NYC Passes Bill to Regulate Crisis Pregnancy Centers!

As part of a new national trend, states are attempting to expose the deception of Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) and New York has taken the lead and passed a historic city ordinance (Bill 371) that will regulate fake clinics in being truthful on what types of services they do and do not provide. This news is a bright spot during these current chaotic times where women's access to comprehensive reproductive health services are being put on the chopping block.

It is shocking that CPCs overwhelm and outnumber comprehensive women's health clinics with a 3,500 CPCs listed nationwide. The New York City council stated that, "The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges that comprehensive prenatal care begin as soon as a woman decides to become pregnant. Similar to prenatal care, delayed access to abortion and emergency contraception poses a threat to public health. Delay in accessing abortion or emergency contraception creates increased health risks and financial burdens, and may eliminate a womens ability to obtain these services altogether, severely limiting her reproductive health options". The bill regulates CPCs by requiring them to:

• Disclose to a client that the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene encourages women to consult with a licensed medical provider.
• Disclose if there is no licensed medical provider on staff.
• Disclose if it does or does not provide referrals for abortion, emergency contraception, or prenatal care.
• Post disclosures at the entrance and waiting room (in both English and Spanish).
• Disclosures are required to be given over the phone.

New York is not the first state to pressure CPCs to provide honest and comprehensive health care, Maryland and Texas have passed similar bills to regulate CPCs. The state of Washington has also tried to pass a similar bill, the "Limited Service Pregnancy Center Accountability Act".

As people all over the country fight for reproductive rights and access to comprehensive women's health clinics, there is a presence of deceptive "clinics" that offer limited resources to those in need. Access to family planning and basic medical care has become a dire task with the presence of fake clinics. Crisis Pregnancy Center's (CPCs) are clinics that pose to be clinics under names like "Pregnancy Aid", "Open Door", and "Pregnancy Counseling Center". CPCs target young, poor, and minority women who have limited resources to family planning and contraceptives. These clinics use misleading advertisements to delay, persuade, and intimidate women from receiving the health care they need. Many of these clinics are affiliated with anti-choice organizations and do not perform abortions or give referrals to clinics that do. What's even more ridiculous is the fact that many of these "clinics" do not have staff that are medically trained-lacking licensed doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners.

The Feminist Majority Foundation has been a part of a large movement to stop CPCs from providing false and misleading information. Our Choices Campus Leadership Program has organized and mobilized with students all over the country to expose fake clinics and promote truth in advertising. This is a victory and stride towards reproductive rights.

If you want to expose fake clinics and give people access to comprehensive health care, please join the Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics and get involved in FMF's National "Don't Be Fooled by Fake Clinics" Week of Action happening the week leading up to April Fool's Day from March 28th- April 1st!

Some other ideas to take action on exposing CPCs:

• Make CPC exposure a priority in your campus feminist club.
• Talk to student government about promoting truth in advertising on campus.
• Go to the health center at your school to see what kinds of clinics they refer and find out if CPCs are on that list.
• Check out our action kit to find videos, petitions, flyers, and other great resources!
• Sign the petition to Stop funding for Fake Clinics and Abstinence-Only Education! Stop Deceptive Advertising Practices!

Most importantly, educate yourself on the issue and make sure that those around you know that the presence of these fake clinics pose serious risks and should not be relied on as primary healthcare. The best thing you can do as an activist is to be VOCAL on the issue and don't be afraid to get LOUD about it!

photo credit to: www.flickr.com/mysticchildz

This Is What an Organizer Looks Like!

The 2010-11 school has brought some big changes to FMF’s Campus Team, and this January has brought the FMF three new organizers on the East Coast. In September, the West Coast welcomed Myra Duran just a few weeks before I started in the East Coast office. And now, I'm pleased to introduce the latest additions to our team:



Laura Kacere
Laura graduated with honors from the University of Iowa with degrees in Women’s Studies and Anthropology. She was an active member of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance there, serving as president and leading the group in projects related to women and war, the feminization of poverty, women in prison, and exposing fake reproductive health clinics. She has worked for women’s organizations throughout Iowa, including the Women’s Resource and Action Center, Rape Victim Advocacy Program, and the Emma Goldman Women’s Health Clinic. Before joining the FMF, Laura was a service member with AmeriCorps leading support groups for women in prison, as well as providing resources and support for those recently released.

