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.

Single-Sex Education Benefits Challenged By New Study

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A study published in the Psychological Bulletin on Monday challenges claims of the benefits of single-sex education.

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via Shutterstock

The meta-analysis examined 184 studies representing the testing of 1.6 million students from 21 nations, then selected 57 of those that corrected for factors like parental education and economics for further investigation. Several specific areas were examined, such as general school achievement, school attitudes, educational aspirations, and self-concept.

The authors found that many claims of single-sex schooling advocates, such as that girls and boys will perform better in different subjects when segregated, did not hold up. “The theoretical approach termed ‘girl power’ argues that girls lag behind boys in some subjects in coed classrooms,” said co-author Erin Pahlke, PhD, of Whitman College. “This is not supported by our analysis, and moreover, girls’ educational aspirations were not higher in single-sex schools.”

The study authors detailed disadvantages to single-sex education as well. “There is a mountain of research in social psychology showing that segregation by race or gender feeds stereotypes, and that’s not what we want,” said Janet Hyde, PhD,  professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The adult world is an integrated world, in the workplace and in the family, and the best thing we can do is provide that environment for children in school as we prepare them for adulthood.”

Check out Feminist Majority Foundation’s Education Equality Toolkit to learn more about sex segregation in schools.

Media Resources: American Psychological Association 2/3/14; University of Wisconsin-Madison News Releases 2/3/14; Feminist Majority Foundation

 

Senate Cuts Food Stamps For 850,000 Households

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850,000 households across the country – encompassing 1.7 million people – are now set to lose around $90 a month in food stamp benefits because of the US Senate vote last night on the 2014 Farm Bill.

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via Shutterstock

The bill, which passed in the House last week, passed 68-32 in the Senate and includes an $8.7 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps. President Barack Obama has indicated that he intends to sign the legislation, hailing the “strong bipartisan vote.”

“This bill will result in less food on the table for children, seniors, and veterans who deserve better from Congress,while corporations continue to receive guaranteed federal handouts.” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, who voted against the legislation. Thirty percent of the cuts could come from New York state alone.

The cuts come on the heels of a recent $11 cut from food stamp checks that went into effect in November. Over the course of the recession, the amount of families relying on food stamps to make ends meet has ballooned, and with each cut to the program, food pantries report larger crowds. Poor families, which are often headed by single mothers, are hit the hardest by cuts. Women are more likely to live in poverty than men across the United States.

“It’s absolutely devastating,” said President Sheena Wright of the United Way in New York. “You are going to have to make a decision on what you are going to do, buy food or pay rent.” Wright reportedly expects “a surge of hungry people” due to the program cuts.

Media Resources: CNN Money 2/4/14; MSNBC.com 2/4/14; New York Times 2/4/14; PBS Newshour 2/4/14; White House Press Release 2/4/14; Feminist Newswire 5/17/13

 

Family Medical Leave Act Turns 21 Today

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Today marks the 21st anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which mandates that certain employees receive job-protected unpaid leave to care for themselves, an immediate family member, a newborn, or a newly adopted child. Some 100 million U.S. workers have enjoyed time off because of the FMLA, and most employers have reported no negative impact on business profitability or productivity because of the law.

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via Shutterstock

However, too many people have been unable to enjoy FMLA’s benefits. Most worksites are not covered by the FMLA. The law applies only to public agencies and private sector employers with 50 or more employees. And many workers are not covered by the law. It only covers employees who have worked for the same employer for at least one year and who worked 1,250 hours the previous year. A 2012 study of the impact of the FMLA found that around 40 percent of the workforce is not eligible for guaranteed unpaid leave. Even if someone is eligible for FMLA leave, it may not be affordable. Nearly 50 percent of workers with an unmet need for leave explain that they cannot afford to take time off.

The Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY Act), introduced in December 2013 by Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), would significantly improve workers’ ability to take leave by allowing works to take paid time off to address a serious illness of their own or to care for a family member, new baby or adopted child. Employees would be able to earn up to 12 weeks of paid family leave each year through the creation of a national insurance fund. Both employers and employees would contribute to the fund, which would be administered through a new Office of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Social Security Administration. All workers who are eligible for Social Security disability benefits would be covered by the law.

