Senator John Edwards (D-NC) has a reproductive rights feather in his cap with the addition of Kate Michelman, former leader of NARAL Pro-Choice America, as a senior advisor to his presidential campaign. Michelman joined the campaign in large part because of Edwards' ability to speak to the range of issues that women care about from poverty to health care in order to improve women's' lives around the world.
John Edwards has been praised for his campaign initiative, Women for Edwards, which links a broad-based women's rights agenda under the rubric of "prevention-based rhetoric". An article in The Nation describes the new reproductive rights tack being embraced by Democratic leaders as "A values-oriented, prevention-based prochoice agenda..." for which, according to the article, John Edwards is successfully advocating.
Edwards is, however, also unapologetically in favor of protecting abortion under the constitution. In 2003, Senator Edwards voted against banning so-called partial birth abortions. According to Women for Edwards, "Edwards supports a federal freedom of choice act codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law so that the right to choose is protected, no matter what the Supreme Court does, and supports access to family planning services."
This year, in response to the Supreme Court decision on so-called Partial Birth Abortion, Edwards said, ""I believe in a woman's right to choose, but I think this is an extraordinarily difficult issue for America. And I think it is very important for the president of the United States to recognize while I believe the government should not make these health care decisions for women, I believe they should have the freedom to make them for themselves. This is a very difficult issue for many people, and I think we have to show respect for people who have different views about this."
Edwards has maintained a consistently pro-choice voting record over the years labeled as an "extreme liberal" for his stance on these issues and others during the 2004 presidential election. He voted against bans on military base abortions, and in full support of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. In addition, Senator Edwards has received a 100% pro-choice voting rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America for every year he was rated by the organization.
Edwards discusses the specifics of his health coverage plan:
Reducing maternal deaths from unsafe abortion is one of the most straight-forward public health problems to remedy. But this can never be fully realized unless governments start including abortion in realistic approaches to protecting women's health.
Heather Corinna brings Scarleteen's popular sexual health advice column to RH Reality Check! This week, Heather talks to a young woman who doesn't like being a girl.
Conservative activists are gearing up to enact state laws to restrict abortion. Colorado is once again serving as a political incubator in yet another attempt to chip away at Roe v. Wade, this time in the form of an amendment stating that life begins at conception.
Pregnancies, both planned and unplanned, happen to trans folks, too. It is imperative for reproductive health care providers to seek appropriate education and training in order to be able to provide comprehensive care to these patients.
Given the alarmingly sexist and racist undercurrents rearing their heads in this presidential election, it's not illogical to look at "Iron Man" and see a reflection, and perpetuation, of prejudices that just won't die.
The Minnesota House last Wednesday passed a bill that would allow the University of Minnesota to use state funds to conduct research using embryonic stem cells. The measure prompted a flurry of amendments by anti-choice Republicans designed to derail the bill.
Last week, nearly 80 conservative groups led by the Family Research Council asked President Bush to strip family planning clinics of their eligibility for Title X funds if they refer patients for abortions or share facilities with abortion providers -- which would bring the global gag rule home.
In Colombia, young women may be getting pregnant intentionally -- but not necessarily because they want to become mothers. Sexuality education advocates differ on how best to tailor a pregnancy prevention and sexual health curriculum to reach Colombian teens.
On May 26, the Wanderlust reproductive justice bicycle caravan will set off on an 1800 mile journey from New Orleans to New York City, meeting with and learning from reproductive justice activists along the way.
In honor of the Back Up Your Birth Control with Emergency Contraception (EC) Campaign, Pharmacy Access Partnership and RH Reality Check teamed up to launch an essay contest open to young people 14-24 years of age. Read the winning entry!
Have Safe Haven laws -- in which women can lawfully relinquish their infants within 30 days of birth -- become a substitute for universal health care and comprehensive sexuality education?
Illinois's reproductive justice advocates are backing one of the most comprehensive reproductive health bills the state has ever seen. And they're bringing in new allies for the fight.
