Volume , Number 0
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Features
Montreal Climate talks (2005)
Brian Tokar
War & Peace
Sofia Jarrin-thomas
Punishment
Don Monkerud
Labor Notes
Melissa Hornaday
Community Organizing
Lee Siu hin
Fog Watch
Edward Herman
Exporting
Alexandra Freedman
Labeling
Joshua Frank
Investigations
Nicolas J.S. Davies
“Free” Trade
Carolina Cositore
Gay & Lesbian Community Notes
Michael Bronski
Privatizing
Daniel Borgström
Rights & Wrongs
Olga Bonfiglio
Conservative Watch
Bill Berkowitz
Interview
David Barsamian
Reproductive Rights
Eleanor j. Bader
NSA Spying on Americans Is …
The aclu
Zaps
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Emergency Contraception
W hen Annie Tummino went on vacation two years ago, she forgot to take her birth control pills for several days. Despite three summers interning at the National Organization for Women (NOW) in New York and a post-college year as a counselor at Planned Parenthood of Western Massachusetts, she was terrified, desperate to get hold of the Morning After Pill (MAP).
“I was really freaking out,” Tummino recalls. “Luckily, when I looked online I found www.not-2- late.com, a hotline run by doctors. I contacted them and after a five- minute conversation with a counselor, they called in a prescription for Plan B Emergency Contraception [EC]. A few hours after contacting them, I went to the drug store, picked up two pills, and took them. I know I was lucky to get the pills, but it showed me how much crap and panic and how much rearranging of life goes on when the Morning After Pill is not available over the counter [OTC].”
At the time of her pregnancy scare, Tummino was already a seasoned activist. She had been involved in New York state NOW’s Reproductive Rights Task Force since 2003 and had participated in civil disobedience in support of OTC MAP access. Later, following leadership changes in NOW, she joined the Women’s Liberation Birth Control Project (WLBCP), part of the Morning After Pill Conspiracy.
Conspirators including WLBCP; Gainesville, Florida NOW’s Young Feminist Task Force; Gainesville Women’s Liberation; Utah NOW’s Young Feminist Task Force; and others have organized demonstrations, sit-ins, and speak-outs and have risked arrest to hand out emergency contraception to women desiring it.
Emergency Contraception (or EC, a term used interchangeably with the Morning After Pill) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1999 and has been available by prescription throughout the U.S. since then. According to MayoClinic.com, “Human conception rarely occurs immediately after intercourse. Instead, it occurs as long as several days later, after ovulation. During the time between intercourse and conception, sperm travels through the fallopian tube until the egg appears.” EC prevents sperm from reaching the egg and keeps the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall if it is taken within 72-hours of having unprotected sex.
In the nearly seven years since the FDA approved doctor-dispensed EC, several states (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Washington) have made it available without a prescription. Sadly, even in these places, access remains limited. According to Carol Cox, a spokesperson for Barr Pharma- ceuticals, owners of the patent for Plan B, one of the most popular forms of EC, “Pharmacy laws vary from state to state and the Board of Pharmacy in each place decides what it will do. In each of the locations where it is available without a prescription, the state requires pharmacists to attend training seminars and be certified before they can give it out. This means that not every pharmacy in a particular state will be able to distribute EC. In most places the pharmacist learns the questions to ask to make sure the woman is a good candidate for the pills. In no state can a woman get EC without the Q and A. If EC was sold over the counter, the woman would not need to talk to a pharmacist or get a prescription. She would just pick it up, read the package, take the pills, and not have to worry about unwanted pregnancy.”
EC is available in 102 countries, Cox adds, 34 of which sell it over the counter—something more than 70 U.S. groups, including the American Public Health Association, the American Medical Association, the National Black Women’s Health Project, and the Planned Parenthood Federation of America support. These groups have petitioned the FDA to make the drug available for women in the U.S.
The petitioners in the case, Tummino v. von Eschenbach , argue that, “Limiting EC to prescription use is not necessary for the protection of public health…. Its administration is simple and relies only on assessment as to time elapsed since sexual intercourse…. The condition that EC treats—contraceptive failure or the failure to use contraception during intercourse—is one that is readily diagnosable by a woman.”
This is true, Tummino states, regardless of whether the woman is a teenager, young adult, or middle-aged. “The right-wing has said that OTC access will encourage teens to have random, unprotected sex. But the MAP Conspiracy believes that if you are old enough to get pregnant you are old enough to decide not to have a baby. Putting age restrictions on access puts a behind-the-counter status on it. If you look young will you be carded by a pharmacist to get the birth control you need? Having to ask for EC puts all women in a bad position. It makes EC seem sleazy.”
While the plaintiffs were in court in late December, the case could take years to resolve. This is why the Morning After Pill Conspiracy is continuing to pressure the FDA. “Historically, all legal changes in this country have been made by strong, grassroots people’s movements,” says petitioner’s attorney Andrea Costello of Southern Legal Counsel. “The law follows what the people demand. I’ve seen a groundswell of support from regular women across the country who need OTC access to EC. They understand that the anti-reproductive rights politics of this Administration are the real reason MAP is being withheld.”
