California NOW

Tell Governor Brown to Expand Medi-Cal

Access to health coverage is a critical component in promoting the ability of women, their families, and communities, to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Studies have shown conclusively that lack of access to health coverage causes women to delay or forego needed health treatment, including both preventive and sick care. For women of childbearing age, this means that critical opportunities to improve their health before pregnancy are missed. If women can obtain regular health care services to help them quit smoking, achieve a healthy weight, and maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels, they are much more likely to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Two bills in the Legislature (ABX1 1/SBX1 1) would extend health coverage to more women of childbearing age and expand Medi-Cal benefits for pregnant women.

Here are some facts:

• As of 2011, an average of 25.3% of women of childbearing age were uninsured here in California.
• Of the uninsured, Latinas and immigrant women have the least access to health insurance and, as a result, experience disproportionate health disparities.
• About 856,000 uninsured women in our state would be eligible if Medicaid were expanded up to 138% of the federal poverty level.
• Currently, women up to 200% of the federal poverty level are eligible for only pregnancy-related and postpartum services. Providing full scope benefits to pregnant women will improve their overall health and help reduce premature and low birth weight babies.

These two bills will help to promote health equity here in California but we are not sure that Governor Brown will sign them.

That's why we're asking you to take a couple of minutes today to call Governor Brown at (916) 445-2841 and ask that he support ABx1 1 and SBx 1 1.

Governor Brown shouldn't just be hearing from health insurance companies on a bill this important. He needs to hear from us, urging him to stand up for women (especially Latinas and immigrant women) by supporting ABx1 1 and SBx1 1!

Can't call? No problem. Take a moment to email the governor by clicking here.

You can play a key role in promoting health equity in California. Please join me in calling Governor Brown NOW!

For Equality & In Solidarity,

Patty Bellasalma
President, California NOW

LA Needs a Strong Feminist for Mayor

We've been asked a lot why we endorsed the man in the race for LA Mayor. The reason is simple – Eric Garcetti is clearly the stronger feminist.

A perfect example occurred this past Sunday during the USC debate when the moderator asked both candidates if there should be an age restriction at which someone could access Plan B (emergency contraception) over the counter.

Wendy Greuel gave a perplexing answer for someone who boasts being endorsed by Planned Parenthood: Rather than state that emergency contraception should be available to any woman or girl who needs it without a doctor’s prescription, Wendy called herself pro-choice but then went on to say that the responsibility is between a doctor and their patient.

When the moderator pressed her, pointing out that many members of women’s health organizations believe there should be NO age restriction on access to emergency contraception, she replied, "Well again, I think that's a conversation between the young woman and, uh, the pharmacist and others about the ability to have access to that (access to Plan B). I think we need to teach our young women responsibility…..”

California NOW, along with our Reproductive Justice allies work tirelessly every day to ensure access to full reproductive healthcare, including over-the-counter emergency contraception, like Plan B, which is why California NOW endorsed Eric Garcetti. 

Eric Garcetti's words demonstrate why he’s the best choice for mayor. When the moderator asked Eric Garcetti the same question, Eric immediately replied, "No I don't believe there should be….(age restrictions on access to emergency contraception). We had a great program that we had in Hollywood to reduce teenage pregnancy that was actually so successful it was wound down - eighty-five percent cut in the amount of teenage pregnancies in Hollywood that were happening around Hollywood High School and the neighborhood. But we have to remember these girls, these young women, are often coming from sometimes abusive situations, may have been the survivors of sexual abuse in other situations. They might have that in the home, and I think if you make this be something that somebody has to describe to their parent, you remove those protections from some who have been the most abused and the most vulnerable, and that's the reason I oppose (restrictions on access to Plan B)"

In the race for LA Mayor, it's clear that the strongest feminist is Eric Garcetti. In addition to being a lifetime NOW member, Eric has worked on numerous advocacy campaigns, alongside local Los Angeles, state and national NOW leaders. He also authored the legislation for local implementation of gender equality (CEDAW - Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women). He sponsored city council sessions to educate the public about myths surrounding sexual assault, led the fight to secure the funding necessary to eliminate the backlog of DNA rape kits and fought to ensure that the LAPD have the resources necessary to process new kits on an on-going basis.

LA is the largest city in our state. It's the second largest city in the nation. LA needs a mayor who understands the issues and will answer a direct question on an important issue like access to Plan B.

