Call for Photos: Denim Day and Sexual Assault Awareness
Denim Day, Wednesday, April 30th, is the longest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history. Across the world, people wear jeans and denim in solidarity with survivors and in protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence. Help us amplify this campaign by submitting your photo wearing denim by April 29th to add to our coalition posts for Denim Day later this month. (To learn more about Denim Day, click here.)
Events & Volunteer Opportunities
Be a partner for upcoming Black Maternal Health Week.
April 11th-17th
Click here for the partner packet on how to support the Central Florida Birth Network.
Birth Justice Days at the Capitolw/Miami Birth Justice Initiative
April 14th-16th in Tallahassee
Click here to register.
Misinformation, Maternal Mortality, and Abortion Bans w/Reproaction
Wednesday, April 16th at 12:00pm EST
Click here to register for the webinar.
50501 Day of Action w/Pinellas County NOW & LWV St. Pete
Saturday, April 19th 12:00pm-1:30pm EST
Historic Williams Park, St. Pete
Click here to register.
Spiritual Support and Counseling Online Training w/All Options and Faith Aloud
April 23rd-May 28th
Learn tools & skills to provide open-hearted, compassionate spiritual support to people in their reproductive decisions and experiences.
Learn more here.
Virtual Screening of Wadjdaw/Planned Parenthood & NAPAWF
Friday, April 25th 6:00pm-8:00pm EST
Click here to register for the virtual event in honor of Arab-American Heritage Month.
News Roundup
Florida
Florida bill could open the door to civil lawsuits for abortions, exodus of OB/GYNs
By Kara Gross, Florida Politics
This Florida legislature continues its all-out attack on reproductive freedom. A near-total ban was not far enough for this extreme anti-abortion legislature.
Fetuses could have the same legal protections as children under bill the House has passed
By Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
After stalling last year, a bill allowing parents to claim damages in the wrongful death of a fetus received approval in the House on Wednesday, with Democrats raising opposition over reproductive rights.
States advance fetal rights measures that critics warn will pave a path for outlawing abortions
By Kate Payne and John Hanna, Associated Press
A new Kansas law and a Florida bill outline policies backed by abortion opponents that critics see as moves toward giving embryos and fetuses the same rights as the women carrying them.
Florida lawmakers seek to define ‘unborn’ persons and give them legal protections
By Joe Mario Pedersen, Central Florida Public Media
A pair of bills in the Florida Legislature seeks to provide legal protections for unborn persons.
New bill would require parental consent for STI treatment and prescription birth control
By Kaysheri Haffner, WUFT Gainesville
The bill would rollback years of legal protections surrounding doctor-patient confidentiality, and take away behavioral risk-screening questionnaires as a valuable tool for medical professionals.
Florida bill would limit minors’ access to birth control without parental consent
By Sarah Gail, WEAR Pensacola
Those under the age of 18 could see limited access to birth control in Florida.
Florida Bill Gives the Unborn Legal Rights (audio)
By Cheryn Stone and Richard Copeland, Central Florida Public Media
Excerpt: A push to define unborn children and give them legal protections is gaining traction in this state…Some health care providers and doctors are alarmed by the consequences of this measure. Laura Goodhue is Executive Director of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, and Dr. Chelsea Daniels is a staff member at Planned Parenthood. They joined Engage to discuss their concerns for patients seeking care and legal complications that could arise.
The Legislature’s vaunted reverence for children is empty
By Diane Roberts, Florida Phoenix
Kids. You never know what will rot their little minds, corrupt their little souls, turn them into porn addicts, or lead them to understand that grown folks lie to them.
National
State lawmakers are weighing bills that would treat abortion as homicide
By Shefali Luthra, The 19th
Lawmakers in at least eight states are weighing bills that would treat abortion as a homicide, imposing criminal penalties on both providers and patients, once a Rubicon for the movement.
US doctors describe three patient deaths that could have been prevented with abortion access in new study
By Stephanie Kirchgaessner, The Guardian
Doctors who practice medicine in states with abortion bans have described in a new study how three of their pregnant patients died, but probably could have been saved had they been able to receive abortion care.
Abortion Bans Upended Their Lives—Now They’re Fighting Back, One Story at a Time
By Regina Mahone, The Nation
Shanette Williams sat patiently on the stage of an auditorium in Austin, Texas, staring at the photograph of her daughter Amber that was resting in her lap.
Trump Administration’s Withholding of Funds Could Impact 30% of Title X Patients
Staff Report, Guttmacher Institute
Title X is the only federal program in the United States dedicated to providing family planning services to low-income individuals, particularly those who have no insurance or are underinsured.
Rep. Sharice Davids pushes to restore federal family planning funding frozen by Trump
By Tim Carpenter, States Newsroom
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas endorsed the introduction of legislation to increase and protect funding to the federal family planning safety-net program after the Trump administration withheld millions of dollars for reproductive health clinics.
HHS guts sexual violence prevention division, leaving local efforts adrift
By Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR
April 1 was the first day of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It’s also the day the Department of Health And Human Services fired the teams that work on sexual violence prevention.
Lawmakers Are Trying to Hold Crisis Pregnancy Centers to Account
By Laura C. Morel, Mother Jones
Post-Dobbs the GOP has given them millions in taxpayer dollars.
Abortion opponents expect reversal of Biden policy allowing the procedure at VA facilities
By John Wilkerson, STAT
Abortion opponents believe that a repeal is in the works for a Biden administration policy allowing abortions for veterans and their dependents in limited circumstances at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
Job Openings
Florida Access Network is hiring a Digital Organizer.
$50,000-$55,000/year.
Apply by 4/30.
The Emerging Leaders Network is accepting applications for their year-long program for organizers.
Learn more and apply by 6/1.
Educate Us is hiring for their Youth Advisory Board.
Apply by 5/23.
ACLU is hiring a Summer Social Media intern.
Stipend available.
Apply here.
Progress Florida is hiring a Digital Organizer.
$38,000-$50,000/year.
Apply here.
Men 4 Choice is hiring a Communications Director.
$70,000-$85,000/year.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Power to Decide is hiring a Philanthropy Director.
$108,000-$125,000/year, fully remote.
Click here to apply.
Equality Florida & Mukti Fund are hiring a Community Organizing Fellow, Grants Fellow, & Health, Education, and Program Impact fellow.
Learn more here.
The ERA Coalition is hiring Public Policy & Social Media interns.
Class credit available.
Learn more here.
