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Women’s Health Speak Out in Central Wisconsin

January 29th, 2009 • Contributed by Frances Irwin
Posted in: Action

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So last fall, we were introduced to Women’s Health Speak Outs at a public health conference in San Diego.  An awesome organization, Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care we Need, started them in an effort to get the conversation started about what women will need from a reformed health care system (visit www.raisingwomensvoice.net or listen to the podcast with Lois Uttley).  We were so inspired by the event that we’re going to have one.  Here are the particulars:

What: Women’s Health Speak Out

When: January 29, 2009; 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: 1st Floor Lecture Hall of the David R. Obey Health Sciences Building at Northcentral Technical College (1000 W. Campus Dr., Wausau, WI)

We hope you’ll join us.  Call 1-800-246-5743 if you need more information.  If you can’t make it, keep your eyes on BelowtheWaist because we’ll post follow up here.

7 Comments

1. Ann said:

   I attended the event last evening and was excited about the opporunity to discuss women’s health issues. Unfortunately it turned into a rally for the anti-choice movement and the true meaning of the event was lost, in my opinion. I understand the individuals who spoke had a right to do so, but honestly how would anyone who felt differently actually get up and say anything to those who talk about killing babies.

   If the abortion topic could have been taken out by some miracle, the event would have been much more successful. I left disappointed. But thankful that we were given an opportunity to share experiences and stories anonymously.

   Thank you for FPHS and AAUW for planning the Speak Out.

   January 30th, 2009 at 3:40 pm #

2. louise said:

   Perhaps if “Speak Out” had been sponsored by a more neutral group, the attendees would not have felt the need to express their opposition to the abortions and the other dangerous birth control methods promoted by FPHS.

   The FPHS newsletter made one think that this forum was requested by the federal and state government. When in reality, FPHS and AAUW were looking for pro-death input to prove to the government that most women wanted their services. Actually what happened was that the prolife women were in the majority. I expect that none of the women’s testimonies will be relayed to ANYONE!

   January 30th, 2009 at 8:50 pm #

3. inman said:

   No comment.

   January 31st, 2009 at 8:27 am #

4. Lon Newman said:

   Thank you, Ann. I feel that we intended to focus broadly on women’s health issues and that most voices were crowded out by well organized anti-abortion activists. We listened respectfully, but we share your disappointment that others felt they would not be welcome to speak.

   Please contact Dino directly so that you are able to tell your women’s health story without fear of being shouted down. We will insure that everyone will have an opportunity to be heard.

   –Lon–

   February 2nd, 2009 at 12:28 pm #

5. Rielee said:

   It seems odd to me that there are posts on this subject that continue to disappear from this site. What are you afraid of?

   If you wanted to have a community forum that expressed women’s opinions and experiences, and you in fact held a community forum that expressed women’s opinions and experiences, then why are you disputing their opinions and ignoring their experiences? And, why are you deleting comments posted to this wall that were made by those who were there the night you asked to hear their opinions and experiences?

   It would seem to me that a professional person or organization that is truly out to help women would want to hear all sides so they could better serve the population they seek to “help”. Physicians, nurses and other professional women who spoke at this event weren’t “screaming” as you say, and I don’t remember anybody using intimidation tactics to keep others from speaking.

   Not everybody has the same opinion. If this is a problem for you, then perhaps you should not have community forums? Something to think about next time.

   February 4th, 2009 at 6:34 pm #

6. Mary said:

   Lon and Ann – I would hate to think that the anti-life people were afraid of being “shouted down”. The pro-life people have every right to express their thoughts just as the anti-life people do. If I am comfortable with people killing their babies and avoiding “unwanted” pregnancies by using contraception, I should be proud enough to stand up and voice my opinion just as those who oppose that kind of killing were proud enough to stand up and speak. They too could have just sat down with the fear of being “shouted down”. God bless all those who had the courage to speak up, the pro-life and the pro-death.

   -Mary-

   February 5th, 2009 at 8:18 am #

7. Lon Newman said:

   Well, Mary, I said that many women expressed a fear of being ’shouted down’ and here are your comments about people who expressed fear and who may have disagreed with you:

   “anti-life”
   “killing their babies”
   “”unwanted” pregnancies”
   “pro-death”

   Is it so hard to understand why many women felt they did not want to speak? ‘Shouting’ isn’t just volume.

   As I said, everyone will have an opportunity to be heard and the last thing I’m going to say in response to comments like your is that name-calling is not likely to persuade anyone.

   –Lon–

   February 7th, 2009 at 7:16 am #

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