Free birth control? It might not be a fantasy. →

bedsider:

You could qualify for FREE birth control (what better way to celebrate National Women’s Health Week?). Find out here and spread the word to your lady friends.

Virginia Assembly Votes to Deny Women Ability to Purchase Private Coverage of Abortion Care →

rhrealitycheck:

Nothing says “small government” like forbidding people to use their own money to pay for legal services.

(via becauseiamawoman)

Most people pay out-of-pocket for abortions.

Abortion access affects not only women, but trans* and queer people as well.

Tumblr, in all its glorious wisdom, won’t let me reblog myself, but please reblog my post, Resources for Decision-Making and Low-Income Parenting! The more people who know about it, the better!

Oklahoma legislature letting employers opt out of contraception coverage because "a woman's identity is in her ability to be a mother...and we are taking that from them" →

abaldwin360:

More Republican bullshit.

“By allowing them to make their own decisions about their reproductive and economic futures, we’re robbing them of the only label we can fathom them having!”

walk4choicesea:

Tell your Legislators - Vote NO on SB 5156 (Parental Notification) & PASS the Reproductive Parity Act

Feeling Ill, but Uninsured? Find a Free or Charitable Clinic Here! →

stfuconservatives:

tofuboots:

The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics oversees more than 1,200 clinics comprised of a volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. Eligibility for these clinics is usually restricted to those who are uninsured, underinsured, or those who otherwise have limited access to healthcare.

I’m lucky enough to have insurance through my place of employment, but I know a lot of people out there that aren’t. Take care of yourself and feel free to visit one of these places if you get ill <3

Signal boosting!

List of free clinics in the United States →

thetart:

also uninsured and low income sliding scale clinics

(Source: wheeliewifee, via becauseiamawoman)

What would a Romney Victory Mean for Reproductive Rights? →

With Election Day now upon us, it’s worth weighing the impacts of a Mitt Romney win on reproductive rights and healthcare. In general, Romney seems likely to cater to the extreme anti-choice faction of his party. 

Here’s a sneak preview of possible scenarios:

1. The Supreme Court gets more anti-choice. All of the abortion-related decisions on the court in recent history have been a 5-4 (or 4-5) split, with Justice Anthony Kennedy as the swing vote. The court has four justices in their 70s right now, which means that the next president could have one or more opportunities to appoint new members. Romney has made it clear that he would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, and would appoint federal judges and Supreme Court justices that feel that way, too. Even if those appointees don’t get to throw out Roe (at least, not right away), they could still make important decisions on state laws currently caught up in the court system, like laws requiring a sonogram before an abortion and other laws that ban abortions after 20 weeks. A Supreme Court ruling upholding those laws could set new precedents for the burdens states are allowed to impose on women seeking an abortion.
2. Planned Parenthood loses federal funding. One of the first things a new president gets to do is write a budget, and Romney has pledged to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood providers immediately. “It will not be part of my budget,” he has said. And it’s not just Planned Parenthood. A Romney-Ryan administration would take away Title X family planning funds from any healthcare provider that also provides abortions.
3. Healthcare reform gets overturned. Romney says he wants to toss out “Obamacare”—except for the parts that people like, such as making it illegal to deny coverage to someone because of a preexisting condition. The problem is, the parts Romney doesn’t like are required to make the other parts work. There are a lot of provisions in healthcare reform that are particularly helpful for women. For one, I’ve known women who were told that heavy periods or cramps qualified as a “pre-existing condition,” which the reform bill would outlaw. More broadly, under Obamacare, insurance companies can no longer charge you more just because you’re a woman—a practice known as “gender rating.” Birth control and other preventative care are now available without a co-payment. You can stay on your parents’ healthcare until you’re 26, which is particularly useful for women, who go to the doctor more often than men.
4. There’s no more co-pay-free birth control. Even if Romney doesn’t succeed in overturning healthcare reform, he has singled out the requirement that insurers cover contraception as an “assault on religion” that “will end” if he becomes president. Paul Ryan has promised that the birth control mandate “will be gone” on “day one” of their administration.
5. There are stricter limits on federal funding for abortions. Last year, GOP House members—including Paul Ryan—tried to pass a law that would have redefined rape as only including “forcible rape”—which would likely exclude statutory rape and possibly date/drugged/drunk rape. This is important, because federal laws dealing with the use of government funds for abortions have typically included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act also includes other new limits, like barring tax credits for employers who choose to offer a health plan that covers abortion and making it illegal to use your own tax-exempt health savings account to pay for an abortion.
6. The Global Gag Rule returns. Romney has said he will reinstate this rule, also known as the “Mexico City Policy,” that bars any US-funded organization working abroad not only from providing abortions, but from offering referrals or even discussing abortion as an option.
7. Parental consent laws are federalized. In 2005, 2007, and 2011, Paul Ryan cosponsored the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, a bill that would make it illegal to take a minor to another state to avoid parental notification and consent laws for an abortion in her home state. Under the bill, a minor’s parents must be notified in writing at least 24 hours before she can have an abortion.
    
