4 Things That Made Us Happy in April: Advancing on Women's Health, Plus a Few Laughs

Ridiculous bills that trample on reproductive freedom, gynoticians who interfere in women’s medical decisions — in the fight for women’s health and rights, it can feel like we’re constantly in the trenches. But it’s not all an uphill battle. 

 In fact, women’s health advocates have seen a lot of wins lately. Here are just a few wins from the past few weeks:

Two Women’s Health Champions Join the 2016 Presidential Race

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, who recently announced their candidacy for president, draw a clear and welcome contrast with the 2016 GOP candidates on women's health. Just read what they’ve said about women’s health:

• “You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health. And reproductive health includes contraception and family planning and access to legal, safe abortion,” Clinton said.
• “We are not returning to the days of back-room abortions, when countless women died or were maimed. The decision about abortion must remain a decision for the woman, her family and physician to make, not the government," Sanders said.

But it’s not just about what they say — it’s what they do. Clinton and Sanders both have a great record on women’s health. They both support Planned Parenthood and expanded access to birth control. And they would ensure that abortion remains safe and legal.

Let’s hear it for these pro-women’s health contenders! Now see where all the presidential candidates stand on women’s health.

SNL’s Cecily Strong Kills at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Former Planned Parenthood staffer and SNL comedian Cecily Strong called out gynoticians everywhere on April 25 at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Our favorite quotes of the night:

• On how she won’t tell politicians how to run the government:  “That's not my job. That would be like you guys telling me what to do with my body I mean, can you even imagine? Crazy.”
• On the Supreme Court Hobby Lobby ruling that allows bosses to deny employees birth control coverage: “I just went to Hobby Lobby and bought the cutest little wicker basket to hold all my morning after pills.”
• In having reporters pledge to lay off Hillary Clinton’s appearance: "Repeat after me, journalists. I solemnly swear not to talk about Hillary's appearance because that is not journalism. Also, Cecily Strong looks great tonight."

We appreciate her hilarious, yet refreshingly honest, comic relief.

Senate Doesn’t Extend Federal Abortion Restrictions in Trafficking Bill

On April 22 the U.S. Senate approved a much-anticipated bill to support human trafficking victims — a bill that had been delayed for about six weeks because anti-women’s health politicians inserted an unprecedented extension of the Hyde Amendment into the bill. This amendment is a decades-old ban on federal funding for abortion for low-income women (except in very narrow circumstances). Thankfully, with the help of pro-women’s health politicians and Planned Parenthood supporters, the Senate removed the extension. With that settled, Congress was able to confirm Loretta Lynch as the nation’s new Attorney General.

Montana Governor Stands-Up for Women’s Health and Rights!

In a huge win for Montana women, Governor Steve Bullock vetoed three abortion restrictions and signed a bill protecting family planning funding. In particular, the bill will help ensure that women will have access to basic health care, such as mammograms, family planning services and cancer screening. "A woman's reproductive health shouldn't be subject to the political whims of the Montana Legislature,” Bullock said.

Tags: Hyde Amendment, Human Trafficking, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Montana, Cecily Strong, Steve Bullock