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Monday, February 28, 2011
Walk for Choice - Great Signs
A great sign that so many walked for choice on the weekend. And with that, here are some great signs!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Walk for Choice in Toronto February 26
WALK FOR CHOICE!
Saturday February 26 @ noon
Meet in the parkette SE corner Bloor & Spadina
Walk For Choice - in the U.S.A. and around the world, including Toronto.
This event started in the United States to answer the Republican attacks on Planned Parenthood and abortion providers across the country. Solidarity events are happening in Canada and the U.K. Here in Canada the anti-choice are on the march, patients are regularly harassed at clinics, and a fundamentalist neoconservative government is chomping at the bit in Ottawa. Defend the right to choose in Canada, for our American sisters, and around the world!
Spread the word - bring your friends!
sign up on FB: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193343527356456
(Thanks to Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada for the notice)
Saturday February 26 @ noon
Meet in the parkette SE corner Bloor & Spadina
Walk For Choice - in the U.S.A. and around the world, including Toronto.
This event started in the United States to answer the Republican attacks on Planned Parenthood and abortion providers across the country. Solidarity events are happening in Canada and the U.K. Here in Canada the anti-choice are on the march, patients are regularly harassed at clinics, and a fundamentalist neoconservative government is chomping at the bit in Ottawa. Defend the right to choose in Canada, for our American sisters, and around the world!
Spread the word - bring your friends!
sign up on FB: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193343527356456
(Thanks to Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada for the notice)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Kitchener/Waterloo Show On Sale Now
Tickets for The Abortion Monologues in Kitchener/Waterloo, Friday March 25 (7pm) can be purchased at http://www.sellyourevents.com/JaneCawthornesTheAbortionMonologuesFridayOpeningNight.aspx and tickets for Saturday March 26 (1pm) can be purchased at http://sellyourevents.com/JaneCawthornesTheAbortionMonologuesSaturdayMatinee.aspx.
Both show are at the First Unitarian Congregation, 299 Sydney St. S., Kitchener.
Proceeds go to support Planned Parenthood Waterloo Region. The venue is wheelchair accessible and free childcare is provided.
Both show are at the First Unitarian Congregation, 299 Sydney St. S., Kitchener.
Proceeds go to support Planned Parenthood Waterloo Region. The venue is wheelchair accessible and free childcare is provided.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Funding to Planned Parenthood Banned in US
Well, they did it. The US House of Representatives just voted to ban all funding of Planned Parenthood. I feel ill.
Please, if you are American, take action. Go to the Planned Parenthood website and stand united with them.
And Canadians, as I've said before, don't be smug. If this isn't a wake up call, what is?
For more background info, have a look at this New York Times article.
Please, if you are American, take action. Go to the Planned Parenthood website and stand united with them.
And Canadians, as I've said before, don't be smug. If this isn't a wake up call, what is?
For more background info, have a look at this New York Times article.
Never Say Never: Justin Bieber and Abortion
This just in: Rolling Stone magazine has made a very minor correction in excerpts released from its upcoming cover story on the Biebs. Biebs was asked his thoughts on abortion, indicating he doesn't "believe in" abortion (or is that "belieb in"). The magazine then asked a follow up question on whether abortion would be acceptable in cases of rape. According to the Globe and Mail today, the magazine's original excerpt read, "Um. Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that." The correction reads, "Um, Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I don't know how that would be a reason. I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that." Whew. Thanks for clearing that one up Rolling Stone.
I have two things to say about this. First, why is Rolling Stone asking a sixteen year old boy what his thoughts are on abortion? Can any of us foresee any kind of detailed, thoughtful response from Biebs? This is pure sensationalism, no matter what his answer is. I remember when I was sixteen and so darn certain about everything. Black or white. Simple. He's still there, and he can't help that. He's sixteen. But Rolling Stone can. The question was exploitive, meant to sell magazines. Evidence: They are using that quote to promote the issue. But I wonder, as have others, if this response will influence his legion of pre-teen fans (the true Beliebers) and hope that it does not. Think for yourselves, young women, I urge you.
Secondly, Biebs should take his own advice and "Never Say Never." As women find out every day, no matter what they thought they believed about abortion, an unplanned pregnancy forces a total rethink.
The Abortion Monologues is available for purchase at www.abortionmonologues.com and in e-book format here at Smashwords.
