an abortion also burdened with paying for the procedure out of pocket. This year, in Pennsylvania, an abortion ban in the state exchange was the Senate’s third order of business. While it moved quickly but hasn’t passed just yet, no other medical procedure was excluded from the exchanges in such a way.

The Pennsylvania state legislature is also considering a bill that would add to the already strict restrictions and regulations that medical centers providing abortions face. The new regulations would require facilities to either make costly changes, therefore increasing the cost of their services, or may even force them to close their doors. While Pennsylvanians need so much else-including access to better jobs and better education- the legislature has spent over 30 percent of their days working to restrict access to a safe, legal abortion.

Throughout the country, women are facing similar attacks on their right to make a choice when it comes to their body. In Pennsylvania, an ever-growing group is saying “We’ve Had Enough”.

Personally, I’ve had enough of the government spending their precious time in Harrisburg arguing over a legal medical procedure. I’ve had enough of hearing stories of people not being able to get the care they need because they have no way to pay for it. And I’ve definitely had enough of the government telling me what I can do with my body.

If you’ve also had enough, join our campaign. Whether you are in Pennsylvania or another state, speak up and help us declare that we’ve had enough of the attacks on women.

• •Check out the We’ve Had Enough Campaign Website
• •Follow the Campaign on Twitter @WeveHadEnoughPA
• •Like the Campaign on Facebook
• •In Pa? Join us on September 27th in Harrisburg – RSVP Here
• •Send a picture of yourself holding up a sign saying “I’ve Had Enough” or “We’ve Had Enough” to wevehadenoughcamp@gmail.com. They will include them on the website.

Read more: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/have-you-had-enough-i-know-i-have/#ixzz1WBWkKLvx

By Tricia

Invasive and dangerous attacks on abortions rights are now considered part of the normal political process and I’ve had enough.

In the first six months of 2011, Pennsylvania lawmakers spent 30% of their days at the Capitol working on legislation to restrict abortion. The legislature’s interest in abortion bills is not just irresponsible it is also unprecedented. Before 2011 the Pennsylvania Sate legislature has not voted on bills restricting access to abortion since the early 1990s.

The Pennsylvania Sate legislature, which has not conducted a vote on any bill restricting abortion access in the entirety of my lifetime, is ignoring pressing economic problems in favor of spending their precious time limiting the right to a safe and legal abortion. 

This summer, when benefits were being cut while the recovery is helping men disproportionately, the legislature wasted time that they could have used to create a more equitable budget on Senate Bill 732 and House Bill 574. The outcome of the legislature’s dangerous focus on abortion was that necessary programs like adultBasic were cut and a bill restricting abortion is primed to pass when the legislature comes back in the fall.  I’ve had enough.

Join me at the rally on September 27th to tell legislators why you’ve had enough and be sure to share the video with your friends and family!

By Joanne

Across the country, women’s reproductive rights are being attacked.  Sometimes these attacks are in the form of shouting and harassment when a woman seeks treatment at a women’s health clinic for either an abortion or for other reproductive health services. 

In other instances, they are legislative attacks that attempt to deny a woman access to all forms of reproductive health services, including screenings, contraception, and abortion services.  Some attacks attempt to restrict or even ban funding for Planned Parenthood.  Fortunately, at the federal level, the effort failed but several states have taken action to restrict funding including Indiana, New Hampshire, and Texas. 

Other states legislatures, including Pennsylvania’s have mounted attacks on women’s reproductive health by introducing TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider) bills which require extensive renovations that may be physically impossible in existing facilities and are different and more burdensome than those requirements for other medical facilities.

In several states, efforts to ban abortion coverage are under way.  Specifically, Tennessee and Missouri, as well as Pennsylvania, are attempting to pass “Stupak on Steroids” bills that will prohibit women who purchase health insurance through the new state health insurance exchanges from purchasing coverage for abortion services with their own money. 

Against the backdrop of this wave of anti-choice legislative assaults, Operation Rescue/Operation Save America are targeting abortion clinics in Orlando, FL and Germantown, MD in an attempt to shut these clinics down via efforts to block clinic entrances and harassment of women attempting to receive treatment at abortion facilities in these two cities. 

In Orlando, Operation Rescue/Operation Save America attempted, but failed, to shut down six clinics during the week of July 22.  In Germantown, Operation Rescue has announced plans for a “Summer of Mercy 2.0” focusing on Dr. LeRoy Carhart in Germantown, MD, July 31-August 7.

Operation Rescue is the same organization that harassed Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, KS for years until he was assassinated by one of their supporters in May ’09. Their original “Summer of Mercy” in 1991 shut down access to the Dr. Tiller’s clinic for six weeks resulting in 3,400 arrests; they are invoking this alarming history again in their “Summer of Mercy 2.0” event.

We’ve Had Enough! Have you?

You can show your support for women seeking abortion services by helping out in Germantown this week.  Between July 31 and August 7, volunteers will be needed from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. outside of Dr. Carhart’s clinic, located at 13233 Executive Park Drive in Germantown, Maryland. These shifts will kick off with the Summer Celebration of Choice Kick-Off Walk on Sunday, July 31 and continue through the evening of Sunday, August 7. To sign up for a shift, please go to www.summerofchoice.com or contact NOW Field Organizer Anita Lederer at fieldorg@now.org.

You can also speak out against the legislation winding its way through the Pennsylvania General Assembly by participating in the “We’ve Had Enough” rally on September 27 in Harrisburg in the Capitol Rotunda.  Join us totell the PA Legislature to STOP the attacks on women’s health in Pennsylvania!  You can sign up at http://www.wevehadenoughpa.org/take-action.html to join in our effort to stop this legislation.  Help us fight these dangerous bills and join us in declaring that…

WE’VE HAD ENOUGH!