June Advocate of the Month: Kyle Hoover!!

Kyle Hoover

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Occupation: Masters Student,
UNC-Chapel Hill

Tell us a bit about yourself:
My name is Kyle Hoover. I am originally from Boston and moved down here for school this past August (this is my first Carolina summer, yikes!). I’m currently getting my masters in social work from UNC Chapel Hill with a focus in macro-studies. When I graduate with my MSW next year, I hope to stay in the triangle area working for an organization that empowers women. I am currently interning with the Planned Parenthood Health Systems in Raleigh office with the nifty title of “e-organizing intern.” I do a lot of work with Planned Parenthood social media and am also becoming more involved with the policy and advocacy side of things, which I greatly enjoy!

How long have you been an advocate for reproductive and women’s rights?
I honestly don’t remember NOT being an advocate for reproductive health and women’s rights! I can recall becoming very angry in middle school as our gym teacher inferred that the girls in our class were somehow weaker or “less than” the boys. I focused on these themes more in college as I began to understand gender discrepancies and inequalities in greater detail. I focused my senior project on feminism and the (unfair) reasons it is so often viewed in a negative light. In graduate school, I have further honed my voice and passion for reproductive health and am so glad that I found an organization as awesome as Planned Parenthood to share these passions with.

What inspired you to become an advocate?
Beyond my strong passion for these matters, being in social work school was a great catalyst in encouraging my advocacy. I learned and witnessed the changes that advocates can make, and also realized the great responsibility and PRIVILEGE that we have to help our fellow women and stand up for our rights. Everything that I do as an advocate encourages me to continue to on this path; speaking with a woman who feels just as strongly as I do about these issues and knowing that she is the going to call the governor to voice her concerns because of my phone call makes me know that I am making a positive difference.

What is your favorite advocacy activity?
I have really enjoyed going to rallies at the legislator. I had never done anything like that before and love the morale and sense of camaraderie these rallies bring about. I love the energy and passion of the event!

What would you say to someone who is thinking about getting involved?
Step outside of your comfort zone! I was really nervous about phone-banking the first time, and then I realized that the WORST thing that could happen is that the person on the other end says “no.” The best thing that could happen, however, is that we elicit positive change in the world of women’s health and reproductive rights. The best thing is what propels me forward.