I would really like to start an awareness program in my community about several women's issues. I have so many ideas going through my head about what i would like to do, but honestly I don't know how to get started.

One of the local churches every year has a big hoopla about anti-choice that they sponsor where they line the streets with signs and loud voices. But there is never anything about Pro-choice. Even in school we never really learned anything about abortions, except they were bad, and that you would go to "hell" if you choose to have one. Of course we were a public school so they never said it just like that, but it was the feeling you got. I would like to have some way to let younger girls in my community that there are choices out there for them, and that they don't have to be ashamed, no matter what they decide, because it is their body and it is there choice.

But i don't know where to even begin! I would also like to get information out in general to the women, of all matters and concerns. Do you have any suggestions on where to start, and what to do?

Thanks for listening, and all you support,

JL

I think it's great that you want to do something for your community and it seems like you could do something relatively easily -- information seems key and letting people know about their options. It's good to do community wide programs, too, since you can measure the impact more clearly and it's more manageable.

You could research what resources exist -- from affordable pap smears to abortions to adoption to condoms and birth control and just print up your own information cards and distribute these door to door. Or you can approach a local clinic and see what they might need -- perhaps you could host something there and just introduce people to the services that exist in their community.

You can also do something not related at all to choice, but your note seemed to indicate that this was a direction that you wanted to go in. You also might try to do something to bridge the supposed gap between those who are pro-choice and those who are undecided, perhaps doing something with your local clergy, there are certainly pro-choice clergy. Let me know if you want more suggestions or need more specific help.

I hope that helps -- and thanks again for reaching out to Feminist.com.

-- Amy