Reproductive Freedom for All
501(c)(4) with associated 501(c)(3) and PAC | |
Headquarters | Washington, D. C. |
---|---|
Membership | 4 million (2022)[2] |
President | Mini Timmaraju |
Website | reproductivefreedomforall |
Reproductive Freedom for All, formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America and commonly known as simply NARAL (
NARAL is associated with the NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation, a
History
The precursor to NARAL was the Association to Repeal Abortion Laws (ARAL).[7] ARAL was an expansion of the "Army of Three" which was made up of abortion rights activists Pat Maginnis, Rowena Gurner, and financial investor Lana Phelan. The Army of Three organized and distributed referral lists of people performing illegal abortions and held classes on do-it-yourself abortions in California.[8]
Originally called the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws, NARAL was established at the "First National Conference on Abortion Laws: Modification or Repeal?" held February 14–16, 1969, in Chicago. Its formation was announced on the front page of
Those agents attending the session elected a 12-person Planning Committee for NARAL's formation: Lawrence Lader (Chairman),
Several founding leaders, including Lader and Proskauer Smith, were previously active in the more conservative, pro-reform
The Planning Committee, meeting regularly between February and September 1969, defined NARAL's purpose and program, drafted bylaws to submit to the membership for approval, prepared a slate to run for the Board of Directors, and directed NARAL's activities. The Committee defined NARAL's purpose as follows:
NARAL, recognizing the fundamental human right of a woman to limit her own reproduction, is dedicated to eliminating all laws and practices that would compel any woman to bear a child against her will. To that end, it proposes to initiate and co-ordinate political, social, and legal action of individuals and groups concerned with providing safe operations by qualified physicians for all women seeking them, regardless of economic status.
The original NARAL program had six parts:
- Assist in the formation in all states of direct political action groups dedicated to the purpose of NARAL;
- Serve as a clearinghouse for activities related to NARAL's purpose;
- Create new materials for mass distribution which tell the repeal story dramatically and succinctly;
- Train field workers to organize and stimulate legislative action;
- Suggest direct action projects;
- Raise funds for the above activities.
The Board of Directors, elected by the membership, officially replaced the Planning Committee at the first Board meeting, held on September 27, 1969. The Board elected Honorary Officers (Co-Presidents Dr.
From 1969 until early 1973, NARAL worked with other groups to repeal state abortion laws and oversee the implementation of abortion policies in those few states that had liberalized their laws. On January 22, 1973, in
In 2003, the organization dropped the long form name in favor of "NARAL Pro-Choice America".[11] That same year, the organization launched a massive television and print campaign, to make abortion a key issue in the 2004 elections.[11]
From 1987 until 2006, Ann McGuiness was development director of NARAL.[12]
National executive directors
Karen Mulhauser served as the first national executive director from 1974 to 1982.The next NARAL leader was Nanette Falkenburg, who served from 1982 until 1985; Kate Michelman became the next director until she announced her retirement in 2004. Nancy Keenan, formerly the Montana Superintendent of Schools, became President of NARAL and served until February 2013. Ilyse Hogue was the group's president from 2013 to 2021. In November 2021, NARAL announced the hire of their current president, Mini Timmaraju, who is the first woman of color to lead the organization.[13]
Activities
NARAL Pro-Choice America uses numerous tactics to lobby for access to abortion and birth control in the U.S., as well as to promote paid parental leave and stop pregnancy discrimination.[14] They track state and federal legislation, endorse candidates,[15] and run advertising and education campaigns on these issues.
It sponsors
Criticism
In 2005, NARAL Pro-Choice America was criticized for an ad campaign that targeted U.S. Supreme Court
In 2006, NARAL was criticized by some other pro-abortion rights political activists for supporting former Republicans Lincoln Chafee and Michael Bloomberg, and for supporting moderate or conservative Democrats.[21]
See also
- Abortion Law Reform Association(ALRA) — British contemporary organisation
References
- ISBN 9780252097478. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
- ^ "Who we are". Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- ^ "About Us--NARAL Pro Choice America". Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ^ Searcy, Dionne (September 27, 2007). "Verizon Wireless Bars Abortion-Rights Group's Texting". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ Kliff, Sarah (May 10, 2012). "Exclusive: NARAL President Nancy Keenan to step down". Washington Post. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
- ISBN 9780520209527.
- ISBN 9780813522456.
- ^ a b c Staggenborg, Suzanne (1991). The Pro-choice movement: organization and activism in the abortion conflict. Oxford University Press.
- ^ "Records of the National Abortion Rights Action League, 1969–1976". Hollis Archival Collection Guides. Radcliffe College Harvard University. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ a b Lee, Jennifer (January 5, 2003). "Abortion Rights Group Plans A New Focus and a New Name". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Padilla, Mariel (November 4, 2021). "'I don't think we can be alarmist enough': NARAL gets new president". The 19th.
- ^ "About Us". NARAL. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- ^ "We endorse candidates who make reproductive freedom a priority". Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ISBN 9780195089257.
- ^ McVeigh, Karen (June 26, 2013). "North Dakota pro-choice advocates file lawsuit against strict abortion law". The Guardian. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^ "NARAL Pulls Ad Criticizing Roberts". NPR. August 12, 2005.
- Annenberg Political Fact Check. Archived from the originalon December 29, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2005.
- ^ Balz, Dan (August 12, 2005). "Abortion Rights Group Withdraws Anti-Roberts Ad". washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Jane Hamsher, "NARAL and Planned Parenthood Are Now the Enemies of Pro-Choice", The Huffington Post, February 24, 2006.
External links
- Official website
- NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota's records are available at the Minnesota Historical Society.
- Records, 1968–1976. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
- Records of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, 1972–2008. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.