TAKE ACTION: Tell your representatives no one should have to risk financial insecurity to care for a loved one.

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 12/12/13; Feminist Majority Blog 12/12/13; US Department of Labor 9/2013

Louisiana Scraps Abortion Restrictions After Pro-Choice Protests

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Pro-choice activists in Louisiana are celebrating today after health officials announced Monday night they are “rescinding” restrictive abortion provisions that would have closed all five of the state’s clinics.

Pro-Choice activists in Louisiana. via Feminist Campus
Pro-Choice activists in Louisiana. via Feminist Campus

The regulations, passed in November 2013 without any input from pro-choice organizers, would have mandated extensive expansions and renovations to existing clinics. Officials from all five of Louisiana’s clinics said they would have been unable to meet the requirements and would have closed down. The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) announced its decision just hours before it was set to hear testimony on the regulations.

“The Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) is rescinding its November 2013 emergency rule for outpatient abortion facilities licensing standards,” said DHH spokesperson Olivia Watkins in a statement. “The Department will reissue a revised rule and notice of intent at a later date.”

The original legislation also have required a 30-day waiting period for all patients between blood tests and legal abortion procedures. However, in January, the DHH rescinded the blood test portion.

Pro-choice activists who traveled to Baton Rouge for the hearing are hosting a celebratory rally this afternoon.

Media Resources: Fox 8 New Orleans, 2/3/2014; Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals 2/3/2014; RH Reality Check 2/4/2014;

US Abortion Rate Decreases to Lowest Level Since 1973

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A Guttmacher Institute study released last week reveals that the abortion rate in the United States is at its lowest rate since 1973, when the Supreme Court recognized a woman’s right to an abortion in Roe v. Wade.

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via Shutterstock

“Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2011” by Rachel Jones and Jenna Jerman, asserts that there were only 16.9 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 in 2011, and a 13 percent decrease in the rate of abortions in the United States between 2008 and 2011. The highest abortion rate occurred in 1981, at 29.3 per 1,000 women.

Although the authors did not examine causes of the recent decline in abortion, they detailed some possible links. “The decline in abortions coincided with a steep national drop in overall pregnancy and birth rates,” said lead author Rachel Jones. “Contraceptive use improved during this period, as more women and couples were using highly effective long-acting reversible contraceptive methods, such as the IUD. Moreover, the recent recession led many women and couples to want to avoid or delay pregnancy and childbearing.”

The authors ruled out a negative effect by the high number of abortion restrictions making their way through state legislatures, because many of the restrictions were not introduced or implemented until their study ended in 2011, and the decline occurred in all but six states.

The study also found that the proportion of early medication abortions – often safer and cheaper than later term abortions – increased during this time period. “Clearly, the availability of medication abortion does not lead women to have more abortions,” Jones said. “However, it has likely helped women obtain abortion care earlier in pregnancy, as evidenced by a shift toward very early abortions.”

Data for the study was collected through questionnaires mailed to known abortion providers. This is the Guttmacher Institute’s 16th census of abortion providers in the US.

Media Resoruces: Guttmacher Institute 2/3/14; Washington Post 2/2/14; Feminist Newswire 1/7/14

Minnesota Lawmakers Introduce Women’s Economic Security Act

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Last week, Minnesota lawmakers introduced an expansive legislative package — dubbed  the “Women’s Economic Security Act of 2014” — to address a wide range of issues affecting women working outside of the home, including mandated paid sick leave, increased minimum wage and expanded access to childcare.

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via Shutterstock

If the legislation passes, private companies hired by Minnesota would be required to report on pay equity within their workforce. The law would also expand unpaid family leave and paid sick leave while establishing protections for pregnant workers in need of reasonable workplace accommodations. Existing protections for domestic violence survivors would be strengthened, incentives to help women entrepreneurs would be created, and a state retirement plan established, among other initiatives.