8. Hospitals are allowed to deny women access to abortion, even if their lives are in danger. Under current law, any hospital accepting Medicare or Medicaid and affiliated with a religious institution that refuses to provide abortion care under any circumstance is legally required to transfer a woman who needs a live-saving abortion to a hospital that will. But last year, the House passed another bill that Ryan cosponsored, the Protect Life Act, which, if passed, would allow hospitals to refuse to “participate in” or “provide referrals” for abortions.

(Source: stfuprolifers)

Things to remember when you vote this year.

stfusexists:

I know that in the US, we have remarkably short memories. So I’ve thrown together some things that I really, really hope everyone remembers at the polls this year. These are all things that have happened in 2012 - seriously.

• Michigan Pushes Horrifying Fetal Remains Bill
• To Paul Ryan, “Rape is just another method of conception”
• The 5 Most Ridiculous Reactions to Free Birth Control
• Sex, Lies, and Limbaugh 
• 3 Republican Lies About the Birth Control Mandate
• Your Birth Control Is Now Free – Thanks, Obamacare!
• Todd Akin Makes Ridiculous Rape Remarks…And He’s Not The First
• Paul Ryan: Rape Is Just Another Method of  Conception
• Texas Defunds Family Planning

Missouri takes a break from Todd Akin, moves on to allowing employers to deny BC coverage. →

stfusexists:

Great job as always, Missouri. 

Resources for Decision-Making and Low-Income Parenting

Health Care:

• 211.org can connect you to help with food, housing, employment, health care, counseling and more
• Scarleteen’s Find-A-Doc lets you search for doctors, counselors, shelters/centers, doulas, and other sexual/reproductive health services. You can also add or read reviews.
• Look over your insurance options at Healthcare.gov
• Your state’s Medicaid program
• The Affordable Care Act expands insurance and health care options for pregnant people and children, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). You can find local health care centers, services, and information on their page.
• Many Planned Parenthood locations provide general health care at little to no cost, depending on your income
• Nurse-Family Partnership offers free at-home (or another safe place) pregnancy and childcare assistance until your child turns two.
• NeedyMeds is a directory of programs that offer assistance to people who can’t afford their medications or health care.
• Free Dental Care can help you find low-cost or free clinics
• Look for dental and dental hygiene schools if you are comfortable with closely-supervised students
• Your state’s United Way program may sponsor or help you connect with low-cost or free dental care
• You can straight up ask for a discount at your doctor’s office. The Billfold’s How to Get Health Care While Uninsured has more on the topic.

• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) for food and health care services
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
• If you’re a Native American living on or near a reservation, apply for Food Distribution on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
• Find your local food bank

• Backline can connect you to parenting resources
• Your state’s Department of Human Services may have a program to provide low-income, working parents with access to quality, affordable child care
• The US Department of Health and Human Services sponsors the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) to both states and Native tribes
• eHow has a step-by-step guide to finding child care assistance through Child Care Aware
• Detroit’s Sew Up the Safety Net for Women and Children is a free program connecting women ages 18-34 to parenting support, counseling, baby health and care information, and other services and education
• You may be able to find parenting and home ec. classes, baby materials, social support, child care, and other resources through your place of worship
• Many diaper and formula companies offer free samples and opportunities to win packages or cash

rudimentree:

aforaffort:

nonplussedbyreligion:

I went to UniteWomen.org and clicked on the link for my state.  It took me to the group’s Arizona facebook page and it was there to my horror that I found this list of bills against women created in Arizona:

Arizona

• HB 2800 - No Public Funding for Family Planning:  This bill outlines the priority for distribution of public funds for family planning services and specifies that the state or any political subdivision may not contract with any person or facility that performs nonfederally qualified abortions.  It would disquality Planned Parenthood from providing services to AHCCCS and Title X patients, leaving those without insurance and in the minority communities without access to affordable health care/reproductive health care services.  Passed 
• HB 2625 - Religious Objections Bill:   This bill states that a religiously affiliated employer can opt out of insurance coverage for contraceptives.  An employee wishing to be reimbursed for related expenses could be required to submit a claim to the employer along with evidence that the prescription is not for the purpose covered under the employer’s objection.  Republican Rep. Terri Proud wants to make a law that would force women to witness an abortion before having an abortion. Passed 

• SB 1359 - Wrongful Life/Brith: The Arizona state Senate passed a bill that establishes that a person is not liable for damages in any civil action on a claims that, but for an act or omission of the defendant, specified individuals would not or should not have been born.  It allows health care providers to omit informationn discovered during examination if the provider thinks the information may lead to the termination of pregnancy without fear of civil action against the provider. Passed 
• SB 1494 - Abortion/Personhood:  Defines ‘human being’ to include all ages from conception to full gestation.  Expands  ’informed consent’ criteria, and disclosure of possible medical riskes.  It also requires physicians to provide contact information for a Crisis Pregnancy Center.  Due to the expanded definition of ‘human being’, some forms of oral contraception and in vitro fertilization could no longer be prescribed/taken or performed. Tabled 
• SB 2036 - 20 Week Abortion Ban:  Prohibits abortion after 20 weeks except in a medical emergency with no exception for health or fetal anomaly.  Physicians will face criminal and civil penalties as well as unprofessional conduct sanctions and loss of license.  Women would be forced to carry non-viablie fetuses to term unless their lives are in immediate danger.  Women diagnosed with an illneess such as cancer could not receive chemotherapy/radiation allowing the disease to progress.  Passed 
• SB 1009 - Promote Childbirth/Adoption in Schools:    Prohibits school districts and charter schools from promoting elective abortion over childbirth and adoption.  Requires the State Board of Education to develop a handbook to promote existing curriculum frameworks and encourage school districts to recognize the moral, civic and ethical values within educational development programs for the general purpose of instilling character and ethical prinicples in students K -12 .  Schools will provide instruction that may be contrary to the values of the families of Arizona’s children. Passed 

• HR 3541 - Pre-Natal Nondiscrimination Act:  This bill  would allow a male partner or an underage woman’s parents to file an injunction that would force a woman to remain pregnant by charging her with being motivated to abort by the fetus’s race or sex, regardless of whether that’s what actually motivated the woman.  Tabled 
• SB1365 - Religious Expression Protectin:   Prohibits the government from suspending or revoking a person’s professional license for declining to provide a service because of a religious objection.  As approved, the proposal also precludes government from denying a person an appointment to a public office because of his or her exercise of religion.  Additionally, the bill says it’s not unprofessional conduct to make business decisions — including employment decisions unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law — that adhere to “sincerely held religious beliefs.” - Passed Senate, pending House
• HB 2416 - Redefines taking the abortion pill as “surgery.” This extravagant over-regulation will result in more than half of Arizona’s current abortion providers becoming ineligible to provide care. Rural women will lose access to abortion entirely, as abortion-by-pill is the only form of care outside Phoenix and Tucson. This proposal aims to reduce  abortion early in pregnancy, since abortion-by-pill is used by women in the fifth to ninth  week of pregnancy. Passed 

• HB 2384 - This bill excludes Planned Parenthood from eligibility as a qualifying organization for The Working Poor Tax Credit. It excludes organizations that serve the working poor from qualifying under the “working poor donation tax credit” program for charitable organizations if they provide or refer for abortion care and prohibits public money from being spent on abortion care training which is already prohibited in Arizona.  Passed  

