Tens of Thousands Ask Governors and Attorneys General to Follow California’s Lead, Cut States’ Ties with Pharmaceutical Providers Who Refuse to Dispense Mifepristone; Do Everything to Ensure Access to Safe Medications
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 14, 2023
CONTACT: Brett Abrams | brett@unbendablemedia.com
Tens of Thousands Ask Governors and Attorneys General to Follow California’s Lead, Cut States’ Ties with Pharmaceutical Providers Who Refuse to Dispense Mifepristone; Do Everything to Ensure Access to Safe Medications
With Potential Court-Imposed Mifepristone Ban Looming, UltraViolet Urges Governors and Attorneys General to Give Pharmaceutical Providers Assurances That They Will Be Protected from Litigation If They Continue to Provide the Abortion Pill
WASHINGTON, DC — In a viral new petition from UltraViolet, a leading national gender-justice advocacy organization, tens of thousands of people are calling on Governors and Attorneys General across the United States to do whatever it takes to protect access to abortion medication – and specifically, mifepristone. The petition has been signed by more than 20,000 since launching late last week.
Earlier this year, the FDA announced a rule-change that would make mifepristone available at retail pharmacies, but with a potential Court-imposed mifepristone ban looming, last week, Walgreens, for no apparent reason, announced that it was caving to the demands of 21 GOP officials – and would not provide mifepristone to patients that needed it.
The UltraViolet petition calls on other Governors across the United States to follow the lead of California Governor Gavin Newsom by cutting ties to pharmaceutical providers who refuse to dispense mifepristone, and State Attorneys General to go further – by giving these providers assurances that they will be protected from litigation if they continue to provide this safe and effective medication, even if under attack by radical Trump-appointed judge .
VIEW THE PETITION HERE: https://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/governors_mife
“Let’s be super clear for corporations that provide pharmaceutical drugs and for lawmakers who create the policies and conditions that govern them: a majority of Americans support access to abortion. Just last year, voters overwhelmingly upheld abortion rights in every state where it was on the ballot, including in red states like Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana. U.S. voters helped ensure abortion champions keep the Senate and elevated a number of pro-choice leaders in state races, including as governors,” explained Sonja Spoo, Political Director and Director, Government Affairs and Advocacy at UltraViolet. “ Now is the time for every elected leader to make a choice: Will they do what they were elected to do and use all the tools at their disposal to protect abortion access or cower to an extremist minority. UltraViolet’s one million members and the nation’s pro-abortion majority are closely watching what governors and attorneys generals will do.”
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UltraViolet: Judge Kacsmaryk’s Attempt to Hide Hearing on Mifepristone Proves How Any Ruling From Him Banning Abortion Access Would Be Illegitimate
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, March 13, 2023
CONTACT: Brett Abrams | brett@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet: Judge Kacsmaryk’s Attempt to Hide Hearing on Mifepristone Proves How Any Ruling From Him Banning Abortion Access Would Be Illegitimate
AMARILLO, TEXAS — On Sunday, the Washington Post reported that US District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk made the unusual decision to try to obscure the first hearing in a major case which could undo the FDA’s decades-old approval of mifepristone, a key drug used in medication abortion.
Judge Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by Donald Trump in 2009, has well-documented ties to the anti-abortion movement.
In reaction to the reports, Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization, issued the following statement:
“Judge Kacsmaryk and the ADF were already making a mockery of our nation’s judicial system with this case challenging a pill that has been safely used publicly available for more than two decades – but the latest news that they are trying to do so out of the public eye is a new low even for them.
“Let’s be clear, any action Judge Kacsmaryk takes to undermine the availability of mifepristone will be illegitimate – and this latest news just helps prove it. If Kacsmaryk thinks that attempting to keep these proceedings secret will save him from public outrage and accountability, he is sadly mistaken.”
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UltraViolet Responds to Walgreens’ Walkback on Mifepristone Distribution After Company Temporarily Caved to Right-Wing Republican Officials
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 7, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Responds to Walgreens’ Walkback on Mifepristone Distribution After Company Temporarily Caved to Right-Wing Republican Officials
Late yesterday, pharmacy giant Walgreens walked back an earlier announcement that they would not sell mifepristone in states where Republican officials threatened legal action. In a statement clarifying its position on mifepristone, the popular abortion pill medication, the company states that it “plans to dispense Mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so.”
