NARAL PRO-CHOICE COLORADO MARKS 34TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROE V. WADE
Hosts educational, activist events to demonstrate importance of reproductive freedom Denver (Jan. 23) – With a rally at the Capitol and a public-education forum about reproductive health care, pro-choice supporters throughout Colorado commemorated the 34th anniversary today of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision upholding a woman’s constitutionally protected right to privacy when making personal, private health care decisions, including the right to choose an abortion. "Three decades after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld women's fundamental right to choose, pro-choice advocates today are gathering to demonstrate that the right to reproductive freedom is a mainstream value held by Coloradans throughout the state," said Kathryn Wittneben, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado. Despite enduring years of attacks, the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which constitutionally protects a woman's right to choose, still stands as the law of the land. "Anti-choice extremists have waged a losing campaign against freedom of choice and demonstrated they don't trust women and their doctors to make the best health care decisions for their circumstances," Wittneben said. "The underlying principle behind the Roe decision resonates with Coloradans – that women should be trusted to make their own personal, private health care decisions. The decision about when to have children is a decision that should be made by women in consultation with their families, their doctors and their conscience, not the government." To celebrate Roe’s 34th anniversary, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado Foundation and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains held "Beyond Roe: How Reproductive Freedom Shapes Socio-Economic Security." Women's health care and racial and gender-justice champion Marcia Ann Gillespie discussed how reproductive health care choices shape the professional, educational, and economic opportunities of women and their families. "As we commemorate the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling today, we do so knowing that our society continues to wrestle with a host of issues and obstacles that confront women and families all across this nation," said Gillespie, former editor-in-chief of Ms. and Essence magazines. "Supporting and respecting women's choices about their reproductive health, including when to have children, is critical as we, as a society, identify ways to empower our communities and enable women to make decisions that will help them realize their educational, professional and personal goals," Gillespie continued. "An empowered woman making healthy decisions for herself and her family means a stronger community for us all." The education event was presented in partnership with Colorado Women’s Health Care Caucus, Colorado Republican Majority for Choice, and Protect Families Protect Choice Coalition. Also today, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado joined the Protect Families Protect Choice Coalition to rally at noon on the west steps of the state Capitol to mark the Roe anniversary and discuss ways to bridge the gaps between the diverse communities that rely on Roe to protect their health. Speakers included Colorado State Senator Betty Boyd (D, Lakewood, SD 21), sponsor of SB 60: Emergency Contraception Information for Sexual Assault Survivors; Gillespie; Crystal Plati, executive director of Washington, D.C.-based Choice USA, a national organization mobilizing and empowering youth about pro-choice issues; and the Reverend Dr. Ignacio Castuera, a Methodist Minister and the National Chaplain for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. They discussed how disparate communities can work together to defend women’s reproductive rights. NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado (NPCC) is the political action arm of the pro-choice movement in Colorado. NPCC has more than 30,000 supporters statewide and works to develop and sustain a constituency that uses the political process to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive health choices, including preventing unintended pregnancies, bearing healthy children and choosing legal abortion.### For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathryn Wittneben
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado
Office: 303.394.1973, ext. 12
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