And the Award Goes to...

Well, I'm not really sure who the award goes to, but a particular Oklahoma Blogger seems to think that this blog - Oklahoma Voice of Reason - is worthy, in his opinion, of being one of Oklahoma's Worst Blogs in 2007.

I just want to reiterate once again that the Oklahoma Voice of Reason blog was created to provide dialogue, education, and commentary on national and local women's and reproductive health issues to ensure that Oklahomans can feel comfortable being the voice of reason for women and families in Oklahoma.

In my opinion, this isn't worthy of being the worst blog. What do you think?

Also, I want to bring to the attention of all readers our new and simple comment policy.

The Oklahoma Voice of Reason Blog is a medium for not only discussion
among pro-choice folks and allies, but for reaching out to others who
might rationally disagree with some of the content that is posted.
However, it is required that discussion in comments should be
respectful and be directed toward the ideas and argument, not the person. All
comments with hate speech, personal attacks, or offensive language will be
deleted. Comment deletion is at the discretion of the moderator.

Friday Blog Highlight

I wanted to highlight a great blog that should be required reading for anyone who spends time thinking and talking about reproductive rights.

abortionclinicdays is a blog that is shares the experiences of two doctors who perform abortions. It gives insight on what these doctors go through day to day and I think it is helpful in dispelling certain myths about abortion providers. These doctors should be applauded for sharing their experiences.

Check out the blog!

Oklahoma Flunks on Women's Health

On a report recently released by the National Women's Law Center, Oklahoma didn't fare too well. In fact, we received an F and rank 48th in the nation. These are not good statistics, certainly nothing to be proud of. Unfortunately, we are part of a trend. The study found that women's health in the U.S. is deteriorating all around.

For more detailed information you can view the report for Oklahoma here.

“It’s not legal, is it?”

Carrie Kilman at In These Times write a great article on abortion in the south and how across the Deep South, religion, culture and politics collide to make ‘abortion’ a dirty word.

From the article:

"At least once a month, I have women who call me and ask whether abortion is
legal. That type of misinformation is rampant,” says Ayers. “We’re in the middle
of the Bible Belt. It’s not just religion, it’s the fanatical religious aspect
that keeps stirring people up who are opposed to us.” Says June Ayers, owner of
Reproductive Health Services, one of the clinics that performs abortions in
Alabama.

It's a good read, so check it out.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Wearing the pink ribbon probably isn't enough. It might be a start, but there are other things that women can do to show their commitment to women's breast health. A report from the American Cancer Society has found that the breast cancer death rate in the U.S. continues to drop by more than 2 percent a year. This is good news, however, a survey by the National Breast Cancer Coalition found that "misinformation abounds" when it comes to key facts about breast cancer.

So in addition to your pink ribbon (and pink Kitchen aid appliances, and pink boxes of mac and cheese, etc...) try being a wealth of information about breast cancer by studying up at these sites:

American Cancer Society

Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

National Cancer Institute

The Breast Cancer Site - Where you can "Click to Give"

Then you can share you knowledge with others and maybe even consider volunteering at the American Cancer Society, or any other local cancer non-profit organization. Do something important this October, do it for women's health!