Laura organizes campuses in the Midwest region and can be reached by e-mail at lkacere@feminist.org.


Sarah Shanks
Sarah Shanks graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December 2010 with a BS in Marketing as well as a minor in Women's and Gender Studies. She was also a member a Triota, the Women's and Gender Studies honor society. At UNCC Sarah headed the Feminist Union for 3 years, a FMLA affiliate. She became an intern for Feminist Majority Foundation through the Campus Choices Leadership Program in Charlotte to deal with the increasing harassment at local abortion clinics. Her group worked on the Adopt-a-Clinic campaign, and are very involved with clinic defense. She has also volunteered as a mentor for college freshman in a feminist learning community.

Sarah organizes campuses in the Southern region and can be reached by e-mail at sshanks@feminist.org.


Francesca Witcher
Francesca graduated from Miami University in 2010 with a B.A. in Journalism, Black World Studies, with a minor in Political Science. She worked as an Ambassador for the Miami University Women's Center. While there she was a writer and editor of the semester newsletter titled The Femellectual, planned and coordinated the annual Women of Color Celebration, and organized events around issues concerning domestic violence, body image, and women of color on Miami's campus. In addition, she served in other campus activist organizations such as the Miami University's National Association for the Advancement of Color People (NAACP) as the Membership Chair, where she played an active role in organizing and recruiting students for membership with the chapter.

Francesca organizes campuses in the Mid-Atlantic region & Historically Black Colleges and Universities and can be reached by e-mail at fwitcher@feminist.org.

To learn more about what the Feminist Campus Team can do to help you as community activists and leaders, visit us at feministcampus.org or e-mail at campusteam@feminist.org.

National Week of Action: Don't get Tricked by CPCs!

It's our CPC week of action! "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated" starts today! What are you doing for it?

Crisis Pregnancy Centers pose as comprehensive women’s health clinics and advertise under “abortion” and “family planning” services, but do not offer abortion services, contraception, or referrals. Instead, they have an anti-choice agenda and tell women misinformation about the affects of abortion in attempts to dissuade women away from all of their choices.

Here are some cool ideas of how your campus group can get the word out and take action this week:

1. Host a Screening of 12th and Delaware or of FMF's two videos on the deception of Crisis Pregnancy Centers, which can be found here, followed by a discussion.
2. Create education flyers and posters identifying comprehensive women's health clinics and warning people are fake clinics in your area. Here's a template from our action kit.
   
3. Talk to your Campus Health Center, and ask if they refer students to CPCs. Almost half of 4-year universities in the US do! If your Health Center on campus refers women to CPCs, make them stop, or in the very least have them put a disclaimer!
4. Hand out "Trick of Truth Treats" with candy and facts about CPCs. The truth is delicious!
   
5. Stage a protest at your nearest CPC, warning women about their deceptive practices. Or have a speak out/rally at your school!
   
6. Host a "haunted clinic" at your school. Instead of ghosts and ghouls, emulate what goes on inside a creepy CPC.
7. Photo campaign! Take pictures of people holding up signs with what they want to say about CPCs. Take photos and post them on campus, in a Facebook album, create a photo blog, or send it to your legislators!
8. Propose a "Truth in Advertising" disclaimer on campus if your campus health center refers to CPCs, or campus newspaper accepts ads from CPCs
9. Burma Shave Signs. These are consecutive signs posted one after another at a visible place on campus. Here is an example:

• You wouldn't want your dentist telling you that brushing your teeth will give you cavities.
• So why would you want (insert name of local CPC) saying that birth control is ineffective?
• or that abortion will give you breast cancer?
• or make you infertile?
• or make you more likely to commit suicide?
• Crisis Pregnancy Centers deceive women!

Have more ideas? We'd like to know what you are planning! Contact us at campusteam@feminist.org or call 866-444-3652 Happy exposing!

Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated!

