Health Minister overrules FDA over Plan B over-the-counter. We better come up with Plan C asap.
plan-C-emergency-anti-contraceptive
Last Wednesday marked a strange moment in history, the first time the Health and Human Services Secretary has ever overruled an FDA decision. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has just rejected all available scientific evidence, her traditional pro-choice politics, the advice of all the relevant medical academies, and basic common sense to tell the FDA that they cannot make Plan B emergency contraception available over the counter to anyone who wishes to buy it. Right now, in violation of a judge’s orders, the FDA has restricted OTC sales of Plan B to women 17 and older, even though there’s no scientific evidence to suggest it’s harmful to younger women. The FDA finally came to its senses on this issue, only to have this victory for women’s health snatched away at the last minute by Sebelius, sending shocks of confusion and betrayal through the pro-choice community, who always thought of Sebelius as a member in good standing.
Having the 17-and-older restriction on Plan B is awful for two major reasons. The first and most obvious is that it keeps younger women in need from accessing it without a prescription. Since you need to take the pills within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, the clock will run out on young women who have to work up the courage to tell a parent, then go to a doctor for a prescription, and then go to the pharmacy. For those who’ve been sexually assaulted, it could be even worse, because a fairly standard response, especially amongst minors, to rape is to bunch up in denial and refuse to talk to anyone about it for a long time. The only reason to keep these restrictions in place is to force pregnancy on unwilling minors as punishment for having sex, and just accept the impregnated rape victims as collateral damage. (Slate) (Mommyish)
Mic Check! The Revolution will be Feminist or it Won’t Be!
This was a formative slogan at Madrid’s great occupation, the Puerta del Sol “Soon, the assemblies became redoubts for inclusion. If someone stated that bankers behave like “hijos de puta,” many of the participants would silently cross their arms, reproving the exclusion operated by means of language on a sex workers’ offspring. First day jeers to the banner “THE REVOLUTION WILL BE FEMINIST OR IT WON’T BE,” were responded with the programming of seminars on feminism, detailing the discussion on gender equity at the camp. Sol has not been an action, but more like a re-institutional process of daily life. ” This is from Andres Jaque’s article “Yes We Camp!” in Domus. MIC CHECK: Women will be safe and empowered in this movement or it is nothing!
Never again! Today, May 31, marks the second anniversary of the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, KS.
Dr George Tiller - murdered by anti-abortion Christian activists 2 years ago today
More murderous harassment of abortion providers is on the way, so don’t get complacent! Against the backdrop of a wave of anti-abortion legislative assaults, Operation Rescue has announced plans for a “Summer of Mercy 2.0″ targeting the brave and outspoken abortion provider Dr. LeRoy Carhart in Germantown, MD July 30-August 7. This organization is the same group that hounded Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, KS, for years (until he was assassinated by one of their associates in May ’09). Their original “Summer of Mercy” in 1991 shut down access to the Dr. Tiller’s clinic for six weeks and resulted in 3,400 arrests, a very alarming history to invoke.
Join with others to mount a serious and determined showing of public support for Dr. Carhart and the Germantown, MD, clinic whose practice he has joined.
Only 40 minutes from Washington, Operation Rescue’s targeting of this clinic in Germantown is an important opportunity to dramatically shift the dialogue over abortion rights. Rather than accept compromises that leave us with less and less ground to stand on, let’s show the national media and politicians a strong pro-choice presence on the streets.
Defend abortion providers! without them there is NO reproductive freedom!