Eleanor J. Bader is a freelance journalist and co-author of Targets of Hatred .
Z Magazine Archive
Announcements
OCCUPY TOGETHER - Occupy Together is the unofficial hub for the various occupations springing up across the country in solidarity with Occupy Wall St. Towns and cities worldwide are participating.
Contact: http://www.occupytogether.org/.
MAY DAY - May 1 is May Day, also International Workers Day, celebrating the successful fight of workers for rights such as the eight-hour workday. A General Strike is called for May Day by many groups, and events are planned worldwide.
Contact: http://maydayunited.org/; http://www.may1.info/; info@maydayunited.org.
LABOR - The 2012 Labor Notes Conference, themed Solidarity for the 99%, will be held May 4-6, in Chicago. Thousands of union members, officers, and grassroots labor activists will attend the event, which features workshops, meetings and organizing opportunities.
Contact: 313-842-6262; http:// labornotes.org/conference.
MARIJUANA MARCH - On the first Saturday of May (this year: May 5) marijuana legalization activists will hold informational and educational events, rallies and marches in over 300 cities around the world.
Contact: http://globalcannabismarch.com; http://cannabis.wikia.com.
AMERICAN MUSLIMS - KinderUSA will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with a Fundraising Banquet Dinner in Los Angeles on May 5. The keynote speaker will be Norman Finkelstein. KinderUSA was founded as a group of concerned humanitarians and physicians, and has become a leading American Muslim charity organization helping families through health development and emergency relief.
Contact: http://www.kinder usa.org/.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE - SWAN (Service Women’s Action Network) will present Truth and Justice: The 2012 Summit on Military Sexual Violence in Washington, D.C. on May 8. The conferences will give survivors the opportunity to share their stories with congressmembers, policy experts and the general public; with key panels by military law and policy experts on major topics involving military sexual violence and survivors’ access to justice.
Contact: http://truthandjustice summit.org/.
MEDIA - The Alliance for Community Media Youth Summit 2012 will be held May 8 at Pierce College in Philadelphia, PA. The summit will consist of four one-day symposia that provide a public forum for discussion about media and news literacy in America. Participants will include educators, community leaders, media professionals, journalists, nonprofit leaders, policymakers and students.
Contact: http://www.allcommunitymedia.org.
MOMS/BOMBS - Moms Against Bombs and the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action will honor the long history of women’s resistance to injustice, war and nuclear weapons on May 12. A full day of activities is planned, including Orientation to the Trident Nuclear Weapons System, Nonviolence Training, Action Planning and Preparation, Mother’s Day Proclamation for Peace, and a Vigil and Nonviolent Direct Action at the Bangor Trident Submarine Base.
Contact: Anne Hall, 206- 545-3562, annehall@familyhealing.com; gznonviolencenews@yahoo.com; www.gzcenter.org.
MOTHER’S DAY/PEACE - The Mother’s Day Walk for Peace began in 1996 for families who had lost their children to violence. On a day that celebrates mothers and children, the Walk became a place for families and friends to feel support and love with thousands of others who pledge their commitment to peace.
The day has also become a way for thousands of people to financially support the work of the Louis Brown Peace Institute. Mother’s Day is May 13.
Contact: http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/; http://www.ldb peaceinstitute.org/.
BRECHT FORUM - The Beginning Is Near: An Evening with Michael Moore & Cornel West, a special benefit for the Brecht Forum, will be held May 18 at Hunter College in New York City.
Contact: https://brechtforum.org.
LABOR - The Pacific Northwest Labor History Association’s 44th annual conference, A Century of Bread and Roses, is scheduled for May 18-20 in Tacoma, WA.
Contact: PNLHA, 2402-6888 Station Hill Drive, Burnaby, BC, V3N 4X5; 604-540-0245; pnlha@shaw.ca; www.pnlha.org.
HOMELESSNESS - PM Press and First Presbyterian Church will host author Summer Brenner at the Conference on Homelessness on May 19 in Palo Alto, CA.
Contact: First Presbyterian Church, 1140 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, VA 94301; http://www.pmpress.org/.
NATO/G8 - The Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda is organizing protests at the NATO and G8 meetings being held in Chicago, May 19-21. A legal, permitted, family-friendly march and rally are planned for May 19. An Occupy Chicago month-long occupation is being planned to begin May 1. The Network for a Nato-Free Future and American Friends Service Committee will also be hosting a Counter-Summit for Peace and Economic Justice May 18-19 at People’s Church in Chicago.
Contact: http://cang8.wordpress.com/about/; http://www.natofreefuture.org/.
ANARCHY FEST - A month-long Festival of Anarchy is scheduled for May in Montreal. The festival includes The Montreal Anarchist Bookfair (May 19-20).
Contact: http://www.radical montreal.com/;http://www.anarchist bookfair.ca/.
TRUTHDIG - Truthdig.com will be gathering May 20-25 in New Mexico with other concerned people to assess current prospects for progressive change. Speakers include Dennis Kucinich and Chris Hedges.
