News & Media

Nov 8, 2011

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Planned Parenthood Action Fund/PP Advocates of New York launch 2012 election work

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Launches Women are Watching (WAW) Campaign for 2012 Election Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York launches viral video on pro-choice political activities

(Washington D.C., Albany NY Nov. 8, 2011) Today, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund launched the Women are Watching campaign to educate women across the country about the unprecedented attacks on women’s health care and where candidates stand on pivotal health care issues. The campaign launches with a web site— www.womenarewatching.org, as well as a robust social media program that engages online supporters.

Simultaneously, Planned Parenthood Advocates of New York (PPANY) has launched a vira­l video about the organization and its work educating voters about the importance of electing pro-choice candidates as they represent the pro-choice values of the vast majority of New Yorkers. The video will be featured at PPANY’s kick-off fundraising event in Albany on Monday, Nov. 14. “Women are outraged at politicians who are playing politics with women’s health,” said PPANY President M. Tracey Brooks. “That’s why we’ve launched Women are Watching – to give women a place to share their energy and important information regarding what’s at stake in the 2012 election.”

Last spring, when lifesaving care, like birth control and cancer screenings, was under attack by House leaders, Planned Parenthood supporters flocked to social media and spoke out in numerous ways. Planned Parenthood signed up more than one million new supporters nationally and more than 52,000 here in New York, who shared their personal stories online, flooded Facebook with the Planned Parenthood petition, and made viral videos in support.

Women are Watching taps into the growing social media energy and enthusiasm and serves as a hub of information for supporters to share with their friends, and friends of friends.

At all levels of government, the future of women’s health hangs in the balance. In 2012, women have the power to choose which candidates will ultimately determine whether women’s health care will be supported and remain accessible, or the clock will be rolled back on women’s health. Women are Watching is the Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s tool to engage supporters and hold candidates of all parties accountable.

Recently, in the face of a political effort driven by women’s health opponents in Congress, more than 30,000 Planned Parenthood supporters sent an email to the White House, encouraging the President to stand strong to protect birth control without co-pays – one of the most popular benefits of the health care reform act.

And just two weeks ago, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund Facebook page posted a video taking Mitt Romney to task for supporting the dangerous and extreme “personhood” amendment, being voted on in Mississippi today. It became one of the most popular videos on the Facebook page, with more than 3,000 supporters “sharing” the video with their wider social networks.

It’s evident that women voters are engaged by what the candidates are saying about women’s health, and want to spread that information to their networks. Womenarewatching.org is an excellent tool for making that happen. #