“The Women’s Economic Security Act aims to break down barriers to economic progress so that women — and all Minnesotans — have a fair opportunity to succeed,” said Minnesota House Speaker Paul Thissen (D).

Other states, including Nebraska and New York, have introduced expansive legislative packages to combat these problems. And In July, Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) similarly unveiled their “When Women Succeed, America Succeeds” agenda, which addresses universal childcare, a minimum wage increase, paid sick leave, and the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Media Resources: Minnesota House of Representatives release 1/30/2014; Feminist News 1/30/14; Think Progress 1/21/14; Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s website;

Local Pregnancy Discrimination Laws Go Into Effect While PWFA Remains Stalled in Congress

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In New Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia, legislation protecting pregnant workers has now now been enacted. Across the nation, however, pregnant workers remain vulnerable to discrimination.

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via Shutterstock

An amendment including pregnant workers in the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance, the New York City Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination all protect pregnant workers from discrimination and require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. These accommodations include allowing employees to sit on a stool rather than stand during work hours, giving them permission to carry water bottles and food on the job, re-assigning pregnant employees temporarily to light-duty work, and refraining from allowing pregnant workers to do heavy lifting.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, currently stalled in both chambers of Congress, would require every employer in the nation to provide these accommodations to their employees.

Despite the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978’s bar on discrimination toward pregnant employees, many American women are forced out of their jobs or denied accommodations that would allow them to continue working once they become pregnant. The New York Times highlighted the story of Floralba Fernandez Espinal this weekend, an immigrant woman from the Bronx who lost her job at Unique Thrift when she gave her employer a letter from her obstetrician that barred her from lifting, pushing, or carrying heavy loads or objects. Fernandez, who worked regularly carrying materials to to the showroom from the storeroom, had seen other workers transferred to different positions in times of need – but she had no such luck. Her manager placed her on unpaid leave and replaced her with a new employee once she left.

Almost two-thirds of first-time mothers work while pregnant, and 90 percent of those women continue to work into their last two months of pregnancy, reports ThinkProgress. Low-income women and women of color are more likely to be affected by discrimination against pregnant workers, because they are more likely to hold low-paying jobs with limited flexibility. When pregnant workers are forced out of their jobs, they are placed in positions of emotional and financial hardship, and discrimination against women with children often makes their re-entry into the workforce more difficult.

“The tremendous bi-partisan support for [the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination] bill in the New Jersey legislature shows that this is an issue on which people of all political persuasions can agree,”  said NWLC Vice-President and General Counsel Emily Martin. “We now urge Congress to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would create a level playing field for pregnant workers across the nation.”

Media Resources: NWLC Press Center 1/22/2014; ThinkProgress 5/14/2013;Women’s Law Project 2/1/2014; The New York Times 2/2/2014; Feminist Newswire 10/2/2013

Senate Democratic Women Speak Out In Support of Raising the Minimum Wage

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In a press conference yesterday, 12 Democrat women senators came together to urge Republican lawmakers to join them in efforts to raise the federal minimum wage, now at $7.25 an hour, to $10.10 an hour. Their comments echoed President Obama’s State of the Union remarks about income inequality, in which he committed to issuing an Executive Order raising the minimum wage for new federal contractors to $10.10.

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via Shutterstock

Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) related Obama’s remarks to two pieces of legislation currently in the Senate: the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, which raises the federal minimum wage to $10.10 by 2016 in three phases, and the Paycheck Fairness Act, which seeks to close the wage gap by expanding the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

“The women of the Senate are coming together to say – it is time to raise the minimum wage in this country,” said Senator Boxer.

Senator Klobuchar touched on America’s consumer-based economy, making a case for a higher minimum wage that allows American families to stimulate the economy through consumerism. The 12 senators also each asserted that the minimum wage is indeed a women’s issue, and that a raise on the federal level would lift 15 million women out of poverty.  64 percent of all minimum wage workers are women, and one-third of all American women – 42 million – and the 28 million children who depend on them, are living on the brink of poverty.

