Author: Feminist Newswire

The Feminist Newswire has provided a daily feminist perspective on national, global, and campus news stories since 1995. You can receive a weekly feminist news digest when you subscribe here.

Reproductive Rights Groups Sue to Stop Oklahoma’s COVID-19 Abortion Ban

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The Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) have filed an emergency lawsuit to nullify Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt’s ban on abortion procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, Stitt issued an executive order temporarily halting elective surgeries, which he later specified includes all abortions not deemed “necessary to prevent serious health risks to the unborn child’s mother.”

Stitt, an extreme anti-choice Republican who believes life starts at conception, claims that the ban will free up hospital beds and personal protective equipment for COVID-19 care. The reproductive rights groups behind the lawsuit argue that Stitt is using the coronavirus as an excuse to unconstitutionally target abortion, with dangerous effects.

“A global pandemic is not an excuse to attack essential, time-sensitive medical procedures like abortion. Yet that’s exactly what anti-abortion politicians and activists are trying to do, instead of working together to ensure everyone has access to health care,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, the acting president and CEO of PPFA.

PPFA and the Center for Reproductive Rights argue that the ban is a “clear abuse of power” and violates the constitutional right to abortion care established by Roe v. Wade and subsequent Supreme Court decisions. They also assert that the ban would actually facilitate the spread of COVID-19 by forcing patients to travel out of state for abortions and increasing hospital visits for those who now have to carry pregnancies to term.

Oklahoma is one of several states trying to use the COVID-19 pandemic to restrict abortion access. Abortion providers in Texas are suing Governor Greg Abbott over that state’s ban, and clinics in Ohio have continued operating despite the state attorney general’s recent attempt to shut them down. In their fight against these state bans, reproductive rights groups have emphasized that abortion is essential healthcare that cannot be delayed without catastrophic impacts for patients.

Sources: The City Sentinel 3/31/20; The Oklahoman 3/27/20, 3/31/20

U.S. Appeals Court Rules in Favor of COVID-19 Texas Abortion Ban

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On Tuesday, March 31, a United States appeals court ruled to allow Texas to continue enforcing limits on people’s ability to obtain safe and legal abortions due to the state’s policy to postpone “non-essential” procedures in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a New York Times release by Reuters, “Texas and other states that previously pursued abortion restrictions have sought to crack down on abortion availability during the pandemic” which has prompted abortion providers like Planned Parenthood and Whole Woman’s Health to sue to block the policies “after clinics said they were forced to cancel hundreds of appointments for abortions across the state.”

In response to the 5th Circuit court’s decision, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin, TX ruled that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s actions to block abortion access “prevents Texas women from exercising what the Supreme Court has declared is their fundamental constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy before a fetus is viable.” And according to Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, “the 5th Circuit is escalating the fear and confusion women seeking abortion in Texas are already experiencing.”

Sources: The New York Times 3/31; Reuters 3/31

Equal Pay Day: Healthcare Workers Deserve Equal Pay (And Then Some)

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Women in healthcare are on the frontlines of the response to COVID-19 and are risking their safety every day to save the lives of those who are critically ill right now. Women make up 78% of the healthcare field overall, but consistently make less than their male counterparts across the board. This national Equal Pay Day we want to recognize their courage and all of their hard work by drawing attention to the pay inequity they face.

Racial and ethnic pay inequities compound the problem of the gender gap. Women of color make even less than their white female colleagues across all industries. On average, Black women make 65% of what white men earn, Hispanic women make 61% of what white men earn, while white women make 81% of what white men earn.

The healthcare field is dominated by women, but research shows that when men, especially white men, join fields that have traditionally been dominated by women they are paid more, and rise through the ranks with more ease. They are also more likely to be promoted to a supervisory position than a woman with similar experience and qualities.

On average men in the healthcare field earn around $86,219 a year, while women only make an average of $45,976 a year.

Registered nurses make around $73,000 a year or $30 an hour on average, while licensed practical nurses make about $20 an hour, or just about $44,000 a year. Even though men make up less than 10% of the nursing field they still make about $6,000 a year more than their female counterparts, regardless of level of education or experience. 

