Weekly News!

Here's what you might have, but shouldn't have, missed in the news last week:

• Joan Malin, CEO of Planned Parenthood of New York City, is quoted in the New York Times on the Clinic Access Bill.



• The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC, highlights Planned Parenthood’s preventive health care to 3 million women.



• Julie Rovner, NPR, has an excellent segment piece on All Things Considered about why NPR no longer uses the phrase “late-term abortion” and instead refers to these procedures as "late abortion" or "abortion later in pregnancy."



• Rozalyn Farmer Love, a medical student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, has a powerful OpEd in the Washington Post



• Cecile Richards, president of PPFA, is interviewed on AP Radio about speaking at Dr. Tiller’s memorial in Washington DC, hosted by RCRC. The American Prospect also reports on the memorial.

What did you read?

Do you listen to your friends when it comes to birth control?

Check out this hilarious new video from Sarah Haskins, all about Lady Friends!



Sarah's stuff is hilarious, and this one is sure no exception. But it got me thinking -- as much as the advertising industry may try and unrealistically use the concept of a woman and her friends sharing information (hello granny panties!), that idea doesn't come from nowhere. I often turn to some of my best friends for information on doctors, relationships and, of course, birth control.

But am I alone in this? What about all of you? Who would you turn to first, your friends, a web site, or a doctor for advice on birth control and protection?

PS - read more about the Top Ten Contraception Myths and how to find the best birth control for you.

What you might have missed in the news last week:

There's been a ton of media coverage, both local and national, on all things repro rights. Here's what happened last wee:

• The New York Times has a piece on the Clinic Access Bill with a great quote from PPNYC's President Joan Malin.



• El Diaro has a great editorial on the Dr. Tiller murder.



• Chelsea News Now covered the vigil for Dr. George Tiller.

Additionally, there have been many, many moving articles, commentary, blogs regarding the tragic murder of Dr. Tiller. Here are a few from across the country worth reading.

• The whole site I Am Dr. Tiller



• NYT's amazing blog: Dr. Tiller’s important job



• Huffington Post: Why I Wear the Penny: A Planned Parenthood Clinic Escort's Reaction to the Tiller Murder



• Kansas City Star: Tiller defined by those he helped



• USA Today editorial: Our view on death in Wichita: Activists mount militant assault on abortion rights



• Washington Post editorial: Clinics in the Cross Hairs

What else did you read?

Jonas Brothers' Mom on Safe [non]Sex

Not that I'm a huge fan, but I couldn't help but pay attention when I saw that according to People Magazine the Jonas Brothers' mom is speaking out about the boys' sexuality:

"They are men. They have desires. They have testosterone," she says. "If they make a mistake, I'm not going to hate them."
...
As for the purity rings Kevin, 21, Joe, 19, and Nick, 16, all wear, [the Jonas Brothers' mom] Denise says it was a private decision that's gotten some unwanted attention.

"They've been criticized for proclaiming things they never proclaimed," she says. "And what's the criticism? They don't want to go out there giving everyone an STD? What's so terrible about that?"

On the one hand, this kind of open, non-judgmental attitude coming from a parent is one of the best things a kid (both boys and girls!) can have when navigating the sometimes rocky waters of sex and sexuality. On the other hand, I kind of wish she'd focus less on testosterone and more on ways of preventing STDs other than just the brothers' purity rings.

Which brings us to the real question: given that Joe Jonas wears a purity ring, should we be reading more into the fact he's just dressed up and danced to Beyonce's song "Single Ladies" (chorus: 'if you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it')?

Personal Stories

In the wake of Dr. Tiller's assassination, I've been hearing a lot of questions about what it means to get an abortion in the late second or third trimester of your pregnancy, and why women would seek them.

To anyone who hasn't had to think about this issue before, or who's only heard about it from anti-choice groups' rhetoric, the question makes sense. Jodi Jacobson has a great piece up at RH Reality Check about the specifics of the procedure -- namely that they constitute about 0.2% of all abortion procedures conducted in the U.S., that they're severely restricted by law under Roe v. Wade and are performed when the continuation of the pregnancy poses serious risks to the woman's life or health and could cause irreparable harm to the woman.

The heartbreaking part is that often times the women who elect to have this procedure done do so under dire circumstances, with pregnancies that were wanted yet for the woman's own safety simply cannot continue. And to that effect, I thought it would be worth sharing some of their stories.

• Gretchen Voss has a powerful first person story in the Boston Globe which won a Maggie. Her piece also appeared in Marie Claire.




• The site A Hearbreaking Choice has a collection of personal stories posted by women who traveled to Kansas to see Dr. Tiller.