In response, Shaunna Thomas co-founder of UltraViolet, a national gender justice advocacy group, issued the following statement:
“Walgreens made the right decision by ‘clarifying’ its policy on mifepristone and continuing with its plans to offer mifepristone to patients wherever legally possible.
“Medical professionals – including pharmacists – must recognize that their obligations require them to provide appropriate medications to patients, regardless of political whims from radical fringe minorities.
“There may come a time when major pharmacy brands like Walgreens must continue to offer mifepristone as acts of civil disobedience against unjust laws. This includes whether a Trump-appointed federal judge’s ruling in Amarillo, TX imposes a nationwide ban on the pill.
“The overwhelming majority of American people support access to mifepristone, a drug that has been legal and deemed safe for over two decades.
“Now it’s time for major pharmaceutical providers – like Walgreens – to put their ethical obligations above those of a radical political fringe by declaring their promise to provide patients with access to these medications.”
More than 70,000 people have signed a petition from UltraViolet calling on US pharmacies to provide medication abortion to all customers.
VIEW THE PETITION HERE: https://act.weareultraviolet.
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UltraViolet Urges CNN to Suspend Don Lemon From Political Coverage After Lemon’s Sexist & Ageist Remarks on Nikki Haley & Women Politicians in Their “Prime”
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, February 17, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Urges CNN to Suspend Don Lemon From Political Coverage After Lemon’s Sexist & Ageist Remarks on Nikki Haley & Women Politicians in Their “Prime”
Gender justice advocacy group denounces Don Lemon as “egregiously sexist” for remarks on Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, calls on CNN to remove Lemon from future political coverage
WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, CNN anchor Don Lemon commented on air that Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime,” referencing Haley’s age and that “… a woman is in their prime in [her] 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” CNN’s chairman has since condemned Lemon’s remarks.
As outrage to Lemon’s comments grows, POLITICO documented additional incidents of misogyny and bias influencing his reporting on-air.
Citing Lemon’s record of gender-based bias influencing his on-air reporting and political coverage, Bridget Todd, Director of Communications at UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice advocacy group, issued the following statement:
“While Don Lemon’s egregiously sexist comments about women being ‘in their prime’ have no place on CNN or anywhere in the news media, this isn’t the first time Lemon’s bias against women has influenced his on-air reporting. From athletes to politicians and even his co-anchors, Lemon has used his power and platform to consistently undermine and demean powerful women.
“Hopefully this will be the last time Lemon’s misogynistic bias goes unchecked on-air.”
“CNN should immediately suspend Lemon from any future political coverage indefinitely. The anchor’s cavalier public apology for such flagrantly patronizing, chauvinistic remarks signifies nothing of accountability or consequence. The network should also continue to monitor Lemon’s on-air appearances for gender bias, and be prepared to take additional action if needed.
“Sadly, Lemon’s opinions are just one of the many double standards women face on a daily basis, especially women in politics. Women are criticized and judged because of our gender, age, tone of voice, and looks – these biases in the media impact how the public perceive women as a result. At a time when women candidates are facing death threats and violence for simply existing, sweeping Lemon’s misogyny under the rug is completely unacceptable.”
Last year, UltraViolet in conjunction with members of the Women’s Disinformation Defense Project coalition and other allies, released an updated Fairness Media Guide for Covering Women And People of Color.
The updated recommendations emphasize focusing on women politicians credentials, expertise, and professional backgrounds, rather than the race, gender, age, aesthetics, and demographic information.
VIEW THE GUIDE HERE: https://weareuv.us/mediaguide2022
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UltraViolet Calls on the Philadelphia Eagles to Block Josh Sills From Playing in Super Bowl LVII After Rape & Kidnapping Indictment
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, February 1, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Calls on the Philadelphia Eagles to Block Josh Sills From Playing in Super Bowl LVII After Rape & Kidnapping Indictment
Gender Justice Group Says NFL’s Refusal to Eliminate Sexual Abusers From Its Ranks Highlight Ongoing Failures of Roger Goodell’s Leadership
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Earlier today, Ohio’s Attorney General announced the indictment of Joshua Sills, an offensive guard for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, on one count of rape and one count of kidnapping, both first-degree felonies.