As we get our costumes ready for Halloween, don't forget about what's really deceptive: Crisis Pregnancy Centers! Crisis Pregnancy Centers pose as comprehensive women’s health clinics and advertise under “abortion” and “family planning” services, but do not offer abortion services, contraception, or referrals. Instead, they have an anti-choice agenda and tell women misinformation about the affects of abortion in attempts to dissuade women away from all of their choices. We wanted to make sure that our campus groups plan ahead to participate in our National Week of Action, called "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated," taking place the week leading up to Halloween, starting October 25th. Here are some cool ideas of how your campus group can get the word out and take action this Halloween:

1. Host a Screening of 12th and Delaware or of FMF's two videos on the deception of Crisis Pregnancy Centers, which can be found here, followed by a discussion.
2. Create education flyers and posters identifying comprehensive women's health clinics and warning people are fake clinics in your area. Here's a template from our action kit.
   
3. Talk to your Campus Health Center, and ask if they refer students to CPCs. Almost half of 4-year universities in the US do! If your Health Center on campus refers women to CPCs, make them stop, or in the very least have them put a disclaimer!
4. Hand out "Trick of Truth Treats" with candy and facts about CPCs. The truth is delicious!
   
5. Stage a protest at your nearest CPC, warning women about their deceptive practices. Or have a speak out/rally at your school!
   
6. Host a "haunted clinic" at your school. Instead of ghosts and ghouls, emulate what goes on inside a creepy CPC.
7. Photo campaign! Take pictures of people holding up signs with what they want to say about CPCs. Take photos and post them on campus, in a Facebook album, create a photo blog, or send it to your legislators!
8. Propose a "Truth in Advertising" disclaimer on campus if your campus health center refers to CPCs, or campus newspaper accepts ads from CPCs
9. Burma Shave Signs. These are consecutive signs posted one after another at a visible place on campus. Here is an example:

You wouldn't want your dentist telling you that brushing your teeth will give you cavities.
So why would you want (insert name of local CPC) saying that birth control is ineffective?
or that abortion will give you breast cancer?
or make you infertile?
or make you more likely to commit suicide?
Crisis Pregnancy Centers deceive women!

Have more ideas? We'd like to know what you are planning! Contact us at campusteam@feminist.org or call 866-444-3652 Happy exposing!

This blog post is part of the October eZine. To receive our monthly eZine, click here.

12th and Delaware: An Inside Look at Abortion Clinics and Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Yesterday, I and several other FMF interns and junior staff sat down to watch the new documentary "12th and Delaware" that premiered last night on HBO. You may have heard about the documentary from sites such as Feministing and Democracy Now.

"12th and Delaware" chronicled A Woman's World Medical Center which opened up in 1991 on 12th and Delaware in Fort Pierce, Florida. In 1999 a crisis pregnancy center (CPC) - centers posing as comprehensive health clinics that seek to use pro-life stances to talk women into keeping their unwanted pregnancies—moved across the street from them.

Viewers are introduced to the lies and fear tactics that many CPCs utilise; showing fetus-like dolls to patients displaying fetal development, telling them lies of links between abortion and breast cancer amongst other things. Some of the young women who have come into the CPC have mistaken it for the abortion clinic. Counselors often use these tactics to persuade women that they shouldn't pursue abortions like they had intended to, but should keep the baby.

The CPCs completely disregarded both the realities of women’s lives and patient confidentiality (read: Anne, a CPC counselor, sent a patient's name out in an email to supporters to be prayed for). Clinic protesters (who often held posters showing extremely graphic and obscene pictures of aborted fetuses) had no respect for property lines and could often be seen protesting near the windows of the clinic. One counselor was so devastated by the fact that a young girl had pursued an abortion that she neared the point of breaking in to tears--this is not her child and is not her daughter, yet she is so heavily invested in what this woman chooses to do with her body.

The documentary did a wonderful job of showing that abortion clinics care about women's lives and health and are invested in making sure that women are making the decision for themselves and are not being forced to do so, but need to do so. Abortion clinics, like A Woman's World Medical Clinic, educate women about abortions and ask why they are seeking to have this procedure performed. The documentary also effectively displayed the dangers abortion providers face. For instance, an anti-choice protester stalked abortion providers attempting to find out their identity and where they lived.

