"What Can I Do?" - Suggestions for Feminist Activism

mylifeasafeminista:

mylifeasafeminista:

keepyourboehneroutofmyuterus:

Anonymous asked you:

I love this blog so much, but when I read all the articles about states efforts to close down planned parenthood, or articles about how men should have a right to veto an abortion, I start to see red. What can I do? How can I help?

Thanks, Anon.

The eternal question when it comes to this issue, it appears.  I have been asked this before (and more than once) and so am just going to repeat myself again. 

Other than raising awareness about reproductive rights, what can we do to fight the good fight?

First, maybe I’m not the best person to ask, as my response to my un-ending anger and shock at the full-frontal attack conservatives are making against reproductive rights was to start a Tumblr.  And originally it was just going to be images making fun of John Boehner.  But here I am now so I am going to do my best to answer this request. 

If you out there in the Tumblr world have resources you’d like me to post, you can either answer this post or submit a link (over there on the left side menu).  You can also shoot me an email at scatx [at] scatx [dot] com.  Also, you can simply respond to this post.

I firmly believe that the more information you have, the better.  Hands down.

So, what can you do?

• NARAL’s “Take Action” page
• Abortion Clinic Escort Blog has a FAQ page with some info.
• NOW’s “Take Action” page
• Planned Parenthood’s “Jobs & Volunteering” page
• Planned Parenthood’s Action Center
• For endless information on reproductive health, see RH Reality Check’s website.
• Walk For Choice
• Donate to an Abortion Fund (or get involved with one)
• Contact your local or federal representatives and let them know how you feel about these issues.

That’s what I’ve got for now. 

Let’s hear it, defenders of the uteri/defenders of reproductive rights/defenders of PP/defenders of bodily autonomy. 

What resources or sites would you recommend for people who want to be out there doing something on behalf of reproductive, abortion, bodily autonomy and women’s (really, anyone who is not a cisman’s) rights?

I really love that this is being addressed because I think it is extremely important that people recognize how they can transform their feminist thoughts into action.  All of the examples listed above are really great and I encourage everyone to get involved with those organizations in any way they can: volunteer at your local clinic, donate money, contact your representatives, and stay informed about political issues.  Although this list is absolutely fantastic, I wanted to add a few more ideas:

• Volunteer for a local non-profit organization that supports the rights of women and the LGBTQ community.  This includes abortion clinics, health centers, domestic violence shelters, LGBTQ youth programs, etc.  If you can’t get transportation to one of these places, see what you can do over the phone or the internet.  Some examples include: volunteering to answer the telephones at your local domestic violence shelter, contributing to blogs/zines/online magazines/newspapers, and organizing the social media components for a non-profit organization.
• Make your voice heard.  Participate in rallies or protests.  Create, sign, and/or share petitions.
• If you can, be a conscious consumer.  Support organizations and businesses that respect the environment, treat their workers well, and give back to the community.  **This is inextricably linked to class and geographic location. Choosing where to give your dollars is a privilege, as the structure of our society, specifically our economic system, is not based off a model of conscious consumerism.  For example, health and organic foods are much more expensive than genetically modified and processed foods.  Because there is such a discrepancy in the costs, the latter is much more accessible.**
• Make feminism your lifestyle.  When someone makes a sexist comment or laughs at a rape joke, confront them.  If someone is policing another person’s body or identity, explain to them why this is a problem.  Every time you take a stand against this type of behavior, you are educating those around you.  A lot of times, people worry that these types of actions are insignificant, but I strongly disagree with that.  Any and all positive changes are worth recognizing, as they contribute to making a difference.
• Check your own privilege.  Each and every one of us have been influenced by the media, our parents, friends, our educational institutions, etc. Confront your own internalized sexism and dissect the way you think, act, and behave.  You may call women “sluts” or oppose third-trimester abortions, but why do you think and act in this way?  Question how you have been shaped by dominant ideologies and challenge yourself to see things from a different perspective. 

If anyone else has any other suggestions, I would love to hear them!

(Source: keepyourbsoutofmyuterus)

Planned Parenthood to end abortions in 3 Arizona cities

fuckyeahplannedparenthood:

onwardtorivendell:

esmeweatherwax:

thecountessofclockwise:

mfnher:

FLAGSTAFF - Planned Parenthood says it’s ending abortion services in three Arizona cities to comply with state laws that placed restrictions on abortions.

Women [or any person] no longer can get abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Prescott Valley, Flagstaff and Yuma, starting Friday. Those clinics had been providing the service through medication.

The move came a week after an Arizona appeals court allowed key parts of a 2009 state law restricting abortions to take effect. That includes a requirement that women see a doctor in person the day before getting an abortion to hear about risks and alternatives.

This is what happens, people.

This is unimaginable.

THIS IS BULLSHIT

FUCK YOU ANTI-CHOICERS

When Roe v. Wade becomes a moot point.

This is truly upsetting..

“Planned Parenthood President Bryan Howard said his group will most likely appeal the court’s decision, but said in the meantime, his agency has no choice but to comply with the law.”

Here’s hoping for the best.

(Source: abearfoot)

Planned Parenthood firebombed, right wing silent

A potential incident of domestic terrorism this week got a yawn from most of the press — and the political right

Someone firebombed a Planned Parenthood clinic in McKinney, Texas, late Tuesday night. Because it was so late, no one was hurt. The clinicdoesn’t provide abortions, but there had been protesters there earlier that day anyway. You might’ve read about the news on Twitter or on a liberal blog. Probably not in a newspaper or on a cable new channel. Definitely not at any right-wing blogs. Which is a bit odd, actually, considering how much attention terrorist attacks generally get in this country.

Oh, sorry, how much attention possible Islamic terrorist attacks get.

Planned Parenthood, in case you haven’t been paying attention, has been the focus of a flood of political attacks — both rhetorical and legislative — since approximately the minute the Republicans who were elected in 2010 took office across the nation. James O’Keefe shopped around one of his trademark shamelessly misleading video “stings.” Glenn Beck devoted an hour to falsely accusing Planned Parenthood of various heinous crimes. The major right-wing pundits have stepped up the hysterical anti-reproductive rights rhetoric as multiple states attempted to defundthe organization. The right has even moved on to attackingcontraception, as if it doesn’t even want people to believe that its goal isn’t to control women’s bodies.

The National Review’s the Corner has run multiple posts on some pro-life “study” accusing Planned Parenthood of “systemic, organization-wide fraud and abuse” and even human trafficking “at this federally funded billion-dollar abortion business.” One of them said, “Where is the Media,”and bemoaned the fact that the mainstream press was supposedly “ignoring” the report, which got a major press conference with multiple members of Congress and coverage in Politico and the Hill.

But, weirdly, this Planned Parenthood news has not been mentioned at the National Review.

It’s easy to imagine that if the target of the attack had been associated with the right — Marcus Bachmann’s clinic, maybe? — this would be a major national story, even if no one was hurt and the attacker’s identity was still unknown.

It’s even easier to imagine that if anyone had any reason to suspect that a Muslim did this, that it’d be not just a major national story but also the subject of congressional inquiries and maybe eventually an air war. (Even failed Islamic terrorists are treated as if they succeeded by politicians, these days.)

We obviously don’t know yet, but this attack seems more likely to be the work of a politically motivated person with conservative beliefs than a random act of vandalism. In other words, domestic terrorism. Someone threw a Molotov cocktail at a women’s health clinic. It’s insane that only a couple of Internet feminists actually seem to care.

BY ALEX PAREENE