Another 40 Days

The anti-choice protest 40 Days for Life began yesterday, and for the next forty days clients of Planned Parenthood will be subjected to harassment from protesters. The protest, which takes place during the forty days of Lent and forty days in the fall, focuses on reproductive health care facilities and specifically on Planned Parenthood. This protest has been happening for several years and each year they have expanded the protest to more locations around the country. However, locally the protest has received less media coverage and the amount of protesters who have continued the vigil throughout the protest has also diminished. But, something is different this time.

What makes this 40 Days for Life different is that it is the first protest since the former director of Planned Parenthood Abby Johnson resigned, and joined the organizer of the protest the Coalition for Life. When Johnson first resigned I was among the first to question the validity of the claims that she made against Planned Parenthood. Recently investigations by Texas Monthly, and the Texas Observer also raised questions about the legitimacy her conversion. Fellow KEOS radio show host and blogger, Shelly Blair, was interview for both of those stories, and appeared on Biased Transmission last night and gave more insight into those events.

That is the only thing that is different this time. Nothing has changed about the message of the protesters, and none of the information given to clients has become more factual. Nothing has change the fact that women need access to reproductive health care, and the protesters continue to harass and impede women’s ability to access reproductive health care while having their privacy protected. Nothing has changed the dedication of the employees of Planned Parenthood, and the volunteers who escort patients into the facility. Nothing has changed except that there is a new face on the other side of the fence.

There is one thing that does need to change. The issue of reproductive rights needs to be stop being viewed by male allies as simply a women’s issue. Recently Hugh Ryan wrote an article on the Daily Beast about the problem with pro-choice men and the lack of local male voices for reproductive rights, while male voices can be found quite easily on the other side of the issue. Tim Tebow is probably one of the most visible male athletes in the country and his view on abortion is well known. However, Scott Fajiti is not well known (although the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl may add to his visibility), and his views on reproductive rights are not well known. Reproductive rights are not simply a women’s issue. While male allies should acknowledge that the choice that surrounds abortion should be a woman’s choice that it is important that we trust women, we should not leave advocating for that choice to women alone.

During the next forty days it is important as every that those who support reproductive rights to become involved. There are reproductive health facilities that need volunteers to escort clients and show them that there are people that support their decisions. During the next forty days make a phone call or send an email and find out how you can help. For more information on how to volunteer to protect reproductive rights in the Bryan-College Station area send an email to leftofcollegestation@gmail.com