Gloria Feldt: The War on Women | Big Think | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

There is a need for proactive advocacy in women's health to prevent bills that intrude upon the physician-patient relationship and shame women seeking abortion.

Key Insights

• 👩‍⚕️ Proactive advocacy is crucial in women's health to set the agenda and avoid reactionary stances.
• 😘 Advocates should focus on prevention, emphasizing the importance of contraceptive coverage and funding for low-income women.
• 🤔 Engaging constituents and making them think about reproductive rights can lead to successful outcomes in defeating harmful legislation.
• 🥺 Being constantly on the defensive leads to a negative pattern, while a proactive approach brings positive change.
• 😒 Advocates should embrace controversy, ride the wave, and use its energy to propel their message forward.
• 🍉 Shifting from a defensive to a proactive mode of advocacy is essential in ensuring long-term success.
• 🤩 Setting the temperature of the debate rather than reacting to it is key to fulfilling advocacy goals.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: Why are there new bills in state legislatures that aim to shame women seeking abortion?

The pro-choice side has not been proactive enough, allowing others to set the agenda. Advocates must always be fighting forward to prevent negative legislation.

Q: How can proactive policy measures help in women's health advocacy?

Proactive policy measures not only define the agenda and fight the battle on advocates' terms but also expose the negative aspects of harmful legislation, such as forced ultrasound procedures.

Q: If abortion is disliked, what should advocates support instead?

Advocates should support contraceptive coverage and funding for low-income women, as focusing on prevention and women's health leads to better outcomes than only addressing unintended pregnancies.

Q: Can advocacy efforts have a significant impact on defeating anti-choice initiatives?

Yes, by engaging constituents, making them think about the implications of government control over reproductive choices, and rallying them to vote against anti-choice initiatives, advocates can achieve significant victories, as demonstrated in Arizona.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• State legislatures are introducing bills that aim to shame women seeking abortion and intrude upon the physician-patient relationship.

• The pro-choice side needs to be proactive in setting the agenda and defining the battle to protect women's health.

• Advocates should support policies like contraceptive coverage and funding for low-income women to emphasize prevention and prioritize women's health.