Women healthcare workers, especially women of color, are vastly underpaid. Nursing assistants only make $26,268 a year or around $13.50 an hour, while personal care aides make and home health aides, who care for those who are too sick or elderly to leave their homes, make $22,000 a year or around $10 an hour. Female paramedics make $40,872 a year while their male counterparts make $51,532 a year, meaning women paramedics make 65.5% of what their male colleagues earn. These workers provide lifesaving, essential, compassionate care to millions but are not paid a living wage.

An article titled “In Demand and Undervalued—The Plight of American Healthcare Workers” from the American Journal of Public Health states that, “…in 2017, 1.7 million female health care workers and their children in the United States lived below the poverty line. More than 7% lacked health insurance. Many relied on public assistance for health care, food security, and housing.” 

Healthcare workers of all genders, races, and ethnicities nationwide are overwhelmed with patients who are ill with COVID-19, and they are working around the clock to care for our family members, friends, and neighbors. They are facing an outrageous shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) but are still showing up for every shift to face the ongoing pandemic that seems to have no end in sight.

We want to salute all of the healthcare worker’s sacrifices and demand equal and better pay for women healthcare workers, particularly women of color, and we believe all first responders, healthcare workers, and hospital employees deserve higher salaries especially during this crisis.

They are the heroes that have emerged during what is truly a frightening time in our country, and they deserve more than our admiration and thanks. Women healthcare workers deserve fair and equal pay, but all healthcare workers regardless of gender and race deserve higher wages, and even bonuses, during this pandemic.

Sources: https://datausa.io/profile/naics/health-care-social-assistance#about; www.payscale.com; Bureau of Labor Statistics; American Journal of Public Health; Institute for Women’s Policy Research; Fast Company; HealthLeaders Media

Instacart, Amazon Workers Strike for Coronavirus Protections

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Workers at Instacart and Amazon struck yesterday and today, critiquing the companies for not prioritizing their safety in response to coronavirus.

Instacart, an app-based delivery service, employs gig workers to go into grocery stores, pick up orders and deliver orders to homes. The company wrote in an official statement, “As the crisis unfolds, our teams are committed to continuing to deliver for all the communities we serve and ensuring our customers and shoppers can safely and reliably use Instacart. We’re proud to be able to serve as an essential service for you and your loved ones during this critical time.” Though Instacart claims its workers are essential, the workers do not believe that the company has done enough to protect their health and safety in this pandemic. They staged a nationwide strike on Monday with demands for the company to provide gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectants, hazard pay of $5 per order and more paid sick leave.

Currently, Instacart will pay anyone who tests positive for coronavirus or anyone who is placed into mandatory quarantine up to 14 days of pay. It is also offering cash bonuses for workers. March is the busiest month in the company’s history, as it and other delivery services face exponentially increased demand as people choose not to shop in stores themselves. Instacart is looking to hire 300,000 new workers to its platform in response, specifically targeting 10 states where demand is highest, including California and New York.

Amazon warehouse workers, too, struck on Monday in both the United States and Italy for stronger protections.

“Several employees working at the site use face masks for days instead of having new ones each day,” said a union representative. Amazon has said that they are taking extra precautions to respond to coronavirus, including improving social distancing, staggering shift and break times and increasing cleaning of its facilities. Workers and critics have publicly questioned the company’s poor track record on paid sick leave and shortages of protective and cleaning supplies.

One of the organizers of Monday’s Amazon walkout at a warehouse in Staten Island, Christian Smalls, was fired by the company Monday night. Amazon claims Smalls was terminated because he refused to quarantine himself after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus. Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), countered Amazon’s claims about the situation: “Workers should be protected when speaking out about safety conditions during this crisis. They are performing a public service. It is unacceptable that Amazon has terminated Chris Smalls for doing that today rather than addressing their serious COVID-19 safety problems.”

Today, employees at Whole Foods, an Amazon subsidiary, are staging a sick-out to demand paid sick leave, free coronavirus testing and hazard pay.

One Whole Foods worker and strike organizer in Chicago said, “a bunch of us have already gotten sick. It’s very plausible that some of us will die for this job.”