"12^th and Delaware" did a good job of expressing the diversity of conditions that might bring a woman to an abortion clinic: a mother of six walking towards the abortion clinic who is swayed by anti-choice protesters who lie and tell her that they'll pay all of her bills and her food, a young girl who was influenced by Anne, a CPC counselor, to bring her baby to full-term at the young age of 15, telling the audience that she tried everything she could to miscarry, the 46-year-old woman who was diagnosed with rheumatoid who cannot carry a baby to full-term out of fear of not being able to care for it in her sixties.

Women should be able to have control over their own bodies and their reproductive rights. Women should be able to freely walk into abortion clinics without the threat of being harassed. We shouldn't live in a world where abortion providers fear for their lives, where young girls are swayed into carrying pregnancies to full-term and not being able to care for the children that are produced. We must take action in our communities to protect women’s reproductive rights.

To take action in your community or campus by exposing crisis pregnancy centers, check out Feminist Campus' Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics. To protect existing abortion clinics in your area, like A Woman's World Medical Center, check out Feminist Campus' Adopt A Clinic Campaign.

Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated - A Musical Interlude!

The east coast campus organizers are really excited about the Exposing Fake Clinics Week of Action VIDEO CONTEST! So, we decided to compose a little ditty and put together a video - we can't wait to see what you've come up with!

Check out our amusing attempt below:


They’re creepy and they’re kooky, CPCs are spooky
They’re all together ooky, they lie to you and me

Their clinic’s a museum, where women go to see em
They really make you scream, they lie to you and me

But we believe in choices, so raise up your voices
You need to come and join us, we’re exposing CPCs

Happy Halloween from the Feminist Majority Foundation!

Click here to send an e-card to your friends about CPCs!

Click here for information about our video contest!

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series: National Sex-Ed Call in Day

Have you heard of the Hatch Amendment??

It is a recent amendment to the health care reform bill passed by Senate Finance Committee that would reinstate $50 million/year to abstinence-only programs. GAHH!

I don't need to tell you that abstinence-only programs don't work. They do not lower the rates of unintended pregnancies or the spread of STIs including HIV. But I should tell you that this federal funding would also go to fund Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

Let's not forget that this week is “Don’t Get Tricked, Get Treated” national week of action to expose “fake clinics.” I have a great action idea for you and everyone you know!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 28th is National Sex Ed Call-In Day. Please call your US Senators and let them know that reinstating $50 million to failed abstinence-only programs is unacceptable.

1. Call 1-800-423-5983 where you will be connected to the Capitol Switchboard

2. Tell them what state you are in and that you would like to speak to one of your Senators

3. Ask to speak to the lead aide on health and tell them why you think your senator needs to support comprehensive sex education and reject the Hatch Amendment that would reinstate $50 millions to abstinence-only education

4. Once you call one Senator, call the switchboard back and ask to be connected to your other State Senator.

5. When you are tabling and holding events this week for "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated," have everyone you talk to take a second and do the same!

We have been making great progress at finally putting an end to abstinence-only education, and we must not let the Hatch Amendment undue our hard work!

On Wednesday October 28^th, call your Senators at 1-888-423-5983 and urge them to put a stop to the harmful Hatch Amendment and abstinence-only-before- marriage programs!

For more ideas on how to take action during "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated," check out our action series

Exposing Face Clinics: WEEK OF ACTION

It's Day 2 of the Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics' Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated Week of Action, and there's still time to get involved!

Teach students on your campus the truth about creepy Crisis Pregnancy Centers by:

• Getting the word out with "Trick or Truth Treats".
• Screening our investigative videos.
• Having students sign our petition to stop deceptive advertising and federal funding of fake clinics.
• Creating a Haunted Clinic on your campus to show how scary fake facilities really are.
• Participating in the Video Contest to Expose Fake Clinics on Your Campus! Click here for guidelines. Get creative and submit your video!
• Check out our Action Series for more ideas. Submit pictures and reports of your campus group's efforts this week and you could be featured here on the blog or in an upcoming eZine.

Don't let the ghouls and goblins of fake clinics deceive students on your campus! Join FMF and campuses across the nation as we expose something REALLY frightening…FAKE CLINICS!

image credit: sticviews.com on flickr

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series: Trick or TRUTH!

