Boston Press Release

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Boston, Mass. - After a successful protest on Saturday, Feb 26, Walk for Choice advocates are coming together again on March 26 to continue to fight for bodily health and autonomy.

The Walk for Choice was organized to oppose recent Congressional legislation such as the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R.3). Events were organized in cities across the United States to simultaneously demonstrate on behalf of reproductive rights. Attracting hundreds of protesters, the Boston February 26 event involved students from all over Massachusetts including Boston University, UMass Amherst, Emerson College, and Harvard, as well as members of NARAL, NOW and Planned Parenthood.

On Tuesday, March 9, the U.S. Senate voted against the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act (H.R.217), the bill that would defund family-planning services like Planned Parenthood. But the fight is far from over. There will be a third legislative meeting dedicated to the H.R. 3 bill next week. House speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has declared H.R.3 a top priority.

“While most Americans are demanding jobs, the GOP seems to have made overturning Roe v. Wade its top priority.,” says national coordinator Raven Geary. Boston coordinator Stephanie Beal, a student at Boston University, adds “One of the major themes of this walk is that our bodies are constantly being talked about — we’re always talked about but rarely talked to. We’re being sent the message that our opinions and our voices don’t really matter. We want to send back the message that they do matter — we make up over half the population of the US. Together, we could really change the outcomes of these bills.”

Liz Waters, a student at Northeastern University, is volunteering her time to help organize the Boston event. “My mother often says ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and nowhere is this more true than in a woman’s body. For many people who do not subscribe to a binary gender or sexuality, Planned Parenthood is a safe, nonjudgmental place to go for vital information. We must stop the war on sexual health and education.”

Supporters who did not have a chance to attend a Walk for Choice protest in February now have another chance to participate.

Elizabeth Gentry, a volunteer from the organizing committee, feels the Boston Walk for Choice was a positive and inspirational experience. “Being surrounded by people who are pro-choice and pro-sexual health was really powerful for me. With the latest barrage of attacks by the GOP against our rights it’s easy to feel alone out there, that noone is going to speak up for you. The Walk for Choice showed me that we can stand up for each other, together.”

The March 26 Walk for Choice in Boston will be taking place at Government Center and the Boston Common at 2pm. People who are interested in organizing an event for their city or learning more about a Walk for Choice protest in their area should contact walkforchoice(at)Gmail(dot)com.

P.S.

Read about us on the web!

o Bust Magazine: http://www.bust.com/blog/2011/02/25/walk-for-choice-all-around-the-world.html

o Ms. Magazine: http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/02/24/walk-for-choice-this-saturday/

http://www.bostonwalkforchoice.tumblr.com

Join us on Twitter!

http://twitter.com/walk4choicebos (tags: #walk4choice #dearjohn #prochoice)

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CONTACT 
Jessica Roy, publicist 
walkforchoice@gmail.com
(323) 963-4273 
WalkforChoice.tumblr.com
@WalkforChoice  

Raven Geary, founder and director 
ravengeary@gmail.com
(847) 894-7674 
thehumorlessfeminist.tumblr.com
@hmrlessfeminist

Stephanie Beal, community organizer (Boston/BU) 
st.beal@gmail.com
(207) 286-7146
tinyurl.com/walk4choice

Elizabeth Gentry, community organizer (Boston)
lizvelrene@gmail.com
(618) 978-6256
bostonwalkforchoice.tumblr.com
@Walk4ChoiceBOS