Your Turn Letters to the Editor

For the past four years, Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX) has been recruiting students from VCU to participate in the Pro-Choice Lobby Day that takes place during the General Assembly. This event is an opportunity for students to come show their legislators that they care about the governing process and how it affects them. Last year, over 550 pro-choice Virginians came to the state capital to show legislators that the majority of Virginians support pro-choice, pro-family planning public polices.

In 2006, VCU students were a big part of the demonstration. Last year two of the bills voted on would have greatly affected the students on our campus. The first one would have prohibited emergency contraception (aka the morning-after pill) from being available at any public institution of higher learning. The language of the bill was so vague that it would have also restricted access to regular birth control pills! Not only would it have affected VCU students, but every public college in Virginia would have been restricted.

Another bill that could have greatly impacted students was the Parental Notification for Healthcare. This does exactly what it says. It would have required students under the age of 18 to get consent to obtain any type of birth control. For all of those young incoming freshmen, this means you! Those bills last year were struck down, but the battle does not stop. Every year new bills like these are brought up to be voted on. We need to show our elected officials how we feel.

If you enjoy having control over your own body and having access to birth control, please join us this year on January 25 for Lobby Day. By our presence alone we can show the legislators that we care about our rights and want to put prevention first. There will be many ways for students to get involved. You can make an appointment with your delegate to speak with him or her face to face. There will be a statewide student-led roadside demonstration to participate in and a rally at the end of the day. These are just some of the events. Don’t know how to get to the General Assembly Building? Do not worry. There is a free shuttle service from campus to downtown. If you are interested in getting involved, please sign up using the link provided.

Thank you,

Leah Fremouw

You may contact Leah Fremouw via e-mail:vcuvox@yahoogroups.com

For more information: www.ppaction.org/ppav/events/2007lobbyday_clone_889001/details.tcl