Advocacy for women

Setting standards for care - We offer women comprehensive information about health issues and treatments, empowering them to make decisions for their own health care. Once a woman has experienced this type of care, we believe she will expect the same standard of care from all health care providers for herself, her friends, and her family. In this way, we help make all health care providers more responsiveness to the needs of their clients, and therefore elevate universal standards of care.

Self-cervical and self-breast exams - We promote regular self-exams as a tool for learning and monitoring what is normal and healthy. While this does not replace the need for routine exams from a health care provider, it is another way women can take responsibility for their own health.

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Challenging Medical Practices

Breast Implants - The Clinic assisted a client through the maze of medical transport regulations so her bio-medical tissue could be entered as evidence in a class-action law suit against breast implant manufacturers.

Norplant - When Norplant was released as the latest and greatest method of birth control, the Clinic made the decision not to offer Norplant to our clients. The reason for this decision was two-fold. First, enough research had not been done on its side effects and removal. Second, some legislators and law enforcement officials proposed uses of Norplant that had the potential of mandating birth control in a way that would disproportionately affect young women, low-income women, and women of color. The Clinic is opposed to legislated birth control, and was unwilling to participate in oppression through coercive birth control tactics.

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Lobbying

Legislators and Regulatory Boards - We work with elected officials and regulatory board representatives at every governmental level to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of women in health care policy.

Affiliations - The Emma Goldman Clinic works very closely with other health care providers throughout the region. We are also affiliated with a number of national public policy organizations including , , and . Our work with these organizations helps us stay informed and to effectively direct our advocacy efforts.

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