Victory in Mississippi!

Like many others around the country, we at Planned Parenthood of Illinois were waiting anxiously to hear the results of Mississippi’s vote on Amendment 26 (otherwise know as the “Personhood Amendment), a dangerous state ballot initiative that would extend to all fertilized eggs the same legal rights as the living, breathing women who carry them. We are thrilled to announce that Amendment 26, has been defeated!

People from clergy members to medical professionals to anti-choice politicians denounced the ballot initiative, recognizing it as a misguided and dangerous effort that would have done far more harm than good to the people of Mississippi. Planned Parenthood is thrilled that voters stopped this effort in its tracks.

Mississippi voters rejected the so-called ‘personhood’ amendment because they understood it is government gone too far, and would have allowed government to have control over personal decisions that should be left up to a woman, her family, her doctor and her faith, including keeping a woman with a life-threatening pregnancy from getting the care she needs, and criminalizing everything from abortion to common forms of birth control such as the pill and the IUD.

This is an amazing victory for women's health! And we couldn't have done it without your support. Thousands of supporters across the nation made calls to Mississippi voters telling them to vote NO on November 8. A special thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who made calls from Illinois - you have made a big difference to women in Mississippi!

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