At a local brewery Friday night, Kristen Reaver wrote postcards to Florida senators explaining how the American Health Care Act could affect her, if passed by the Senate.
At First Magnitude Brewing Company, about 50 members of the Gainesville chapter of Women’s March Florida at the “I Am a Pre-existing Condition Postcard Writing Party,” which promoted the fight against the American Health Care Act, a bill that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 5.
Event-goers chose from 32 unique, pre-made postcards that shared stories and photos of local women with pre-existing conditions who would be affected by the legislature.
On the back of each postcard, party guests penned personalized messages to Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson explaining how the American Health Care Act would negatively affect them. Many said they believe that women with pre-existing conditions will be put at a disadvantage with the new bill.
The newly amended American Health Care Act is intended to replace former President Barack Obama’s health care law. Once back in session, the Senate will vote to either reject or approve the bill.
Reaver, a 27-year-old member of an environmental protection action group within Women’s March Florida, said being a part of the organization is important to her as a female scientist, especially since she experiences sexism in her male-dominated career field.
“I think it’s so important to understand that all of these issues affect women,” Reaver said. “Some of them affect women disproportionately to their male counterparts.”
Holly Sprinkle, the team captain of Women’s March Gainesville, said the legislation will affect about 24 million people nationally, including herself and her two special needs children.
“Our goal is to hopefully change the narrative around the legislation for health care and make it about people instead of health care companies and saving taxes,” she said.
Sprinkle said she has been involved with Women’s March since Nov. 9, the same day President Donald Trump was elected and the same day the organization was founded.
Women’s March has a total of 22 chapters in Florida, Sprinkle said, and all of its events are put on by volunteers.
As a cancer survivor, Sprinkle said she was extremely proud to be a part of the postcard-writing party, since she knows what it feels like to be denied access to health care due to a pre-existing condition.
“It helps all of us to have strong, healthy communities,” Sprinkle said. “We’re just trying to make an impact on the local level and state level — and if we can, on the national level as well.”
Contact Catie Wegman at cwegman@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter: @catie_wegman
On Friday night, through the use of postcards, 32 women with pre-existing health conditions told their stories to protest the American Health Care Act.
