NARAL Pro-Choice America National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League.

Aims Ensuring all women have access to safe and legal abortion and opposing restrictions on abortion. Prevent the need for abortion by ensuring that all women have access to birth control and emergency contraceptives. Provide comprehensive sex-education to America’s youth to reduce the instances of STDs and unintended teenage pregnancies. Provide support and medical care for women who choose to continue their pregnancies, their children, and families who choose adoption.

History Founded in 1969, originally named the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws. Its aim was to eliminate “all laws and practices that would compel any woman to bear a child against her will.” After Roe v Wade in 1973 made abortion legal, it changed its name to the National Abortion Rights Action League. It began to campaign against attempts to limit access to abortion. In 2003, the organisation changed its name to NARAL pro- choice America, and launched a massive grassroots movement.

Type Membership, group rights group. Although it seems to be a single-issue group on the surface, it works in many different areas to expand the reproductive rights of women, not just abortion rights. It’s an outsider group, though the extent to which it’s an outsider depends on how conservative the government is.

Membership Pro-Choice America has over 1 million members, both male and female. They tend to be quite politically active. Members can donate as much or as little as they please. The main benefit of membership is purposive- there is no material benefit for joining. There may also be an element of solidarity benefit, especially for women who are considering or have undergone an abortion, and are looking for support.

Activity Lobbying elected officials in opposition to anti-choice appointments (e.g. Robert Bork in 1987, Clarence Thomas in 1991) and against laws that would restrict women’s reproductive rights. Funding pro-choice candidates through its PAC and opposing anti-choice candidates. Funding sex education programs for young people. Sponsoring women who have had their rights infringed upon in lawsuits. Encouraging its members to participate in elections and contact their representatives. A petition they circulated in 2010 ensured that Obamacare would have to cover birth control after gaining 50,000 signatures.

Activity Education- particularly to debunk misinformation that’s often spread about abortions, such as the myth that it can cause breast cancer and infertility. Program monitoring- for example keeping track of states which have laws restricting abortion rights, for example mandatory ultrasounds, waiting times, and arbitrary restrictions on abortion clinics such as how wide their hallways can be and how high their grass can be. Peaceful direct action- e.g March for Women’s Lives, which had over 1 million participants. Access: They mostly gain access by funding and sponsoring pro-choice congressmen, and attempting to influence court cases by funding legal challenges to restrictive laws.

Impact Pro-Choice America has had a significant amount of impact.  Blocking the appointment of anti-choice federal judges, e.g. Michael Boggs 2014  Has aided in the passing of many federal pro-choice bills, such as  Family and Medical Leave Act (1993)  Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (1994)  Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act (1997)  Family Planning and Choice Protection Act (1997)  Defeated state and federal anti-choice bills, for example 6 anti- choice bills were defeated with their aid in Colorado in  Provided education to the public about abortion, safe sex, and birth control.

Reasons for their impact Effective lobbying Politically active and well-organised membership who are willing to participate in petitions, lobby their representatives, sign petitions etc One of the wealthiest single-issue PACs Highly effective media campaigns, both traditional and online, e.g. #menforchoice