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Michelle: Why GYT

Back in the late 80s and early 90s when I began working in the area of HIV/AIDS people were dying at alarming rates.  We would test someone and if they tested positive, they only had about 6 months to 2 years to live.  Today it is a different story.  Many people living with HIV are very healthy and can expect to live a very long time. The advancement of medicines and early testing has made this possible.  HIV affects anyone and everyone.  One in three people who have HIV don’t even know it.  HIV like most of the other STD’s often show no symptoms. Do you want to know for sure if you or your partner have the HIV virus?  Then get tested; it only takes 20 minutes and it is free!!!  Call PPGOH and schedule an appointment.  Do yourself a favor…………….GYT!!

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Why I do the work I do: Lindsey’s Story

When I was in high school, we had a very limited sexual education class. We watched "The Miracle of Life" and then theteacher asked if we had any questions instead of having an actual discussion. My parents never talked about any of that stuff and I couldn't ask my brothers about things either. So like a typical teen, I learned from my peers and media around me. When I got to college, I took a Human Sexuality class and I was enthralled with the subject and all the aspects of Human Sexuality. 

After graduation, my mom told me that Planned Parenthood was hiring in one of their Health Centers, I applied,  got the job and fell more in love with reproductive health and rights. Through the years, I've been asked "why do you do what you do?" many times and it has been the same answer since day one. I do what I do because I want to be that person for someone that I didn't have when I was young. The moment when someone asks me questions that I know they would normally be very shy to ask; because I made them comfortable; that is the moment that I know I've been that someone.

-Lindsey

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Why GYT? Cindie’s Story.

I have been doing HIV testing at PP for 23 years.  When I first started doing HIV testing it took 2 – 3 weeks to get your test results back and a positive test result had serious ramifications including difficult drug therapies and a seriously shortened expected life span.  Today the testing process is much different as is the outlook for most that test positive. People testing for HIV can get their results in 20 minute sand treating HIV is generally seen as treating a chronic illness, not a death sentence. It is important to me to communicate this to those who get tested and reassure them.  Care no matter what!!

-Cindie

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SIX-WEEK ABORTION BAN PASSES COMMITTEE 11-4, MOVES TO HOUSE FLOOR FOR VOTE

Columbus, OH –Today, the Community and Family Advancement Committee passed the Six Week Abortion ban 11-4. The bill will now move to the house floor for consideration.

Prior to the committee vote, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio held a press gaggle outside the committee room where abortion patient Tamara Mann was able to share her story with reporters:

"Life is not instantaneous. It is an arduous, miraculous, process. So many steps have to align -- so much has to go exactly right for a baby to take its first breath. When we start to think of life this way, the pro-choice/pro-life debates seem to me almost cruel. Neither accurately explains the moral nuance of each individual's situation or honors the complexity of creation. It is time to reframe the debate and talk more about what it would mean to honor the sanctity of life. To honor the actual lives of pregnant women and the potential lives they hold within them."

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio Managing Director of Public Affairs Misha Barnes made the following statement regarding the six-week abortion ban:

“HB 69 is unconstitutional and unnecessary. Planned Parenthood will continue to fight to ensure that women retain the right to make personal decisions about their health in consultation with their physicians—not politicians.”

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ICYMI: Rob Portman Votes for Bill to Limit Access to Abortion Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Columbus, OH – Today, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman voted for a bill to limit access to abortion services for victims of human trafficking. The bill failed to reach the 60-vote majority needed to move to a vote for final passage.

Misha Barnes, Managing Director of Public Affairs of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, made the following statement:

“We are saddened to see that, once again, Senate Leadership is willing to play politics at the expense of women’s health. Using a bill meant to aid victims of human trafficking as part of a broader agenda aimed at denying women access to safe, legal abortion, is reprehensible.”

“The majority of human trafficking victims are women and girls, and they need access to the full range of reproductive health care services without barriers."

“We are hopeful that a similar bill, without these health care restrictions, will be introduced soon. Today’s vote should serve as a signal to Sen. Portman, and others, that protecting women’s access to safe and legal medical care is not up for debate.”

BACKGROUND:

●      In a survey of 67 sex trafficking victims, more than half reported having had abortions, according to a report by Laura J. Lederer, a former Senior Advisor to the U.S. Department of State.

●      Nearly 3 out of 4 women surveyed said they had at least one pregnancy while trafficked, and 20% of respondents reported five or more pregnancies.

●      The women polled in the study also reported being forced to have sex with an average of 13 “buyers” a day.

●      Sixty percent of women and girls who come across the U.S. border report being raped along the dangerous journey, according to an Amnesty International survey.

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio supports advocacy for women’s reproductive health and women’s rights, including grassroots organizing, community education, and lobbying.

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#CelebrateCinci

Today at Planned Parenthood we’re celebrating! No, it’s not just because it’s Friday, although that is always a fine reason for a party. It’s because women in Southwest Ohio will continue to have access to safe and legal abortion! The Planned Parenthood surgical center in Mount Auburn—Cincinnati’s last abortion provider—will remain open thanks to the Ohio Department of Health approving its emergency plan for patients. The surgical center became in danger of losing its license because it lacks a patient-transfer agreement with a private hospital, a requirement for all Ohio abortion clinics passed into law last year by Statehouse Republicans. Last month ODH cited the Planned Parenthood center for being out of compliance and said it could revoke the center’s license. Had that happened, the Cincinnati region, which is home to 2.1 million people, could have become the largest metro area in the U.S. without an abortion provider, according to an analysis done by the Cincinnati Enquirer. But that threat passed Thursday when the ODH director accepted Planned Parenthood’s alternative emergency plan for patients. So today we celebrate. Join us on Twitter to #celebratecinci!

