via Feminist Majority Foundation Blog. Today the FMF is launching their sixth #HERVotes Blog Carnival to combat efforts by Catholic Bishops to convince President Obama and HHS Secretary Sibelius to expand the refusal clause “to allow some institutions to refuse, under the Affordable Care Act, birth control coverage without co-pays to students and employees of hospitals, universities, and other institutions, or other religious affiliated or connected institutions such as Catholic Charities.” This exemption would mean that at least six million women with health insurance will lose their contraceptive coverage benefit simply because of where they work or go to school.
Lest anyone misconstrue this Blog Carnival as “Catholic bashing“, let’s keep in mind that the vast majority of American Catholics support birth control despite the official church position. In other words, many Catholics believe that reproductive rights are human rights – like their counterparts mainline Protestant churches (e.g. the Episcopal Church of the USA) and Jewish congregations, are engaged in the “sacred work” of securing reproductive justice for women. (this work has a long history — One of the “fathers” of the birth control pill, John Rock, was a devout Catholic; protestant chaplains, and even a few Catholic ones, helped college students gain access to birth control on campuses).
So, take action and help spread the word: no way to birth control co-pays!
Cross posted from Knitting Clio
