Let’s Talk About Sex – Aug. 27 Event

McHenry County Citizens for Choice
Presents
“Let’s Talk About Sex”
A film by James Houston


 You are invited to join us on Saturday, August 27, 2011 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm to see the documentary Let’s Talk About Sex,  winner of the youth award  Mostra de Ciencia e Cinema Festival and official selection at the Provincetown International Film Festival.
 
Let’s Talk About Sex takes a revealing look at how American attitudes toward adolescent sexuality impact today’s teenagers.  The film also travels to the Netherlands, where Houston compares European attitudes with those in America, then concludes in Oregon, where the lessons learned in Western Europe are helping to create practical solutions.   This is an urgent picture of American youth in crisis, one that not enough people are talking about.
 
“A humorous and factual approach to the important issue of sexuality education makes this a must-see for any American”
 –Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice
 
“Whether you have children, teach children, or are around children at all… this movie is a must-see.”  –Hugh Jackman
          
www.letstalkaboutsexthefilm.com   -  Color/approx. 63 minutes
 
This film presentation is particularly relevant as we as we approach the fall veto session in the Illinois General Assembly in October where the passage of HB 3027 The Accurate Sexual Health Education Bill presents us with the opportunity to take a step forward in creating a standard for existing sexual health  education courses in our Illinois schools.
 
Following the film  we are most happy and honored to present as our speaker/facilitator:
 
Ms. Khadine Bennett
Staff Attorney and Legislative Counsel
Roger Baldwin Foundation of the ACLU of Illinois
 
Ms. Bennett has extensive knowledge concerning HB 3027 and the need for guidance in the schools. She will explain the bill and answer questions and concerns.  We have invited our area state representatives and senators to join us as we all familiarize ourselves with this legislation.
 

Saturday, August 27, 2011
11:00 am -  2:00 pm
McHenry Savings Bank
Community Room Lower Level
353 Bank Drive, McHenry
Just North of the intersection of Bull Valley Rd. and Rt. 31
Lunch available, $10 donation suggested

 
Reservations required.
Call 815-338-8030 or email choice@mcccprochoice.org

August 23, 2011   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

VOTE YES ON HB 3027

SA#1 to HB 3027 is the result of careful negotiations to revise proposed sex education legislation (SB 1619). These negotiations resulted in a compromise bill.

 Contact your State Representative about passing this important legislation – Download the fact sheet to learn more!

August 23, 2011   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

July 2011 Newsletter — information on the coalition for sex education, a call for volunteers, and the importance of the upcoming elections!

Newsletter_July2011

July 26, 2011   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

NW Herald article

In June a reporter from the NW Herald contacted MCCC about an article she was writing specifically focused on the parental notification/consent issue. We provided her with the position of MCCC and many other groups, including medical professionals (all against such a requirement) and a reference to some experts on that subject.

As her article developed she contacted the local Right to Life Group in this area and they directed her to the local Crisis Pregnancy Clinic (CPC) They in turn urged her to speak with some of their young women clients who either regretted their abortions or decided to carry them to term so she now has their testimony.

The reporter again phoned MCCC with a further request. In the interest of fairness she asked if MCCC could provide a contact with some pro choice women who have had an abortion, do not have regrets, and in fact are thankful that the option was available.  In response to our email, a number of women volunteered to speak to the reporter. Their confidentiality was assured. Lisa Miller was willing to be identified by name and location so her interview was used.  We thank Lisa for her courage and her articulate response to the reporter’s questions.

In case you missed it, this is the resulting article:

http://www.nwherald.com/mobile/article.xml/articles/2011/06/20/r_ipkzj2ketkofxqpsvpelgq/index.xml

Reticence to speak out is understandable. It is not an issue of shame but rather the exposure to anti-choice individuals who have a well known history of harassment. But we will never move this issue forward until we move abortion out of the shadows that has been forced on it by anti-choice, religious extremists and politicians. It is that breed that moved abortion beyond being accepted as necessary health care to a vehicle used to demonize, shame and control women.

We must all come out of the closet and claim our right to talk about abortion and contraception as part of women’s lives and reproductive health care.

July 26, 2011   Posted in: Calls to Action, Local News  Comments Closed

38th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

The above ad appears in today's Northwest Herald.

MCCC placed this ad commemorating the Roe v. Wade decision in the Northwest Herald.

If you would like to support our efforts to educate the local community about the importance of reproductive rights for all women, consider a contribution either by mail or through our Paypal account.

