RALLY FOR CHOICE
At the
Roundhouse
11:00 AM, January 21, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Dana
Middleton, 505-982-1823, or
info@nowsantafe.org
January
12, 2010. The Santa Fe Chapter of the National Organization
for Women (NOW) and the New Mexico Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice are jointly sponsoring a
Rally for Choice at the
East entrance to the Roundhouse on Thursday, January 21,
2010, at 11:00 AM to mark the 37th
anniversary
of the historic Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision that
legalized abortion.
This year, more than any time in recent memory, access to
abortion services is under attack across the country.
Although New Mexico is one of only 17 states that provide
Medicaid funds for poor women seeking abortions, funding
and access to abortion services are in danger of being
negatively impacted by the health bill now being considered
in Congress.
We
will be rallying to reassert that access to safe, legal
abortions, contraception, complete reproductive health
services, and comprehensive sex education is a right, not a
privilege.
In order
to begin the process of destigmatizing abortion and
publicizing the danger to abortion rights, we will be
distributing T-shirts that say, "I'm grateful my___________
abortion was safe and legal". There will be room to
hand letter the word own,
friend's, sister's, mother's, daughter's
(etc.)
between the words “my” and “abortion” on the shirts.
Abortion is a safe, legal medical procedure in the U.S. as
a result of the Roe v Wade decision, and we all must act to
make sure that safe, legal abortions continue to be
available for all women, without regard to economic
status.
If we can't talk about abortion, how can we organize to
protect abortion rights? Your
presence is important. Please join us!
The
Santa Fe Chapter of NOW
The
Santa Fe chapter of the National Organization for Women
(NOW) has decided to focus its efforts in 2010 on abortion
and reproductive health, as these issues affect women and
girls in New Mexico. Our goal in 2010 will be to
destigmatize abortion
and open a discussion of issues around family planning,
emergency contraception, sex education, and
abortion.
In the
months ahead we are planning a showing of the movie
Vera Drake,
followed by a panel discussion on the realities of abortion
access in New Mexico. We are also planning a fundraiser for
the Santa Fe chapter of NOW, featuring Kate Buckley, Santa
Fe author of the acclaimed young adult novel,
Choices,
which deals with a teen-age girl from a religious,
anti-choice family, who faces an unexpected
pregnancy.