“Republicans have to decide whether they are really going to block giving 15 million American women a raise,” said Senator Murray. “My hope is that over the next month our Republican colleagues do a little soul searching as they prepare for this vote. I also hope they talk to the millions of American women who are struggling to get by on $7.25 an hour, particularly at a time when many of these women are the sole caregivers and breadwinners in their families.”

The Minimum Wage Fairness Act, introduced in the Senate by Tom Harkin (D-IA) in November 2013, has not yet been up for a vote in the full chamber. Many of the women urged Congress to take up the stalled legislation and stand by America’s women and families.

“Full time work should not be rewarded with full time poverty,” Senator Warren said. “Hardworking men and women who are busting their tails in full-time jobs should have a chance to support themselves and their families and build a little economic security.  It is time for Congress to act and raise the minimum wage.”

Media Resources: Senator Boxer’s Press Office; Feminist Majority 1/29/2014; Roll Call 1/30/2014; Feminist Newswire 12/6/2013, 1/13/14; GovTrack

Sandra Fluke “Strongly Considering” Bid for House Seat

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Sandra Fluke, the well-known women’s rights activist and attorney, is “strongly considering” running for Rep. Henry Waxman’s congressional seat, she told a California radio station yesterday.

via Ms. Magazine
via Ms. Magazine

Waxman, who has spent 40 years in the House of Representatives, announced yesterday that he will retire at the end of the Congressional session. According to Fluke, who became a household name in 2012 when she was a Georgetown Law student and denied the chance to testify at a Republican hearing on the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage requirement, several key Democratic leaders urged her to run.

“I’m flattered that I’m being discussed as a potential candidate,” she told the station. “A number of folks I respect very deeply have reached out today and encouraged me to run. I am strongly considering running.”

Since 2012, when radio jockey Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” and “prostitute” for needing birth control, Fluke became an out-spoken feminist leader. She spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and at Feminist Majority’s 2012 Women Money Power Summit in Washington, D.C.

Media Resources: Huffington Post, 1/31/2014; Politico 1/30/2014; SCPR, 1/30/2014; Washington Post, 1/30/2014; Ms. Magazine 3/1/2012

Maryland Considers College Sexual Assault Reporting Bill

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A Maryland House of Delegates committee heard testimony yesterday on a bill that would require all state universities and colleges to administer an anonymous sexual violence survey every three years — to more accurately determine how many assaults are occurring on campuses — and  then report those findings to the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

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via Shutterstock

The legislation, sponsored by Del. Jon Cardin (D), would give both university and state officials a clearer picture of whether sexual assault prevention efforts are working, advocates said yesterday. Three campus rape survivors, including Feminist Majority Foundation Online Communications Associate Lauren Redding, testified to the committee, arguing that universities need to more aggressively tackle sexual assault prevention and reporting.

“Statistics show us that eight out of 10 of survivors don’t report their assaults to the university or police,” said Redding, a University of Maryland alumna. “So we really don’t have an accurate picture of how many rapes are happening and whether or not universities are allocating resources appropriately to truly eradicate this problem. Survivors typically want to tell people what happened, but don’t out of fear of being blamed. This anonymous survey would give them a safe outlet to do so. ”

Opponents of the legislation — including officials from Towson University, Frostburg State University and the University System of Maryland — said the survey would be a waste of resources and is unnecessary, because universities already have reporting practices in place. However, administrators were unable to tell the committee how much total funding is spent on prevention programs and exactly how many assaults were reported last year.

Victims Rights Law Center Fellow Nancy Cantalupo, who first approached Del. Cardin about the survey idea, also testified in favor of the legislation. According to Cantalupo, a similar survey at the University of New Hampshire that students weren’t mandated to fill out still had a 40 percent response rate.

Media Response: CBS Baltimore 1/29/2014; The Diamondback 5/11/2014, 1/30/2014

New York State Assembly Passes Omnibus Women’s Equality Act

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The New York State Assembly passed the Women’s Equality Act on Monday, an omnibus bill designed to strengthen women’s rights in 10 different areas.

