November, 19 2013, 12:32pm EDT
Celebrities Join Online Telethon Supporting Texas Women
NEW YORK, NY
Last night, celebrities joined with NARAL Pro-Choice America and the New York Abortion Access Fund for an online telethon to raise money to support Texas women in the face of legislation restricting their right to abortion care.
Watch the video here: https://www.ladypartsjustice.com/
Texas is now the 12th state with a 20-week abortion ban on the books and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that Texas' new admitting privileges requirement will be effective immediately. Local abortion providers estimate that the law will close 13-15 health centers. Many women will not be able to get the care they need, whether it be abortion care or a whole array of preventive services -- such as family planning -- that reproductive-health centers provide.
"When women are under assault they should know there is back-up that instinctively comes to join in the fight," said Lizz Winstead, comedian and co-creator of The Daily Show. "Last night showed we are building a huge cavalry that will be ready at a moments notice."
View celebrity tweets about the event with #TXForever and #TexasWomenForever
"Thanks to the misguided priorities of anti-choice lawmakers in Texas, women seeking access to abortion care and a number of preventive services will have to drive hours to the nearest clinic," said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "Women and their families cannot afford to wait for these unconstitutional laws to be overturned in court. Fortunately, thanks to our pro-choice allies on the ground, there is already a network of groups who provide support to these women in need. That is why NARAL Pro-Choice America jumped at the opportunity to be a partner on this telethon which will help raise money and awareness for these everyday heroes."
The three-hour fundraiser featured Sarah Silverman, Lizz Winstead, Amy Schumer, Emily Mortimer, Natasha Lyonne, Jemima Kirke, Kathy Najimy, Kathleen Hanna, King Ad-Rock, Tennessee Thomas, Ambrosia Parsley, John Fugelsang, Alysia Reiner, Dave Hill, Dean Obeidallah, Lynne Procope, Joan Walsh, Sally Kohn, Anthea Butler, Phoebe Robinson, Sarah Sophie Flicker, Syreeta McFadden, Alexa Chung, Sarah Slamen, Jessica Luther, Yael Stone, Dascha Polanco, and Zoe Kazan.
For over 50 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
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