January 22, 2011   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

MCCC Newsletter: Mid-Term Elections

Reproductive rights sustained collateral damage as voters concerned mainly over economic issues sent conservative, anti-choice candidates to Congress. When the Republicans take over the House on January 5, 2011 they will start with an agenda to make bans on federal funding of abortion permanent federal law and to defund Planned Parenthood. There will be 242 Republicans and 193 Democrats.

Read the Newsletter

January 18, 2011   Posted in: Local News, National News  Comments Closed

MCCC Activists Enjoy 20th Anniversary Bash

On October 3, 2010, M-Triple-C celebrated its 20th anniversary with a Champagne Brunch Extravaganza at the McHenry Country Club. 

M-Triple-C board members worked for months to plan this fun event.

The madcap hosts of Chicago’s Diva Brunch, joined by special guests The Pin-Ups, celebrated the divas of McHenry County with their signature blend of song, smarts and sass.

 

MCCC board members decorated Diva-style…

 

MCCC’s official Historian…

…produced a wonderful montage of our twenty years of activism.

A lively audience warmly received our Diva Brunch entertainers.

The audience included friends…

…and mother/daughter teams.

As the program concluded, young women in attendance committed to take up the mantle in the ongoing struggle to secure reproductive rights and reproductive justice for all women.

In 1992, MCCC activists who traveled to Springfield to meet with McHenry County legislators were warned that “within five years there won’t be any pro-choice voters in McHenry County.” History has proven these legislators wrong as MCCC remains a vibrant, active organization in the McHenry County community.

December 5, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Newsletter and Voter Information

On August 26, 1920, the 19th amendment was adopted, giving women the right to vote and run for office.

But women will not achieve true equality until they have reproductive autonomy. All women’s rights, especially her ability to participate in society as an equal, are based on the fundamental right to decide for herself whether or not to have an abortion as well as her ability to access birth control without government interference.

The agenda of anti-choice activists is to use the legislative process to take away those human rights. It is imperative that women use pro-choice as the first criteria in selecting a candidate.

Midterm elections are notoriously low in voter turnout. Women are typically more likely than men to vote, but this year polling suggests that women are  less enthusiastic than men about heading to the polls. Unmarried women, in particular, report that they are
less likely to vote this year. We can’t afford for women to sit this one out.

The 10 x 10 Solution

If every woman makes an effort to reach out to 10 women with information on the candidates and on the mechanics of voting, and ask that each of those women pass that information on to 10 more, we can make a difference and the legacy of our suffragists will truly be honored.

With this in mind, McHenry Country Citizens for Choice is providing two pieces of voter information in separate posts below. We provide information on pro- and anti-choice candidates in the federal, state and county mid-term elections, scheduled to be held on November 2.

Direct ten of your friends to this information – through Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, printouts, passenger pigeons! Any way you can boost the signal is a way to make a difference in this critical election.

October 2010 Newsletter

October 15, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Elections – November 2010 – Federal & State

NONPARTISAN PRO-CHOICE VOTER INFORMATION

General Election Tuesday, November 2, 2010

On this page is a non-partisan list of candidates as they will appear on your ballot for the General Election. Pro-choice candidates have been identified from endorsements by Planned Parenthood Illinois Action and/or Personal PAC. Anti-choice candidates have been identified and rated by Illinois Citizens for Life. Incumbents are designated by “Inc” after party affiliation.

MCCC does not endorse candidates.

Federal & State Offices

October 13, 2010   Posted in: Calls to Action, Local News, National News  Comments Closed

Elections – November 2010 – McHenry Country Offices

The views of county candidates on reproductive rights are important. Although these offices do not have jurisdiction over abortion policies, support of all reproductive rights, including family planning and comprehensive sexuality education, is essential at every level. County boards; school boards; committeemen, and city council members can influence decisions on issues vital to their communities’ ability to make rational decisions on public health policies and to meet the reproductive health needs of their citizens. These offices are also often used as first steps in a political career.

Personal PAC has sent questionnaires to the candidates below, listed as they appear on your ballot, to evaluate their positions on reproductive rights. Five McHenry County Board candidates were endorsed by Personal PAC. Although some other candidates have expressed pro-choice views, those views cannot be recognized if the Personal PAC questionnaires were not returned and those views documented.
MCCC does not endorse candidates.

McHenry County Offices

October 13, 2010   Posted in: Calls to Action, Local News  Comments Closed