New NARAL Leader Stresses 'Dynamic' Definition of Choice

February 28, 2013 — In an interview with Politico, Ilyse Hogue, the new president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said she is calling for a more "dynamic" definition of "choice" that encompasses policies that enable women to decide "how and when and with whom they have a family." Although Hogue has yet to release the specifics of her agenda, she spoke with Politico last week about broadening the group's policy priorities.

Choice "will always be access to safe and legal abortion," Hogue said, adding, "But that's the beginning of the conversation." Ensuring women's reproductive rights also includes issues like access to fertility treatment for low-income women and universal paid family leave policies, "so that when you choose to become a parent you actually have the ability to do it," she said.

Hogue also pledged to move away from a primarily reactive response to antiabortion-rights legislation. NARAL intends to "put together a proactive agenda and do some offensive work," instead of "spending all of our time responding to crazier and crazier bills," she said.

State-level activism will be essential, she noted. States are "where we're seeing the most regressive legislation and where we see the opportunity to sort of shape the future," she said, adding, "It is our job to actually marshal that energy and turn it into a visible force that can't be denied by policymakers and then use that force as is appropriate to pass legislation and get ballot initiatives on the measure and elect pro-choice candidates" (Smith, Politico, 2/28).