Keep Women Healthy

A few weeks ago, I was asked by the owners of this website to start providing content for the “Keep Women Healthy” blog.  That sounded simple enough.  Since then, I’ve written about the dangers of tanning machines, abortion and a few other items.  I’ve provided you with facts and figures in an effort to try to keep you up to date on that particular issue.

But I soon found myself getting bored as I just regurgitated a bunch of stuff I found from a variety of sources, stuff that you could no doubt find on your own if you wanted to take the time.  So, I started thinking about how I could make this blog a little different and more useful.  How can we use this page to really help “Keep Women Healthy?”

Then, this morning, over a bowl of Honey Oats cereal (one percent milk- can’t yet make the leap to skim), it hit me.  You see, my background is in political action.  I’ve worked on numerous political campaigns, served as a Legislative Aide on Capitol Hill and am a former lobbyist for a women’s reproductive rights organization.  My experience has taught me that people can influence their government (despite the protestations of the Tea Party and Sara Palin).  You can get things done if you are willing to put in the effort.

So, I’ve decided to use my expertise in political organizing to help “Keep Women Healthy.”

Every day in Washington, D.C., your government is doing something that concerns women’s health.  Or, if they are not doing anything, they could be.  I know it is impossible for you to sort out all of the issues and decide where to put your energy.  You’ve got a life.  That’s where I come in.

In the future, I will use this column to give you some simple ideas.  It may be a suggestion to contact your Member of Congress about a specific piece of legislation.  Or, I may recommend you email the White House to urge the President to take some executive action on some issue.  Maybe the FDA needs to hear from people on a new, woman-friendly drug.

I promise not to overwhelm you.  Personally, I hate it when I get a message (usually in big red letters with lots of exclamation points) from some national organization urging me to do ten things, ten very complicated things.  That just guarantees that I will not do any of them.

So, I will keep it simple.  If we are organized, we can accomplish things.