 

Sources: 6 ABC 03/30/20; BBC 03/31/20; CNN 03/30/20; RWDSU 03/31/20; VICE 03/30/20

MSU Makes Graduating Health Care Students Available to Aid in COVID-19 Response

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In cooperation with the growing needs of Michigan’s health care workforce in its fight against the coronavirus and the high rate of transmission/number of cases in Michigan, Michigan State University (MSU) is now ending its programs early to make newly graduated students available to help the state’s health care field fight against the coronavirus.

MSU’s actions are a result of MI Governor Whitmer’s efforts to increase the number of young professionals in the field. These recent graduates will jump in, immediately beginning their professional career by working on the front lines of this global pandemic. This effort includes 87 nurses, 61 medical doctors, and 213 osteopathic physicians. Michigan State is also working with the Department of Licensing to expedite licenses.

Additionally, the University is also joining efforts with other health care professionals to create 3D-printed face shields to help supply hospitals and other healthcare facilities with the necessary personal protective equipment they desperately need. Different colleges across MSU’s campus, including the College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Natural Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the College of Arts and Letters, are all contributing to this aid effort.

 

Sources: MSU Today 03/31/2020; MSU Today 03/30/2020

Attorneys General Urge the FDA to Allow Use of Mifepristone by Mail During COVID-19 Pandemic

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In response to abortion-related concerns taking place during the COVID-19 outbreak, a group of 21 attorneys general are urging the federal government to allow pregnant individuals to use mifepristone if they would like to terminate their pregnancy without unnecessary travel.

According to Huffington Post senior reporter Melissa Jeltsen, the current system in place requires that pregnant individuals looking to obtain a medically-induced abortion must “travel in person to an abortion clinic to pick up the medication, even though the termination generally takes place at home. That’s because mifepristone, the first of the two drugs used in medication abortion, is subject to a special set of U.S. Food and Drug Administration restrictions called Risk Evacuation and Mitigation Strategy. Under the REMS, a person seeking a medication abortion cannot obtain the drugs from a pharmacy or in the mail. The drugs can only be dispensed in a medical facility.”

In their letter, the authoring attorneys general have urged the Trump administration, the FCA, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to allow mifepristone to be accessed and prescribed through telemedicine. The attorneys general believe that “The FDA should not mandate this medically unnecessary travel, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis where not only are [pregnant individuals] being advised to stay at home, but families are faced with additional childcare and financial constraints.”

 

Sources: Huffington Post 3/30; AG Letter 3/30; FDA.gov 3/2020

Pay Gap Expected to Worsen Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

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Activists’ work to close the gender pay gap may be undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to experts, as women take time off or are laid off in order to care for others, any advances could be reversed.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) reports that women earn approximately one-fifth less than their male counterparts across the globe with underlying factors including motherhood, employment in lower-wage jobs, stereotypes, and promotion decisions. According to U.N. Women, it could take up to 70 years to reach gender parity.

Anita Bhatia, assistant Secretary-General and deputy executive director of U.N. Women, said to expect an increase in the gap due to women being disproportionately affected by the virus. She said, “We have a lot of very supportive men in society but not enough, and we really need to work on the gender biases or the stereotypes that prevent equal sharing of care.”

The ILO also reported there could be losses of up to 25 million jobs because of COVID-19. Industries that will be particularly hard hit include hospitality and travel, which have high numbers of female employees. A report from PayScale has also indicated that when employees attempt to return to work, which will inevitably happen in droves after the pandemic ceases, women will receive offers up to 7 percent less than candidates who already have a job.

“Women are over-represented in the low-paid service economy jobs that are really getting slammed right now with layoffs,” said Emily Martin, vice president of education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center.

 

Sources: Economic Times, 3/31/20; CNBC, 3/24/20.

Taliban Increases Attacks on Afghan Security

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Amidst a rising number of COVID-19 cases as well as the ongoing so-called peace talks, the Taliban has further intensified their attacks across Afghanistan. Last week alone, the Taliban launched 300 attacks against the Afghan government and civilians, inflicting heavy casualties. The Afghan government has responded to the attacks, inflicting heavy casualties on the Taliban as well.