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Silent testimony

Last week the Ohio Senate Medicaid, Health and Human Services Committee approved the appointment of former Ohio Turnpike Commissioner Rick Hodges as Director of the Ohio Department of Health. They held a hearing, but the only voice Sen. Shannon Jones (R-Springboro), who chairs the committee, was interested in was that of Highway Hodges. When asked if testimony from witnesses could be heard, Sen. Jones indicated that it isn’t her practice to hear citizen testimony.

Wow. What’s the use of a hearing if we the people cannot be heard? Several medical professionals and community members from around the state wished to testify but were refused. They submitted written testimony in hopes that legislators would read and address their concerns, but the table of testimony looked mostly untouched.

The confirmation of the Ohio Department of Health Director is critical to the health of our communities. The input of medical and public health professionals should be welcomed, not discarded, when vetting candidates for this vital role. Because of their education and experience, the experts wishing to testify offered insights and perspectives that could aid our legislators in making the best decision possible—not just an expedient or politic choice. That’s part of the democratic process, and it was side-stepped at the expense of Ohioans on Wednesday.

So, in spite of the concerns raised by experts, the committee went on to approve Highway Hodges in a 7-1 vote. Thanks to Sen. Charleta Tavares for recognizing there could be a better process and perhaps a better person for the job.

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“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

The re-election of Governor Kasich, along with Attorney General Mike DeWine and gerrymandered mega-majorities in the legislature, signals a dangerous time for women. Low voter turnout in Ohio led to a lop-sided margin of victory, but it does not signal a statewide endorsement of Governor Kasich’s anti-choice policies. We know that the majority of Ohioans support access to the preventive services our Planned Parenthood health centers provide — including affordable birth control and emergency contraception, and safe and legal abortion care — regardless of their political affiliation. What we are excited about, however, is how the discussion around women’s health was elevated in 2014. We will continue to elevate that conversation until it becomes a defining issue for elected officials so they can no longer get away with refusing to answer even the most basic questions about a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her body, her health care and her family. Winston Churchill once said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Planned Parenthood will definitely keep going to protect health care access for Ohio women and families. 

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Have you voted yet? Get to it! http://ift.tt/1xkSL4z

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#QuestionForKasich

In a conversation with The Plain Dealer, Gov. John Kasich made the following statement: 

"I've already explained all the stuff I have to explain," Kasich said. "I've spent about 10 1/2 hours here with people like you and letting people across the state know how I feel about things. I've made all the comments I'm going to make about it."

This is the first year in Ohio election history that the incumbent gubernatorial candidate has not debated his challengers. His challengers instead debated each other in a forum at the Cleveland City Club last night. While we learned a lot about them and where they stand on the issues, we still have lots of questions for Kasich. Questions like….

Why won’t you debate your opponents? What are you hiding?

How does putting family planning providers at the bottom of a list for family planning funds help women’s health?

Why did you nominate someone with no health care experience to be the next ODH director?

Why won’t you allow women to make their own decisions about their bodies and their pregnancies?

Would you sign the so-called “heartbeat bill” if it landed on your desk?

Do you support the personhood movement?

We bet you have questions, too. Don’t be shy—ask him! Tweet @JohnKasich and use #QuestionForKasich so we can see what you’re curious about.

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Ohio, the polls are open! Vote early at your county board of elections. http://ift.tt/1DBzfEO

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Why your vote matters

It's election season again, if you couldn't tell by the growing number of political smear ads disrupting your favorite network television shows. Candidates from across the state are campaigning to represent your interests on issues that run the gamut from workers' rights to environmental protections to educational reform to control of your body--but only if you're a woman. Yep, that's right. There's increased interest at the Statehouse in controlling women's bodies. Over the last three years, we have seen more legislation introduced about abortion, access to health care, what doctors can say to their female patients, and how health centers who provide reproductive care to mostly female patients can operate and access funding. When those restrictions become law, it gets tough for women and families to get the care they need. But not everyone seeking office believes that politicians should control women's bodies. And that's why your vote matters. We need you to vote for statewide and local candidates who believe women should control their own health care in consultation with their doctor--not politicians. If you're not sure if a candidate supports a woman's right to make her own decisions, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio can help. Check out their list of endorsed candidates, and then read up on them. Most importantly, let your voice be heard. Tell politicians they can't win if they don't respect women. The best way to do that is through your vote.

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A family that practices putting condoms on together, stays together. 'Virgin Territory' airs tonight at 11!

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To deny someone the freedom to marry because of their sexuality is wrong, and it's time to change that.  Sign our petition to support marriage equality.

Imagine a world where couples aren't shut out of the happiness of marriage. Together, we can create that world. 

If you value and demand freedom for everyone like we do--whether it's freedom to marry or freedom to make your own health care decisions--join us in showing that Ohio is ready for marriage equality.

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Love it!