Over at FMLA of the Claremont Colleges, we’re gearing up for the Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated week of action to try and get the word out to students about CPCs—and we’ve engaged chocolate to help us out.

In my opinion, no one can resist free candy. So in keeping with the “Don’t Get Tricked, Get Treated!” Halloween theme, we decided to set up our own version of “trick or treat.” We’re calling it “Trick or Truth.” On slips of paper, we wrote examples of the kinds of falsehoods that CPCs perpetuate, and then wrote the TRUTH about those false claims. We came up with several of these, and are stapling them to Halloween candy we bought in bulk at Costco.

Here's what we wrote on our "Trick or Truth" treats:

TRICK: CPCs say that abortion causes breast cancer.

TRUTH: Scientists disagree. Organizations such as the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, and the American Cancer Society ALL say that no such link exists.

TRICK: CPCs say that abortion leads to suicide.

TRUTH: An eleven-year longitudinal study of 13,000 women found that women who give birth have the same rate of need for psychological treatment as women who have abortions.

We’re hoping that these little snapshots of CPC scare tactics make students as angry as they make us, and that they help get the word out about the dangers of CPCs. And since we’re pretty strapped for funds at the moment, we needed a way to attract students to the tables we will be setting up in front of dining halls. Chocolate is a pretty powerful (and cheap!) tool.

In addition to using chocolate to get the word out, we also made handy (and informative!) table tents (pictured here) to place on all of the dining hall tables. The table tents identify the CPCs near our campus and warn students about what types of so-called "services" they might receive there.

Lastly, we'll be holding two screenings of the FMF's Investigative Videos, followed by discussion sessions.

I hope you've got a lot of cool plans in store! If you don't, grab some candy, paper and a stapler and get the word out!

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

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series Step 8: Create a Haunted Clinic

Attention feminist art majors, set design gurus, and those with a general love for Halloween: we have got a super creative Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated" Action idea for you!

Create a Haunted Clinic on campus! It's like a haunted house, but with creepy fake doctors and nurses making false medical claims about abortion!

All you need is a classroom, a study lounge, or other space on campus. You can even use a tent or canopy outdoors. If you can't get your hands on any of the above, you can improvise with a table.

Next, you'll need some spooky Halloween decorations (you know, cobwebs, spiders, and the like), some doctor and nurse costumes (like a nurse hat, a stethoscope, a lab coat...whatever is easiest to get a hold of), and lastly, if you're able to round up any supplies to make your haunted house extra spooky, like a fog machine, black lights, strobe lights, or just trash bags to cover the walls, go for it!

Be sure to publicize your haunted clinic, and when students come through, have the fake doctors and nurses make the totally creepy (but all too real) false medical claims made at CPCs.

Our Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics Kit, Investigative Videos, and this Ms. Magazine article should supply you with plenty of material to work with!

Be sure to use your Haunted Clinic as an opportunity to educate students who come through. Consider screening the Investigative Videos inside the haunted "clinic", holding a discussion session, passing out flyers, or even just asking folks to sign the Petition to Stop Deceptive Advertising and Federal Funding of Fake Women's Health Clinics.

Get creative and be sure to share your ideas with us!!

Don't forget about all the other great ideas we've got for the Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated Week of Action. Don't miss the Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics Video Contest Deadline - Nov. 1 is quickly approaching!

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series! Step 7: Photo Campaign

Ah the National Week of Action to expose fake clinics is quickly approaching! (October 25th-31st if case you have forgotten!) What do YOU have planned?

So our next idea is to have a photo campaign!

Rally students together! Meet people who want to be involved when you are petitioning for CPCs. Come up with a prompt question that you want to ask everyone. Here are a few suggestions:

1. What do you expect from a women's health clinic?
2.What do you think about CPCs?
3.What services would you like to receive if you were faced with an unintended pregnancy?

Get people to write their answers on a piece of paper and have them tape it to a speech bubble that you've pre-made.

Take their picture!

