Tag Archives: Planned Parenthood Arizona

Reproductive Health-Care Providers Challenge Arizona Laws That Put Women’s Health at Risk

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On Thursday, April 11, women’s reproductive health-care providers filed a federal lawsuit seeking to remove Arizona TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) laws that prevent and delay many women from accessing abortion. The lawsuit was filed by reproductive health-care provider Planned Parenthood Arizona and individual clinicians represented by O’Melveny & Myers, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Squire Patton Boggs.

Arizona’s extreme, medically unnecessary TRAP laws violate Arizona women’s constitutional right to access legal abortion. Their effect has been dramatic: a 40 percent decline in abortion clinics, leaving 80 percent of Arizona counties with no access to abortion clinics, and weeks-long waiting times for services. There is only one abortion provider in the northern part of the state, and that health center only provides medication abortion one day per week.

“Arizona lawmakers have made it difficult or even impossible for women to access safe, legal abortion,” said Bryan Howard, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona. “Medically unnecessary laws that only serve to attack women’s rights and put women’s health at risk should be overturned to protect women’s health and rights.” Continue reading →

Pro-Choice Friday News Rundown

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  • The Congressional Budget Office just released its scoring of “Trumpcare.” As anyone with half a wit about them presumed, it’s not favorable. And it’s not a good look for the GOP. Twenty-three million Americans stand to lose their health care coverage over a 10-year period. Others, with chronic illnesses and preexisting conditions, would pay much, much more for health care OR lose it altogether. But hey, at least rich, healthy people would be OK and premiums for some will drop in price simply because the plans cover less. Tell me again how this is a win for the majority of Americans? The health and welfare of MILLIONS of people are being sacrificed so the wealthy can have even MORE of a financial advantage? (WaPo)
  • Also in the headlines re: “Trumpcare Is Astronomically Bad”: “GOP health-care bill could cost women $1,000 more per month for ‘maternity’ insurance coverage — and even more when they have kids.” And again I’ll remind you, this is all being done so rich people can be more rich. Please don’t ever forget that important fact. (CNBC)
  • Not only should the left NOT abandon so-called “identity politics,” women of color should lead the identity politics movement. OUR issues represent the future direction of progressive politics! (Salon)
  • Why does the gender pay gap persist? Motherhood. (NY Times)
  • Planned Parenthood Arizona allowed an Allure Magazine writer to spend three days following staff and patients at our Maryvale clinic in Phoenix serving Title X and Medicaid patients. Women’s stories are so powerful. (Allure)
  • Meanwhile, Iowa has cut Planned Parenthood off from federal Medicaid reimbursements and we are being forced to close four clinics there. So disappointing and disheartening for the people who rely on our care. (Mother Jones)
  • If you thought 45’s administration couldn’t get any crueler, buckle up. The budget he released earlier this week would cut off food for poor people who have too many kids. So let’s put this into perspective. They want to make it harder to prevent pregnancy by eliminating poor people’s access to Planned Parenthood by cutting us off from federal Medicaid dollars. They want to make it impossible to abort a pregnancy a woman does not want or cannot afford. And then if you have the misfortune of being economically disadvantaged but have multiple children, they want to starve them to death. Wow. Could these people BE any more pro-life? (WaPo)
  • The administration is cool with wasting $277 million on abstinence-only education though — despite tons of evidence it’s ineffective! (Bustle)
  • There’s Been a Huge Increase in Campus Sex Assaults. Why?! (The Daily Beast)
  • Danielle Ofri, a physician at Bellevue Hospital in New York, wrote a terrific piece for Slate about the history of our broken health care system and how times and opinions about health care being a basic human right in this country are a’changing. Universal health care, here we come? (Slate)
  • The GOP attacks on Planned Parenthood in Iowa are hitting low-income women especially hard. (Salon)
  • For more than 10 years, women around the world have had access to online abortion. It’s time for the U.S. to catch up. (HuffPo)
  • We’ve said it a million times and we’re going to continue to say it as the evidence mounts: Federally qualified health centers CANNOT step in seamlessly to provide the care Planned Parenthood does. Our absence would harm millions of people for the foreseeable future. To quote the great Beyonce, we are IRREPLACEABLE.  (Guttmacher)
  • Even in a state as “blue” as California, abortion can be hard to come by for many women. (Rewire)
  • 45’s administration has done everything under the sun to wage war against women’s health, our economic livelihoods, and our futures. (WaPo)
  • Let’s end this on a funny note. An anonymous “fetus” wrote a letter to Mick Mulvaney — 45’s penny-pinching budget director who thinks the rich should get to pay obscenely low taxes while “the poors” suffer without medical care and food stamps. Nothing like satire from the unborn! Ha! (Slate XX Factor)

