Dec. 2 Day of Action against Stupak

ALL Activists,

As most of you know, the Stupak Amendment is a huge and very real threat to women's reproductive rights. If passed, it would not only codify the Hyde Amendment (which prohibits federal funding abortions except in the extreme cases of rape, incest, or danger for the life of the mother), but would go even further and largely limit women's access to abortion care by limiting insurance coverage. Women would not be able to use government insurance plans to cover costs associated with abortions. But the whole idea of public coverage is that it's there for us when we find ourselves in unexpected situations...like unexpected pregnancies.

To be able to provide abortion coverage under the Stupak Amendment, an insurance company would have to create two entirely separate plans, one with abortion coverage and one without. The one without would be cheaper, easier to manage, and more preferable for any individual or company (many women have healthcare only because their company covers them) who doesn't have the money or desire to pay for the more expensive plan just in case. Since it would be a big hassle for insurance companies to keep track of two very differently managed plans, and since the abortion plan is less likely to be paid for by those that might at some point need the coverage, the fear is that the insurance companies will eventually just stop providing it. And then women are without coverage. SCARY!

So, Berkeley NOW will be joining in on the December 2nd national day of action, along with most feminist organizations that...exist. The Stupak Amendment already passed in the House, but a lighter -- though still quite harmful -- Senate bill was recently moved to the floor for debate and will be voted on on Dec. 7th. We need to make sure that any anti-abortion measures don't make it into the final version of the Senate bill, and we need every voice we have to be heard to make it happen. So, now is the time for you to call your senators and LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THEY VOTE AGAINST ANY ANTI-ABORTION PROVISIONS THAT GO BEYOND THE CURRENT LAW.

Refer to http://www.capwiz.com/now/dbq/officials/ to search for who to call, or if you want to call your Senators for CA, they are:
Sen. Feinstein
DC Office: (202) 224-3841
SF Office: (415) 393-0707
Sen. Boxer
DC Office: (202) 224-3553
SF Office: (415) 403-0100
If you want to be connected to the national switchboard, that number is (202)225-3121.

Berkeley NOW will also be on Sproul tomorrow, Dec. 2, with these info sheets and a petition that you all can sign and we will send in at the end of the day. You can make calls with us on Sproul, you can make calls at home, you can make calls on your way to class, just please make them! You don't have to go into a lot of detail; just explain that you are a constituent and that you are counting on [senator's name] to keep any anti-abortion provisions that go beyond the current law out of the senate bill. You can say that you are calling on behalf of NOW if you wish (just please don't say anything that could possibly paint us in a negative light!). If you are feeling more confident, feel free to say a tiny bit about why you think it's so important, given the info included above or any knowledge you have of your own too.

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Quick summary/inspiration for calling purposes:

While I support health care reform, I do not support selling women's fundamental rights in order to buy votes.

Do not support the Stupak Amendment. If incorporated into the final version of health insurance reform legislation, will:

* Prevent women receiving tax subsidies from using their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
* Prevent women participating in the public health insurance exchange, administered by private insurance companies, from using 100 percent of their own money to purchase private insurance that covers abortion;
* Prevent low-income women from accessing abortion entirely, in many cases.

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Thank you for standing up for women's rights!

For additional information: http://www.capwiz.com/now/issues/alert/?alertid=14342106

In honor of LYBW

found at Sociological Contexts

Oh how social norms change. 

Love Your Body Week

Facebook Event

NY Times: Abortion Fight Erupts in Health Care Debate

After months of work by Congressional Democrats on major health care legislation, the floor debate on the bill was at risk of being overshadowed on Saturday by a fierce internal dispute among Democrats over the issue of insurance coverage for abortions... (Click title for link to article)

Weekly Minutes

Meeting Nov 4, 2009

I. Check Ins

II. Announcements
- Feminist Campus Conference; Thursdat 6pm-Sat 10pm at Santa Monica College
-Nov 5: Student Townhall meeting; Pauley Ballroom 7:30-9:30 pm
-Nov 5 and 10: BACORR organizing meeting; Re: Protesting Anti-choice "Walk for Life"; 7pm 3543 18th street, San Francisco http://bacorr.org/
-Nov 10: Pro-choice demo
-Nov 11: BNOW LYBW resource making session @ Alison's 4-7pm
-Nov 12: Student-faculty worker town hall 5-7pm 315 wheeler
-Nov 13: To Write Love On Her Arms http://www.twloha.com/
-Nov 16-20: Love Your Body Week!