On Saturday, the terrorist group further increased their attacks by launching major offenses in three provinces, attempting to take over some districts. The increase in attacks is happening while some U.S. diplomats are optimistic that that the intra-Afghan negotiations will begin soon. The intra-Afghan negotiations are part of the condition included in the peace deal between the U.S. and the Taliban. As part of the deal, the Taliban has stopped attacking both American and its allies’ targets. However, the group has increased its attacks on the Afghan security forces.

The spike in violence is also happening at a time that the Afghan government and the Taliban reported on progress in releasing prisoners from each side as laid out in the so-called peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban. The prisoner exchange is due to begin March 31.

After almost a year wait, last week on Friday, the Afghan government released the list of the negotiating team representing the country. The list includes 16 men and five women.

Last week in another horrific attack, a religious minority was targeted and lost 25 members of its community. Sikhs are a religious minority in Afghanistan, with a history of persecution by the Taliban as well as ISIS. Almost two years ago, the Afghan Sikhs were targeted in another major attack as well.

 

Sources: Tolo, 3/30/20, 3/25/20, NYT, 3/29/20

UK Government Permits Medication Abortions at Home During Coronavirus Lockdown

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The United Kingdom government announced that it will allow patients to perform medication abortions at home during the national coronavirus lockdown. The decision follows a week of confusion over abortion access in the UK after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) issued and then hours later rescinded its initial order to allow home abortions.

Under the DHSC’s temporary new rules, patients who are up to ten weeks pregnant can receive abortion pills through the mail after a phone or video consultation with a doctor instead of having to go to a clinic. Reproductive health organizations—including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Midwives and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) —had urged the government to adopt such measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 without restricting abortion access.

Medication abortion, the most common abortion method in the UK, involves taking two pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, that stop fetal development and cause the uterus to empty, a process similar to an early miscarriage. Before the enactment of the new rules, patients had to visit a clinic to receive the pills. They were required to take the first pill at the clinic and could take the second at home.

The new DHSC guidelines provide clarity for providers and patients after a series of confusing statements on the provision of abortion services during the pandemic. On March 23, DHSC announced on its website that it would be allowing home administration of both pills. Just hours later, DHSC reversed its decision, stating, “This was published in error. There will be no changes to how abortion services are regulated.” Now, the government has returned to its position of allowing patients to take both abortion pills at home.

“This is a very safe and simple measure that will dramatically improve women’s access to care at this time of national crisis,” said Claire Murphy, the director of external affairs at BPAS. “We’re really pleased that the government has acted on this. It will make a huge difference to women’s health and wellbeing in the current climate.”

Sources: Independent 3/30/20; BBC News 3/24/20; The Guardian 3/30/20

Education Department Sanctions Penn State Again for Sexual Misconduct Procedures

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On Thursday, the Department of Education announced that after a  recent investigation, it is ordering Pennsylvania State University to implement significant changes to the way the school handles complaints of sexual misconduct. The released investigation finds that the university persistently mishandled cases after the Sandusky scandal.

A federal investigation released Thursday identified “serious deficiencies” in the way Penn State responded to students’ sexual abuse complaints in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

The investigation report totaled 29 pages, with the Civil Rights office finding that Penn State does not have systems in place that effectively protect students. The Department of Education’s investigation also specifies that this failure includes the cases where the sexual misconduct allegations involves athletic staff. This means that the fundamental failures that allowed for the abuse under Sandusky are continued in the 2019-2020 academic year. There have not been systematic changes to protect Penn students even after the school’s national sex abuse scandal.

This is the university’s second time being sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Education for failure to handle sexual misconduct cases. A previous investigation that began in 2011 found the university violated 11 Clery Act policies, which resulted in a then-record $2.4 million fine. Still, the school seems to not have learned its lesson, putting all its students in danger.

An official statement from Penn State claims that the university has voluntarily entered into the resolution proposed by the Department of Education on March 18 but has yet to make any admission of liability. The Education Department announced its Office for Civil Rights will oversee the school’s changes to handle future allegations of sexual misconduct, including those involving athletic staff.

Sources: The New York Times 3/27/20; Centre Daily Times 3/26/20; Sports Illustrated 3/28/20

Report: Autocratization Surging Worldwide, Alongside Resistance

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According to a new report by Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), autocratization is on the rise worldwide, alongside anti-autocratic resistance.