In response, Bridget Todd, director of communications for UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization, issued the following statement:
“Sexual abusers have no place playing in professional sports – and certainly not on the world’s biggest stage, the Super Bowl. We urge the Philadelphia Eagles to immediately suspend Joshua Stills and bar him from playing in the Super Bowl.
“The accusations against Sills filed by the Attorney General of Ohio earlier today are very serious, with long-term impacts on the survivor of his abuse. Sills should not be allowed to represent Philadelphia, or the NFL, in the Super Bowl later this month.
“For years, we have warned that the enabling of sexual abusers within the ranks of the NFL is not acceptable – this latest incident highlights the ongoing failure of Roger Goodell’s leadership in addressing the issue.”
In 2015, UltraViolet called for Commissioner Roger Goodell to be fired for failing to protect women working for the NFL. UltraViolet ran the #GoodellMustGo campaign, which included plane banners and advertisements carrying the message during NFC and AFC championship games and the Super Bowl.
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BREAKING: Meta Allows Donald Trump to Return to Facebook After Two Year Suspension for Inciting Jan 6th Attack on Capitol
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
BREAKING: Meta Allows Donald Trump to Return to Facebook After Two Year Suspension for Inciting Jan 6th Attack on Capitol
UltraViolet Says Decision Will Turn Facebook Into Vehicle for Hate and Misogyny, Demands Meta must close VIP loophole and prevent bad actors from spreading hate, violence, and misogyny online
WASHINGTON, DC — Moments ago, Meta announced that the platform will allow Donald Trump to return to Facebook after suspending Trump for inciting an insurrection to overturn results of the presidential election on January 6, 2021.
In reaction to Meta extending Trump’s suspension, Bridget Todd, director of communications at UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization and member of the #KeepTrumpOffFacebook campaign, issued the following statement:
“By allowing Trump back onto Meta platforms, Facebook and Instagram, Meta has given the former President a renewed platform to radicalize his followers and spread gendered and racialized disinformation encouraging violence. Facebook has chosen Donald Trump and the traffic he brings to the platform over the lives and wellbeing of its users and the American people. Shame on them.
“It is deeply disappointing that Meta chose to ignore Trump near daily TruthSocial posts confirming the ongoing dangers he poses to our country. It is especially disturbing that Meta ignored Trump’s recent harassment and campaign of lies against former Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman – attacks that have encouraged real world violence and harassment towards Freeman and her family.
“If Meta is unwilling to keep Trump off its platforms, then it must close the celebrity loophole that allows dangerous bad actors, like Trump, to spread violent rhetoric, hate, racism, and misogyny online without consequence. By enabling Trump, as well as the other 5.8 million VIP users, to stay on the platform and not have to follow the enforcement rules and guidelines for use, Meta is creating a privileged class of users that are exempt from the rules.
“While Meta has claimed that additional guardrails will be implemented around Trump’s return to Facebook and Instagram, we know that Meta cares more about its profits than a celebrity that boosts engagement, like Trump, following the rules.
“At the end of the day, it’s just plain dangerous. How can users trust Meta to create a safe environment when one of the top spreaders of disinformation won’t be held accountable?”
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UltraViolet on the Sexual Abuse Allegations Against American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, January 6, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet on the Sexual Abuse Allegations Against American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp
Statement from Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization, on the sexual abuse allegations against American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp:
“All people – no matter their politics and personal beliefs – deserve to work in an environment safe from sexual harassment and abuse. The allegations against Matt Schlapp, which appear to be supported with video evidence and to have been documented by the Herschel Walker senatorial campaign, are deeply disturbing and warrant a full and thorough investigation immediately by all proper authorities.”
UltraViolet’s Fair Process for Political Workplaces and Spaces outlines clear recommendations for how allegations of sexual abuse should be handled.
