January 22, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade that legalized abortion in the U.S.
The Silver Ribbon Campaign to Trust Women is participating in the second National Online March for Trust Women Week. Click here to join people around the U.S. expressing support for reproductive health, rights and justice. You can add your own comments, and invite everyone you know to join in and speak up. We and our partner organizations commit to sending your views to policy-makers, and to keeping you informed of the big issues that lie ahead this year, and actions you can take.
Women won historic numbers of seats in Congress in the November election. Voters across the political spectrum supported women’s reproductive health, rights, and justice, and defeated candidates who trivialized women’s safety. Florida rejected a ballot measure that would outlaw public funding for abortions.
But many state legislatures and members of Congress continue to attack access to birth control and abortion care, and cut funds for health care providers like Planned Parenthood. In Mississippi, state regulators plan to force the last clinic that provides abortions to close. These restrictions most severely affect low-income women and women of color, and women in certain geographic areas.
Threats continue to women’s long-term economic and social security and safety.
Trust Women Week partner organizations are joining together to express the powerful voices of the majority of women, men, children, families and communities who uphold traditional American values of democracy, independence, fairness, progress, innovation and pragmatism.
See www.oursilverribbon.org to find an event near you – or create one and post it!
Messages to Congress
1. I Trust Women and I Vote
Women can make our own decisions about our reproductive health, and we did and will vote to enforce that right.
2. Her decision, her health
We extend respect and compassion to individual women facing decisions about a pregnancy.
3. Keep abortion safe and legal, and make it accessible and affordable
4. Stand up and be counted for the human right to reproductive health and justice.
Reproductive justice and rights call on us to create the conditions necessary for health, recognizing that we must take action to overcome disparities based on social factors including race, gender, and income.
5. Contraception is Prevention
Contraception must be included in preventive health care benefits in all public and private health insurance programs
6. Fix the economy and stop the attacks on women’s health.
We call on the government and our elected officials to help improve our lives and create the conditions to be healthy.
7. U.S. Out of My Uterus
Politicians should stop interfering in women’s personal health decisions, especially related to reproductive biology and sex.