V-Dem’s Democracy Report 2020, which compiled 123,118 datasets with the help of three thousand country experts, notes an unprecedented global decline in democratic traits. For the first time since 2001, democracies no longer constitute the majority of world countries; autocracies now host 54 percent of the global population. The world is now left with just 87 electoral and liberal democracies.

Meanwhile, 35 percent of the world’s population lives in autocratizing nations. As this “third wave of autocratization” accelerates and deepens, major countries are more openly and harshly restricting critical democratic freedoms like the freedom of expression and the press, attacking civil society, and–notably–attacking elections.

V-Dem noted that a new trend in the 2020 report was a deteriorating quality of elections, arguing that “After years of undercutting countervailing forces, rulers seem now to feel secure enough to attack the very core of democracy: free and fair elections.”

The report highlighted one country in particular for its “substantial” and “exceptional” democratic decline: the United States. “Only one country in [the western and North American] region has registered a substantial decline in liberal democracy – the United States of America,” wrote V-Dem.

While America’s Liberal Democracy Index (LDI), a tool political scientists use to measure democracy, declined .07 points in during the Obama Administration, the LDI has declined .11 points under the Trump Administration. The United States now sits at the bottom of the top 20% of countries, ranking significantly lower than some of its closest allies and neighbors. Given the United States’ massive size and political, economic, military influence, V-Dem warns that “The possible ripple effects of the USA’s decline are huge.”

Alongside this unprecedented rise in autocratization has been an “unprecedented degree of mobilization for democracy,” a “sign of hope” according to V-Dem. The number of countries with substantial pro-democracy mass protests nearly doubled since 2009, rising from 27 percent to 44 percent. From Bolivia to Hong Kong to Sudan, citizens are fighting against authoritarian impulses and for their democratic rights.

“While pro-autocracy rulers attempt to curtail the space for civil society,” wrote V-Dem, “millions of citizens have demonstrated their commitment to democracy.”

[V-dem, Democracy report 2020, March 2020] [Washington Post, 11/15/2019][BBC, 11/28/2019] [VOX, 2/21/2020]

Benny Gantz Elected Israeli Speaker, Handing Power Back to Netanyahu

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After a year of political deadlock in Israel, Benny Gantz was elected Speaker of the Israeli Parliament and expressed his desire to form an emergency national government. Gantz is set to serve in a Netanyahu-led government, Gantz’s main political rival. Gantz’s backing will now almost certainly allow the indicted prime minister to continue in his role and continue his streak as longest-serving leader in the country’s history.

Gantz’s move to Speaker drew accusations of betrayal from former supporters and set off the dissolution of the Blue and White political party that had formed a year ago and included Gantz’s own Israel Resilience party. It appears that Israel Resilience will come under the umbrella of the right-wing bloc of the Israeli Knesset, forming a majority for Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Pointing to the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for unity, Gantz said he will “do the right thing at this time of emergency.” Although the move has been hailed as a clear victory for Netanyahu, both sides need to come to an agreement in order to form a unity government. Gantz had previously refused to be in a Netanyahu government, citing the prime minister’s corruption charges.

Yair Lapid, one of Gantz’s closest allies in the Blue and White party, expressed his extreme displeasure with Gantz’s move. “Benny Gantz decided today to break apart Blue and White and crawl into Netanyahu’s government. It’s a disappointing decision,” Lapid said, speaking in Tel Aviv Thursday night. “What’s being formed today isn’t a unity government and not an emergency government. It’s another Netanyahu government.”

Sources: CNN, 3/27/20; NPR, 3/26/20; BBC, 3/26/20.

Activists and Politicians Honor Female Excellence During Women’s History Month

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Throughout the chaos and uncertainty of the past weeks, with the coronavirus pandemic and the last of the female candidates exiting the 202 democratic presidential field, Women’s History Month has been overshadowed by worldwide fear and social upheaval. Despite all of this there has “arguably never been a more significant time to consider how women’s history informs the present.” In the spirit of this, prominent women have recognized the historical women who have come before them, trailblazing the future of women’s rights and suffrage in a testament to the idea of “women empowering women.”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee recognized Shirley Chisholm, having spent years working on Chisholm’s campaign and celebrating her as the first African American woman elected to Congress. Lee was inspired by Chisholm’s activism; the way she spoke up for children and families in need, spoke out against racism, xenophobia, and sexism. Lee admired how Chisholm broke barriers in everything she did, especially in her advocacy for African American women.

