May 7, 2001
VOX: Voices For Choice
By Leah R.

            VOX: Voices For Choice held an informational meeting at the Women’s Center on Wednesday, May 2.  A nationwide campaign spearheaded by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, VOX means “voices” in Latin.  VOX educates students about the threats to reproductive rights and health and mobilizes students in support of reproductive freedom.  Many students on campus feel secure that their reproductive rights are safe and unquestionable.  Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.  For the first time since Roe v. Wade (the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States), anti-choice politicians are in control of the White House and the U.S. Congress.  The fundamental right of women choosing when and if to have a child is now hanging by a fragile thread.

            And even if we have the legal right to abortion, many women are faced with the dilemma of “choice without access.”  Having the right to an abortion without free accessibility is not a right, but a privilege.  The affordability factor blocks access to abortion, since most insurance won’t cover it.  More than half of the states have laws requiring parental consent or notification.  Young women may experience severe consequences from their parents or guardians, and these laws typically function at best to delay abortions, increasing the risks involved.  There is also lack of abortion providers.  Currently 86% of New York counties do not have an abortion provider.  The decrease in the number of abortion providers is mostly due to insufficient clinical training in medical schools.  Of those who have been trained, many refuse to perform the procedure because of harassment and violence directed toward abortion providers.

            Amy Moy, Community Affairs Coordinator of Planned Parenthood of New York City updated students at our meeting and initiated discussion of recent anti-choice attacks from Washington, such as Bush’s reinstatement of Global Gag Rule.  The Global Gag Rule prohibits medical facilities or nongovernmental organizations in other countries that receive U.S. family planning funds (to help distribute birth control) from providing, discussing, or advocating for the legalization of abortion, even with funds not received from the U.S.  Bush said “I will do everything in my power to restrict abortion.”  Bush also said it was “wrong” of the FDA to approve mifepristone, RU-486, the abortion pill.  Bush also appointed John Ashcroft as Attorney General.  Ashcroft does not believe in abortion rights or any method of birth control other than abstinence.  The majority of the United States is pro-choice, but the majority of Congress is not.  Currently, the U.S. House of Representatives has 225 members who are anti-choice and only 138 members who are pro-choice.  In the US Senate 46 are anti-choice and only 38 are pro-choice.  The majority viewpoint is not represented by our lawmakers.

            Did you know that in December 2000, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission concluded that insurance plans that cover prescription drugs but exclude prescriptive contraception from coverage are in violation of the federal Civil Rights Act.  Currently, only 13 states have laws that require that health insurance companies that cover prescription drugs must also cover prescriptive contraception.  New York is not one of them.  Wouldn’t you expect New York to be more progressive?  Did you know that the US government spends $50 million a year on “abstinence-only” sex education, yet there is no federally funded program for comprehensive sexuality education in this country?  This is despite the fact that the majority of Americans support access to comprehensive reproductive health information.  So how do you feel about these threats to your rights? Angry?  Disturbed?  Want to do something about it?  Join VOX: Voices For Choice.  We are located at the Women’s Center. Room 227 New Ingersoll, and can be reached at 951-5777 for more information.  We can help you find you elected officials and keep tabs on Congress.  You can also visit us on the web at: www.plannedparenthood.org/vox to join the Responsible Choices Action Network to receive e-mail updates on legislative issues affecting reproductive health and freedom.  Just click ‘reply’ and ‘send’ and a letter expressing your concern about the issue is automatically faxed to your Congress.

            If you have a medical question or problem, please call or visit the Brooklyn College Health Clinic at 114 Roosevelt Hall (718) 951-5580.  You can get condoms, contraceptive pills and more.  For your nearest Planned Parenthood Health Center and abortion providing clinic, call toll free 1-800-230-PLAN.  You can also get referrals and counseling services at the Brooklyn College Women’s Center at 227 New Ingersoll (718) 951-5777.

Leah R. is the president elect of VOX: Voices For Choice