Public Relations & Issue Advocacy: Defending Women's Rights with the Cheri's Choice Campaign

Background

The Cheri's Choice campaign was launched to support Cheri Bergeron, a woman fighting a legal battle to protect her son and her rights as a mother. In a complex legal situation, Cheri's estranged husband sought to gain parental rights over her son, despite not being the biological father. This campaign aimed to raise awareness and advocate for a change in Texas law to protect the rights of women who choose to become mothers through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

Challenges

1. Legal Complexity: Cheri faced a legal battle against her estranged husband, who sought parental rights despite having no biological connection to her son.

2. Need for Awareness: The campaign needed to raise public awareness about Cheri's situation and the broader issue of women's reproductive rights.

3. Legislative Change: The goal was to inspire legislative change to protect single mothers and their rights to choose parenthood through IVF.

Solutions

Lone Star PR & Marketing developed a comprehensive campaign strategy that included a website, blog, social media outreach, public relations efforts, and a petition to drive change in Texas law. Key components included:

1. Website and Blog: The campaign website (www.cherischoice.com) provided detailed information about Cheri's story and the legal challenges she faced. Blog posts highlighted the importance of protecting women's reproductive rights and the need for legislative updates in Texas.

2. Social Media Engagement: Social media channels (www.facebook.com/supportcherischoice) were used to amplify Cheri's story, encourage public support, and facilitate sharing among networks. The campaign utilized platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with hashtags such as #cherischoice and #taketheDNAtest to increase visibility.

LINK: https://www.facebook.com/supportcherischoice

3. Public Relations: Press releases and media outreach helped garner attention from local and national news outlets, bringing Cheri's story to a wider audience. The news reports we worked tirelessly to secure were outstanding examples of our grit and determination to achieve the best for our clients.

4. Petition for Change: A petition on Change.org urged Texas lawmakers to update the Texas Family Code to protect the rights of single mothers using IVF. The petition gathered signatures and built momentum for legislative change.

LINK: https://change.org/p/dawn-buckingham-help-us-change-texas-law-to-defend-the-rights-of-single-mothers-like-cheri-bergeron

5. Direct Action: The campaign encouraged supporters to contact their elected representatives to raise awareness of the issue and advocate for legislative reform.

Results

Increased Awareness: The campaign successfully raised awareness about Cheri's legal battle and the broader issue of reproductive rights, reaching a wide audience through social media and media coverage.

Community Support: The petition garnered support online, demonstrating public backing for Cheri and the need for legislative change.

Legislative Engagement: The campaign facilitated direct engagement with lawmakers, raising the profile of the issue and highlighting the need for updated laws to protect women's rights. (The law still needs to change!)

Conclusion

The Cheri's Choice campaign effectively utilized a multi-channel strategy to advocate for Cheri Bergeron's rights and drive awareness of important reproductive rights issues.

By engaging the community, Lone Star PR & Marketing helped shine a light on the challenges faced by single mothers and the need for legislative change in Texas. Our dedication and perseverance in securing news coverage demonstrated our commitment to our clients and their causes.

News Coverage

KVUE: Paternity test proves husband in Lakeway custody battle over child born from anonymous sperm donor

KVUE: Lakeway mother retains parental rights to IVF baby

Statesman: Lakeway woman gave birth to child in vitro — then estranged husband sought to be named the father