Sandra Fluke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sandra Fluke
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Sandra Fluke on May 4, 2013
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| Born |
Sandra Kay Fluke
April 17, 1981 Saxton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Education | Cornell University (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney, activist |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Adam Mutterperl |
Sandra Kay Fluke (born April 17, 1981) is an American lawyer and activist. She is known for speaking up about important issues. She has worked to help people get better access to healthcare and support.
Sandra Fluke supported President Barack Obama when he ran for re-election in 2012. She was a main speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Later, she ran for a seat in the California State Senate. This seat was open because Ted Lieu decided to run for a different job. Sandra Fluke did not win the election. She lost to another Democrat named Ben Allen.
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Early Life and Education
Sandra Fluke grew up in Saxton, Pennsylvania. Her father, Richard B. Fluke II, was a pastor at a Methodist church. Her mother's name is Betty Kay. Sandra finished high school at Tussey Mountain Junior/Senior High School in 1999.
She later went to Cornell University and earned a degree. Then, she studied law at Georgetown University. She received her law degree in 2012. She passed the California bar exam in July 2012. This allowed her to practice law in California.
Working for Change
Sandra Fluke helped start a group in New York called the Statewide Coalition for Fair Access to Family Court. This group worked to help people who were facing difficult situations at home. Their efforts led to new laws. These laws made it easier for young people and others to get legal protection.
According to Georgetown University, Sandra also worked with other groups. These groups fought for better rules to help people in tough family situations. She wanted to make sure everyone had the support they needed.
In 2011, Sandra received a special grant from Georgetown University Law Center. This grant helped her create a video. The video showed people how to get a restraining order for protection. She also led a student group at Georgetown Law. This group focused on healthcare access and justice.
Speaking Up in 2012
In 2012, Sandra Fluke was asked to speak to a group of lawmakers. This group was talking about healthcare. Democrats wanted Sandra to share her views. She was not allowed to speak at first. The chairman of the committee said she was not an expert.
A week later, a different group of lawmakers invited her to speak. Sandra told them that students should not have to choose. She believed they should not have to pick between getting a good education and having good healthcare. She talked about friends who needed certain medicines. She said these friends faced problems getting the care they needed.
Supporting President Obama
In June 2012, Sandra Fluke wrote an article for CNN. She talked about the different ideas of President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. She liked that Obama supported laws that helped women get fair pay. She also liked his support for student scholarships. She felt Obama worked to make sure everyone had chances to succeed.
Later, Sandra introduced President Obama at a rally in Denver. She also spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She said that the ideas of the Republican Party were old-fashioned. The Los Angeles Times newspaper said she was an important voice. She helped Democrats connect with women voters.
A politician named Joe Walsh disagreed with her speech. He said Sandra was acting "entitled" and told her to "get a job." Sandra wrote back that he was insulting young people. She asked why some leaders wanted to cut help for struggling Americans.
Running for Office in 2014
After moving to West Hollywood, Sandra Fluke decided to run for the California State Senate. This was in a new district created in 2011. In the first election in June, she came in second place.
In the final election in November, she ran against Ben Allen. He was also a Democrat. Sandra Fluke was defeated in this election.
Personal Life
In April 2012, Sandra Fluke got engaged to Adam Mutterperl. He is a television producer and writer. They were married by the time she ran for office in 2014. They live in the Los Angeles area. They have a dog named Mr. President.
See also
- Reproductive justice
- Reproductive rights
