{"id":781,"date":"2012-06-03T07:02:48","date_gmt":"2012-06-03T14:02:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oursilverribbon.org\/blog\/?p=781"},"modified":"2012-06-03T07:02:48","modified_gmt":"2012-06-03T14:02:48","slug":"can-we-turn-back-the-war-on-women-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oursilverribbon.org\/?p=781","title":{"rendered":"Can We Turn Back the War on Women?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Virginia woman’s hand-made sign<\/a> summed it up: \u201cI Can’t
\nBelieve I’m Still Having to Protest This Shit!\u201d The pro-choice majority is
\nastounded by the tidal wave of vitriolic attacks on reproductive health,
\nrights, justice, and on women’s dignity, that constitute the War on Women.
\nThese include legislative proposals mandating intrusive and humiliating vaginal
\nultrasounds with no therapeutic justification before permitting abortion; Rick
\nSantorum’s advice that rape victims should celebrate a resulting pregnancy as a
\nblessing; and debates on covering contraception, which is used almost
\nuniversally. Transforming outrage into decisive policy and political victories
\nrequires understanding what is coming at us (and why), and new approaches to
\nseizing the initiative.<\/p>\n

Right-wing corporate interests provide generous financial
\nsupport to organizations and candidates that advance their minority views
\nthrough powerful institutions, from judicial appointments to gerrymandered
\nstate and federal legislative districts. The policy goal is to undermine the ability
\nof government and popular movements to constrain corporate power and profits.
\nCampaigns on so-called \u201csocial issues” divide people into competing and
\nhostile constituencies by gender or religion, although they may, in fact, share
\neconomic interests. The campaigns also recast as “tyranny” government
\nactions that protect human rights and challenge corporate power. Fundamentalist
\nreligious groups, allied with the Catholic Church, provide an institutional
\nbase for crafting and disseminating policies that advance these divisive views,
\nwhich find fertile territory during economic and social transition.<\/p>\n

Demonizing abortion has been a winning card for the
\nright, which has stated its intention to use abortion as a wedge issue in the
\n2012 election. Until now, mainstream women’s groups and progressive politicians
\nhave struggled to find a winning constituency and effective messages, since
\nmost voters say they care more about the economy than reproductive rights.
\nChanging the discourse will require intentional solidarity across age, class,
\nand race. Generations have come of age assuming the legal right to birth
\ncontrol and abortion, and the related rights to self-determination, while
\nattacks on access have targeted vulnerable and disenfranchised women, who are
\nless likely voters. Absent an affirmative strategy, attacks on abortion from
\nstrident opponents like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have achieved
\nincremental erosions in access to abortion. The 2010 Affordable Care Act was
\nboth an example and a wake-up call. While offering women many benefits,
\ncoverage for reproductive health care was compromised.<\/p>\n

The Trust Women\/Silver Ribbon Campaign (TW\/SR) is one of
\nseveral groups that have emerged to increase the visibility and voice of
\nadvocates for reproductive health, rights, and justice. TW\/SR organized a
\ndisplay of banners with pro-choice messages that flew proudly along San
\nFrancisco’s main street in January, 2012, designed to project solidarity and
\npower through visibility, and to commemorate Roe v. Wade\u2019s <\/em>anniversary. TW\/SR
\nalso brought together 81 groups (including NWHN) to send pro-choice messages to
\nCongress via a massive online virtual “march” from January 20-27. The
\nbanner messages ranged in tone and generational appeal and included: San Francisco
\nis Pro-Choice<\/em>, Her Health Her Decision<\/em>, Fix the
\nEconomy, Support My Autonomy,<\/em> and US Out of My Uterus<\/em>.
\nOnline messages with links to background information included: I trust women
\nand I vote<\/em>, Contraception Is Prevention<\/em>, Keep abortion safe and legal,
\nand make it accessible and affordable<\/em>, and We are the
\n99%. Fix the economy, and stop the war on women.<\/em><\/p>\n

The base-building has burst into action. In January,
\nPlanned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) revealed that the Susan G.
\nKomen Foundation would no longer fund PPFA\u2019s breast cancer services, due to
\nKomen officials\u2019 opposition to PPFA\u2019s abortion services. The dam broke, as
\nwomen erupted in outrage. Finally, women elected officials are now campaigning
\nopenly for and with women. While the bewildered right wing continues to march
\nbackwards on auto-pilot, we stand a good chance of hastening its path to
\noblivion.<\/p>\n

Online and virtual advocacy are proving to be powerful
\ntools for spreading news, articulating opinions, and generating unity. We\u2019re
\nstill exploring how to use these tools to create and sustain connectedness and
\nengagement among organizations and their members, and to motivate effective
\naction. Recognizing that organizations will continue to compete for media,
\nresources, and policy influence, we must aim to develop better collaborative
\nmodels.<\/p>\n

Going forward, we can claim our democratic heritage of
\nfreedom from religious persecution. The Bishops are campaigning for the power
\nof Catholic-owned corporations to deny contraceptive coverage to millions of
\nemployees in its hospitals, schools, and charities. Giving the Church and state
\nlegislatures the right to invade couples’ privacy and women’s bodies is
\noffensive to many. The link to oppressive and anti-democratic maneuvers like
\nvoter suppression rules is notable, including by its intended victims.
\nMississippi\u2019s fetal personhood ballot initiative lost decisively by 42% to 58%,
\nand the highest percent of “no” votes came from Black men and
\npro-choice voters at 80%, followed by Black women at 70%. This suggests the
\npossibilities for cross-cutting alliances in the interest of freedom.<\/p>\n

While the opposition has a game plan, it’s the wrong one.
\nIt doesn\u2019t represent the majority, and it\u2019s on the wrong side of history. As
\nyounger generations shed social prejudices and constraints, the influence of
\nattack dogs like Limbaugh is destined to shrivel. In response, pro-choice
\nadvocates can build power by increasing our ability to mobilize our majority
\nbase and collaborate with allies for social and economic justice.<\/p>\n

Ellen Shaffer is the Co-Director of the Trust
\nWomen\/Silver Ribbon campaign, which is<\/em> building
\ntowards the 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade in January 2013. The banners and
\nrelated information can be viewed at www.oursilverribbon.org<\/em><\/p>\n

See this article
\nalso in The Women’s Health Activist, May 2012: http:\/\/nwhn.org\/newsletter\/node\/1397<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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