American women are stuck in a dysfunctional relationship with the government, according to actress Janeane Garofolo.
Garofolo, a longtime reproductive rights activist, spoke on a conference call with writers from several college newspapers to garner interest for the upcoming March for Women's Lives.
As an example of government action against reproductive rights, a student mentioned the recent subpoena of the University of Michigan's medical records to determine if student abortions were medically necessary.
"This is just another way to harass people - make them fearful of exercising their rights," said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority. "We've been calling it medical McCarthyism."
Garofolo said that the media also shoulders some of the blame for what she sees as regressive attitudes toward reproductive rights for women.
"It's a lack of respect on the part of the media who are supposed
to be dealing with these issues
and representing the public trust," she said.
She said that because women's issues fall outside the interest of corporate America, they are "mocked and marginalized."
Garofolo suggested that students "look into themselves and ask themselves why they don't demand the same kind of respect from their government that they demand from their peer group." She and other reproductive rights activities are trying to inspire student interest through the march and political participation.
"We have to be the media," Garofolo said. "We have to inspire and excite."
This can be accomplished by making the issues "real" for college students, according to Crystal Landers, college coordinator for the march and a participant in the conference call. She cited campaigns that give students information, such as how many people died in their state while abortion was illegal. There will also be voter registration booths set up at the march, said Smeal. She said there is a national voter registration form that is now accepted by most states.
Political participation by students is more important than ever, said Smeal, with the fate of Roe v. Wade "hanging by two votes at best."
She said that the march will demonstrate the "overwhelming support" for women's reproductive rights.
"We want a historic march," she said. "We believe it will be the largest pro-choice march in the nation's history and we think in the world's history."
The march will begin at noon on Sunday, April 25 at the Lincoln Memorial.
On Jan. 22, the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade case, pro-life marchers went to Washington. President Bush made a speech where he said "We must continue with civility and respect to remind our fellow citizens that all life
is sacred and worthy of protection." According to protest organizers, the march drew 100,000
participants.