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via Shutterstock

The Women’s Equality Act codifies Roe v. Wade, ensuring that a woman can get an abortion within 24 weeks of pregnancy, and protects providers from prosecution.  It also closes loopholes in equal pay laws, extends protections against sexual harassment to all workplaces, allows the recovery of attorney fees in harassment cases, ends employment discrimination based on whether a woman has children or is pregnant, stops housing discrimination toward victims of domestic violence, and strengthens order of protection laws and human trafficking laws in the state.

Anti-choice opposition to the bill ultimately caused it to fail in the Senate last year, where lawmakers divided the legislation into nine separate bills and dropped the abortion provisions. This year, Assembly Republicans have introduced nine separate bills mirroring the Democrats’ that cover a different area of the act, once more ignoring the abortion provisions. Over 850 organizations and businesses have come together as the NY Women’s Equality Coalition to counter this opposition and support passing the law in full. In June 2013, a poll found that two-thirds of voters support the Women’s Equality Act, including the abortion provision.

“All of these issues are related,” NOW NYC President Sonia Ossorio told RH Reality Check. “A woman’s reproductive rights are just as related to how she can care for her family as discrimination in the workplace. Connecting the dots on women’s equality is important.” She was echoed by M. Tracey Brooks, president and CEO of Family Planning Advocates. “Family planning makes sense,” Brooks told Legislative Gazette. “We’re going to fight for all provisions in the Women’s Equality Agenda, especially the abortion provision.”

Media Resources: RH Reality Check 1/29/2014; Legislative Gazette 1/27/2014; Feminist Newswire 6/6/2013; NY Women’s Equality Coalition

House and Senate Democrats File Amicus Briefs in Support of Affordable Care Act Contraception Benefit

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91 House Democrats, 19 Senate Democrats, and the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) filed separate amicus briefs Tuesday in support of the contraceptive coverage benefit in the Affordable Care Act. NWLC’s brief was joined by 68 other organizations, including the Feminist Majority Foundation.

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via Shutterstock

The briefs are for the Supreme Court case Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, and the House’s brief includes Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v Sebelius. Craft store Hobby Lobby filed a federal lawsuit in November 2012 against the Obama Administration over the mandate requiring employers to provide coverage for FDA-approved contraceptives, including the pill and IUDs, without co-pays or deductibles. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood, a wood cabinet manufacturer, are arguing that this benefit violates the religious beliefs of these corporations and that they should not be required to provide health insurance plans that cover certain types of birth control.The Supreme Court agreed to hear the challenge to the ACA last November, and it is currently pending.

The briefs emphasize the mandate’s benefits to millions of Americans who will now be able to access crucial preventive health care, and they attempt to demonstrate that the requirement does not violate the free exercise of religion. “To them, it’s a debate about ‘freedom,’ except of course the freedom for women to access care,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).

TAKE ACTION: Send a clear message to the Supreme Court that companies should not be able to use religion as cover to discriminate against women. Leave stories and tell the Court why BC coverage matters to you! Share the petition online using the tag #MyBodyMyBC!

Media Resources: National Women’s Law Center 1/28/14; Senator Murray; Feminist Newswire 9/13/12, 11/26/13; Feminist Majority Foundation

Penn State Under Investigation for Handling of Sexual Assault and Harassment on Campus

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The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has launched an independent civil rights enforcement investigation of Pennsylvania State University following a review of their sexual harassment policy and a record number of forcible sex offense reports for the university in 2012.

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via Shutterstock

Penn State University listed 56 forcible sex offenses on its main campus in 2012, which is 2 times more than they reported in 2011 and 14 times more than the number reported in 2010. Thirty-six of 63 total reported sex offenses had occurred from the 1970s through 2011, prompting an investigation to determine whether complaints were improperly handled in prior years to keep numbers artificially low.

The department informed Penn State of the investigation in a letter Thursday and made a public statement Sunday about their concerns. Their letter to Penn State President Rodney Erickson indicated that they had not yet reached a conclusion as to whether or not the university had violated federal law.

