We hope that you were able to take some time with loved ones. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, it is wonderful to be able to rest and relax and build community. We reached out last week to talk about the fact that our state Democratic Party is trying to silence women and make it harder for women to push for changes. Well they can try all they want, but let’s be clear. Women will not be silenced.
Women have always been leaders in our communities and congregations, in our families and in movements for positive change! Sadly, we have also always faced barriers from people who want to maintain the status quo and hoard power just for a small group (largely white, wealthy men – sorry but not sorry because it’s true). 
We won’t stand by as women are silenced as some perverse punishment for pushing hard to protect our right to abortion. Abortion is healthcare and we demand that we not only have the right, but also the ability to afford an abortion when we need one.
Abortion has long been an issue pushed to the side. This is said to be because it is so controversial and “splits the party”, but that is not really what’s happening. Poll after poll shows that people support the right to abortion and do not want to see Roe overturned. There are also a growing number of voters who want to see private and public health plans cover the full range of reproductive services, including abortion. So we can keep spewing the same, tired idea that abortion is too tough to deal with or we can look at the facts and see that is an issue we not only can win on, but MUST win on.
With the attacks on access to abortion care in this country, we simply can’t stand back and wait to be invited to the table. We need to do to make it clear that we will not accept anything less than a commitment from our local, state and federal lawmakers to protect our ability to make our own decisions about our bodies, our families and our futures!
Join us in speaking out and speaking up! We have included a few graphics below with sample posts and the tag – #wontbesilenced. We hope that you will consider sharing one (or more) of these on your social media to show that we will never stop fighting for reproductive health, rights and justice – no matter how hard they try to make us invisible or take away our voice, that just is not happening. Never again!
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Sample post text and downloadable images to share on your social feeds:
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The work to protect our right to abortion helped to build an even stronger, statewide movement for change, challenged the status quo and started to shift power. That’s a good thing! #wontbesilenced
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Rhode Island women #wontbesilenced or told that our rights and the ongoing work to close gaps in reproductive healthcare are optional or too hard or not important. Nope!
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Women have always been leaders in our families and in every movement for change and we are leaders right now in Rhode Island. That won’t change and we #wontbesilenced!
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We know change can scare some people, but that isn’t our problem. There are too many real problems facing women and our families. That’s where we are putting our energy! #wontbesilenced