• HB 2443 – By banning race and gender selection abortion, this bill tries to create the impression that women and families are deciding to end pregnancies on those bases. Since there absolutely no evidence that this is occurring, this bill is solely designed to further damage the reputations of women who choose abortion.  Passed 

• HB 1169 (Strike-Everything Amendment) – Prohibits the Arizona Board of Nursing from determining whether abortion care is within the scope of practice of a highly trained nurse practitioner.  Passed 

• SB 1030 (Strike-Everything Amendment) - Prohibits physician’s assistants from providing abortion-by-pill.  Passed 

I knew most of them had passed, but there were a few I didn’t even know about.  Shit.

 It allows health care providers to omit informationn discovered during examination if the provider thinks the information may lead to the termination of pregnancy without fear of civil action against the provider. 

Passed 

  Women would be forced to carry non-viablie fetuses to term unless their lives are in immediate danger.  Women diagnosed with an illneess such as cancer could not receive chemotherapy/radiation allowing the disease to progress. 

Passed.

Actively harming and murdering pregnant people. 

I had to stop reading after that because of reasons. I am reblogging this so I can come back to it later.

Inform yourselves.

if you become pregnant in arizona, your life is forfeit

(Source: eyelovepi, via fuckyeahplannedparenthood)

fuckyeahchoice:

rabbleprochoice:

stfuhatemongers:

fuckyeahchoice:

conskirs:

Oh … you didn’t already know that?  Puhlease.  If you leech off the government, I’m guessing you are smart enough to Google ‘free’ so you don’t have to pay for anything.

Yeah, good luck to people living in poverty and far away from any healthcare center. 

It’s not just a matter of ‘free condoms’, it’s accessibility and it’s choice. Condoms don’t work for everyone. Some people have allergies or sensitivities that make them impossible. They should have access to other birth control options as well. 

Not to mention, not everyone knows birth control even EXISTS or that you can use it without being condemned to hell or dying. Do you know what the state of sex education looks like right now? Some places may have fairly decent information, but others I can compare to the sex education I received in Libya about 30 years ago. (That is not good.)

Also, I’m only responding to the picture because the commentary is obviously just meant to be inflammatory and ridiculous. 

They forget that someone has to pay for those. It’s better if we make the insurance companies cover that stuff instead of donors and tax payers.
It’s not like Trojan is manufacturing and distributing those for free.

You know what? Why don’t you come back and talk to me once teenagers stop thinking that ingesting a large quantity of Mountain Dew will prevent pregnancy.

Maybe once we work on the comprehensive sex education thing we can revisit the whole “googling free condoms” thing.

Love,

Rabble

My partner thought, and this was just the other day, that if you have sex with someone right after you make them pregnant the sperm would ‘ruin’ the egg. Like, if you just keep having sex it will reset the pregnancy every time.

This is someone I have two children with and listens to me rant all day. 

I mean, it was funny but at the same time… scary, right? 

Hey conservatives,

Stop trying to prevent schools from teaching children critical thinking skills that will help them evaluate the information Google presents.

Then we can talk.

Just kidding, we won’t. We’re finally going to get our money’s worth, and you can all just

(Source: )

On Birth Control & the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

misselletv:

I’ve been reading a lot about the ACA and I notice that not everyone is up to date on what’s going down with birth control now that SCOTUS has given their ruling. So here’s a bit of info on what to expect:

• Yes, birth control will be covered under the Affordable Care Act.
  The regulations made under the act rely on the Institute of Medicine for recommendations. The IOM says that “birth control is medically necessary to ensure women’s health and well-being.”
• No, churches/houses of worship will be mandated to cover contraceptives. Christian hospitals, charities, universities and other religious enterprises will, however!
• Yes, birth control will come straight from the insurers. So if you are a religious enterprise, it’s out of your hands!
• No, you won’t have to co-pay for birth control. All of women’s preventive pay will be covered, including mammograms, domestic violence screenings and contraception.

Keep in mind that these affect trans* and non-binary folks as well, so this goes well beyond helping women!

Click on the source to read more about it! Click here to read up on the history between the ACA & birth control.