“Our initial review of Penn State’s sexual harassment policy, compounded by a dramatic increase in the number of forcible sex offenses occurring on camp[us as reported by the university itself, raised legal concerns that compelled us to investigate,” Catherine Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, said in a statement.

The university’s spike in reported offenses echoes a national trend in which colleges and universities reported over 4,800 forcible sex offenses in 2012 – a 50 percent increase from the number of reports in 2009. It is unclear whether these increases indicate purposeful mishandling of sexual assault on campuses or a growing awareness by college administrators of the Clery Act and Title IX policies which compel them to act. In 2013, the OCR launched investigations into various university policies, including those at the University of Connecticut, Yale, the University of South Carolina, and the University of North Carolina, after students and faculty came forward to report mishandling of sexual assault and harassment on those campuses. The White House also recently launched a task force to prevent sexual assault on campus, with President Obama declaring that  “no one in America is more at risk of being raped or assaulted than college women.”

Media Resources: New York Times 1/26/2014; CNN 1/28/2014; Feminist Newswire 1/22/2014, 12/11/2013, 8/2/2013, 7/23/2013, 7/8/2013

Missouri Legislators Introduce Slew of Bills Restricting Abortion

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Anti-choice Missouri legislators have wasted no time in the new year introducing extreme bills that restrict access to abortion. State legislators have already introduced 15 bills that create unnecessary burdens for women seeking a safe and legal abortion.

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“In a state that only has one remaining abortion provider, anti-women’s health politicians in Missouri are doing whatever they can to limit a woman’s right to make her own personal medical decisions,” Planned Parenthood wrote in a statement about the bills.

In early January, legislators introduced a bill that would increase Missouri’s current 24-hour waiting period to 72 hours. Waiting periods do not promote health or safety. They simply increase economic hardships for women who may not be able to make multiple trips to a clinic or pay for transportation and a hotel while they wait to have the procedure. “This harmful bill would triple the current waiting period for women accessing safe, legal medical care in Missouri,” Ryann Summerford, the statewide manager of government affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Missouri, told ThinkProgress. “This bill is designed to demean and shame a woman in an effort to try to make her change her mind.”

Several bills were also introduced that would require women to have a mandatory ultrasound 24 hours prior to having an abortion, enshrine protections for crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) from any regulations – even though CPCs have been shown to mislead women seeking an abortion or information about their options if they become pregnant – and increase inspection requirements for Missouri’s only clinic.

A two-parent notification bill is the most recent piece of anti-choice legislation to be introduced, which would require both parents or the legal guardian of a minor to be notified if the minor wants to have an abortion. Under current law, one parent would also be required to provide written consent. The Guttmacher Institute  reports that these laws have led to more minors travelling out of their state to another one with fewer restrictions.

Media Resources: Planned Parenthood 1/23/14; RH Reality Check 1/9/14, 1/13/14, 1/14/14, 1/22/14; Guttmacher Institute March 2009; Feminist Newswire 7/2/13

REPORT: While Marriage Equality Expands Nationwide, Other LGBT Needs Remain Unmet

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A new report by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) found that in 2012 and 2013, marriage equality expanded at a quick pace while other LGBT needs – including anti-discrimination protections for workers, safe schools for LGBT youth, and simplifying changes to identity documents – remained largely unmet.

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via Shutterstock

The biennial Momentum Report has, since 2007, followed and charted the progress of the LGBT movement in achieving legal, social, and political equality. The report this year analyzes local and state laws, federal action, and visibility around marriage equality and relationship recognition, employment nondiscrimination, parental recognition and adoption laws, safe schools and anti-bullying laws, hate crimes, health, identity documents, and cultural and public visibility.

