Sandra Fluke

MsEJ

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 08:01:26 -0500

Heard your speech on Reproductive Justice at the Tucson AZ List luncheon. Inspirational! And loved your quip about what motivated you to study harder for the bar exam! I’m sure you’ll pass with flying colors and enjoy a long and productive career doing important work. Many thanks for motivating us to support and work for RJ!

some of what they say is not to my liking - the point is that there are many Americans like them - conservative. And, my understanding is that these conservatives want the same thing that liberals want. Growth and prosperity for all Americans. If W&J listeners could hear your explanation for the purpose of your interest in birth control programs perhaps they would support you too. Every drop in the bucket helps the bucket to overflow. BTW, Gloria Allred was on their show before the election.

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:21:45 -0500

Thanks for reaching out and suggesting it! I’ve passed it along to the folks who help me with media. Thanks for coming out to support Planned Parenthood as well!

I'm talking about you in my body autonomy paper! Thank you for being a good role model and a great person in general! You're an inspiration :)

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:29:39 -0500

Thanks, Sarah. Glad you’re grappling with the topic!

I admire your steadfast commitment to your message throughout this tumultuous, and yet again shameful, political campaign season. In the ongoing fight for individual rights against an ebbing tide of selfishness and shrinking freedoms, I believe your efforts this year will be well remembered. Over the years I have collected the autographs of many freedom fighters (Freedom Riders, ERA, etc.) and I would love to add yours to my collectionl. Is there somewhere I can send a photo card and SASE?

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 18:10:08 -0500

Happy to. You can mail it to:

Sandra Fluke, c/o Claudia Vargas, Feminist Majority Foundation, 433 S. Beverly Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90212

A Clarification

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 23:45:00 -0400

It’s come to my attention that in some recent media coverage, I’ve been referred to as an attorney. Although I have received my JD and (anxiously) await the results of the Bar exam I took earlier this summer, I cannot yet call myself an attorney. I hope to be able to in the coming months, but to do so now would be premature.

My remarks from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:37:43 -0400

Some of you may remember that earlier this year, Republicans shut me out of a hearing on contraception. In fact, on that panel, they didn’t hear from a single woman, even though they were debating an issue that affects nearly every woman.

Because it happened in Congress, people noticed. But it happens all the time. Many women are shut out and silenced. So while I’m honored to be standing at this podium, it easily could have been any one of you. I’m here because I spoke out, and this November, each of us must do the same.

During this campaign, we’ve heard about the two profoundly different futures that could await women.

And how one of those futures looks like an offensive, obsolete relic of our past. Warnings of that future are not distractions. They’re not imagined. That future could be real.

In that America:

Your new president could be a man who stands by when public figures try to silence a private citizen with hateful slurs.

Who won’t stand up to the slurs, or to any of the extreme, bigoted voices in his own party.

It would be an America in which you have a new vice president who cosponsored a bill that would allow pregnant women to die preventable deaths in our emergency rooms.

An America in which states humiliate women by forcing us to endure invasive ultrasounds we don’t want and our doctors say we don’t need.

An America in which access to birth control is controlled by people who will never use it.

In which politicians redefine rape so survivors are victimized all over again.

In which someone decides which domestic violence victims deserve help, and which don’t.

We know what this America would look like. In a few short months, it’s the America we could be. But it’s not the America we should be. It’s not who we are.

We’ve also seen another future we could choose.

First of all, we’d have the right to choose.

It’s an America in which no one can charge us more than men for the exact same health insurance.

In which no one can deny us affordable access to the cancer screenings that could save our lives.

In which we get to decide when to start our families.

An America in which our president – when he hears a young woman has been verbally attacked – thinks of his daughters – not his delegates or donors – and stands with all women.

And strangers come together, reach out and lift her up because they believe in her dignity as a person. And then, instead of trying to silence her, you invite me here – and give me a microphone – to amplify our voice.

That’s the difference.

Over the last six months, I’ve seen what these two futures look like. And six months from now, we’ll all be living in one, or the other. But only one.

A country where our president either has our back – or turns his back. A country that honors our foremothers by moving us forward – or one that forces our generation to re-fight the battles they already won. A country where we mean it when we talk about personal freedom – or one where that freedom doesn’t apply to our bodies and our voices.

