My Lobby Day - TX voices for prevention, education, and Planned Parenthood

This was my first time marching into my state legislators' offices in support of bills I really like. I'd recommend the experience to anyone.

If you can't visit the capitol yourself, you can still call your legislators (look 'em up at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/) and ask them to support the Prevention Works! bill (senate bill 1100/house bill 1694) and the Education Works bill (senate bill 515/house bill 741). Seriously, they are no-brainers in that they'll improve health and save money, but they do face a fight with those who champion ignorance.

But I certainly recommend visiting in person . Parking at the visitor's garage is free for 2 hours!

Thanks for watching!

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• prevention
• education
• lobby
• planned parenthood
• citizens
• voters
• grassroots
• teen pregnancy
• STD
• abortion
• EC
• contraception
• birth control
• comprehensive sex ed
• abstinence
• health care
• austin
• san antonio
• killeen
• houston
• teens
• women
• men
• families
• cecile richards
• texas
• family planning
• epidemic
• health
• voices

[evilmuffin]

I really wished I could have gone to this, but my mom wouldn't let me miss school that day :P

however there was a picture of me and my friend there holding an "I support Planned Parenthood" sign! apparently we got our very own canvas!

Well since i didn't get to go to lobby day, I did participate in the Saint Patricks day parade. I'll post it as a video response, because we made a movie of it!

[JenDWatching]

I *love* your video! I want to go hand out beads at the next parade - how fun! And it's hilarious how many "no comment" remarks you got when approaching members of the cheering crowd for their opinions about Planned Parenthood. The folks who spoke out in support looked so happy, and the "no comment"-ers looked so silly not wanting to go "on the record" in their giant sparkly green hats. ; ) Very well done - and great music picks!

[tersse]

I find this amazing that the US dosn't teach sex educatin to ppl old enough to work just about, we in the UK start sex education at about 12-13, and build on that education as you grow older till your 16 and can leave school, what is the US thinking about, or is that it, you have ppl in charge of the education system that dont think?

[JenDWatching]

I think there are many in our government who are more interested in ideas than in results, so they focus on the ideal of abstinence until marriage, and ignore the scientific research showing this abstinence-only message results in real harm (high infection rate, high teen pregnancy rate, curtailed education, continuing cycle of poverty, etc.). Not to mention it makes no financial sense. Over half of TX births are paid for by Medicaid @ about $9000 each. Education and prevention are cheaper.

[psocidlover]

I wish I could have been there. It amazes me that any legislator would oppose women's access to contraception. Accurate information and access to birth control will minimize he number of women seeking abortion, but there will always be tragic situations (rape or severe fetal abnormalities) when abortion should be available as a safe and legal procedure.

[diypositivedeviance]

Jen--Thanks for posting this!

I really enjoyed being a part of it too.

[joneel68]

Awesome video, glad to see a teenREACH -er on there!!!!

[CAH1963]

Thanks for posting this! It was a great day!

[LarissaLindsay]

Great new young faces for the future!