The report found that marriage equality has gained significant traction, but that equality in other areas has lagged. “If you look at the 17 states that extend the freedom to marry, marriage was the culmination of a years-long journey that first included passing employment nondiscrimination protections, hate crime laws, safe schools legislation, and more,” said Ineke Mushovic, executive director of MAP. “Yet over half of states either haven’t begun or are just in the beginning phases of this journey. They often lack even the most basic statewide legal protections, meaning gay workers can be fired just because of who they are, transgender youth can face unchecked bullying in schools, and LGBT parents can remain legal strangers to their children. These low-equality states are home to half of the nation’s LGBT population, including many who experience extreme discrimination and high rates of poverty, but who are often bound to stay by their jobs and love for their communities and families.”

On the federal level, several pieces of legislation which could contribute to a higher level of equality for LGBT people remain stalled in Congress – including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Every Child Deserves A Family Act, and comprehensive immigration reform.

“Unprecedented progress on marriage has led to a widespread impression that nationwide equality for LGBT people is imminent,” the report states. “A closer look at the full range of LGBT rights at all levels of American society, however, reveals a different picture. While the past two years have shown incredible gains toward securing the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, the LGBT movement still has a long way to go to achieve full equality and broad acceptance for LGBT people across the nation.”

You can view interactive maps of various LGBT rights state-by-state on the MAP website.

Democrat Wins Virginia Senate Seat After Close Recount

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Virginia Del. Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. (D-Accomack) won a closely-watched state Senate race Monday, delivering a boost to recently inaugurated Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

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Lewis was initially declared the winner on January 7, but his opponent Republican businessman Wayne Coleman demanded a recount.  With all ballots counted Monday, Lewis beat Coleman by 11 votes  to occupy to state Senate seat vacated by Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam (D).  With this win, Democrats are now poised to move many of Gov. McAuliffe’s agenda items in the state Senate, including expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, granting new rights to same-sex couples and increasing public school funding.

The state Senate race became even more contentious last week when pro-choice Democrat Jennifer Wexton beat out two Republicans to win a special election seat that was previously held by Attorney General Mark Herring (D). Although the Virginia state Senate is now split evenly, Democrats are expected to control the chamber since Lt. Gov. Northam, who presides over the state Senate, has the ability to break most tie votes.  The Virginia House of Delegates remains controlled by Republicans.

Media Resources: Richmond Times-Dispatch 1/28/14; Washington Post, 1/29/14, 1/27/14, 1/11/2014; Feminist News, 1/22/2014;

Hospital Removes Brain-Dead Pregnant Texas Woman From Life Support

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Marlise Munoz, the brain-dead pregnant Texas woman who was kept on life support against her and her family’s wishes, was finally disconnected from life support yesterday.

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After her fetus was found to be significantly deformed and non-viable last week, the 96th District Court of Tarrant County, Texas ordered the hospital to take Munoz off of life support, and it obeyed.

According to attorneys for her family, they “will now proceed with the somber task of laying Marlise Munoz’s body to rest, and grieving over the great loss that has been suffered. May Marlise Munoz finally rest in peace, and her family find the strength to complete what has been an unbearably long and arduous journey.”

Marlise Munoz had been brain dead since November 26 after collapsing in her home because of a possible pulmonary embolism. Even though she had made it clear while alive that she never wanted to be kept on life support with no hope of recovery if anything happened to her, her hospital would not allow it because she was 14 weeks pregnant when she died.

Media Resources: RH Reality Check 1/26/14; Feminist Newswire 1/6/14, 1/24/14

Report Shows Increase in Officer-on-Inmate Sexual Assault in US Prisons

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A new report issued by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates that allegations of rape and sexual assault by prison inmates are increasing, and that 49 percent of the alleged crimes involve correctional officers.

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via Shutterstock

The report, which defined sexual victimization as non-consensual sexual acts, abusive touching, threats, and verbal sexual harassment, found 8,763 cases of alleged sexual abuse of inmates in a 2011 survey of administrators across federal and state prisons, local jails, military prisons, and jails in Indian country. Collectively, the survey encompasses 1.97 million inmates. Although women prisoners comprise 7 percent of state and federal prison inmates, 33 percent of staff-on-inmate incidents involved them.