We talk often about choice. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to choose.

"I started the pill for health reasons and it would be a shame if insurance stopped covering it. I..."

Mon, 28 May 2012 09:57:53 -0400

“I started the pill for health reasons and it would be a shame if insurance stopped covering it. I believe in equality and the right to choose your own path in life.”

- Sarah

"Birth control is also a way to control the side effects from menstruation, such as heavy bleeding..."

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:59:41 -0400

“Birth control is also a way to control the side effects from menstruation, such as heavy bleeding and cramping. I was eleven years old when I started my period and I was twelve when I finally had to be put on a form of birth control because the pain that I endured each month during my cycle was so unbearable that I would miss 3 or 4 days of school each time.”

- Brittany

"I am a 43 year old mom of 7 year old twins who has an IUD to regulate my periods and hormones. Does..."

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:33:35 -0400

“I am a 43 year old mom of 7 year old twins who has an IUD to regulate my periods and hormones. Does that make me a slut? I think not!”

- Lisa

"Yes, I am a male, but after taking many courses in law regarding gender inequality, having been..."

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:43:32 -0400

“Yes, I am a male, but after taking many courses in law regarding gender inequality, having been raised by a single mother at times, and participating in multiple women-oriented events I recognize we need… to ensure that everyone recognizes that women’s rights are human rights; my rights as a man are at risk if I do not stand up for my fellow sister’s rights, if I can invoke a biblical sense!

As a male, I will always continue to join the front lines and fight on behalf of women to ensure that this will be so!”

- Justin

"There is no harm in birth control. I take it for medical purposes. I have endometriosis and it helps..."

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:26:02 -0400

“There is no harm in birth control. I take it for medical purposes. I have endometriosis and it helps with the pain and massive bleeding.”

- Jennifer

"I believe there is something inherently wrong in this country that birth control can be so difficult..."

Fri, 18 May 2012 09:46:40 -0400

“I believe there is something inherently wrong in this country that birth control can be so difficult to acquire. Especially for students and underprivileged women…This is not a religious choice, but a right for women to have control of their bodies.”

- Bibiana

"I first went on birth control at the age of 16 because I had such bad menstrual cramps. I got the..."

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:52:42 -0400

“I first went on birth control at the age of 16 because I had such bad menstrual cramps. I got the Pill through a free clinic in my area and I’ve gone there ever since as they were so kind and easy to work with. If I would have had to pay full price I wouldn’t have been able to be on the Pill. I never knew just how much that would affect my life. At the age of 17 I was sexually assaulted by three men. None of the men used contraception, so I thank God (and that clinic!) every day that I wasn’t impregnated by them. If it wasn’t for the Pill my life would likely be very different than it is now.”

- Allyse

"I currently attend a school that does not cover birth control and have spent much of this year..."

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:01:06 -0400

“I currently attend a school that does not cover birth control and have spent much of this year trying to either find a cheap one that works (since I am paying out of pocket) or going without it at all (which is not the safest option!) So many people do not understand how birth control is so amazing in the fact that not only does it help prevent pregnancy, but also helps with horrible periods and mood disorders.”

- Kaitlyn

"Several years ago, I had surgery to remove a tumor from one of my ovaries. In the month between..."

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:04:21 -0400

“Several years ago, I had surgery to remove a tumor from one of my ovaries. In the month between diagnosis and surgery, the tumor grew and ended up being more than 6 inches long. The surgeons had to remove not only the tumor, but also the ovary and Fallopian tube in a more invasive procedure that meant I couldn’t work for a month. If I lose the other ovary, I’ll be in menopause. I’m 30 years old.

Today, I’m on an extended cycle of birth control pills to cut down on the risk of cysts and tumors and keep my remaining ovary functional.”

- Katie

"I started birth control when I was 15 due to medical issues. (For the record, I wasn’t having..."

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:32:17 -0400

“I started birth control when I was 15 due to medical issues. (For the record, I wasn’t having sex then. I hadn’t even had my first kiss!) Between my endometriosis and likelihood to hemorrhage, having my period severely lessened through birth control has saved my life, and my uterus. I know I don’t have to have it removed until after I have children because I am not abusing it now due to the birth control. Without this contraception, my dream of having children when I want them would be destroyed.