Contact: http://www.truthdig.com/event/santafe.
FEMINIST SCI-FI - The feminist science fiction convention WisCon 36 is scheduled for May 25-28 in Madison, Wisconsin, featuring discussion and debate of sci-fi/fantasy ideas relating to feminism, gender, race and class.
Contact: WisCon, c/o SF3, PO Box 1624, Madison, WI 53701; concom35@wiscon.info; www.wiscon.info.
MULTICULTURE - The 25th Annual National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE) holds its annual conference May 29 -June 2 in New York City.
Contact: Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies, 3200 Marshall Avenue, Suite 290, Norman, OK 73072; 405- 325-3694; www.ncore.ou.edu.
BIKING - Bikes Not Bombs is holding its 24th annual Bike-A-Thon and Green Roots Festival in Boston, MA on June 3, with several bike rides scheduled, music, exhibitors and more.
Contact: Bikes Not Bombs, 284 Amory St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130; 617-522-0222; mail@bikesnotbombs.org; www.bikesnotbombs.org.
RADIO - The 37th Annual Community Radio Conference is scheduled for June 13-16 in Houston, TX with discussions and workshops.
Contact: National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 1970 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland, CA 94612; 510-451 -8200; conference@nfcb.org; www.nfcb.org.
PEOPLE’S SUMMIT - The People’s Summit for Social and Environmental Justice during Rio+20 is an event by global civil society that will take place between the 15 and the 23 of June at Flamengo, in Rio de Janeiro—alongside the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Rio+20.
Contact: contato@rio2012. org.br; http://cupuladospovos.org.br/en/.
ADC CONFERENCE - The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ACD) holds its annual conference June 21-24 in Washington, DC, with panel discussions and workshops on civil rights, media, the Mideast, etc.
Contact: ADC, 1732 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington DC, 20007; 202-244-2990; convention@adc.org; www.adc.org/convention.
MEDIA - The 14th annual Allied Media Conference will be held June 28-July 1 at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Participatory workshops and skillshares will emphasize DIY alternative media to advance visions of a just and creative world.
Contact: Allied Media Projects, 4126 Third St., Detroit, MI 48201; www.alliedmediacon ference.org.
LA RAZA - The annual National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Conference is scheduled for July 7-10 in Las Vegas, with workshops, presentations and panel discussions.
Contact: NCLR Headquarters Office, Raul Yzaguirre Building, 1126 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036; 202-785-1670; www.nclr.org.
PEACESTOCK - On July 14 the 10th Annual Peace- stock: A Gathering for Peace will take place at Windbeam Farm in Hager City, WI. Peacestock (formerly “Pigstock”) is a mixture of music, speakers, and community for peace. The event is sponsored by Veterans for Peace, Chapter 115 and has a peace-themed agenda.
Contact: Bill Habedank, 1913 Grandview Ave., Red Wing, MN 55066; 651-388-7733; billhabedank@yahoo.com; http://www.peacestockvfp.org.
POPULAR ECONOMICS - The Center for Popular Economics is holding its 2012 Summer Institute July 23-27 at Columbia University in New York City. No background in economics is needed for this intensive training. This year’s theme is Economics for the 99%.
Contact: Center for Popular Economics, PO Box 785 Amherst, MA 01004; 413-545-0743; programs@populareconomics.org; www.populareconomics.org.
CUBA/PASTORS - The 23rd annual Pastors for Peace Friendship Caravan to Cuba is scheduled for
July1-July 31. Volunteers will travel across the U.S and Canada collecting aid and educating about the unjust blockade against Cuba, before an orientation in Texas July 15-18, followed by an education program in Cuba July 21-29, and finally a return back to the U.S. People can participate by attending or hosting local events, donating materials, or sponsoring a traveler.
Contact: IFCO/Pastors for Peace, 418 W. 145th St., New York, NY 10031; 212-926- 5757; cucaravan@igc.org; www.pastorsforpeace.org.
COMMUNITY MEDIA - The Alliance for Community Media 2012 National Conference is scheduled for July 31-August 2 in Chicago. Hands-on workshops and skillshares will be offered by this grassroots coalition of community media groups. This year’s theme is Collaborate!
Contact: ACM, 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102; www.alliancecm.org.
VETERANS - Veterans for Peace is holding the 27th annual convention August 8-12 in Miami, FL. This year’s theme is, Liberating the Americas: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Contact: Veterans For Peace, 216 S. Meramec Ave., St. Louis, MO 63105; 314-725-6005; www.vfpnationalconvention.org
COMMUNITIES - The Communities Conference is a networking and learning opportunity for co-operative or communal lifestyles, with workshops, events and entertainment; scheduled for August 31-September 3 at the Twin Oaks Community in Louisa, Virginia.
Contact: Twin Oaks Communities Conference, 138 Twin Oaks Road, Louisa, VA 23093; 540-894-5126; conference@ twinoaks.org; www.communitiesconference.org.