International Women's Day!

Today is International Women's Day.  In commemoration, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet spoke today at the United Nations.

Here is a portion of what she said....

"We cannot move backwards, we must keep moving forward. It is what we owe to millions of women fighting for their rights around the world.

We find ourselves at a tipping point in history. Never before have we witnessed such global momentum and mobilization by men and women, girls and boys, demanding an end to violence against women and girls.

Never before have we witnessed such open, widespread public outrage and calls for change and action.

Never before have we had the instant and global outreach that new technologies afford—to record in mere seconds, and communicate in real time, the atrocities and horrors of violence committed against women and girls.

Violence against women is pervasive and knows no borders. It does not discriminate according to nationality, ethnicity, social class, culture or religion.

This is why women, men and young people have raised their voices in every region to say one thing: enough is enough.

People demand an immediate end to impunity. They insist on the protection of the rights of women and girls to live in dignity, free of violence and discrimination.

And let me say this: There can be no peace, no progress, no equality without women’s full and equal rights and participation. And there can be no gender equality without women’s realization. Women’s realization of their full reproductive rights, their right to sexual and reproductive health, are essential to the empowerment of women and to gender equality.

As social transformations in attitudes, beliefs, and values are happening, we must keep pace with the aspirations of people everywhere in the world. Their hope, our hope is to see gender equality become reality in this, our 21st century."

Click here to read Michelle Bachelet's full remarks.

 

 

Outrageous Rape "Facts" Come to California!

Remember when Senate Missouri candidate, Todd Akin (who served on the Science Committee in Congress for years) made that ridiculous statement about women not becoming pregnant as a result of rape if it was a "legitimate rape"? And remember when Indiana senate candidate, Richard Mourdock, followed up by saying that pregnancies resulting from rape were part of God's plan?

After the 2012 election, you'd think GOP leaders would realize that those sorts of outrageous statements are neither true nor a winning strategy in politics.

Guess the GOP has not quite learned their lesson because last Friday - here in California - Celeste Greig, head of the California Republican Assembly (California's oldest and largest GOP volunteer group), told the media that pregnancies by rape are rare "because it's an act of violence, because the body is traumatized."

If you are as disgusted by scientifically challenged Republican leaders like Greig attempting to defend rape related anti-choice policies, click here. Politicians and leaders in political parties who attempt to minimize the horrific consequences of rape in order to pursue a political agenda that degrades women must go!

Rapes cause pregnancy. Celeste Greig (and other politicians who just make their own "facts" up) need to resign from their high profile positions so that policies can be created based on science, not ideology. Click here to sign the petition demanding Celeste Greig resign.

For Equality & In Solidarity,

Patty Bellasalma
President, California NOW

It's 2013! Isn't it time to focus on gender equity?

In a few days, we'll begin celebrating Women's History Month. Throughout the month, we'll hear a lot of speeches from government officials about how they believe in gender equality and women's empowerment.

That's a good thing! But an even better way to celebrate Women's History Month would be for legislators to ask one basic question before they pass another bill or implement another policy - What is the gender impact?

Gender equality is the law!  We've found no constitutional or statutory exception to gender equality mandates.  There's no language stating anti-discrimination statutes and equal protection of laws apply to women and girls only if they don’t cost too much.

Therefore, California NOW will begin persistently demanding that state and local governments follow the law by ensuring that analysis of budget decisions, legislation, policies and programs include a gender impact statement.

The failure to find out the actual impact of budget decisions, laws and policies year-in and year-out is simply unacceptable, especially in 2013. It is time for California government to ensure compliance with equal protection standards and anti-discrimination laws.  Such a task cannot be done if state and local governments fail to collect data on gender equality and anti-discrimination compliance and make that data available to the public.  The failure to enact outcome and/or performance-based decision making to the budget, as well as policies and programs, has produced an unaccountable state and local government that fails to ensure gender equality and that further fails to promote women and girls empowerment. It’s time to put an end to such failures.

Click here to read our letter.

We have a super majority in both Houses and a Democratic Governor. The time for excuses is over. If we really want to move towards full equity, join me in asking for more than words this year.

Together, let's insist that legislation and policies coming out of Sacramento have a gender impact statement attached to them. The nearly 19 million women and girls in California deserve - and should settle for - nothing less.