The American Civil Liberties Union invites you to join the hundreds of organizations and individuals across the country as we gear-up for the largest demonstration for women's lives in our nation's history. On April 25, 2004, the streets of Washington, DC, will be filled with Americans who believe that women of all races and faiths - rich or poor, young or old, rural or urban - should not be faced with government roadblocks when they need birth control, prenatal care, abortions, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, sexuality education, and other essential reproductive health services.
Reproductive freedom is a core civil liberty. The decision of whether or not to bear a child is among the most fundamental and private decisions an individual can make. Government interference in this decision goes against the most basic principles of American life. And yet, our government increasingly seeks to block women's access to critical reproductive health care.
In the last eight years alone, states have enacted more than 330 measures restricting access to not only abortion but also to contraceptives, to sexuality education, and to other essential reproductive health services. This year also marks the first time ever that the federal government has passed a law prohibiting doctors from performing safe and common abortion procedures.
These efforts to curtail our reproductive rights have already succeeded in making it difficult, if not impossible, for many women to obtain the care they need. This is especially true for young women, poor women, women of color, and women living in rural areas where reproductive health care providers are few and far between.
Now is the time to tell the government to stop the onslaught against reproductive rights. Come out and be counted among the majority of Americans who believe that the government should not tell you whether and when to have children. Show lawmakers that they must stop chipping away at reproductive freedom and stop playing politics with women's health and lives.
See you at the march in April!