Center for Reproductive Rights Marks 20-Year Anniversary at Gala

October 29, 2012 — The Center for Reproductive Rights at a gala in New York City on Wednesday marked 20 years of advancing women's rights, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the organization, highlighted the group's Draw the Line campaign, which collected 156,000 signatures in support of reproductive rights in the previous two weeks. "You shouldn't have to worry every election about who's going to get into office, and whether you're going to lose human rights if they do," she said, adding that the group's goal is to take politics out of women's health.

The gala honored the efforts of Michelle Bachelet -- former president of Chile, current United Nations under secretary-general and executive director of U.N. Women -- and Amy Schulman, an executive vice president at Pfizer.

Several celebrities also attended (Bratburd, Wall Street Journal, 10/25). In a speech, actress Tina Fey criticized Rep. Todd Akin's (R-Mo.) comment that women do not become pregnant from "legitimate rape." She said, "I wish we could have an honest and respectful dialogue about these complicated issues," adding, "But it seems like we can't right now. And if I have to listen to one more gray-faced man with a two-dollar haircut explain to me what rape is, I'm gonna lose my mind" (Friar, Huffington Post, 10/25).

Fey continued, "It is an insult to the intelligence and ethics of American women to try to take these decisions away from us," adding, "We have to stand up and fight, not just for ourselves, but for all the women whose lives could be altered irretrievably if these attacks on our freedom are allowed to stand" (Wall Street Journal, 10/25).