Jane Goodall explained the inspiration she felt reading Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” inspired by Carson’s courage in fighting against pharmaceutical companies, and emphasizing the dangers of DDT. Goodall thought of Carson often throughout her experience studying chimpanzees, as she became aware of other scientists holding chimps in inhumane cages. Goodall held up Carson’s silent battle with cancer as an indicator of her strength.

Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, held up both Harriet Tubman and Angela Davis as two women in whose stories she found inspiration for her own life. Cullors learned every detail possible about Tubman’s life, from enslavement to freedom, and the way she continued helping so many others to freedom as well. She found Tubman’s bravery something she could lean on during struggles within her own life and community.

In Angela Davis, Cullors found a mentor, one who spoke out about the current injustices related to the prison system and police brutality and how this must be the new “frontier” towards ending slavery. Cullors has used Davis’s modern abolitionist work as the framework she will continue to follow in all that she does, and in her fight for justice and accountability.

The full story is available on CNN’s website.

Sources: CNN 03/27/2020; National Women’s History Museum 2020

COVID-19 Activates Debate on Abortion Access Around the World

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Globally, federal and local governments have adjusted abortion policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, citing shortage of medical supplies and stay-at-home orders as rationale for restriction.

The government of the United Kingdom generated confusion among abortion providers, when a government website announced that patients would be allowed to access early medical abortion from home, only to rescind the announcement hours later. Under the preexisting policy, patients in England are required to take the first of two pills in an abortion clinic, and may take the second pill in their homes. Abortion providers are urging policymakers to review the policy, as patients in the UK must now decide between risking their health by leaving their homes to get an abortion or continuing an unwanted pregnancy.

Similarly, abortions in Germany are technically continuing, but patients are having difficulty accessing counseling centers. The preexisting policy requires patients to attend an in-person counseling appointment before terminating a pregnancy. German abortion providers are pressing for the government to allow counseling sessions via video chat or phone call to limit in-person interaction.

In the United States, state governments have gone even further, by categorizing abortions among nonessential surgical procedures, effectively cancelling or delaying most abortion appointments. Abortion providers have highlighted the relatively little medical equipment that is necessary to perform abortions, as well is the procedure’s time sensitive nature–the longer an abortion is delayed, the more dangerous it is for the patient and the more difficult it is to obtain, given restrictive abortion laws throughout the United States.

In contrast, New Zealand’s parliament has expanded abortion access in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Up until last week, New Zealand law criminalized abortion, even in the first trimester, excluding cases in which the patient’s physical or mental health was put at risk by the pregnancy. The new law allows unrestricted abortion access during the first half of pregnancy, and leaves abortions in the second half of pregnancy to the discretion of medical professionals and the patient.

Sources: CNN, 3/27/20; The New York Times, 3/26/20; The Guardian, 3/24/20; The New York Times, 3/18/20

The Great Barrier Reef Suffers Most Widespread Bleaching Yet

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According to the American scientist monitoring global coral reefs, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef just underwent its third mass bleaching in the past five years. It appears that this is the reef’s most widespread bleaching on record.

This bleaching is extremely concerning since the past two that took place in 2016 and 2017 devastated half of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef.  The experts are warning that this could be a more than devasting blow to the stability of the Great Barrier Reef. Coral reefs are vital to marine ecosystems. Between a quarter and one-third of all marine species depend upon coral reefs during their lifetime. Specifically, the Great Barrier Reef covers nearly 133,000 square miles and supports more than 1,500 species of fish, 411 species of hard corals, and dozens of other species.

Scientists share that the human contribution to the rapid warming of the planet through emissions of gases are the cause of coral bleaching. Experts point to February’s warmer sea temperatures as the final breaking point for this recent loss to the largest coral reef system.

The coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch, Dr. C. Mark Eakin is extremely concerned about the coral reefs’ future and even questioned, “If it takes decades for a reef to recover … what chance do we have for reefs recovering when events are coming back this fast?” Chief scientist David Wachnfeld echoes these concerning, stating, “We need to take these events as global calls for the strongest possible action in climate change.”

Sources: CNN 3/26/20, BBC 3/26/20

New Laws in Northern Ireland Feature Abortion Stipulations in Wake of Decriminalization

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Under new laws to soon be in effect, abortions will be allowed to take place up to 12 weeks “without conditionality” in Northern Ireland. Abortions after 12 weeks will be allowed only under certain circumstances, and the new laws stipulate that in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities there is no time limit for a person to obtain an abortion. Additionally, in circumstances where the continuation of the pregnancy involves risk to the woman’s physical or mental health that is greater than the termination of the pregnancy, abortion is permissible up until 24 weeks.

Members of Parliaments (MPs) in Northern Ireland decriminalized abortion in a landmark move in October of 2019. Regulations surrounding the procedure will go into effect next week. Although abortion was decriminalized last year, there is currently no statutory framework for permissible and lawful abortions. The decision by lawmakers to allow abortions up to 12 weeks under any circumstance is to ensure that victims of sexual crimes gain access to the medical procedure.

The regulations also stipulate the medical professionals who are permitted to perform an abortion: a doctor, a registered nurse, or a registered midwife. These professionals have the opportunity to be conscientious objectors; that is, they do not have to perform the procedure if they do not wish to participate. However, the framework says that the “only exception will be where the participation in treatment is necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman or girl.”

Health Minister Robin Swann is also granted considerable discretion within the new regulations to approve additional locations where abortions can be carried out, in addition to GP premises, clinics provided by a health and social care trust, and HSC hospitals. Women are allowed to obtain abortions in England until the provisions can be fully implemented in Northern Ireland.

The document released by the government points to the goal of ensuring that women do not need to travel to another part of the United Kingdom to obtain an abortion and cited global evidence that fewer restrictions on the procedure do not correspond to higher rates of abortion.

Sources: BBC, 3/25/20; National Review, 3/26/20

Texas Abortion Providers Sue Governor Over Attack on Abortion Access

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In one of the most high-profile challenges to a government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of Texas abortion providers have sued Governor Greg Abbott and other state officials in protest of his administration’s exploitation of the pandemic to stop most abortions. The abortion providers, represented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the Lawyering Project, contend that abortion is a essential, time-sensitive procedure that must to be available in during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued the abortion ban, in effect until at least April 21, is intended to help manage health care capacity in the state as the number of COVID-19 patients rises. Violators of the ban could face up to $1000 in fines and/or 180 days in jail.

“It is disappointing that anti-abortion politicians are taking advantage of a global health crisis in order to advance their agenda.  Texans need immediate access to time-sensitive health care, including abortion, not political grandstanding. The Lawyering Project is proud to stand with people in urgent need of abortion care as they fight back against these attacks,” said Stephanie Toti, senior counsel and project director of the Lawyering Project.

Sealy Massingill, the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, emphasized that delaying abortion procedures by just a few weeks could make certain abortions impossible, as patients’ pregnancies reach legal timeline deadlines.

Furthermore, additional barriers pose heightened dangers for many people of color, who already face systemic barriers to health care and are more vulnerable to the spread and consequences of COVID-19.“[Our clinic] serves Black women who do not have a lot of resources. For many of them, our organization is their final stop when they need abortion and reproductive health care. The last thing that Black women in Texas need to worry about is whether they can get the essential care they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Black women and other women of color already face barriers to accessing health care services. This is a time when we should all be pulling together to fight this virus, not infusing political agendas to score points at the expense of women accessing necessary health services,” stated Marsha Jones, executive director of the Afiya Center in Dallas, Texas.

In fact, attacks on basic health care are not new for Gov. Abbott’s administration. Gov. Abbott has championed legislation that perpetuates a high uninsured rate in Texas and prevents low-income Texans and people of color from accessing essential health care services.

