VOX@VCU to lobby at Capitol

Hundreds of college students will have the chance to defend their civil rights in front of the General Assembly on Thursday, and VCU students could be among them, said Sara Duke, president of VCU’s Voices for Planned Parenthood, or VOX@VCU.

The organization, which calls itself the “pro-choice” voice on campus, has lobbied at the Capitol to protect civil rights for the last two years, Duke said. In the past, the organization successfully protested a bill proposing the removal of emergency contraception from universities across the state.

The VOX president said the mere presence of students shows legislators young people care about the governing process.

“We have rights we must defend and protect on a daily basis,” Duke said. “Having us there shows that one, we are aware of what is happening, and number two, we’re going to make sure that these rights continue to serve us, serve the generations that come behind us.”

“Pro-choice” lobby day at the Capitol

Thursday, Feb. 2
Meet VOX@VCU at the shuttle stop in front of Cabell library at 8 a.m.
Rally at 2 p.m.
Wear court attire
For more information, visit www.PPAV.org or contact Sara Duke at VCUvox@yahoo.com

One of the proposed measures legislators will discuss on Thursday would require written parental consent for the prescription of oral contraceptives to minors at least 48 hours in advance. VOX opposes this measure, Duke said.

Among the measures the organization supports, she said, are free confidential testing for sexually transmitted diseases at public colleges and universities, and the funding of university programs for the prevention of dating and sexual violence.

Richmond, which has previously topped the list, ranked as the sixth U.S. city with the most reported cases of gonorrhea in 2004, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The city has the most reported cases per 100,000 people in Virginia, and ranks above Norfolk, which sits at 13th on the list. This statistic alone, Duke said, merits student concern.

About 400 people lobbied at the “pro-choice” lobby day last year, and Duke said she expects more than 600 to participate on Thursday.

Students who attend, she said, would be able to engage with students from colleges statewide and meet legislators. Sometimes legislators invite crowd participation on the support or opposition of a proposed measure with a show of hands, she added.

“It’s really important to have our voices heard,” Duke said. “What happens today will pretty much affect the rest of our lives.”