These photos can be put into a slideshow, or a facebook or flickr album and share it with all of your supporters. Or you can print them out and create a photo collage or feminist quilt that can be displayed on campus or when you are tabling. Or you can also send them to your elected officials urging them to do something about the deceptive advertising practices of CPCs!

Check out the photo blog we at the West Coast office made!

What do you expect from your women's health clinic?

Create a Free Slideshow

Please share your submissions with us! Email them to campusteam@feminist.org.
It would be a great idea as a part of the video you submit for the video contest.
What more great action ideas? Check out our action idea archives!

You Don't Want to Miss This!

Hey Western States Feminists!

Have you registered for the Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference yet? No? Well hurry up and REGISTER because Early Bird Registration ends Oct. 21!

Right now, it only costs $15 for individuals and $12 per person for groups of 5 or more. To take advantage of this group rate, get in touch with Allie or Jacqueline at amcdonald@feminist.org or jsun@feminist.org or call us at 866-471-3652.

In case you haven't heard, The Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference is the feminist event of the season and you won't want to miss it! It is taking place at Santa Monica College on November 6th and 7th and will feature feminist activists, leaders, elected officials, artists and performers from all over the Western United States!

Topics to be addressed include: global women's rights, women in leadership, rape kit backlogs, femicide, health care reform, violence against women, marriage equality, immigration, trafficking, sweatshops, anti-abortion extremism, exposing fake clinics, and more!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW!

Want to come but not sure how you'll afford it? Check with your academic department, faculty, student activities office and student government NOW for funding that may be available! Also check out our fundraising tips. Cost shouldn't be a barrier to attend this amazing event, so if you need help, give the West Coast Campus Team a ring at 866-471-3652 (toll-free).

We've also got discount group hotel rates reserved right by the conference. Check out our Hotels Info page for details.

Questions, comments or concerns? Contact Allie and Jacqueline, West Coast Campus Team, at amcdonald@feminist.org or jsun@feminist.org or call us at 866-471-3652.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY!

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series! Step 6: Hold a Film Screening

The next step to exposing fake clinics is to hold a film screening!

We have two videos on our website that would teach people who aren't already familiar with CPCs a lot about their deceptive practices. The first is called, "Our Reality: A Look at Crisis Pregnancy Centers" and the second is called, "Crisis Pregnancy Centers: A special Report" Both were produced by FMF in conjunction with Stuart Productions and featured on RH Reality Check.

Our Reality: A Look at Crisis Pregnancy Centers from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.

1. Contact your Student Affairs or Student Activities office and see what the procedures are for screening a film for the public.

2. Reserve a space! Maybe it will be in a classroom, the women's resource center, or an auditorium. See what you need to do to hold the even in this space. Make sure there is a projector that you can hook up to your computer.

3. Make flyers and publicize the event. Make an eye-catching flyer announcing when and where the film screening will be. Post them on campus and hand them out when you tabling. Make announcement in classrooms and ask professors if they will give their students extra credit for attending the screening.

4. Buy some yummy snacks! Popcorn, chips, licorice, ice cream, pizza. Go wild, budget permitting.

5. Screen the films and then hold a discussion about it. How do people feel about about what they have just seen? What are the inital thoughts? Do people want to take some action on the issue?

6. Formulate a plan. Whats next? Have the people at the screening get involved with the campaign to expose fake clinics. What actions do they want to do after seeing those films? Don't know where to start, check out steps 1-5 on our action series!


Don't forget about the Video Contest!

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series Step 5: Burma Shave Signs

Need a clever and creative way to raise the visibility factor of your Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated" Week of Action Oct. 25 - 31? Well, we have a simple and fun solution for you! Create Burma Shave signs!

What in the world are Burma Shave signs, you ask? Well, back in the 50's the Burma shaving cream company launched an ad campaign that consisted of sequential roadside signs, each with a short slogan.

By the end of the sequence, the driver just NEEDED to buy shaving cream! Put this technique to use on campus and you'll have students banging down the door of your next meeting begging to join your campaign!

It's simple:

Get some poster boards, markers and tape.
Pick out a main walkway of campus where the signs will be highly visible and people will read the signs one after another.
Get the proper approval to post signs on campus.

