Got a question? ASK CAKE.
Sexual Rights, the foundation for women's self-determination over their bodies and lives, are critical to all women's ability to achieve their full potential. CAKE's mission is to promote female sexual pleasure and redefine the current boundaries about female sexuality. To achieve this mission, the CAKE community needs to be informed and outspoken in the political arena.
NEW!:
05.25.01:
CAKE.Action - Emergency Contraception to the Rescue
CAKE.UPDATE - Get the Goods on The GAG RULE:
CAKE.Action
- Emergency Contraception to the Rescue
CAKE urges you to step in to the political spotlight. Senator
Jesse Helms (R-NC) has put forth an amendment that would make emergency
contraception, an FDA-approved option, that much harder for women and
girls to access. This week the Senate is expected to vote on an amendment
to the Senate education bill (S.1) which would require that teens obtain
written consent from mom or dad before being granted emergency contraception
at school-based clinics. This creates a potentially dangerous barrier
for teens in this country, as studies reveal teenagers will forgo seeking
information and services if they must seek parental authorization.
Emergency contraception reduces the risk of pregnancy as much as 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. Contrary to anti-choice claims, EC is NOT abortion. CAKE believes that young women should be able to seek time-sensitive health services, such as emergency contraception, without having to sit on mom and pops lap for an elaborate discussion. Join us in flooding the Senate. (See Emergency Contraception section for comprehensive information)
CAKE.Action - CLICK HERE TO PRINT, SIGN AND FAX A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. HELP PROTECT ACCESS TO EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION by sending this to your Senator TODAY. Don't know who your Congress Member is? Find out: NWLC
CAKE.UPDATE
- Get the Goods on The GAG RULE:
Bush
gagged me and every other woman! What would prolific Betty Friedan say about
this?
Might the outspoken author of the Feminine Mystique (1963) gasp if she heard
that the U.S. government is earnestly yanking us from this decade and tossing
women into the throes of the Victorian Era? Betty Friedan, catalytic in
the feminist movement, states, "as the Victorian culture did not permit
women to accept or gratify their basic sexual needs, our culture does not
permit women to accept or gratify their basic need to grow and fulfill their
potentialities as human beings." Although Friedan was writing about the
culture of the 1960's, what an applicable statement about the current riff
raff going down today. The Global 'Gag' Rule is harmful to women's lives
globally.
The CAKE.Magnifying glass is inspecting the subtle and outright outrageous shifts in the Global 'Gag' Rule (see The Global Gag Rule section for comprehensive information). We've got some unfortunate but semi-predictable news: the House of Representatives voted (218 to 210) to restore President Bush's ban on aid to international organizations that advocate for, provide educate about and/or perform abortion services. CAKE believes this is undemocratic and contradictory. Why is the U.S. busy meddling in other countries' business - imposing laws we wouldn't impose on ourselves?! Bush, in his usual ironclad stance, assures U.S. taxpayers that the Global 'Gag' Rule is good for us. But, as all you CAKE.Girls know, he's not playing it straight with us. Ever since 1973, Federal law has forbidden the use of U.S. taxpayer funds for abortion services overseas.
CAKE's on top of it, so check back for updates about the Global 'Gag' Rule.
Jessica Zucker, MPH - Contributor
Sources: NARAL, IPPF, Washington Post