Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is an enigma wrapped in a red, white & blue riddle when it comes to his stance on reproductive rights. As mayor, Giuliani oversaw public funding for abortions in his city. However, Giuliani has also been an ardent supporter of the Hyde Amendment, the federal legislation banning the use of tax-payer funds for abortions for low-income women. In response to this seeming dichotomy, Giuliani has said, "I hate abortions. I wish people didn't have abortions...States should make their decision. Some states decide to do it. Most states decide not to do it. And I think that's the appropriate way to have this decided."
Giuliani has also made the claim that under his leadership, adoption in New York City increased 66% while the number of abortions decreased by 16%. This was later proven untrue but is still a point of pride on his presidential campaign site.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been labeled consistently out of step with mainstream conservatives because of his pro-gay rights and pro-gun control positions, and mixed record on abortion. While Catholic bishops have declared Rudy Giuliani's statements on abortion in particular, "pathetic" and "hypocritical", James Dobson has publicly stated that his own "moral convictions" will not allow him to vote for Giuliani if he is nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. However, Giuliani has countered that Republicans must learn how to deal with differing perspectives within their own party on these issues.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani has proposed "twelve commitments to the American people" if elected. These commitments include "increasing adoption, decreasing abortion and...appointing strict constructionist judges."
But if campaign contributions are any indication of what regular folks respond to in a presidential candidate, the Giuliani campaign is crafting a successful message. As of July 5, 2007 Rudy's campaign had raised more money in the second quarter than any other Republican presidential candidate.
NARAL Pro-Choice America reports that Giuliani's mayoral record on choice was generally a pro-choice one.
His official campaign statement on abortion puts him at odds with both parties and may win him points with many of the so-called swing voters when it comes to reproductive rights or, then again, it may win him a seat at John Kerry's table:
“Rudy Giuliani supports reasonable restrictions on abortion such as parental notification with a judicial bypass and a ban on partial birth abortion – except when the life of the mother is at stake…But Rudy understands that this is a deeply personal moral dilemma, and people of good conscience can disagree respectfully.”
Rudy describes his unique stance on abortion, which ultimately affirms the right to choose:
Rudy discusses his free market solution to America's health insurance problem:
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.