READ THE FAIR PROCESS HERE: https://survivorsagenda.org/fair-principles-for-equitable-political-workplaces-and-spaces/#
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Survivor-Centered Gender Justice Groups Announce The Fair Process Principles for Equitable Political Workspaces
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, December 8, 2022
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
Survivor-Centered Gender Justice Groups Announce The Fair Process Principles for Equitable Political Workspaces
Guide Focuses on How Political Candidates Should Address Sexual Abuse Allegations in Informal Work Environments
Says Focus on Third-Party Investigations Will Help Stop Allegations from Being Politicized or Weaponized
WASHINGTON, DC — Citing learned experiences from the last election, and in preparation for the 2024 general election, the Survivors’ Agenda, a coalition of gender justice organizations and civil rights groups, has announced a new guide – The Fair Process Principles – on how political campaigns should handle allegations of sexual harassment and assault in political workplace.
Political work environments are often distinct from other work settings in a number of ways, including both being informal settings with no human resources departments and where abuse often takes place with no witnesses present at the time of reported incidents. The Fair Process Principles aim to help campaigns address sexual harassment and assault allegations in a way that does not politicize or weaponize the claims.
The Fair Process Principles for Equitable Political Work Spaces outlines that political campaigns must have clear policies that apply to everyone associated with the campaign equally, and have clear reporting mechanisms for any other affiliated with the campaign to report harassment, assault, or harm without fear or retaliation. Allegations should be invested by a third party, and follow seven core tenets, including:
The process should be “trauma-informed” in that it is conducted with care for the needs of any individual(s) who have experienced harm;
The process should be conducted by an independent, unbiased, trained investigator or entity;
The process must assess credibility by using the “preponderance of evidence” standard used in civil cases;
The process must recognize only relevant denials and defenses in pursuit of the truth;
The process must not cause further harm to survivors, including retaliatory behaviors by accused parties themselves or through proxies;
The process requires accountability and consequences when harm is found.
READ MORE ABOUT THE FAIR PROCESS PRINCIPLES HERE: https://survivorsagenda.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/UV-SurvivorsAgenda-FairPrinciples-V4-082522.pdf
“Every campaign season, survivors of sexual abuse are trotted out and weaponized, or their stories completely disregarded by politicians, candidates, or their surrogates. We can, and must do better,” said Elisa Batista, director at UltraViolet, a leading national gender justice organization. “The Fair Process Principles help us move in that direction – getting away from a criminal framework of “innocent” and “guilty,” to recognizing that sexual abuse is common in settings with unequal power dynamics, and approaching allegations from the perspective of listening to what a survivor says and needs to heal. And we know this works.”
“The Fair Process Principles is a culmination of years-long organizing and planning by multiracial, multiethnic, and multidisciplinary employment attorneys, direct service providers, survivor advocates, policy experts, political candidate organizations, and socially-minded investors, who want to help root out sexual violence in our politics,” explained Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Executive Director at Women’s March. “Most importantly, we at the Survivors’ Agenda coalition are survivors who know what we need from a process of accountability.”
“Survivor autonomy is vital in every facet of political accountability, as is safety and access to trauma-informed care. Whether we show up as a constituency, or come forward as a result of experiencing harm in political spaces, survivors deserve a process that is responsive to their needs, and protects them from shame, scrutiny and backlash,” added Dani Ayers, CEO of me too. International. “The Fair Principles for Equitable Political Workspaces and Places is a critical step in achieving this. Creating a transparent process for accountability that puts the survivor first, their care first, and maintains their autonomy, reminds them that there is a path towards healing and justice after trauma.”
“The National Alliance to End Sexual Violence is proud to be a part of the Survivors’ Agenda and this work to develop fair process principles for campaigns,” explained Terri Poore, Policy Director for the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. “Everyone has a role to play in addressing and ending sexual violence. Survivors deserve better, and we all have the power to improve responses to survivors. The fair process principles provide a blueprint for campaigns to take action, and we hope all parties will adopt them.”
“These principles recognize the importance of building a fair process before a crisis hits; commitments to fair and transparent investigations that reject victim-blaming and rape myths will help ensure accountability and survivor justice,” added Emily Martin, Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice at National Women’s Law Center. “We should expect nothing less from our leaders and those who seek to lead.”
