Thursday, October 15, 2009

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series! Step 9: GET VOCAL!


Get your voices heard! In order to let people on your campus know about the National week of action to Expose Fake Women's Health Clinics, organize a protest, rally, or speak out!!

Here are some tips on organizing a speak out:

A speak out is a rally event/public demonstration that helps raise awareness about a specific issue by allowing people to "speak out" about a specific topic and have their voices heard. People can share stories, or just speak about how they feel about a certain topic.



1. Find a location on campus where people can gather and speak freely. Make sure its not going to disrupt classes. Some places need reservations, so check with your school asap! Make sure it is a safe space where people's opinions will be respected.

2. Publicize your event ahead of time. Send out emails and post flyers around campus. Let professors know and ask them to let their students know about it. Get it publicized in the school newspaper as well!

3. Have some speakers already planned to speak. This will be helpful in inspiring others to come up to speak out.

4. Have flyers and signs at the event indicating that this is a speak out against CPCs. This will help those passing by understand what the rally is about. Consider having a table with info about CPCs for those who want to learn more about it

5. Having microphones set up would be great! Or a megaphone! Come up with a way to keep track of who wants to speak in the audience. You want to make sure that everyone that wants to say something gets a chance to, but in an orderly fashion

6. Invite the press. Let your campus newspaper know about the event and make sure you get some coverage.

This is an easy and excellent way to get the word out about CPCs. It is especially great because you are giving the students a chance to have their voices heard!


Or consider organizing a protest.
Here are some ideas on how to organize a protest in front of a local CPC.

1. Fist you need to find where your local CPC is. If you haven't done step one, make sure you locate the CPC closest to your campus. Visit www.optionline.org or www.lifecall.org and punch in your zip code (note: these are anti-choice websites with directories of CPCs).

2. Let people know about the event. Publicize by flyering, emailing and calling supporters.

3. Make Pro-Choice signs. Let the people know that CPCs deceive women and give them misinformation about abortion and birth control. Also make signs letting people know where a better alternative for a health clinic is, maybe the local Planned Parenthood.

4. Organize a carpool or establish a meeting time at the CPC.

5. Hold a respectful protest letting women know about the services and information they WON'T receive inside the CPC.

6. Get news coverage for the protest! Contact your campus newspaper and let them know about your event. make sure they cover it!


Be sure to let us know about any rallies, protests or speak outs you host! We want to hear about them! Email us at campusteam@feminist.org

Happy rallying!

P.S. check out all of our action ideas here!
And don't forget the deadline to submit your videos for our video contest is coming soon, Nov 1st!

photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/ooohoooh

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