Women's Health Day is Everyday.

Yes, women's health day should be everyday, but yesterday at the Oklahoma State Capitol, a large coalition of groups gathered to celebrate and share information about the importance of women's health issues. The event was sponsored by Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma and the ACLU in coordination with many other women's health care groups in the state. There was a great turnout and I was able to leave with my hands full of useful information on women's mental health, sexual health, pregnancy and reproduction, and health care for low income women. I was even able to get my blood pressure and blood sugar tested by health care professionals at the event!

While walking away from the capitol armed with great information was empowering, it was even more empowering to hear Senator Connie Johnson address the crowd. Sen. Johnson is a true advocate for women's health. She shared important statistics, like how OK ranks really low in women's health care and how OK incarcerates more women than any other state. She also recognized the need to be vigilant about reproductive health care and birth control access in our state. It was comforting for me to hear an OK senator sharing my values, because I know so many legislators ignore the importance of women's health or blatantly fight against securing affordable and accessible health care for women.

Sen. Johnson noted how it was great to see the 4th floor rotunda filled with so many people working for women's health. But next year, she hopes to see more. Could you commit to getting involved?

Educate yourself and share your knowledge with your legislators. It's an important step for securing affordable and accessible health care for women in Oklahoma. Do your part! Visit www.ppcok.org or www.aclu.org for information and more ways to get involved.

HB 1595...another bad bill

For those of you who are concerned about bills which effect women, this one is a doozie. Last week the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed HB 1595 which creates the statistical reporting for abortion act and a state run website to post this information for all to see.

Does the report list your name? Of course not silly, the list of questions to ask the patient having the abortion are so extensive, a woman could be identified should she live in a rural community. Here is a sample of the questions to be asked should this bill make through the Senate:

1. Date of abortion
2. County in which abortion performed
3. Age of mother
4. Marital status of mother (married, divorced, separated, widowed, or never married)
5. Race of mother
6. Years of education of mother (specify highest year completed)
7. State or foreign country of residence of mother
8. Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother

A woman could be identified with the first eight questions on the form in a town of two hundred. Now why would legislators feel the need to post this information on the internet? To harass women who had an abortion? I wonder if the 93 legislators who voted to pass this bill feel better about themselves? Will Rep. Daniel Sullivan sleep better at night knowing this website is up and running?

You know what would make me sleep better is stopping any anti-choice legislation from passing in the Oklahoma Legislature this year. Call your Senator today and ask them not to support HB 1595. Click here if you want to learn who your senator is for your district.

Give it a rest...really.