Demand the immediate reopening of the FemCare clinic in Asheville
Thursday, August 8, Pack Square Park in Asheville @ 3pm
Organized by Asheville WORD

On July 29, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill that will forcibly close the majority of North Carolina abortion clinics. After a series of attempts to sneak these abortion bans into law by adding them to unrelated bills, right-wing politicians have finally managed to undermine the needs and wants of the people. To add insult to injury, as protesters gathered outside of Gov. McCrory's home, he met them at his gate with plates of cookies. His actions show that he does not take us seriously. In response, men and women across the state will continue to rally together to make our voices heard and show the governor and other lawmakers that they cannot silence us and they will not stop us.

The recently passed bill will have a wide range of effects on state clinics, on women seeking abortions and, consequently, on other reproductive services. It requires that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges to nearby hospitals and be present when an abortion is performed.  These kinds of laws are being used state-by-state to effectively deny women their reproductive rights. The law also bans public insurance programs from providing financial assistance to pay for abortions, bans sex-selective abortion, and gives state health officials the power to create rules for safety standards in clinics.

McCrory and other proponents of the bill claim these restrictions are safety measures protecting women seeking an abortion. This is a lie. The law is a direct attack on reproductive rights. It will severely limit access to needed services by closing clinics and eliminating public funding for low-income women.

In another appalling twist, the one clinic that would remain open under the new law, FemCare in Asheville, N.C., was shut down this week due to “safety violations” found in an inspection on Wednesday. The state claims that temporarily closing the clinic has nothing to do with the new laws. However, Dr. Lorraine Cummings, representing FemCare, later said that no changes have been made in the clinic since their last inspection in 2006, and the forced shutdown was caused by the new regulations. Although officials claim that the closing is not permanent, women in North Carlolina still must face the reality that we no longer have access to abortion anywhere in the state.

This is not acceptable. This is a blatant attack on the healthcare rights of women. We will not stand for it and we will not be disregarded. North Carolina women and allies are standing up and fighting back against these vicious attacks.  

On Thursday, August 8, WORD in Asheville has called for a demonstration to demand the immediate reopening of the FemCare clinic and an end to the attacks on reproductive rights statewide. We will be gathering at Pack Square Park at 3:00 p.m.

Please join us in the struggle to regain our rights and end the war on women. We will not sit passively and accept McCrory's cookies in exchange for our reproductive rights. We will be loud, we will be in the streets, and we will not be silenced! Asheville WORD and women across North Carolina ask our sisters and brothers to stand with us as we combat these restrictions on our right to control our own bodies. Together, we will show the North Carolina governor he will not stop us from demanding our rights!

If you can make it to Asheville on Thursday, join the Facebook event. If you are not able to attend the demonstration, please share the event and help spread the word. Stand with North Carolina women -- attacks on abortion are attacks on women!