Well, we like this idea so much we decided to bring it to all of you. So, join the author and PPNYC supporters at BookCourt in Cobble Hill this Thursday for a lively discussion about sex, the environment & how YOU can go green in the bedroom!

*Wine and Cheese Will Be Served*

RSVP TODAY!

Location:

BookCourt
163 Court Street
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, NY

11/11/2010 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm (Eastern Time)

Participants broke into 23 teams, and answered questions like:

• “Which famous NY deli did Meg Ryan fake an orgasm in?” and
• “Which state was the first to give women the right to vote?”

(That’s Katz’s Deli and Wyoming, in case you weren’t at the trivia night)

Winners got prizes donated by the great Babeland, and all proceeds go to support PPNYC’s services and advocacy work. Checkout our pictures below, and congrats to the winning team of the night, team Feel Good!

Think you could blow the competition out of the water? Stay tuned for info on our next Sex Ed Trivia night, to be announced soon!

PS — The “G” stands for Dr. Grafenburg, who publicized work about the famed anatomical area.

If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably made a bunch of resolutions that err slightly on the side of unrealistic (if you weren’t going to the gym 4 times a week before Jan 1 you probably won’t start now). But sometimes, especially if they’re attainable, new year’s resolutions can be a great way to remind you of what’s worth spending your time on.

In that spirit, we here at PPNYC thought we’d share a couple of our resolutions, in the hopes that they might inspire some of you:

• Finally find a form of birth control that works for you. Do you keep forgetting to take your pill? Unhappy with the Nuvaring? Maybe this is the year you finally sit down with your provider and figure out a method of birth control that will actually work for you. Because if it’s not fitting in with your lifestyle, then it’s not doing its job. And you can start with this easy (and fun!) quiz from Planned Parenthood!
• Take care of yourself. How long has it been since your last pap smear? Is there something that’s been bugging you, but you keep putting off getting it checked out? Maybe it’s time to stop procrastinating and make an appointment. Call your provider, or make an appointment at the Planned Parenthood nearest to you.
• Make sure Sex Ed is taught in schools. Did you know that New York City public schools don’t require sex ed to be taught, and as a result, a number of students never receive any kind of curriculum? Planned Parenthood of NYC is organizing parents and concerned New Yorkers to make sure this changes, and that every kid gets the tools they need to make healthy and safe decisions. Join us!
• Start talking to your kids about the facts of life. For those parents out there, we know it can be difficult to talk to your kids about sex and sexuality. What you may not realize, is that your kids are already learning about sex from a plethora of other sources (tv, the radio, music, movies, friends) and not talking to your kids can send as big of a message as talking to them can. Kids really do listen to their parents when it comes to sex, more than most other sources. And you don’t need to have one big talk, in fact lots of little talks are the most effective. PPNYC has some great resources to help you get started and deal with any tough questions that might come up. So what are you waiting for?
• Make sure health care reform doesn’t sell women short. If you’ve been following the health care reform, you know that both the House and Senate bills contain language that severely restricts access to, and coverage of, abortion. All is not lost — we at Planned Parenthood are fighting hard to get this language removed once the bill goes to conference. And you can help. Tell your friends, contact your representatives, and get involved. Every voice makes a difference.
• Learn more about your representatives and what they stand for. Do you know who your local elected officials are? And do you know if they’re pro-choice? Our Action Fund website will help you find out so you can be sure that the people you’re voting into office represent everything you stand for.
• Get involved! Do you always mean to get more involved, and then promise to do it “someday”? Well now is your chance! Sign up for our email list, or join our Activist Council — the group of dedicated supporters who help make so much of our work possible. Signing up is easy!

Wouldn’t it be neat to see them all in the same room together, talking about feminism?

Well you can! Next Wednesday!

The Planned Parenthood of New York City Activist Council will be partnering with Living Liberally to host a panel discussion: Voices on Feminism. Each of these fantastic women will discuss what feminism means to her: what she’s learned and how her outlook has changed over the years. Plus, you’ll get to see yours truly moderating the discussion!

The event (just $15!) will also include a happy hour and the PPNYC Action Fund‘s political team giving a run-down of what NYC’s most recent election results mean for pro-choice politics. The whole shebang is a fundraiser for the PPNYC Action Fund.

So get your tickets before they sell out! It should be a great evening.

Age: 33

Profession: Genetic counselor.

Where do you hail from? Deerfield, MA

Why did you get involved with the Activist Council? I thought it seemed like a good way to give to Planned Parenthood, and I was interested in the idea of grassroots efforts effecting change.

What’s the most exciting/terrifying/invigorating thing you’ve done while a member? I really enjoy the small events we plan and put on throughout the year. I like getting people involved on a small scale and just starting a conversation. As for what has been terrifying, i think the thing that scared me most was co-teaching the “tricky subjects” session when i first became a member of the AC.