III. Pro-choice discussion
-Define Pro-choice
-talking points
-be careful with language

Daily Cal Op-ed about abortion demonstrations

* Alison's Daily Cal Op-Ed

* BSL's Daily Cal Op-Ed 

Custom Made Vulva Pendants

First off I'd like to acknowledge how present I am to the strength and beauty are club has created this year. Even though I'm thousands of miles away, I can feel the love of this community everytime I get an e-mail. You guys are putting on so many events this semester and having tons of exciting CR's. I really am proud of y'all.

And as a way to celebrate who y'all are, I was thinking we could do an arts and craft project - let's make vulva pendants (we could use clay and paint)! Or you could just buy one from this awesome woman who will custom make you a pendant if you send her a picture. What a way to love your body, right?

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32333269

much love,

Debbie

Emergency Response to Protests (read post below) Meeting Tonight

BNOW is holding the space for a collective, individual-based response to the anti-abortion demonstration that has been on campus for the past 2 days. The meeting will take place in 185 Barrows, at 9pm tonight (Tuesday, October 27th). Bring anyone interested in the cause at all. It may get packed but we'll do what we can. This is really important and we have a lot of strength on within the campus community, so please come out and help us all make a statement.

Pro-choice

Today was an interesting day to say the least.  It started with me being late to class, like I always am, and rushing down Telegraph Ave to make my way through Upper Sproul and hopefully end up at Dwinelle Hall before 10:40, but something was different this morning, very different.  First I noticed the "warning" signs that said "Images of Genocide Up Ahead"; first thought I had was that it was the Communist Revolution group trying to rally again.  But then I was quickly corrected by the images that followed.  I get to Sproul steps and there is a huge billboard in the shape of a square, with pictures on all four sides of aborted fetuses, President Obama as evil, and comparing abortion to genocide, animal cruelty, and the holocaust. There were people in front of it passing out fliers, but they were behind some kind of waist high gate/barricade. I was completely shocked.  Literally stopped in my tracks.  I stared while so many questions ran through my mind. Why?! Who?! WTF?!?! A quick glance told me it was set up by Berkeley Students For Life.  But the Why wasn't answered.

I soon recovered, got on my phone, and texted the BNOW officers to find out if they had seen it and start mobilizing something.  Thankfully, the class I was trying to not be late to was a Gender and Women's Studies class.  So of course, we all start talking and expressing our anger.  We decide this cannot be happening and that we are going to respond by protesting back.  I start texting the officers and send out an email to the list serve asking for support.  At 11:30 we walked out of class, arms chained, chanting "My Body My Choice".  When we get to Sproul the other student organizations start clapping for us and supporting us.  We then set up a wall around the billboard, blocking people from talking to the group who set this up, while still chanting "My Body My Choice".

And this went on for the next couple hours, I left at 2, but the group was still going strong.  We had people come from the crowd and join the wall.  Cameras everywhere and people overall supporting us as they walked by.  I think I even saw Judith Butler walk by and put her fist up (hopefully that wasn't just my imagination). I'm still not sure why they were there, but we made sure to let them know that it was not ok and we aren't just going to let them tell lies.

If this is something you are interested in, BACORR (Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights) was there supporting us and are looking for people to get involve with them.  They have reached out to BNOW for help and support. http://bacorr.org/

 

 

 

MORE PICTURES on FLICKR 

Also: Daily Cal Article

Anti-abortion Protest

We sent this out a few minutes ago...

Hi y'all

I know this is super last minute but the event is developing right 
now. Berkeley for life has set up antiabortion campaign on Sproul and 
my GWS class finds this inexcusable. At 11:30 am we are going to 
respond. Please please come if you can, we need to let them know this 
is not ok. This images are extremely triggering and disrespectful. 
Meet on sproul, bring resources and your passion for this issue.