Women's Reproductive Rights--basic Human Rights

Unless women have the right to access and obtain safe and legal contraceptives and abortions, without harassment and ridiculous impediments such as obstinate anti-choice/anti-contraceptive pharmacists, politicians, and other like-minded ideologues, women will truly never attain one of their basic human rights--reproductive rights. The women and even girls in this country face all kinds very intimidating and dangerous blocks in the way of their reproductive rights and sexual freedom. From pharmacies allowing their zealous and disgruntled anti-choice/anti-contraceptive employees to refuse to dispense with women's birth control prescriptions--along with emergency contraception. To Abstinence Only programs, laden with blatant superstitious Christian dogma, embarrassing yet very obnoxious and inexcusable misinformation (on *purpose* in order to achieve a certain ends--indoctrination), and misogynist sentiments towards female sexuality and liberation, and vitriolic homophobic bigotry. To hospitals refusing to give rape victims emergency contraception or refer them to a hospital or clinic that will. To waiting periods and parental consent and notification laws that place undue burden on young women and girls, and hamper their reproductive rights. And of course, to uber-conservative politicians (mostly men) and their allied ideological cohorts (ie: far-Rightwing, fundamentalist Christian groups), who seek to not only overturn Roe v. Wade but also ban the use of contraception all together. They see women not as autonomous human beings, entitled to full equal rights and civil liberties, but instead mere birthing chattel, pre-destined by their own biology to be pregnant and give birth on demand whenever the men (and even their anti-choice/anti-contraceptive female accomplices) in power find it convenient and necessary. In another words, convenient and necessary to reaffirm one the tenets of a patriarchal society that women should have zero control or say over their reproductive destinies and sexuality. In order for women to be free and equal citizens they must be recognized as autonomous human beings, and as such are entitled to equal rights and civil liberties--that are not abused or eroded by the government.

A perfect example of how the this is not only about abortion but contraception as well is the current hysteria regarding anti-choice/anti-contraceptive, fanatical religious, and pompous pharmacists who impose their ideological views on women by refusing to dispense and refill their birth control prescriptions and/or emergency contraception. Feminist and other women's reproductive rights advocacy groups have most definitely take notice of this, and have been mounting counterattacks in the hopes of giving women the right to gain access to their contraceptive medication, without being hassled, humiliated, and rebuffed by arrogant pharmacists, whose job function is to dispense with medicine, not personal ideology. Politicians who respect and endorse women's reproductive rights have also taken a stand against these outrageous policies within pharmacies and have proposed a bill that would allow women to access their contraception without being turned away by entire pharmacies.

"NOW Supports Legislation Protecting Women's Right to Legal, Safe Birth Control
Urge your senators and representatives to support the Access to Legal Pharmaceuticals Act

NOW joined Senator Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Representatives Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, D-Fla., and Christopher Shays, R-Conn., at a recent press conference where they introduced the Access to Legal Pharmaceuticals Act, or ALPhA (S.809/ H.R. 1652). This legislative proposal, supported by NOW and women's health groups across the nation, does not require individual pharmacists to dispense any medications for which they have a religious or moral objection. However, it would require there be another pharmacist on the premises who will immediately fill the prescription and that the pharmacy must order the prescribed drug if it is not already in stock. In addition, the pharmacist cannot harass, humiliate, or intentionally breach the confidentiality of the individual attempting to fill the prescription.

"Access to birth control is a women's health issue and a private matter, not to be tampered with by a pharmacist with an agenda," said Maloney. The legislation is a sweeping response to recent reports from women in over a dozen states who have publicly stated that pharmacists refused to fill their birth control or emergency contraception prescriptions due to a "moral conflict of interest." Across the nation, pharmacists are turning away patients with a legal medical prescription for some form of birth control, citing their own personal beliefs to determine what is in the best "interest" of their customers. When a pharmacist denies medical treatment based solely on their personal religious beliefs, it is both cruel and unacceptable.
The American Pharmacists Association established a "conscience clause" in 1998, allowing pharmacists to dispense medication based on personal beliefs — although it specifically states pharmacies have an obligation to ensure the patient's access to their prescribed medication. "Today they might not fill prescriptions for birth control pills, tomorrow it could be painkillers for a cancer patient," Lautenberg announced. "Next year it could be medicine that prolongs the life of a person with AIDS or some other terminal disease . . . If a pharmacist is allowed to pick and choose what prescriptions to fill, everyone's health is put at risk."

