abortion

A good day for women…

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Body911-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

Tuesday's Arizona primary was a good day for women. 

As we all know, the Arizona Legislature was on the forefront of the War on Women in the spring of 2012. Our legislators passed some of the country's most draconian laws restricting access to contraception, crippling Planned Parenthood, claiming that personhood begins before conception, and forcing women to submit to vaginal ultrasounds against their will. 

Primary day was a good day for women because all eleven of the women candidates backed by the pro-choice group Arizona List won their races. The only way we can change Arizona's reactionary ways is to change our government in Phoenix. We're counting on these women to help us do that.

Candidate list after the jump.

Money = Choice (video)

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By Pamela Powers Hannley

At the risk of dating myself…

I remember the days when the only place a young, sinlgle woman could buy affordable birth control pills– without being judged or lectured– was Planned Parenthood.

I remember riding the Columbus city bus for an hour and a half each way to go to the near east side clinic– to the ghetto. I remember the dark, dingy waiting room packed with young black women, little kids, and college students like me– all waiting for a free exam and contraception. 

I remember those days before Roe v Wade legalized abortion in the US.

I remember women in my dorm– crying when they found out they were pregnant. Most of them scraped together the money to fly to New York City or drive to Detroit to have abortions because those were the only places in the US where that service was offered. I even drove a friend to Detroit… a somber, desparate journey. 

We don't want to go back to that time

… a time when women had to deal with the circumstances of an unwanted pregnancy without a full aray of choices.

… a time when only wealthy women had the right to choose what is best for themselves, their bodies, and their families.

Here are two eye-opening stories about how choice is being whittled away by political and religious leaders.

As It Was Before Roe, So It Is Again: "Choice" Often Comes Down to Money

The real impact of a 20 week abortion ban

Video after the click…