• Self Magazine has a great piece on the tragic pregnancies at the center of late-term abortion debate.



• MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has an amazing piece on 'Who is Dr. Tiller'


And these two powerful editorials are also worth a read:



• USA Today editorial: Our view on death in Wichita: Activists mount militant assault on abortion rights



• Washington Post editorial: Clinics in the Cross Hairs

Footage from the vigil yesterday

Thanks to everyone who came out, and to Courtney at Feministing for posting.

Vigil Tonight

Please join PPNYC along with NARAL NY, The NYCLU, NYAAF, and PRCH this evening for a special:

VIGIL TO HONOR DR. GEORGE TILLER

Monday, June 1st, 6 pm


Union Square, New York City


Accessible by the 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R trains

Many of you have read in the news about the tragic murder of Dr. George Tiller yesterday in Kansas. I am writing to share my deep, personal sadness that is shared not only in Kansas, but throughout the entire Planned Parenthood family.

Dr. Tiller was a hero, a man who had deep compassion for his work and his patients. PPNYC had referred patients to his practice over the years and was always gratified by his care and compassion. A couple years ago, Dr. Tiller came to speak at PPNYC and shared his experiences and passion for his work with our clinical staff. He was a true inspiration to us all.


Tonight , Monday June 1st at 6pm, we will gather in Union Square with our friends, colleagues and supporters to honor the life of this courageous man who dedicated his life to serving women when they were in need.

Please join us to remember Dr. Tiller and to stand in solidarity with those who work every day to ensure that women and their families have access to the care they need even in the face of violence and intimidation.

Recommended Reading

If you're like me, you might be having a hard time wrapping your head around the horrific murder of Dr. George Tiller. We'll be holding a vigil later tonight (details coming shortly) but in the meantime here are some of the pieces I've been reading to try and understand this gut-wrenching tragedy:

• The fabulous Michelle Golderg on the history of violence and right-wing extremism.




• Christina Page on whether this murder is a foreshadowing.




• The great blog Amplify has a heartening statement from the National Network of Abortion Funds on how they won't be backing down from their work.




• Shannon Moore has a good piece on Christian Fundamentalist Terrorism.




• Jill Filipovic on who killed Dr. Tiller.




• And Feministing is keeping a list of vigils around the country.

So tell us, what have you been reading? What have you found helpful?

The horrific tragedy in Kansas

I'm sure most of you have heard by now about the tragic murder of Dr. George Tiller yesterday in Kansas.

Planned Parenthood of New York City's official statement is below:

We at Planned Parenthood are deeply saddened by the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends and to all of us who hold Dr Tiller in such high regard and know the value of his commitment and work.

George Tiller was truly an American hero.

He provided critical reproductive health care services to women facing some of the most difficult medical circumstances. He was continually harassed by abortion opponents for much of his career - his clinic was burned down, he was previously shot in both arms by a health center protestor, and he was continually targeted for investigation only to be acquitted by a jury just a few months ago. None of this stopped George Tiller from his commitment to providing women and their families with compassionate care that others were unwilling to offer.

Several years ago, after anti-abortion protesters marched outside the same church where he was killed Sunday, Dr Tiller explained his commitment to providing abortion care for women. "Make no mistake, this battle is about self-determination by women of the direction and course of their lives and their family’s lives. Abortion is about women’s hopes and dreams. Abortion is a matter of survival for women."

We have referred patients to Dr Tiller’s practice over the years and were always deeply impressed and gratified by his care and compassion. A couple years ago, Dr. Tiller came to speak at PPNYC and shared his experiences and passion for his work with our clinical staff. He brought a deep understanding of patients needs and set the bar high for quality care, compassion and understanding. Patients that went to Dr Tiller were very often difficult cases and many had no other place to turn.

His death is an enormous loss for the patients who relied upon him, his dedicated staff, the medical community and for women and their families across America.

But our work continues, the medical providers and clinical staff at Planned Parenthood rededicate our efforts to serve the women and families of New York – we do this in Dr. Tiller’s memory.

Last Week's News

Good Morning! In case you missed them, here is a quick roundup of last week's news:

• Planned Parenthood's CEO Joan Malin had a great Letter to the Editor in the New York Times.




• Planned Parenthood's Haydee Morales had a column in El Diario about Teen Pregnancy rates in the Latina community.




• NBC’s Today Show highlights Planned Parenthood’s online tools, My Method and The Check.




• The Washington Post reports that the White House delivered strong assurances that Judge Sotomayor agrees with President Obama’s belief in constitutional protections for a woman’s right to abortion,




• Pollster.com offers more insight into the recent Gallup poll on abortion.