Advocate for Reproductive Rights, Busy Philipps, Joins #BlogHer20 Health

1 in 4 women have had an abortion. Many people think they don’t know someone who has, but #youknowme. So let’s do this: if you are also the 1 in 4, let’s share it and start to end the shame. Use #youknowme and share your truth.

— Busy Philipps (@BusyPhilipps) May 15, 2019

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On May 15, 2019, the words above rang through television sets, social media streams, and news outlets. Almost instantaneously, thousands of women shared their abortion stories using the hashtag, #YouKnowMe. That hashtag was started by Busy Philipps, author, actor and advocate for reproductive rights. Busy’s courage to open up about her own abortion is a gift to us all — one that continues to inspire women to open up about being 1 in 4. 

We are thrilled to announce that Busy — our #BlogHer20 Health recipient of the “Truth Teller” #VOTY — will sit down with the President & CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, Nancy Northup — who’ll receive our #BlogHer20 Health “Visionary” #VOTY. We hope this conversation about reproductive health and rights will inspire our attendees to share their own experiences, be they scary, empowering, sad, or hopeful. After all, we are a community of storytellers, and above all else, women supporting each other.

Nancy Northup is one of the country’s — and the world’s — leaders in the fight to defend and advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights. And her organization is prepping for a huge Supreme Court case that’s just weeks away that could shape the future of abortion rights in the U.S. 

We know Busy Philipps needs no introduction, but we invite you to read more about her, Nancy, and the Center for Reproductive Rights below. And we are confident you’ll feel inspired by this important session on February 1st. 

See our most up to date speakers, schedule, sponsors, and purchase your ticket today.

 

 

ABOUT BUSY PHILIPPS

Busy Philipps is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, writer and recently, late-night talk show host of BUSY TONIGHT. Philipps served as executive producer on the show, alongside Tina Fey. In 2018, Philipps released a collection of humorous autobiographical essays in her book THIS WILL ONLY HURT A LITTLE that was immediately a New York Times Best Seller the first week. The book offers the same unfiltered and candid storytelling that can be found on her social media pages.

Philipps has also used her voice as an advocate and activist. In 2019, she testified before Congress on reproductive rights after publicly discussing her own abortion on BUSY TONIGHT. Following the show’s conversation on abortion legislation, Philipps, launched the #youknowme campaign on social media, in which she implored other women to go public with their own stories. 

In 2019, Philipps joined SeeHer, the Association of National Advertisers’ (ANA). SeeHer, the leading movement for gender equality in advertising and media, is a collective of marketers committed to creating and supporting content that portrays women and girls as they really are.

Philipps is a founding member of the Center for Reproductive Rights Creative Council — an initiative to harness the power of the creative community to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world. The group will leverage their platforms, reach, and cultural influence to raise the profile of the Center’s cases and issues to educate the public and advocate for change on sexual reproductive health and rights.

On the big screen, Philipps was most recently seen in the STX romantic comedy, I FEEL PRETTY, opposite Amy Schumer and Michelle Williams, and directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein. She also appeared in Joel Edgerton’s thriller THE GIFT, alongside Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. Released by STX, the film tells the story of a young married couple whose lives are thrown into a tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband’s path brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light.

Previously, Philipps was seen in HBO’s VICE PRINCIPALS, an 18-episode comedy series from Eastbound & Down creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill. The series ran for 2 seasons and starred Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Kimberly Herbert Gregory and Georgia King. Philipps played Gale Liptrapp, the ex-wife of McBride’s character and loving mother to his child. Also on television, she starred opposite Courteney Cox on the popular TBS comedy COUGAR TOWN where she played ‘Laurie Keller.’

Philipps first garnered attention at the age of 19 in Judd Apatow and Paul Feig’s critically praised series, FREAKS AND GEEKS. Her performance as the tough, but sympathetic rebel teen, Kim Kelly crafted Philipps as one of the most compelling young characters in contemporary television. Following her breakout performance as a budding actor, she went on to appear in numerous roles across acclaimed television series’ including a 5-episode arc on TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES; a major recurring role as the devout Christian med-student, Hope Bobeck, on season 14 of ER; a starring role in the UPN sitcom LOVE, INC.; and a series regular in Kevin Williamson’s award- winning coming-of-age series DAWSON’S CREEK where she starred alongside a notable cast including James Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Williams.

Additional film credits include: Kat Coiro’s, A CASE OF YOU opposite Justin Long, Peter Dinklage and Sam Rockwell; Douglas McGrath’s, I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT alongside Sarah Jessica Parker; Ken Kwapis’s HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU; Paul Weiland’s MADE OF HONOR with Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan; Shawn and Marlon Wayans’ comedy, WHITE CHICKS; Paul F. Ryan’s HOME ROOM; and Tim Hunter’s ANATOMY OF A HATE CRIME.

Philipps was born in Oak Park, Illinois and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. At the age of 18 she moved to Los Angeles to attend Loyola Marymount University and pursue acting as a career.

Philipps currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.

ABOUT NANCY NORTHUP

Nancy Northup is President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, a global human rights organization whose game changing litigation and advocacy work have transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human rights bodies.  Under her leadership, the Center has played a key role in securing legal victories in the U.S., Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe and at the U.N. on issues including access to life-saving obstetrics care, maternal health, contraception, and safe abortion services, as well as the prevention of forced sterilization and child marriage. With offices in Colombia, Kenya, Switzerland, and the U.S., the Center has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in over 60 countries.

Nancy was previously the founding director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, where she litigated voting rights, campaign finance reform, and ballot access cases.  From 1989 to 1996, she served as a prosecutor and Deputy Chief of Appeals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Prior to that she was a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans. 

She has held adjunct appointments at NYU Law School and Columbia Law School, and taught courses in constitutional and human rights law.  She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Nancy graduated magna cum laude from Brown University and received her J.D. from Columbia Law Review. She is also the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Brown University recognizing her achievements as an attorney and global reproductive rights leader.

A frequent public speaker, Nancy is quoted widely in the national press including The New York Times, USA Today, and The Washington Post, and has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, FOX News, PBS, MSNBC, and NPR.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world.