North Dakota Planned Parenthood Advocate

National Women's Health Week

National Women’s Health Week is May 13 – 19^th, and it’s a great week to bring together communities, businesses, health organizations and other groups to promote women’s health. With busy schedules and summer fast approaching, perhaps this one week of recognizing women’s health just does not seem to fit into those planners.

Diary of an Intern: Me and the Media

By Amy T, Intern for PPMNS Action Fund

I grew up in a family where I was somewhat expected to read the morning paper, or at least I felt pressure from myself to to drudge through the boring articles. From this, I really started to hate the media. I actually choose to be uninformed because I could not stand to listen to the 5 o'clock news.

I am so glad to say this has changed. Now, I find quite a bit of joy in the media. For example, this week, Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina, stated that women do not care about contraceptives, which I don’t so much like. The part the I like, is that citezens from all over created media critical of her statement. Weather it's video responses, blog posts, or independent newspapers, all sorts of citizens, not just journalists, were able to voice opinions.

'It’s My Vote, I Will Be Heard'- Voter to Voter Turn Out Training in Jamestown

If you read our blog posts you know we are passionate about getting women out to vote in November. Well, we have some exciting news for all you women looking to plug in and get trained on voter activation in the great state of North Dakota! American Association of University Women is hosting ‘It’s my vote. I will be heard” in Jamestown, ND in April. Here is what they have to say about the event.

Diary of an Intern: Dear 'Dr. Perry'

By: Amy T., Intern for PPMNS Action Fund

This week I was delighted to discover that women and men all over the nation continue to engage in a Facebook protest against Rick Perry, Governor of Texas.  Perry’s Facebook page is flooded with comments and questions about reproductive health, as if he were a doctor- which he seems to think he is. Here is just a small sample of, what I find, hil-arious comments…

A 'Do Not Miss' event at NDSU

“The Affordable Care Act two years later: Impacts on access to birth control and women’s health”

The week of March 19 marks the two-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (health care reform).  Dr. Stephanie Dahl, a doctor in Reproductive Medicine Endocrinology and Infertility will discuss the importance of access to birth control in women’s lives. The floor will open for questions and discussion following Dr. Dahl’s presentation.

 

Tuesday, March 20^th

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Arikira room of the Memorial Union

Speaker: Dr. Stephanie Dahl

Diary of an Intern: 'V' is for (drum roll please) Vagina!

Hey, Amy T. here, with an update on my activities.

This week, North Dakota State University will be showing The Vagina Monologues, where I will be able to connect with students who want to get involved in Women’s health, who are looking for information on safer sex, or who just want to chat. Look for me at the Planned Parenthood Booth, and get a condom rose, I’ll be surrounded by things pink!

A High-Five, a Shout-Out, or a Thank you

By: Cecile Richards, President Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Last week, the Senate rejected the Blunt amendment, a measure that would have allowed any employer to deny women who work for them insurance coverage for any essential health benefit, including birth control, for any moral or religious reason. After weeks of debate and an enormous outcry from Planned Parenthood supporters nationwide, the message is clear: birth control is basic health care, and your medical decisions should be between you and your doctor.

This is a huge victory for women's health, and I’m pleased to say that Senator Conrad voted to defend access to affordable birth control. Please take a moment to thank Sen. Conrad for voting to protect women’s health and ask them to keep up the fight.

U.S. Senate Defeats Blunt Amendment 51-48

In an important victory, the U.S. Senate stood up today for women’s health and basic health care by defeating an extreme proposal sponsored by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) that would have allowed any corporation or health plan to refuse to cover any health care service they object to, such as cancer screenings, maternity care, HIV/AIDS treatments and others.  

“Today’s vote says that your boss won’t be able to decide which prescriptions you can get filled and which medical procedures you can have,” said Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS). “For women, this vote means contraception will be covered under their health insurance, just like other basic, preventive health care. 

The birth control benefit is critically important for millions of women, who have watched the debate over this benefit with disappointment and bewilderment. Nationally, a wide range of health care groups, including the American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Spina Bifida Association joined Planned Parenthood in opposing this dangerous proposal.

“The Blunt amendment would have rolled back an enormously popular benefit and undermined a fundamental principle of the health care law — that everyone in this country deserves a basic standard of health insurance coverage,” continued Stoesz.

As a trusted health care provider to one in five women in America, Planned Parenthood believes that women, regardless of where they work, should have access to health insurance that covers preventive health care, including birth control, with no co-pays.

Being blunt about Blunt

By: Erin H., Volunteer Blogger for PPMNS Action Fund

A lot of ink has been spilled in the last few weeks about the national fervor over contraception, health insurance, and religion. Nearly everyone has commented – some thoughtfully, some hilariously, some infuriatingly. Actually, mostly hilariously.

Authorities in the Catholic Church as well as other religious figures have said that the requirement that they offer their employees insurance that covers contraceptives forces them to go against their deeply held religious belief that the use of contraceptives is wrong. President Obama has since offered a compromise, wherein religious institutions are exempt from the requirement, but women are still offered the choice of birth control from the insurance company itself.

While I am firmly in support of the requirement, I think the larger debate raises interesting an question: what influence should religion and the religious have on public policy?

Diary of an Intern: An Introduction

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Amy T. and I am studying social work at MSUM. I am scheduled to graduate in May with my degree in Social Work- finally all of my hard work will pay off!  I am very excited for this final step in my undergraduate journey. Planned Parenthood MN, ND, SD recently accepted me into their North Dakota Public Affairs Department Internship.

I will be acting as Planned Parenthood's Campus Coordinator for Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM), University of North Dakota (UND), and North Dakota State University (NDSU). I am thrilled and energized at the prospect of connecting with students who are passionate about women' health, and together, growing the movement for women in North Dakota.

I will  share my experiences with you in my weekly ‘Diary of an Intern’ blog post. Look for my weekly updates on what I am doing and whom I am chatting with. I look forward to sharing this amazing adventure with you!

By: Amy T, Intern for PPMNS Action Fund