The following is an email I wrote to my state representative, Rep. Dan Meyer (R-Eagle River), asking him to vote for the Healthy Youth Act, which will fund comprehensive sex education in Wisconsin. More information is available from NARAL Wisconsin here.

Dear Rep. Meyer:
Please vote YES to pass the Healthy Youth Act. I know it will be an unpopular thing to do with your conservative base, but it’s the right thing to do for the youth of the Northwoods. Teenagers need comprehensive sex education in order to make good choices. I grew up in Eau Claire, where I learned about birth control, STDs, condoms and abstinence in my freshman health class. With all of those tools in my “knowledge” toolbox, I was savvy and self-aware enough to know that sex was an important decision. When I was ready, I knew enough to use protection so I didn’t get pregnant or an STD or HIV.

Please vote YES on AB 458. It’s so vitally important for teenagers to make informed decisions about their health.

Thank you,
Danine Spencer

I posted this because I wanted to demonstrate that it takes very little to write a note to your representatives and senators. I could’ve even used the link that NARAL Wisconsin provided above but I hoped that if I personalized my message it might have a bigger impact. It’s pretty easy to find your representatives both at the state and national level. Congress.org has a great tool that finds both your representatives in the state legislature and in Congress. Check it out here.

Earlier this year, I wrote a very short, two or three line email to my state senator, Jim Holperin, asking him to support the amendment to the state budget that legalized domestic partnerships in Wisconsin. I received a personally signed letter from Sen. Holperin thanking me for my email. It makes a difference if you contact your representatives and it’s easy to do so do it.