Now for the slogans...We've come up with a few starter ideas for you, following what we like to call the "You wouldn't....so why..." pattern:

Sign 1: You wouldn't want your professor telling you the world is flat.

Sign 2: You wouldn't want your dentist telling you that toothpaste causes cavities.

Sign 3: You wouldn't want a firefighter telling you that a smoke detector won't save your life.

Sign 4: So WHY are Crisis Pregnancy Centers [or your local CPC] telling women that abortion causes breast cancer, infertility and mental illness?

Sign 5: And WHY are Crisis Pregnancy Centers telling women that condoms won't protect against STIs and HIV?

Sign 6: Join the [name of your club]'s Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics! Come to our meeting on [day] at [time] at [place] or email [contact] to find out how you can help!

These are just some examples of the types of "You Wouldn't..." sayings you could use. Feel free to customize these slogans to make them more relevant and in-tune with your particular campus, student body, and the local fake clinics. Need help with this idea? Contact your FMF Campus Organizer.

And don't forgot the other important steps leading up to your week of action like, finding out if fake clinics are targeting your school, and getting the word out on campus.

Also, the Deadline for the Exposing Fake Clinics Video Contest is fast approaching! Download the flyer now!

Check out past entries and stay tuned for more to come in the Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series!

Photo courtesy of Life in Flintville on flikr.com

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series! Step 4: Make an Action Video

Are you getting ready for our national week of action to expose fake clinics?

In case you've been in a cave, the campus organizers are giving you action ideas in our Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series. Check out Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 in case you've missed out!

In this installment, I'll be talking to you about our Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics Video Contest!

Maybe you have a creative way to expose fake clinics that we haven't thought of yet. Perhaps you or someone you know wants to share a personal experiences with a CPC. Maybe you have already done some amazing action on exposing clinics and want to show us. Well, WE WANT TO SEE IT.

Plan a video, script it, find your crew and start filming! We want innovative ideas, powerful interviews, and touching interactions.

Let us know what you are doing to get the word out!

Create a You-tube Style video less than 10 minutes long and email your submissions to jsun@feminist.org by November 1st, 2009.

The winner will get their video featured at our Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference (register today!!!) as well as our National Young Feminist Leadership Conference, March 20-22 in Washington DC, with an introduction by feminist actor, Amy Brenneman.

So get rolling!

Keep in mind that surreptitious phone and video recordings inside a CPC or of CPC staff are strictly prohibited. Some CPCs will require you to sign a confidentiality agreement which may be enforceable by law. Make sure that no one on your video has signed one.

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series Step 3: Start Planning Your Week of Action!

Now that you've found out if fake clinics are targeting your campus, and begun getting the word out on campus, it is time to start planning your "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated" Week of Action!

Join feminist groups across the nation and take action to expose fake clinics during the Week of Oct. 25 - 31! Start planning and prepping for your week of action now! "Don't Get Tricked, Get Treated" Action ideas include:

- Screen the FMF's investigative videos available at: http://feministcampus.org/act/cpc/default.asp.
- Burma Shave signs around campus
- Photo Campaign
- Haunted Clinic
- Organize a protest outside of the nearest CPC warning women about the CPC's deceptive practices and misinformation
- Hold a rally or speak out on campus exposing fake clinics and demanded truth in advertising for women's health services
-Screen your own "Exposing Fake Clinics" Video and be sure to submit it to the Video Contest to Expose Fake Clinics! Entries are due no later than Nov. 1 to Jacqueline Sun at jsun@feminist.org.

Don't forget to do your homework! Before organizing your week of action, be sure to check out the FMF's Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics kit, find out if CPCs are targeting your campus and start getting the word out!

Stay tuned for more Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series blogs and more info on visibility events for the week of action!

If you have a great action event idea, we want to hear it and share it! Email your campus organizer with your great idea!

Photo courtesy of PumpkinWayne on flikr.com

Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series! Step 2: Get the Word Out!

Welcome to another installment of Exposing Fake Clinics Action Series!

In Allie's last post, we talked about finding out whether or not CPCs were targeting your campus.

In this installment, I'm going to talk about how you can get the word out and create visibility for exposing fake clinics.

