Racist, anti-abortion billboards come to Texas
UPDATE (4/15/11): One of our Houston supporters recently spoke with Ishmael Johnson at CBS Outdoor (which happens to be owned by the CBS network). Johnson was apparently polite and receptive, and if the company gets enough calls the billboards won't stay up long. So keep up the good work! See below for how to get in contact with CBS Outdoor. ---- Have you seen racist, anti-choice billboards in Texas?Anti-abortion groups have begun sponsoring several types of racist and anti-choice billboards in Texas. These billboards stigmatize women of color and perpetuate myths about the parenting skills and types of women who seek and use abortion services. The billboards, with slogans like “The Most Dangerous Place for a Child is in the Womb,” are popping up all over Texas – from Houston to Bryan to Austin. NARAL Pro-Choice Texas has been working with our allies at SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, who defeated these billboards and related sex- and race-selective abortion legislation in Georgia last year, to launch a campaign to bring down these Texas billboards. The messages on these billboards are extremely problematic on several fronts - they claim to be "pro-baby" and "pro-child," but what they actually do is work to discredit the idea that women can make sexual, reproductive, and parenting decisions for themselves. They portray women of color as irresponsible parents and dupes of "genocidal abortionists," and they also perpetuate racial stereotypes and spread misinformation about health organizations like Planned Parenthood, making the claim (with no basis in facts or reality) that these clinics selectively target women of color and “lure” them into abortion. What you can do: 1) Our first step is to identify as many of these billboards as possible, including the location, billboard sponsor, message, and, if possible, the billboard company. If you have seen an anti-choice billboard in your area, please contact Kailey with as much information as you can regarding the location, content, sponsor and owner of the billboard. You can also check out our map to see the locations of other racist, anti-abortion billboards currently posted in Texas. 2) Call the companies who own these billboards and let them know that these billboards will not be tolerated in our community! Pro-choice advocates have been successful in removing these offensive billboards in other states - let's prove to these companies that racist, anti-abortion messages are not acceptable in Texas, either! Below you will find contact information for billboard companies in different cities. Together we can make a difference! Houston:CBS Outdoor Corporate Contact Information 800.926.8834 Hours: 8AM - 8PM, Mon-Fri CBS Outdoor – Houston Local
1600 Studemont St
Houston, TX 77007
713-868-2284 You may also call 512.340.0999, email hminfo@heroicmedia.org or fax 512.340.0888. Please direct your correspondence to Brian Follett, President of Heroic Media, the company responsible for this offensive campaign.
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