Reproductive Rights, Sexual 'Counterrevolution' Topics at Saturday Panel

The national debate over abortion and women's access to birth control and other reproductive services will come to Santa Monica June 16 at a talk hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Santa Monica resident Nancy L. Cohen, author of the recently published book Delirium: The Politics of Sex in America, and Serena Josel, Director of Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles will join a conversation facilitated by Echo Park-Silver Lake Patch editor Anthea Raymond.

"Recent months and weeks have brought a wave of attacks across the nation on established women’s reproductive rights," the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica said in a press release. "As the presidential political season moves into high gear, these attacks can be expected to escalate and the accompanying rhetoric to grow even more heated."

One-third of American women believe there is a broad effort under way to limit their access to contraception and family planning and abortion services, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released this week.

The poll comes after social conservatives and women's rights supporters sparred over a plan by President Barack Obama to require hospitals and other institutions with religious affiliations to have contraception insurance coverage for female employees. 

In response, Congress attempted to overturn the contraception coverage rule with an amendment from Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), which would have allowed employers to deny women any kind of health coverage for vague "moral reasons," the Huffington Post reported. The amendment was part of what the Huffington Post said was an "accelerated attack" by the GOP on abortion and family planning.

The event is 2 p.m. at the home of Jan Goodman & Jerry Manpearl. Tickets are $10, waived for students. Additional information is available at wvsantamonica.org.

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