The survey also showed that although reports are increasing, prosecution is not: a growing proportion of the allegations were dismissed as “unfounded” or “unsubstantiated,” and although most staff involved in misconduct cases lost their jobs, less than half were referred for prosecution and only 1 percent were convicted of a crime. Most staff members resign before their investigations come to a close, eliminating any public record of what happened and making it possible for them to remain in their field at another facility.

“These findings point to a level of impunity in our prisons and jails that is simply unacceptable,” Lovisa Stannow, Executive Director of Just Detention International, told ProPublica. “When corrections agencies don’t punish or choose to ignore sexual abuse by staff members… they support criminal behavior.”

It is unclear whether the rising number of alleged assaults indicates a general increase in violent behavior or a growing awareness by prisoners and prison administrators.

Media Resources: Bureau of Justice 1/23/2014; ProPublica 1/27/2014; Al Jazeera 1/26/2014

Activist Launches Fundraising Drive to Open Home for Sexual Assault Survivors

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

A Vanderbilt University graduate and sexual violence survivor launched a fundraising drive yesterday to open a home for fellow college-aged survivors in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Activist Sarah O’Brien came up with the concept for Dara House – coming from the Irish word doire and representing transformation, bravery, survivorship, and community – during her final undergraduate year at Vanderbilt University. While recovering from her own experience with sexual violence and connecting with other college-aged survivors, O’Brien said she saw a need for a safe space for those coping after an assault.

“The Dara House has been formed to address the inadequate resources, education, services, and community present on college campuses around the nation for survivors of sexual violence,” according to Dara House’s website. “It is our hope that by the time our residents leave Dara House they have successfully began their healing journeys, been giving the proper tools and coping mechanisms to acclimate back into campus life, and that they feel empowered over their own bodies and identities.”

Dara House will serve female identifying college age individuals ages 18-25.  Applicants and residents will be enrolled in a college or university, or taking time off with the plan to return.

O’Brien launched her project’s first online fundraising drive yesterday, seeking to bring in $3,000. As of Monday morning, the Go Fund Me campaign had brought in $1,310. Sunday night, O’Brien had raised enough to officially file for 501(c)(3) non-profit status.

To donate to Dara House, visit O’Brien’s online fundraising page. You can also visit the project’s website, like it on Facebook and follow it on Twitter.

Media Resource: Dara House

Fetus of Brain-Dead Woman Kept On Life Support Against Wishes Found Deformed

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

The fetus of Marlise Munoz, the pregnant, brain-dead Texas woman who has been kept on life support by her hospital against her and her family’s wishes, has been reported to be “distinctly abnormal.”

via Shutterstock
via Shutterstock

According to attorneys representing Munoz’ family in a lawsuit against the hospital, the fetus’ lower extremities are very deformed, making its gender impossible to determine. It has hydrocephalus, or fluid building up in the skull, and it may have heart problems, but it cannot be determined because of the condition of Munoz’ body. The attorneys said the fetus is “gestating within a dead and deteriorating body as the horrified family looks on.”

Marlise Munoz has been brain dead since November 26, but her hospital will not let her off life support because of her pregnancy. Munoz, who was a paramedic, made it clear when she was alive that she never wanted to be kept on life support with no hope of recovery if anything ever happened to her.

But when Munoz collapsed and was found with no breath or pulse in November, possibly caused by a pulmonary embolism, she was 14 weeks pregnant. She is now 22 weeks pregnant. She had been without oxygen for too long for her brain to recover, but her heart was revived by electric shock, and doctors found a fetal heartbeat. Under the Texas Advance Directives Act, the state of Texas requires that “a person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment under this subchapter from a pregnant patient.” The hospital interpreted this to invalidate her wishes, even though experts interviewed by the Associated Press said a brain-dead patient would not be covered by the law. A 2012 report by the Center for Women Policy Studies found that Texas is one of 12 US states that invalidate a woman’s end-of-life wishes if she is pregnant.

A hearing is scheduled in the lawsuit for today.

Media Resources: Star-Telegram 1/22/14; Al Jazeera 1/23/14; Center for Women Policy Studies August 2012; Feminist Newswire 1/6/14

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