Gloria Feldt

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Website :www.plannedparenthood.org and www.behindeverychoice.com
Residence : New York, NY

Biographical information
Since becoming president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1996, Gloria Feldt has set a bold agenda to advance reproductive rights, and to provide reproductive and sexual health services for all women and men. Feldt has transformed the organization by making it boldly proactive. While enjoying majority support, it is under constant attack by forces seeking to undermine the human rights of citizens here and abroad.

Feldt is the author of Behind Every Choice Is a Story (January, 2003), a clarion call for everyone who cares about advancing reproductive freedom. The book chronicles the reproductive choices that people make every day of their lives and personal stories become political change. Feldt believes that by putting a human face on the human cost of anti-choice policies, reproductive freedom will triumph. The book traces Feldt's personal journey from West Texas to life-changing experiences as an activist in the civil rights and women's movements, to her current standing as one of the most influential voices in the reproductive freedom movement.

Feldt was named Glamour Magazine 2003 Woman of the Year. Her second book, The War on Choice: The Right Wing Attack on Women's Rights and How to Fight Back, was recently published by Bantam Dell.

Discussion topics
The reproductive freedom movement is not only focused on abortion rights. Rather, it is a broad social justice movement, embracing civil rights, human rights, women's rights, access to reproductive health services, child welfare, sexual rights and health, and more. Married and a mother of three children by the age of 20, Feldt has lived the words she speaks.

• Behind Every Choice Is a Story™
  I've received hundreds of letters from people telling their personal stories of joy and heartbreak as they find their way to reproductive freedom. Despite advances, we live in a political climate hostile to reproductive rights. I wrote Behind Every Choice Is a Story because if we want to create a culture that fosters reproductive self determination, we need to work from the bottom up, one person, one story at a time. The personal is political.
• The Other War: The War on Women
  Even astute and well-informed citizens may not be aware that George W. Bush's anti-choice policies are not isolated acts of aggression. Rather, they form a pernicious web of attacks that amounts to a war on women. For the first time, the White House, Congressional majorities, and the federal judiciary are aligned in anti-choice lockstep. This interrelated strategy must be recognized as such and vigorously challenged.
• Shalom, Y'all: Growing Up Jewish In West Texas
  I was a dark-haired Cybil Shepherd, negotiating the dusty roads and disappointing roadblocks of The Last Picture Show. My childhood friends often made disparaging comments about Jews and I married the All-American Methodist farm boy, and had three kids by the age of 20. My experience growing up Jewish in West Texas and being a teen mother and wife led directly to a life dedicated to social justice and to the movement for reproductive freedom.

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