Amplifying the Provider Voice:
September’s Must-Reads
Bustle: If The Kavanaugh Allegations News Cycle Is Triggering For You, Here’s How To Get Through It
Dr. Tonya Chaffee spoke to Bustle about how survivors of sexual violence can cope through the Judge Kavanaugh news cycle.
Mic: The region of Texas already living in a post-‘Roe v. Wade’ world
Board Member Dr. Bhavik Kumar was interviewed about abortion access (or lack thereof) in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas.
Salon: As a Supreme Court justice, Brett Kavanaugh will present an immediate threat to women’s rights
Board Chair Dr. Willie Parker’s statement on Judge Kavanaugh’s hearings was included in a summary of the threat his nomination poses to reproductive rights.
Physicians Respond: Kavanaugh Accused of Sexual Assault
Dr. Meera Shah spoke out after Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and warned that sexual violence is a public health issue that disproportionately impacts women. The allegations need to be taken seriously and Blasey Ford deserves to be heard.
Tell Congress We Believe Survivors
With the allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh, the Senate Judiciary Committee is still trying to rush through the confirmation process without a full investigation. This devalues the experience of sexual assault survivors, so we are asking you to call on your senators to vote against confirming Kavanaugh.
Why Insurance Coverage Matters
For his Voices of Courage story, Dr. Ben Brown talks about how insurance coverage is often the deciding factor in whether a patient gets the abortion care they need or not. For over 40 years, abortion coverage has been out of reach to people with low incomes, young people, and people of color because of the Hyde Amendment.
Staff Spotlight: Jennifer Blasdell
Jenny is the Vice President of Public Policy and Strategic Partnerships, and has worked in reproductive health policy for over 15 years. Based in DC, she is responsible for our vibrant public policy program, advocating at the national and state levels for access to comprehensive reproductive health care.
She joined Physicians for Reproductive Health in 2011 as the Director of Government Relations and has also served as the Senior Director of Public Policy. In her current role, she has been instrumental in facilitating our physicians testifying before Congress, state legislatures, federal agencies, and briefing policy makers and their staffs on reproductive health care issues. In 2017, Jenny was selected as a Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Fellow with the Rockwood Leadership Institute. She has written articles for SCOTUSblog and the American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy, and the Law.
Prior to coming to Physicians for Reproductive Health, Jenny was the Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland and was the Director of Public Policy at the National Abortion Federation. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law. She also attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an undergraduate where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a minor in Spanish, graduating with honors.