7/03/08

Local woman advocates for women's reproductive rights

by Beckye Randall

As a high school student, Courtney Bell had what she described as a “defining moment,” one that helped determine the course of her professional and personal life.

“In my government class, we were tasked with proposing legislation as an exercise,” said the young woman who grew up outside Arlington. “The assignment led to a debate about women’s reproductive rights, and it helped crystallize my commitment to the idea of a woman’s right to choose.”

Bell, 24, is fulfilling that commitment as a field organizer for Planned Parenthood’s public affairs division. The position, which is new for Snohomish County, helps support the organization’s three branches of clinical services, educational outreach and advocacy.

“Planned Parenthood is not an abortion clinic,” Bell emphasized. “We’re about a lot more than Roe v. Wade. Our clientele is mostly low-income people who have little to no access to medical care and health supplies. Less than 3 percent of our services involve pregnancy termination.”

Bell speaks with a quiet confidence about advocacy issues she supports for the agency.

“As part of a community coalition, we worked to help pass the 2007 Healthy Youth Act, which mandates that Washington public schools with a sex education curriculum must ensure their teachings are medically accurate, age appropriate, and include information about abstinence and contraception,” she said.

Planned Parenthood is also actively involved in the pharmacist refusal issue and is a party to a lawsuit coming to the 9th District Court on July 8. Some pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions for the “morning-after” pill, also known as Plan B, stating it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

“By denying a woman access to prescribed emergency contraception, the pharmacist is enforcing his own personal beliefs above that of the patient,” said Bell. “It’s a dangerous precedent for the broader issue of health care privacy and patients’ rights.”

With a master’s degree in policy studies from the University of Washington in Bothell, Bell feels fortunate to be able to work in her chosen field without having to drive far from her home in Smokey Point.

“Everyone should have the right to plan their own family, and all children should be wanted and loved” she said. “Our mission is provide education and reproductive care for all people, delivered in a respectful and non-judgmental environment.”

To find out more about Planned Parenthood, visit www.ppww.org.