I couldn’t imagine affording this contraception without my insurance, and believe it should be covered by all insurances.”

- Liz

A powerful op-ed from The Michigan Daily "Viewpoint: I just want my medicine"

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:47:00 -0400

A powerful op-ed from The Michigan Daily "Viewpoint: I just want my medicine"

"Simply, “Thank You,” for me and my daughter and my granddaughter. And for all citizens..."

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:05:03 -0400

“Simply, “Thank You,” for me and my daughter and my granddaughter. And for all citizens who are hoping sanity will again reign in DC.”

- Gwen

"Just know, all your childhood friends are proud of you. I suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome..."

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:50:15 -0400

“Just know, all your childhood friends are proud of you. I suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome and you are fighting for all of us. Thank you.”

- From a friend I grew up with. I had no idea she had PCOS. This is why we

as women have to share our stories, as my friend did. It helps those who

care about us know how important policies affecting women’s health are.

GEORGETOWN LAW STUDENTS FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE’S STATEMENT ON GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE IN STUDENT INSURANCE

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:42:07 -0400

For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 26, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Georgetown Law Students for Reproductive Justice released the following statement:

“Georgetown LSRJ is deeply disturbed to learn that Georgetown University President John DeGioia has decided not to comply with the final rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requiring comprehensive contraceptive coverage in 2012 student insurance. Georgetown could have complied by either fully implementing contraceptive coverage themselves or by simply stepping back and letting insurers fulfill their legal duty of providing this critical care to students directly without university involvement or funding.

“We believe President DeGioia’s decision is an affront to the health concerns of the Georgetown student body. Georgetown LSRJ has extensively documented that Georgetown’s current policy does not adequately meet students’ medical needs for contraception. Sixty-five percent of surveyed students who reported attempting to use the ‘medical need only’ coverage reported barriers to actually receiving insurance reimbursement. Many students are unable to obtain coverage despite having doctor-verified medical needs such as polycystic ovarian syndrome. President DeGioia’s retort that students are free to purchase other insurance on the open market exposes a lack of understanding of how financially unfeasible that would be.

“Unfortunately, President DeGioia never responded to our April 21 request for a meeting to discuss this critical issue. Having heard from almost 800 Georgetown University Law Center students and numerous members of the faculty through a campus-wide petition and through individual correspondence, and having been told that additional medical school, graduate, and undergraduate students were preparing petitions, we believe that it is disrespectful that President DeGioia, as the head of our university community, did not at least meet with students who have expressed legitimate and important concerns. Accordingly, Georgetown LSRJ remains open to a meeting with President DeGioia at any time.

“Among our unanswered concerns, President DeGioia has yet to explain how covering contraception for faculty and staff but not for students is consistent with the Jesuit mission of Georgetown. In order to qualify for the HHS exemption allowing religiously-affiliated universities to delay contraception coverage until 2013, Georgetown must certify that it has a moral objection to contraception coverage. President DeGioia has yet to explain how Georgetown University plans to certify to the federal government that it has a moral objection to contraception coverage when it has long provided full contraception coverage for faculty and staff, excluding only students. We hoped to raise these and other issues at our meeting with him.

###

Sandra Fluke’s statement (former co-president of Georgetown LSRJ): ”I think many current and future alumni like myself, when contacted for alumni donations, will remember this decision, and remember that President DeGioia didn’t meet with students to even discuss our concerns. I’ll remember that in addition to how it felt the first time my friend told me that she was losing her ovary as a result of this policy.”

Kelly Percival’s statement (current co-president of Georgetown LSRJ): ”Georgetown LSRJ is extremely disappointed that the university administration did not meet with students to discuss our concerns before making this announcement. We wrote letters, collected student signatures, and requested a meeting to discuss our concerns in-person. We sincerely hoped that the university would extend us the courtesy of responding to our pleas face-to-face, rather than issuing a blanket, campus-wide email on an issue that affects so many students. Instead, they simply chose not to engage in dialogue with us. Moreover, they issued their statement appealing to moral grounds as the reason for continuing to deny students vital health care coverage. For many students, it is hard to accept that moral grounds are at issue because the university provides faculty and staff full contraception coverage for any reason. What moral distinction can there be between students and faculty/staff when members of both groups can be of similar ages, can be married or single, etc.?”