“Survivors and victims of sexual violence experience more threats to physical and social integrity than others. In the restaurant industry, where sexual harassment is prevalent, stigma runs high and their stories are easily disregarded. This is why it is so important that Fair Process Principles, along with the Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights that demands justice, dignity and equity in the workplace, are in place to handle these heartbreaking situations in a trauma-informed, race-sensitive and survivor-informed way,” said Alicia Renee Farris, Chief Operating Officer at the Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United. “These Principles will certainly encourage more survivors to speak out, provide them support structures, diminish stigmatization and social exclusion, and improve their mental and physical health.”
Parts of the Fair Process Principles were published in The Washington Post on March 5, 2021, on the eve of an investigatory process launched by New York Attorney General Letitia James into allegations of sexual harassment against then-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The Survivor’s Agenda worked with Attorney General James’ office to refine the processes following her offices’ investigation of Cuomo.
The Fair Process Principles for Equitable Political Work Spaces was created by the Survivors’ Agenda – a coalition of gender justice and survivor-focused advocates, experts, and organizations. Members include: UltraViolet, Women’s March, me too. International, the National Women’s Law Center, Justice for Migrant Workers, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Consent Awareness Network, Equality labs, Equal Rights Advocates, Girls for Gender Equity, End Sexual Violence, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault, Survivors Know, TEWA Women United, YWCA, Adasina Social Capital, National Crittenton, and Vote Run Lead.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SURVIVOR’S AGENDA COALITION HERE: https://survivorsagenda.org/fair-principles-for-equitable-political-workplaces-and-spaces/#
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UltraViolet Slams Elon Musk, Twitter for Refusal to Track Covid-19 Disinformation, Says Decision Will Likely Lead to Fatal Outcome
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2022
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
Yesterday, Twitter publically announced that the platform will no longer track or remove posts promoting false information related to pandemic or Covid-19.
In response to the news, Bridget Todd, communications director of UltraViolet, a national gender equity organization and leading advocate in the fight against disinformation online, issued the following statement:
“From the beginning, it was abundantly clear that Elon Musk only wanted to control Twitter to use it as a tool to advance his hyper-partisan and hypocritical agenda. Now that Musk is in charge of the platform, we see the true extent of the horrors he’s unleashing in the name of this ideology.
“From granting amnesty to hate mongers and anti-vaxxers to letting extremism proliferate, Elon Musk has turned Twitter into a toxic cesspool that makes us all less safe — both online and in the real world.
“Yesterday’s announcement that Twitter would no longer track or stop the spread of misinformation shows Musk is crossing a new threshold of public health risk in his clear desperation to keep the company afloat. The pandemic is not over. With rising flu and RSV cases, and a projected spike in COVID this holiday season, we know hospitals are already overwhelmed and that people will die. For companies like Amazon, Disney, and Google that are still advertisers on Twitter – the question is simple: what are you doing?”
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New Ad Calls Out Meta, Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter for Failing to Protect Women Elected Officials & Women Candidates From Harassment & Threats Online
()FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
New Ad Calls Out Meta, Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter for Failing to Protect Women Elected Officials & Women Candidates From Harassment & Threats Online
UltraViolet and She Persisted release new video ad urging social media companies to be more vigilant about hate speech, harassment, and threats against women politicians
Warns if Current Policies Remain Unchanged, We Could See an Exodus of Women from Public Office
WASHINGTON, DC — A new video released today, citing evidence of widespread racist and sexist disinformation efforts surrounding the midterm elections this November, from UltraViolet and She Persisted calls out social media companies, including Meta, Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter, for failing to protect women elected officials and women running for political office from hate speech, harassment and threats online.
The ad states:
“Social media platforms are failing to protect women in public office
Elected women, particularly women of color, are subjected to constant abuse, threats and harassment online.
Report after report shows just how badly the platforms are doing.
Social media companies must do better to protect elected women and women running for office from online harassment and threats or there won’t be any of us left…”
VIEW FULL VIDEO HERE: https://app.frame.io/presentations/568d8560-1d16-4667-baf9-1725eb260a32
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