I have two things to say about this. First, why is Rolling Stone asking a sixteen year old boy what his thoughts are on abortion? Can any of us foresee any kind of detailed, thoughtful response from Biebs? This is pure sensationalism, no matter what his answer is. I remember when I was sixteen and so darn certain about everything. Black or white. Simple. He's still there, and he can't help that. He's sixteen. But Rolling Stone can. The question was exploitive, meant to sell magazines. Evidence: They are using that quote to promote the issue. But I wonder, as have others, if this response will influence his legion of pre-teen fans (the true Beliebers) and hope that it does not. Think for yourselves, young women, I urge you.
Secondly, Biebs should take his own advice and "Never Say Never." As women find out every day, no matter what they thought they believed about abortion, an unplanned pregnancy forces a total rethink.
The Abortion Monologues is available for purchase at www.abortionmonologues.com and in e-book format here at Smashwords.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
"Morality," defunding Planned Parenthood and restricing access to sex-ed
A recent article in the NYT describes "the seige of Planned Parenthood" south of the border. There's a move by American legislators to deny any and all government funding to PP because they provide abortion services. This is in spite of the fact that PP is already barred from using government funding for abortion services by existing legislation. Of course, PP also provides family planning help and support to 1.85 million low-income women at the clinics each year in the United States. Proponents of defunding have been silent on what these women will do without PP to help them control their fertility and have their babies when they are ready, willing, and able to welcome them into their lives and families with some security.
Before we Canadians go feeling all smug and superior, shaking our heads and clucking our tongues at Americans, let's not forget our own Mr. Harper and his government have successfully ended funding to International Planned Parenthood here without even providing a reason. See this related G&M editorial and this article too for more info on that particular disaster. Old news, I know, but you see my point. In fact, there is a "Defund Planned Parenthood" Facebook site in Canada.
Seemingly unrelated, but not unrelated at all, I also noticed news this week that BC Ferries block access to sites about abortion and sex ed on their Wi Fi network. According to the article, their spokesperson says, "BC Ferries is a family show. We are offering free Wi-Fi and if customers want to view other sites that interest them, they can do it on their own time and on their own property." The implication that being pro-choice and providing necessary health information is somehow "anti-family" offends me.
In the NYT article about defunding PP, Gail Collins writes "There are tens of millions Americans who oppose abortion because of deeply held moral principles. But they’re attached to a political movement that sometimes seems to have come unmoored from any concern for life after birth." So, can we not call the anti-choice folk "anti-family"? After all, they don't seem to give one whit about what happens to all these unwanted babies in their post uterine form or to the families that struggle with them. But no one calls them anti-family.
Nice bit of writing. "Unmoored" is a good word. I'm a bit tired of the anti-choicers claiming the moral highground here. Unfortunately, Collins fails to take the next step in this argument which is to say that indeed, demanding access to abortion services and access to information about abortion or sex ed is also a "deeply moral position" and deeply "pro-family." Let's take it all the way and say, it is, in fact, a human right.
I would like, for once, to see the pro-choice position described as the one that is "deeply moral" because it is.
Before we Canadians go feeling all smug and superior, shaking our heads and clucking our tongues at Americans, let's not forget our own Mr. Harper and his government have successfully ended funding to International Planned Parenthood here without even providing a reason. See this related G&M editorial and this article too for more info on that particular disaster. Old news, I know, but you see my point. In fact, there is a "Defund Planned Parenthood" Facebook site in Canada.
Seemingly unrelated, but not unrelated at all, I also noticed news this week that BC Ferries block access to sites about abortion and sex ed on their Wi Fi network. According to the article, their spokesperson says, "BC Ferries is a family show. We are offering free Wi-Fi and if customers want to view other sites that interest them, they can do it on their own time and on their own property." The implication that being pro-choice and providing necessary health information is somehow "anti-family" offends me.
In the NYT article about defunding PP, Gail Collins writes "There are tens of millions Americans who oppose abortion because of deeply held moral principles. But they’re attached to a political movement that sometimes seems to have come unmoored from any concern for life after birth." So, can we not call the anti-choice folk "anti-family"? After all, they don't seem to give one whit about what happens to all these unwanted babies in their post uterine form or to the families that struggle with them. But no one calls them anti-family.
Nice bit of writing. "Unmoored" is a good word. I'm a bit tired of the anti-choicers claiming the moral highground here. Unfortunately, Collins fails to take the next step in this argument which is to say that indeed, demanding access to abortion services and access to information about abortion or sex ed is also a "deeply moral position" and deeply "pro-family." Let's take it all the way and say, it is, in fact, a human right.
I would like, for once, to see the pro-choice position described as the one that is "deeply moral" because it is.
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