Legal News

Community Gathers to Celebrate the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Welcomes President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Cecile Richards

By ACLU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

Honolulu, Hawaii - On January 21, 2011 at 10:00 AM, supporters and advocates will gather at the State Capitol Rotunda to commemorate the 38th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.

In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade recognized for the first time that an individual's fundamental right to privacy includes a woman's right to reproductive choice. This decision came three years after the state of Hawaii declared its own position on reproductive freedom when it became the first state to legislatively decriminalize abortion. At the time, Governor John Burns stated that doing so was "in the best interest of all the people of Hawaii."

This year, on Roe's 38th anniversary, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii will join supporters and advocates to celebrate the groundbreaking decision which opened the door to greater protections for reproductive rights. Helping mark the occasion on her first trip to Hawaii, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Cecile Richards, will be speaking at the celebration. "We're very excited to host Cecile and share with her Hawaii's Aloha Spirit and its long and proud history of protecting reproductive health and freedoms," noted Katie Reardon, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii's Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs.

Planned Parenthood of Hawaii has been providing compassionate, confidential and affordable reproductive health care, education and advocacy for the people of Hawaii since 1966. To find out more about Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, please visit www.pphi.org.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii has been protecting everyone's right to make informed decisions free from government interference about whether and when to become a parent since 1965. To learn more about the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, please visit www.acluhawaii.org.

Full post as published by ACLU Newsroom on January 21, 2011 (boomark / email).