Please Join UC Feminists in a rally to protest the Stupak Amendment!

For those of you that haven’t heard, the health care bill passed in the house. However, while passing health care reform in the House was a great achievement in reform, the last minute Stupak Amendment added to the Bill was a shocking disappointment for women.

The Stupak Amendment restricts women's access to abortion not only on public funding but in the private insurance market. Women will have to pay in advance for a special rider on their plan to cover the procedure. Purchasing this rider is unrealistic for so many women: it expects we'll plan ahead for unplanned pregnancy. Also, those of us already struggling to pay our insurance will likely avoid adding on the cost of an abortion rider. The rider process will force women to pay out-of-pocket for the last minute procedure, even further limiting abortion access for low-income women.

For more information on the Stupak Amendment, see the actual amendment here (http://www.docstoc.com/docs/15284081/Stupak-Amendment-to-HR-3962-Rev-108) and a press release from the Feminist Majority Foundation explaining the amendment here (http://feminist.org/news/pressstory.asp?id=12062).

So, in response to this, we will be holding a rally opposing the Stupak Amendment and urging the Senate to now incorporate similar language in its own bill. Please join us this Thursday, November 12, at 12pm in the “free speech zone” on McMicken Commons to make sure our peers are aware of this and to let our Senators know women are watching.

What: Stupak Amendment Protest
Date: Thursday, November 12
Time: 12 p.m. (noon)
Location: “Free Speech Zone” on McMicken Commons
Bring: Signs, megaphones, cameras, and you enthusiastic feminist spirit!

We will bring additional limited number of signs for those who need them. Here are some sign slogans you can use:
• Keep your laws off my body
• Stupak is wack
• Real reform includes women’s health
• Protect women’s health
• Keep abortion safe and legal
• Step back Stuapk
• Create your own!

Please tell all your friends, classmates, professors, and anyone else who might be interested. If you are on listservs that might be interested, please feel free to forward this message on to them. Getting the word out there is key! Please show your support for women everywhere!

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail us at usfeminists@gmail.com