Generations Gala Spring 2012

Planned Parenthood of Illinois honored generations of support for women's health care at its second annual Generations Gala last Thursday, April 19 at the Fairmont Hotel Millennium Park.

Joan Walsh

Nearly 400 supporters attended the event to celebrate how each generation approached the fight for reproductive justice and what Planned Parenthood is doing today to protect reproductive health care for future generations.

“Planned Parenthood has served millions of women across the nation for more than 90 years. In fact, 1 in 5 women has obtained services from a Planned Parenthood health center in her lifetime,” said Carole Brite, PPIL President and CEO. “Our collective mission – which we renew tonight – is to make sure that nothing stands in the way of women receiving the health care that they need and deserve.”

Joan Walsh, Editor At Large for Salon.com and MSNBC Political Analyst who has publicly debated about women’s healthcare with conservative zealots – from Bill O’Reilly to Dick Armey to Pat Buchanan - spoke about the war on women. Walsh addressed the need and ability for supporters to take rein of the national debate on women’s health care.

“We have an epochal opportunity to reframe this debate - to place contraception and abortion services in the full spectrum of women's health care and women's freedom.” said Walsh, “If we approach this debate with moral and political self-confidence, we'll win it.”

Yamani Hernandez and Margaret Wiley Carr

Yamani Hernandez, Executive Director at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH) was honored with the Margaret Wiley Carr Bright Horizons Award. The award honors the next generation of influential activists in the reproductive rights movement. Hernandez was honored with this award for her work in providing youth leadership development, sexual health education and legislative advocacy to ensure that all young people have access to the information and services they need to stay healthy.

"Teen Pregnancy rates are down considerably as a direct result of access to contraception.” said Hernandez “It’s critical that we continue to work together to ensure that both the right to sex-education as well as access to contraception and sexual health services, no matter what their choices, serves the unique needs of teens and stays intact."

The Conant Family

Guests also joined in honoring Doris Conant and her family for their commitment to protecting women’s health care. The Conants have been supporters of Planned Parenthood for more than 40 years.

We would like to express a special thanks to Joan Walsh for lending her voice to an empowering program, to our co-chairs – the Beidler-Witzburg and Stamm-Lehman families, to all the members of our Host Committee and to all of our Sponsors whose support allows us to continue our important work day in and day out.

Event Co-Hosts and Carole Brite

On behalf of our patients, staff and advocates, we are so grateful for everyone who was able to join us and for everyone who stands up with us to ensure that sexual education and health services are available to everyone.

Images from the Generations Gala are posted on our Facebook page!

For more information on Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the work that your support makes possible please watch this video.

Contribute to our mission through volunteerism, advocacy or donations by visiting our website or contacting us at 312-592-6800.

Hear more from Joan Walsh on her website or Twitter.

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Knox College Students Learn about GYT Campaign, Attacks on Women's Health Care

Advocates for Choice at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois kicked off the return from Spring Break with a guest speaker, Brigid Leahy, Director of Legislative Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Leahy’s presentation was part of a series of activities promoting the Get Yourself Tested (GYT) Campaign during the month of April.

In response to the staggering rate of sexually transmitted infections (STDs) among youth in the U.S., MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation, as part of a longstanding public information partnership, are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) to promote National STD Awareness month with GYT.

As many as one in two sexually active young people will contract an STD by age 25 -- and most won’t know it. Leahy encouraged the group of about 30 students to talk to their health care providers and to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). She warned, “When left untreated, STDs can lead to an increased risk of HIV infection, infertility, and cancer. This is about your health and your future.”

Leahy informed the group that now more than ever it is important for young people to be involved in the issue of access to reproductive health care. Access to family planning services has been shown to improve the health and well being of omen and their families. Not only is the prevention and treatment of STD’s important for overall health, but also birth control has been shown to improve the health of women and proper spacing of children results in healthier babies.

“Unfortunately, in the last two years, we have seen an unprecedented number of attacks on access to reproductive health care,” said Leahy. “These attacks have been on the federal and state level. They are happening nationwide as well as here in Illinois.”

At the federal level, the anti-choice leadership of the U. S. House has made cutting family planning funding and restricting access to abortion their top priority. Some of the very first legislation acted upon was aimed at cutting off funding for contraception, STD testing, and life saving cancer screenings such as breast exams and Pap tests. Several bills have targeted birth control and abortion coverage in health insurance. In Illinois, we are currently facing two anti-choice bills – HB 4085, a mandate for ultrasounds prior to abortions, and HB 4117, medically unnecessary clinic regulations.

“These bills are not about improving women’s health,” Leahy pointed out. “Instead they are about limiting access to health care. In fact, the sponsor of the ultrasound bill has repeatedly said that he wants to use his legislation to get women to change their minds about having abortions.”

Leahy contended that this was not the role of government, “Women should be able to make these very private and personal health care decisions without the politicians stepping in.”

Tell your legislator to vote no on HB 4085 by clicking here!

 
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Lobbying for Comprehensive Sex Education

Last week, Planned Parenthood staff and volunteers traveled to Springfield, Illinois, to lobby members of the Illinois House of Representatives and urge them to vote yes on HB 3027, the Comprehensive Sex Education bill. HB 3027 creates a standard for existing sexual health education courses in Illinois.

HB 3027 requires that IF a public school chooses to teach sex education, THEN the program must be medically accurate and developmentally and age appropriate. It does not apply to private or religious schools. It does not require any specific lesson plan, activities, or materials. Instead, schools have flexibility to choose among numerous curricula. In addition, parents can remove their children from sexual health education courses for any reason and students cannot be penalized.


Planned Parenthood was joined by a number of coalition partner members such as the ACLU of Illinois, Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition, and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health. There were over 200 people in attendance, including a large group of Illinois youth. The group had a training in the morning and then met at the Capitol for a rally where they heard from bill sponsor, Rep. Camille Lilly (D-78, Chicago), and Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-18, Evanston) speak.

1 in 2 sexually active people will get an STD by the age of 25. Planned Parenthood believes that our youth need to have the knowledge and tools to protect themselves from STDs and unintended pregnancy. Comprehensive sex education in Illinois schools that is age-appropriate and medically accurate is an important step toward ensuring that our youth lead healthier and happier lives.

What can you do? Urge your state representative to vote yes for HB 3027 today! Contact your Rep by calling the Capitol switchboard at 217-782-2000. Contact info for specific representatives can be found here: http://www.ilga.gov/house/. 

To learn more about comprehensive sex education, click here.


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