April 10 Is National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day

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The following is a guest post by Planned Parenthood Arizona’s Director of Education Vicki Hadd-Wissler, M.A.

Young people born in the 1980s belong to the first generation to have never known a world without HIV and AIDS. The numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are alarming, with young people between the ages of 13 and 29 accounting for almost 40 percent of new HIV infections in the United States! In Arizona, people ages 25 to 29 had the highest infection rate (28.1 per 100,000), and people ages 20 to 24 come in second with 26.1 per 100,000. It is estimated that 13 percent of those infected with HIV (in all age groups) are unaware they are infected — and, among HIV-positive youth ages 18 to 24, an estimated 44 percent are unaware of their status.

Help the next generation know a world where AIDS no longer poses a threat to a vibrant, healthy future.

National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD) on April 10 provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of prevention, promote HIV testing, and help reduce the stigma often associated with HIV and STDs in general.

First organized in 2013 by Advocates for Youth, NYHAAD is intended to serve as an annual wake-up call to organize and educate young people about HIV and AIDS, and press leaders for investments in medical advancements and prevention strategies. The observance has received less attention nationally this year than in past years — no doubt due to the need to focus on saving the Affordable Care Act. But we can still be activists on the issue of HIV awareness. All of us have a young person(s) in our lives who we care deeply about. Let’s mark our calendars for April 10 as a day to commit to having a conversation with them to share important, life-enhancing information. Continue reading →

A Warm Thank You to Planned Parenthood Arizona CEO Bryan Howard

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bryans-head-shot-2It’s been our tradition to start the new year off by thanking you — our Planned Parenthood supporters. You are the heart and soul of Planned Parenthood and you stand with us no matter what. Your commitment, bravery, and generosity means so much to the entire Planned Parenthood community. It’s because of you that Planned Parenthood health center doors are open today, and will remain open for years to come.

As we begin this particular New Year — and continue celebrating Planned Parenthood’s 100th anniversary — we ask you to help us thank our visionary leader, Bryan Howard. Today is Bryan’s 20th anniversary as CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona. Bryan has made it his life’s work to further Planned Parenthood’s mission and has inspired all of us to join with him to serve Arizona’s women and families.

Bryan joined us on January 2, 1997, when he was only 36 years old, after having served various roles at Planned Parenthood in Chicago since 1984. 

During his tenure, he has led the agency successfully through a merger, an economic recession, and too many political and anti-choice attacks to mention. Today, thanks in large part to Bryan’s steady leadership, Planned Parenthood Arizona is resilient and strong, ready to weather the next storm that is just around the corner. Continue reading →

This Saturday: Stand With Planned Parenthood Arizona!

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Saturday, August 22, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Uncle SamAs part of a coordinated attack on women, opponents of reproductive health are staging a protest this Saturday in front of Planned Parenthood Arizona’s new headquarters. These extremists oppose access to reproductive health care and basic health education, and are rallying nationwide from the local level all the way to Capitol Hill.

We have word that Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ, 6th District) will be attending, and intends to shut down 15th Street in front of our new office to make way for the demonstration.

In the wake of manipulatively edited “sting” videos, the Republican Party has intensified their attacks on the services that Planned Parenthood provides — and, by extension, they have intensified their attacks on the patients and families that Planned Parenthood serves. While the attempt to defund Planned Parenthood failed on the federal level, several states have already voted to defund Planned Parenthood health centers, and, if history is any guide, the assaults won’t stop there.

Opponents of reproductive health care have targeted Planned Parenthood health centers for decades — and, in that tradition, they will attempt to twist our new Arizona headquarters into a battleground in the fight for reproductive justice. You can help show the rest of Arizona what Planned Parenthood really is: a site for reproductive health care and education.