Regrettably, some pharmacists are taking it upon themselves to stretch the boundaries of this clause. Not only are they refusing to fill prescriptions for legal and safe hormones or refer the customer to another pharmacist or pharmacy, some pharmacists are refusing to even return a written prescription so the woman can have it filled elsewhere. Consequently, women who live in small towns or rural areas often have no alternative pharmacy available, and rape victims may suffer twofold if they have to continue searching for another pharmacy.
NOW is urging all women's rights supporters to tell their Congress members to support this important legislation protecting a woman's constitutional right to obtain safe and legal birth control. Pharmacists may have a license to dispense drugs but they are not authorized to discriminate against women nor dictate anyone's access to healthcare. As Wasserman-Schultz said, ". . . if men were denied condoms by pharmacies, this issue would have been taken care of already."

That's for damn sure. If it was an issue of pharmacists refusing to dispense Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, or Enzyte, Congress would have another one of those 'emergency Midnight sessions,' and it would have media attention galore, unlike the current situation. Imagine the name of the bill for such a thing....the 'Give Me My Viagra Now, But Don't Give My Wife Birth Control' Bill. I'm sure it would be passed unanimously, probably only two seconds after the session is called to order.

In Florida, reproductive rights groups are challenging the the Parental Notification Law, in order to protect the health and rights of young women.

"FL: Reproductive Rights Groups File Lawsuit Against Parental Notification Law
The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) have filed a lawsuit to strike down a parental notification law for abortion in Florida. Scheduled to go into effect July 1, the law would require doctors to notify parents 48 hours before performing an abortion for a woman under the age of 18 unless she is married or already has a child, reports the Associated Press.

Filed on behalf of four women’s health clinics and two individual physicians, the lawsuit contends that the notification requirement endangers the health and lives of young women by potentially delaying treatment in emergency cases. Further, the groups argue that the language of the bill is confusing, making it difficult for doctors to comply with the law in such a way as to provide timely health care to young women and girls. CRR attorney Janet Crepps said of the law, “The Florida legislature passed this law – claiming to protect teens – when, in fact, it jeopardizes their health and lives.”

Too young to make a decision to have an abortion but old enough to endure a full term pregnancy and labor, and reaffirm the notion that women's and girls' civil rights and liberties become null and void once she becomes pregnant or is suspected of being pregnant. She then becomes property and is at the mercy of the state.

And Ashley Judd campaigns for women's and girls' health and empowerment.

"Ashley Judd Connects HIV/AIDS Prevention to Women's Empowerment

Ashley Judd, a well-known actor and feminist activist, testified at a recent Congressional hearing on the urgent need to address issues of gender equality in the fight against HIV/AIDS in developing countries. At a hearing primarily focused on the potential for developing an AIDS vaccine, Judd spoke on behalf of young women and girls, bringing much needed attention to the connection between HIV/AIDS prevention and women’s empowerment. “Having an AIDS vaccine would be of great benefit to women of all ages because it could reduce their chances of becoming infected,” Judd told the committee in her concluding remarks. “As there is not a vaccine to prevent abuse of women, however, there is nothing more important in the struggle against this disease than reversing destructive social norms that endanger women across Africa and in other developing countries.”

Judd is a self-identified feminist who appeared on the Spring 2003 cover of Ms. magazine wearing a “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like” t-shirt. Judd began her career as an activist in the Equal Rights Amendment campaign.

Judd has traveled throughout Africa and Asia to educate young people, especially women and girls, about HIV/AIDS through her post as Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS. She is also on the Board of Directors of Population Services International. In her testimony on Thursday, Judd pointed to several factors increasing young women and girls’ risk of HIV infection, including sexual violence, economic hardship, and the rising trend of “cross generational sex,” a practice in which young women and girls engage in sexual relationships with older men as a means of financial survival.

Further, rates of HIV infection among young women continue to rise. Judd referred to a recent finding that young women in Africa are six times more likely to become infected than their male counterparts. In fact, young women now account for 60 percent of those infected with HIV worldwide in the 15-24 age range, according to the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS.

Judd issued a call to action to the committee to do more to protect young women and girls from HIV/AIDS. In particular, she called for funding agencies to work with local programs to change harmful “social norms and practice” that perpetuate women’s inequality. She urged that foreign aid contributions be tied to a country’s commitment to enforcing laws against sexual violence and that we do more to strengthen and enforce laws against sex trafficking. I do believe our greatest export is our ideas, gender equality being the most important one,” said Judd."

There is no crueler way to subjugate women and girls than to do it with disease, viruses, zero comprehensive sex-education, and lack of reproductive rights and sexual liberation. Women and girls are autonomous human beings, not sociopolitical toys for the amusement of powerful misogynists.