Why is it important to be involved? It’s critical to be involved because if not you, who? If we all think that someone else will take care of things, no one is doing anything. I can’t stress enough the idea that each person has the ability to make a difference – the Margaret Mead quote says it all: “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Sound good to you? If you want to get involved, check out our Activist Council!

Name: Gaby Lazzaro

Age: 28

Profession: Human Resorces, now working on transitioning to the non-profit sector.

Where do you hail from? Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Why did you get involved with the Activist Council? Because a woman’s right to choose is such a fundamental right that I had to be part of this fight in some way. Having grown up in a country where abortion is illegal I have a drive to keep it legal in my new home.

What’s the most exciting/terrifying/invigorating thing you’ve done while a member? In the Field Group, being able to talk with people across the city of all ages and backgrounds and tell them about PPNYC is awesome. Last year I felt like we played a real role in educating the public about the issues while we attended different concerts and events and signed 800+ people up for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

The sweetest moment was while escorting in front of the Brooklyn clinic. A father was passing by with his young son, and he stopped in front of us, knelt down and began explaining to his son how important it was that we were there and how we protected and helped women get the care they needed.

Why is it important to be involved? Because you will be making a real difference!

Sound good to you? If you want to get involved, check out our Activist Council!

Name: Vanessa “VBoogie” Burnett

Age: 35

Profession: QA Documentation Specialist

Where do you hail from? A small town in SoCal. They still don’t have sidewalks or street lights. Seriously.

Why did you get involved with the Activist Council? I was working for Pfizer and received an e-mail asking if I wanted to join. Thinking it would be a great way to save my soul (and I already donated to PP) I figured it would be a great fit.

What’s the most exciting/terrifying/invigorating thing you’ve done while a member? Most exciting thing has to be the women that I have met. Imagine coming from a small, slightly backwards town to the big city and meeting women who think like you do, who want to work towards the same common goal. Women who are strong, intellectual, funny feminists. It makes volunteering that much more exciting.

The most terrifying thing was the thought of a McCain/Palin win and thinking I might not be doing enough.

The most invigorating thing is the support I get from people when I tell them what I do and the vehement Yes! I want to help! That usually follows.

Why is it important to be involved? I think it is critical to be involved. I do believe that as a woman you have a responsibility to become involved in any way you can. We all have different strengths and volunteering is a great way to utilize those strengths. I never realized that working for women’s reproductive health and access is an ongoing effort (some might say battle). We are not working just for us but for those who come from small towns like I did who may not have the access that we do in NY and larger cities.

Sound good to you? If you want to get involved, check out our Activist Council!

Name: Rhea Beddoe

Age: 28

Profession: Currently unemployed =(

Where do you hail from? Originally Trinidad & Tobago

Why did you get involved with the Activist Council? I had previously been a volunteer with PPNYC following the [Spring 2004] March for Women’s Lives in DC. After the election of 2004 I truly felt the need to up my efforts, and the Activist Council fit the bill.

What’s the most exciting/terrifying/invigorating thing you’ve done while a member? Last year we put on a joint event with PPNYC’s teen advocates and NYCLU’s teen advocates. It was great – PPNYC’s teens performed skits about sex ed and NYCLU’s teen advocates spoke about their rights.

For a long time, the Sex Ed group had hoped to hold a workshop that would reach NYC teens directly, so it was very exciting to see a teen specific event come to fruition. Seeing a room of over 50 HS students engaged and asking questions about birth control and their rights was icing on the cake 1) Because we had 50 kids come after school for a workshop, and 2) because their excitement and interest of the topic let me know that we were doing the right thing.

Why is it important to be involved? It’s very important to stay involved with the work that PPNYC does because reproductive health effects all of us for all of our lives. And if we’re not looking out for women (and men), who will?

Sound good to you? If you want to get involved, check out our Activist Council!

Carrie

Name: Carrie James

Age: 28

Profession: Getting my MA in International Affairs

Where do you hail from? Houston, TX

Why did you get involved with the Activist Council? I was in a job that was sucking the soul out of my life and needed to do something to feel good about myself and how I was spending my time in this world. I got an email from PPNYC about their next Activist Council trainings, so I signed up.

What’s the most exciting/terrifying/invigorating thing you’ve done while a member? The first time I met with an elected official was all three of those things. I do not get starstruck by (Hollywood) celebrities, but my heart was definitely racing the first time I met with State Senator Dilan. I feel much more confident and calm now!

Why is it important to be involved? For me, reproductive rights are a crossroads for so many other social justice issues. If people are not trusted with and  iven full ownership of their own bodies, any other rights given to us seem more like trinkets to distract us from gaining full equality. The pro-choice movement touches on so many things that matter to me on a personal and human level, that I feel compelled to be involved. From comprehensive sex education to LGBT rights to access to contraception to abortion rights, we are fighting for a more perfect union, and I absolutely want to be a part of that.

Want to get involved? Check out our Activist Council!