To counter this Saturday’s vicious attack on women’s autonomy and everyone’s access to health care, please join us to celebrate reproductive justice and sexual health! Starting at 8 a.m., we will have coffee and doughnuts outside of our NEW headquarters at 4751 N. 15th Street in Phoenix, at the corner of 15th Street and Pierson Street. PPAZ will be opening our covered parking lot to our supporters, so we can rally comfortably in the shade! Please bring a photo ID, your pink attire, and positive spirits!

Please Stand With PPAZ by showing up in pink at our RALLY WITH PPAZ! 

Helpful hints:

  • Wear pink if you have it! Feel free to get creative!
  • Bring signs in support of Planned Parenthood Arizona
  • Tweet support using #StandWithPPAZ and #StandWithPP
  • Park along 14th Street, as 15th Street and others will likely be closed
  • Bring water, umbrellas, and other items to keep cool — it’s gonna get hot!

Please circulate this announcement to your lists and alert your folks! Let’s turn out and Stand With PPAZ this Saturday!

Jon Tells Us Why He Interned With Planned Parenthood

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The following post comes to us via Jon Brown, a journalism student, aspiring voice actor, and current Planned Parenthood Arizona intern.

JonMy name is Jon Brown. I’m a student at Arizona State University. I chose to intern at Planned Parenthood because, quite simply, I believe in what they do (yes, guys support Planned Parenthood too). From campaigning for women’s rights during the era of suffrage to pushing uncomfortable yet necessary conversations (such as STD testing) into public focus, I have stood by their beliefs and I admire them for having the courage to stand up on controversial issues when no one else will.

I expected more of a passive role when I first started working here. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Planned Parenthood doesn’t only focus on women’s issues, they tackle any social issue that they feel needs addressing. At a recent luncheon called I Stand with Planned Parenthood, they brought on guest speaker Ashley Spillane, who is the president of Rock the Vote, an organization dedicated to increasing the youth involvement in politics.

So, you know I like the organization, but I absolutely love the part of it that I interned with directly. The department head for whom I interned and everyone at the organization I encountered have been wonderful. They made me feel welcome, and instead of handing me a list of responsibilities they asked me what I wanted to get out of this internship. I’m a journalism major and I was looking for public relations experience, so I worked on the social media aspects of this organization. Continue reading →

10 Things Every Voter Should Know About Catherine Miranda

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Catherine Miranda croppedOn August 26, Catherine Miranda won her primary election in the 27th legislative district. In November, she faces a Republican challenger, but is expected to be handily elected to represent her solidly Democratic district in the state Senate.

A lot of us might assume that a female Democrat will be a fierce advocate for reproductive rights, but that’s not always a safe assumption. It certainly isn’t the case with Catherine Miranda, who not only won’t advocate to make abortion access a reality in Arizona, but will actively fight against it. She has been doing just that since 2011, when she first started representing her district in the House of Representatives. Next year, as a state senator, Catherine Miranda’s votes will carry even more weight.

So, without further ado, here are 10 things that every voter should know about Catherine Miranda.

1 Catherine Miranda, who has been running as a Democrat throughout her career, has endorsed Republican Michele Reagan for secretary of state, shunning Democrat Terry Goddard and his proven record as an advocate for reproductive justice and LGBTQ rights. In the 1980s, as the mayor of Phoenix, Terry Goddard helped keep Planned Parenthood patients safe from disruptive protesters, whereas just this year Michele Reagan voted in favor of HB 2284, which was designed to harass patients at clinics that provide abortions.

2 In an even more baffling move, Catherine Miranda has endorsed Doug Ducey for governor. Ducey is an odd choice, given that he is opposed to marriage equality and is expected to sign a bill similar to SB 1062 into law if it comes across his desk. He opposes abortion unless the mother’s life is at stake, and is advised by the far-right Center for Arizona Policy. Why does Catherine Miranda support Doug Ducey’s candidacy?

3 Speaking of the Center for Arizona Policy, Catherine Miranda signed their “pro-life pledge,” which denounces Roe v. Wade as unconstitutional and demands full “personhood” rights for fetuses at any stage of development. Continue reading →