This Season Donate To Lady Parts Justice League As They Take On Anti-Choice BS In 2018

In mid-November, the Supreme Court of the United States announced it would take on a major case involving First Amendment issues (freedom of speech) and Crisis Pregnancy Clinics. The CPS, often run by religious entities that generally have no doctors on staff and exist to deter women from choosing abortion by sometimes using lies, are challenging a current California law which states these clinics must counsel patients on all of their reproductive options, including abortion.

The CPCs claim this goes against their First Amendment rights to not recommend a procedure they are against. This case is going to be yet another explosive showdown between reproductive rights activists, and anti-choice organizations, similar to the 2016 Whole Woman’s Health v Hellerstedt case. CPCs have come under increased scrutiny by pro choice organizations and activists in recent years, and are often referred to as “fake clinics” as they usually don’t offer any medical services beyond an ultrasound and pregnancy tests.

One organization that has been working hard to expose these CPCs is the Lady Parts Justice League, founded by ‘The Daily Show’ creator Lizz Winstead. LPJL is known for using humor to share information about abortion and reproductive rights, and they focus a lot of their efforts on supporting independent clinics around the country that provide abortion services. In certain states, the number of abortion providers have decreased dramatically over the past few years (some only have one), and are in danger of disappearing altogether due to continual legislative barriers that are designed to impede a woman’s right to choose.

Each year, LPJL raises money and hits the road with their Vagical Mystery Tour which is all about supporting abortion clinics, providers and staff, especially in states where they are few and far between, to let them know they do not have to face the onslaught of anti-choice BS alone. Throughout 2017 they hit 16 states and visited 25 clinics at sold-out events which featured comedians, performers and discussion panels where clinic staff spoke with Lizz and her team about the work they are doing.

While there has been a lot of news media coverage about the need to support Planned Parenthood, LPJL is focusing on the smaller clinics which often don’t get the same kind of attention from the pro choice community in the same way. If we value every person’s right to bodily autonomy, we need to be aware of the issues facing these clinics and ensure we do our part to help them stay open.

This holiday season, if you are looking to put your #resistance dollars to good use, LPJL is running their annual 28-day Cycle of Giving where they raise funds for next year’s activities. They plan on traveling the country again with the Vagical Mystery Tour, launching campaigns similar to their #ExposeFakeClinics campaign which exposes the truth about CPCs, and also giving a major signal boosts to important news stories like they did in 2017 in the case of domestic terrorist Michael Griffin (who murdered an abortion provider in 1993) and was up for parole this year.

It hardly made news headlines, but thanks to LPJL sharing with their followers and fans that they could contact the Florida Parole Board and tell them they don’t believe he should be released, Michael Griffin will stay behind bars until 2043.

If you have been paying attention to the relentless GOP and Trump Administration attacks on women’s bodily autonomy from the rollback of Obamacare’s birth control mandate, to Trump doubling down on the Global Gag Rule, to pregnant immigrant women being blocked from choosing their own outcomes thanks to anti-choice religious appointees working for the President, you will already know how crucial it is to fight back against the rollback of rights. LPJL wears the cape and boots so you don’t have to, and they are determined to make 2018 another banner year on the front lines for reproductive rights.

In the first of their Cycle of Giving video series, Lizz Winstead talks about the need to be more vocal in support of abortion providers who are under attack. It’s not enough just to say we support reproductive freedom, we need to walk the talk. Donating to their cause is the simplest way to make a difference.

“LPJL is focused on creating very public and highly visible ways to show that this nation supports reproductive rights, and we won’t allow abortion access to be compromised. LPJL has marched, rallied, and counter-protested, but we’ve got to make an even bigger impact in the coming year. During 2018, LPJL will use our creativity, media savvy and wicked sense of humor to create direct public actions that counter the creepy “prayer-warrior” gloom vigils and expose them to be the misogynistic white walkers that they are,” says the website.

“We counter hate and harassment with joy and laughter, and we want you to join us. We target so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” aka fake clinics, face down 40 Days for Life, disrupt lawmakers and testify before public officials. When there is a call to shut down these voices- #WeShowUP.”

They are the only organization doing hands-on clinics support, and using humor and pop culture to raise awareness about reproductive rights and abortion. As important as it is to fight back against the anti-choice onslaught, using humor and pop culture as a tool can be an effective way to spread a message far and wide, as LPJL has proven.

“LPJL is committed to relentlessly calling out anti-choice bullshit, and making sure that the assault on bodily autonomy is put front and center and goes viral, especially in entertainment pop-culture spaces,” they state.

Let’s help make 2018 an even bigger year for the resistance. Donate to Lady Parts Justice League’s Cycle of Giving, and ensure reproductive autonomy as well as safe, legal abortion services can continue for those who need it the most. Check out the Cycle of Giving videos on the LPJL Youtube Playlist and catch up on some of their previous video campaigns from 2017 also.

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