I work for Planned Parenthood, and as the largest reproductive health care provider and advocate in the country, we know lots of things to be true. Early detection of STDs and cancer make them more treatable or curable. Education about healthy sexuality helps young people make wise and safe choices. Ensuring both of these things cost the state less money than dealing with the consequences of not providing them. We also know that more people are uninsured now than ever and that even before the economic meltdown women were already paying 68% more out of pocket for healthcare than men, because their insurance didn’t cover birth control or other routine gynecological care. This issue is at the nexus of the Health Care Reform debate, the state budget debate, and good old fashion debates about rights, equality, opportunity, and freedom.
Preventative reproductive health care (like annual pap exams, STD testing, sex education, cancer screenings, birth control access, etc) is not only the right thing to do for the sake of equality and the pursuit of opportunity, but it’s also the cheapest for the state. And clearly, there’s no time to make that last point like right now.
If you care about these things, please join us for our virtual Pro-Choice Lobby Days, Tuesday, Oct. 6th and Wednesday, Oct. 7th .
Planned Parenthood, along with our pro-choice coalition partners, are lobbying on behalf of our Prevention First Agenda, which aims to reduce unintended pregnancy and STDs in Michigan with commonsense health care solutions, like comprehensive sex education in schools and access to birth control and emergency contraception. You can see all the details of this agenda at our Lobby Day website (www.lobbyday2009.webs.com). This is also the website where you can take action- there are talking points, contact info, etc all provided right there.
Not only are we encouraging people to call their legislators Tuesday and Wednesday, but we are delivering nearly 3,000 signatures from this campaign to MI House members at the same time.
And to add a little creativity to the mix, we’ve got our Facebook event (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133473948421&index=1.) and website (www.lobbyday2009.webs.com) all ready for video and photo petitions as well.
Call your legislators, post something fun, tell your friends to do the same… It’s worth it for all of us. |