Here are some ideas:

1. Create educational flyers letting people know what CPCs are and where the nearest one to your campus is. Distribute them widely and educate your student body about the deceptive practices of crisis pregnancy centers.

2. Circulate the petition. Not only will you be getting signatures of supporters, you will also be educating people who may not have already known about CPCs. Be sure to email (campusteam@feminist.org) the information from the petition to us in an excel sheet or fax in your petitions. This will ensure that these signatures get sent out to congressional leaders, but it will also connect our supporters to the largest pro-choice student network in the world. Don't deprive our supporters from action alerts as well as conference, campaign and event news!

3. Distribute our caution flyer to warn people about CPCs near your campus!

4. Hand out pieces of candy, each with a informational tag. They can include information about what a CPC is, how to discern a CPCs from legitimate clinics, or where the CPCs in your area are.

5. Get news coverage from your campus newspaper! Call your newspaper editor and pitch them the story about CPCs. FMF has just released a new press release about CPCs that you should send to the editor as well. In your pitch, include info about the deceptive practices of CPCs, where the closest CPC is to your campus, whether your health center refers women to CPCs, and let them know what actions your feminist group is taking to expose them, and what you plan to do for the national Week of Action October 25th-31st!


Don't forget about our video contest. Do you have a great idea to get to word out? Personal experiences? Want to share how you feel about CPCs? We want to see it! The winner will have their video screened at the Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference as well as the National Conference in the Spring, and be presented by feminist actor, Amy Brenneman! Deadline to submit videos is November 1st. Please send your submissions to me, Jacqueline Sun, jsun@feminist.org. And remember to keep your videos less than 10 minutes long!


Keep checking up on the blog for more in our action series!

photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanchan/2500293355/

REGISTER NOW for the Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference!

Join us at the FMF's Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference November 6th & 7th at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles, California!

Feminists from campuses across the Western United States will converge to discuss women’s rights and equality issues, and to formulate a plan of action.

We’ll address feminist topics including exposing fake clinics, Afghan women’s rights, rape kit backlogs, femicide, anti-choice extremism, marriage equality, health care reform, immigration, global reproductive rights, birth control access and much more.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to network with dynamic speakers and student leaders and fight to improve the lives of women worldwide!

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW!

$15 for individuals
$12 per person for groups of 5 or more
* To register at the group rate, contact Allie at amcdonald@feminist.org or Jacqueline at jsun@feminist.org or call 1-866-471-3652.

After Oct. 21st, registration fees go up, so take advantage of these discount rates and REGISTER NOW!

For information about registration, the location, fundraising, and group hotel rates, check out the conference website or contact Campus Organizers, Allie and Jacqueline at amcdonald@feminist.org, jsun@feminist.org or 1-866-471-3652.

The time is now to unite with feminists from across the western states and organize to create real change for women worldwide! We hope you can make it!

For Equality,

Allie, Jacqueline and duVergne
West Coast Campus Team

Save the Date for the Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference!

Mark your calendars! The Western Regional Feminist Campus Leadership Conference will be held on November 6 & 7, 2009 at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles, California.

Feminists from campuses across the Western United States will converge to discuss women’s rights and equality issues, and to formulate a plan of action.

We’ll address feminist topics including exposing fake clinics, Afghan women’s rights, rape kit backlogs, femicide, anti-choice extremism, marriage equality, health care reform, immigration, global reproductive rights, birth control access and much more.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to network with dynamic speakers and student leaders and fight to improve the lives of women worldwide!

Early Bird Registration will open soon, for the low cost of $15 for individuals, or $12 for each person in a group of 5 or more.

To reserve your spot TODAY, email Allie at amcdonald@feminist.org or Jacqueline at jsun@feminist.org and include your NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, SCHOOL, AND EXPECTED GRAD DATE.

If you plan on flying in for the conference, LAX is the closest with airport, while Bob Hope Airport in Burbank is the second closest.

Group hotel rates are available at the Travelodge Pico Blvd. Santa Monica. To reserve your room today, call: 310.450.5766 and ask for the "Feminist Majority Foundation" special rate!

We hope you can make it! Website and Facebook event are soon to come!

For Equality,

Allie, Jacqueline and duVergne
The West Coast Campus Team