Planned Parenthood, 3/25/20; The Texas Tribune, 3/25/20; ABC News, 3/25/20; Rewire, 3/23/20

Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads to ICE Detention Facilities

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A leaked Department of Homeland Security (DHS) coronavirus report reveals that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed nine detainees in medical isolation. This report coincides with ICE’s confirmation that a detainee in New Jersey has tested positive for COVID-19. These developments suggest that the coronavirus has begun spreading in ICE facilities, placing ICE’s nearly 40,000 detainees at risk of contracting the deadly disease.

The March 19 DHS report says that in addition to the nine isolated detainees, 24 others in ten cities are being monitored. The report, released by an anonymous federal intelligence official and titled “DHS National Operations Center COVID-19 Placemat,” does not explicitly state which illness the detainees are being monitored for.

The confirmed COVID-19 case in New Jersey is a 31-year-old Mexican immigrant held at Bergen County Jail. Last week, a correctional officer there also tested positive. ICE has suspended immigrant detainee intakes at the facility and quarantined the infected individual.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, immigration advocates and public health experts have raised concerns about the potential rapid spread of COVID-19 in crowded ICE detention centers. They urged a temporary halt on arrests and the release of detainees in high-risk groups, such as the elderly and those with immunodeficiencies. Other federal immigration agencies have drastically altered their operations—immigration courts have closed or postponed hearings and US Citizenship and Immigration Services has halted all its in-person services. ICE, however, has continued detaining immigrants in the midst of state lockdowns.

Several lawsuits have been filed seeking the release of 50 at-risk immigrants held at ICE detention centers in California, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The suits’ lawyers argue that due to their age or health conditions, these individuals will be in danger if they remain in detention during the coronavirus pandemic.

ICE’s alleged history of substandard medical care has exacerbated advocates’ concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in detention centers. In December 2019, a whistleblower’s report of negligence, incompetent care, and preventable deaths in ICE facilities prompted the House Oversight and Reform Committee to begin an investigation into the care of detainees.

Sources: The Nation 2/24/20; Buzzfeed News 3/24/20; Politico 3/24/20

New Kaiser Family Foundation Survey Shows Coronavirus Weighs More Heavily on Women

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation took a look at more than 1,200 Americans between March 11 and March 15 and found that stressors connected to the coronavirus have been negatively impacting women more than men.

Caitlin Mullen, Biswomen contributor for The Business Journals, notes that “the coronavirus pandemic has meant keeping another ball in the air for women juggling work, family, and more” as women now have to work “more paid hours than ever while handling the bulk of household and family duties.”

According to the survey: 68 percent of women are worried about a family member becoming sick with COVID-19 compared to 56 percent of men, 50 percent of women are worried about losing income due to closures or reduced hours compared to 42 percent of men, 25 percent of women indicate that they are unable to continue their work remotely compared to 13 percent of men, and 39 percent of women worry that having to work outside of the home will put them at greater risk compared to 31 percent of men.

Women are also less likely to be told to work from home than men (15 percent compared to 26 percent) and less women were offered paid or unpaid leave (11 percent compared to 20 percent).

Young Transgender Activist Shot and Killed in North Carolina

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

Monika Diamond, a 34-year-old transgender LGBT+ activist and businesswoman, was shot and killed on Wednesday, March 18 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Multiple shots had been fired before police and ambulance were dispatched in response to a disturbance call. After attempting to revive her, Diamond was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Maya Oppenheim, Women’s Correspondent for the Independent, the shooter has been identified as 34-year-old Prentice Bess who has already been arrested and charged with murder.

Elliot Kozuch, press secretary at Human Rights Campaign, said that Diamond was “a chosen mother to countless,” as well as a “business owner, a loving friend, and she did not deserve to have her life taken from her.” According to the HRC, Diamond’s death is the fourth violent of a “transgender or gender non-conforming person this year alone.”

Kozuch also notes that, “There is an epidemic of violence against the transgender and non-binary community, and especially against black transgender women. There are currently very few explicit federal legal protections for transgender or gender-expansive people.” And that, “the intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, biphobia and homophobia conspire to deprive them of necessities to live and thrive. Human Rights Campaign will continue to hold the Trump-Pence administration and all elected officials who fuel the flames of hate accountable at the ballot box.”

Sources: Independent 3/23, Human Rights Campaign 3/2020

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