Thao Nguyen, Director of Outreach

Thao Nguyen is the Director of Outreach for Health and Reproductive Rights. She oversees the outreach efforts for the Center's work on health care, reproductive rights, and judicial nominations. She helped manage the successful health campaign Being A Woman Is Not A Pre-Existing Condition and is the campaign director of This Is Personal. Previously, Ms. Nguyen managed the policy and advocacy work at different HIV/AIDS and environmental organizations. She received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of California, Irvine and a graduate degree in Human Rights Law from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London where she wrote her honors thesis examining the legal advances in protecting women against violence during conflict situations.

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My Take

Reed v. Reed at 40: Equal Protection and Women’s Rights: Allen Derr Joins Panel Audience

Posted by Thao Nguyen, Director of Outreach | Posted on: November 16, 2011 at 06:34 pm

We’re excited to have Allen Derr, attorney who argued for Sally Reed in the landmark Reed v Reed case, joining the audience tomorrow for a special panel to mark the 40th anniversary of the case. The panel will be discussing the past and future of women’s legal rights under the Equal Protection Clause and you can register to join the live webcast here: http://action.nwlc.org/reedvreed

You can learn more about the Reed v Reed case here and also, read an article from the Idaho Statesman about Mr. Derr coming to Washington, D.C. for the event:

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Tags: Equal Protection Clause, Fourteenth Amendment, Judges, Reed v. Reed, Supreme Court, Supreme Court, Judges & the Courts | Add new comment

It’s in the law.

Posted by Thao Nguyen, Director of Outreach | Posted on: October 11, 2011 at 09:51 am

 Greater protections against insurance company abuses.

  • No More Rescissions: Insurance companies are prohibited from dropping your coverage if you become sick.
  • No More Lifetime LIMITS: Insurance companies are prohibited from limiting the amount of money they will pay for your benefits over your lifetime.
  • No More Annual Caps: Insurance companies are prohibited from limiting the amount of money they will pay for benefits during one year. During 2011, annual limits cannot be lower than $750,000 & are completely prohibited by 2014.
  • No More Doctor’s Note To Visit The Ob-Gyn: The new health care law allows women to have “direct access” to this type of health care. Insurance companies are prohibited from requiring women to get referrals from their doctor for obstetrical & gynecological care.
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Tags: Affordable Care Act (ACA), Health Insurance, Preventive Health Care & Services, Women's Health Amendment, Health Care Reform, Health Care & Reproductive Rights | Add new comment

Back-to-School Lesson #1: Your Health Care Coverage Options

Posted by Thao Nguyen, Director of Outreach | Posted on: August 31, 2011 at 11:54 am

It’s that time of year again – the smell of sharpened pencils, the sound of clapping erasers. Okay, I admit it: clearly, I’m no longer in school. But I do remember what it was like – the excitement of your new classes and professors, the thrill of going back to see your friends after you were stuck at your parents’ house all summer working some menial part-time job that you didn’t love very much, and oh yes, welcome back parties. There are so many things happening during those first weeks back to school, it’s easy to see why many people forget to think about their health. And when I say health, I don’t mean the college diet that consisted of a coke and chocolate chip cookie.

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Tags: Health Care, Health Insurance, Uninsured and Underinsured, Education & Title IX, Health Care & Reproductive Rights | Add new comment

Let’s Talk About Sex: SisterSong’s Reproductive Justice Conference

Posted by Thao Nguyen, Director of Outreach | Posted on: July 15, 2011 at 11:17 am

NWLC is in Miami to attend SisterSong’s second Let’s Talk About Sex Conference. Yesterday, the conference opened with Dr. Jocelyn Elders, former Surgeon General during the Clinton Administration, talking about the importance of reproductive justice and women’s health for communities of color. In the next three days, we’ll have the opportunity to attend nearly 50 workshops that range from the legal obstacles that underserved women face to how misinformation from crisis pregnancy centers is particularly dangerous for women of color.

Over the years, SisterSong has brought women of color together to sit at tables where they have been traditionally underrepresented. The conferences provides a space for women of color to speak about the unique experiences they have working in the reproductive justice field and to confront the multiple intersections of social injustice that communities of color face, which make fully realizing our reproductive health needs that much more difficult.

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Tags: Barriers to Reproductive Care, Pregnancy Rights, Health Care & Reproductive Rights | Add new comment

Forget Access to Health Care; How About Some Cake?

Posted by Thao Nguyen, Director of Outreach | Posted on: July 12, 2011 at 02:03 pm

When I think about the current budget talks – I can’t seem to shake the picture of Marie Antoinette. This infamous French royal was told that the people of France were starving and didn’t even have bread to eat. To this, she simply replied, “Then let them eat cake.”

Congress continues their debates on our federal budget, the deficit and the future of our nation. With women unable to get their footing during this recession, our economy facing another downturn, and more families choosing between putting food on the table and paying their rent, some Members of Congress have decided to turn to dubious “let them eat cake” logic and pit closing loopholes for oil corporations with cutting programs that provide access to health care services for the most vulnerable people, like the vital Medicaid program.

Today, advocates across the country are raising their voices against this failed logic for all those that will be harmed by the slashing of Medicaid: the older woman who might be kicked out of her nursing home, the disabled woman who won’t be able to afford her medical care, and the low-income pregnant woman who won’t be able to access prenatal care.

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Tags: Medicaid & Other Public Funding, Health Care & Reproductive Rights | Add new comment