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.

Woman Won Afghan Singing Competition for the First Time

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A woman has won Afghan singing competition, Afghan Star, for the first time in the shows 14-year run. Zahra Elham, an 18 year old and from the Hazara ethnic minority group, beat out her male opponent for first place.

As Elham claimed victory, she said “today I represent all the girls of Afghanistan. Today not only Zahra Elham but all the girls of Afghanistan have won.” This comes amid the peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban, as women are fearful of the Taliban returning to power and losing their hard-earned rights. The Taliban do not support shows such as Afghan Star, women would not be allowed to participate in acts such as singing under a Taliban rule.

Afghan Star is comparable to American Idol, it is one of the most popular television shows in Afghanistan. Elham’s win is a landmark victory for women in Afghanistan.

 

Media Resources:  Gulf News 3/22/19; TOLO News 3/22/19

New Zealand Bans Assault Weapons

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Prime Minister Ardern announced Thursday a series of new regulations that will go into effect in response to the Christchurch shooting, including a ban on military-style semi-automatic and assault rifles. This plan comes just six days after the shooting and will go into effect within the month.

The Prime Minister also detailed that parts used to convert guns into semi-automatics will be banned. The country will also be instating a gun buyback program as well as an “amnesty scheme” in order to collect the current weapons citizens may have. Steps have already been taken to prevent an increase in prohibited gun purchases before the law goes into full effect.

Last Friday 50 people were killed and dozen injured at two mosques in a New Zealand terrorist attack. The shooting, which targetted Christchurch’s small Muslim community, was the deadliest shooting in New Zealand’s history. New Zealand took immediate action on this issue in order to prevent any future mass shootings, unlike countries like the U.S. that have countless shootings every year.

There have already been 73 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2019 alone. No actions have been taken by the government in order to protect citizens and prevent future shootings. New Zealand serves as an example of the legal actions that need to be taken in order to control mass shootings and prevent innocent deaths.

 

Media: CNN 2019; Vox 2019; ABC 2019; MST 2019

Six-week Abortion Ban Bill Passes Mississippi Senate

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On Tuesday, Mississippi senators passed, by vote 34-15, a 6-week abortion ban bill, which bans most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. If a physician performs an abortion before checking if there is a fetal heartbeat, or performs an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, the physician could have their medical license revoked. The bill states abortions may be allowed, if the pregnancy threatens the major bodily functions of the woman’s life, but the House and Senate refused to allow exceptions for pregnancies from rape or incest.

If the ban passes, pro-choice activists around the nation will be suing the state. The Center for Reproductive Rights vowed to pursue legal action if Gov. Phil Bryant signs the bill. In response, Bryant tweeted, “We will all answer to the good Lord one day. I will say in this instance, ‘I fought for the lives of innocent babies, even under threat of legal action.’”

The bill needs to be signed by Bryant to pass, and Bryant has promised to do just that. After Mississippi senators votes were cast, Bryant tweeted, “Thank you to the Mississippi Legislature for protecting the unborn by passing the Heartbeat Bill (SB 2116) and sending it to my desk for signature. I look forward to signing it very soon.”

Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates’ Mississippi director, Felicia Brown-Williams, stated that the “Mississippi Legislature just outlawed abortion for most Mississippians,” because women may not know if they are pregnant before 6 weeks.

Feminist activists are fighting every day to protect Roe v. Wade, stop abortion restrictions at the state and federal levels, and to protect family planning clinics that provide reproductive healthcare to some of the most vulnerable people in the United States. With multiple advocates deeming the bill unconstitutional, the bill faces many lawsuits that threaten to overturn the ruling.

Last week, a federal judge blocked a fetal heartbeat abortion law in Kentucky. In January, a judge in Iowa overturned the states heartbeat law because it violated the constitution of the state. Last year, Mississippi attempted to pass a law banning abortions after 15 weeks, but a U.S. federal judge struck it down because it violates women’s constitutional rights. The new abortion ban will be one of the strictest abortion laws in the nation.

 

Media Resources; Reuters 3/21/19, Jurist 3/20/19, Associated Press 3/19/19, Twitter 3/20/19, Twitter 3/19/19, Feminist Newswire 11/21/18, Feminist Newswire 1/22/18

FDA Approves First Drug for Postpartum Depression, but Could Cost Up to $34,000

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The Food and Drug Administration approved brexanolone, an intravenous medication specifically designed to treat postpartum depression that is expected to be sold under the brand name Zulresso in June, for a hefty price tag of about $34,000.

The drug works quickly, with effects taking place within 48 hours. However, the medication itself is delivered by infusion for over 60 hours and women receiving treatment must remain in a certified medical center under supervision in case of dizziness or fainting. In addition to the treatment’s limitations in the administration of the drug itself, the expensive cost of the medication, that may not be covered by insurers, could limit accessibility of the drug to moms who may need it the most.

Current treatment of postpartum depression can take weeks for effects to take place and can sometimes fail to help women at all, unlike brexanolone which rapidly rebalances hormones that drastically spiked and dropped during and after pregnancy. The research included three clinical trials led by Dr. Meltzer-Brody and funded by Sage Therapeutics. The trials had 247 randomly selected participants who suffered from severe or moderate postpartum depression and received either the drug or a placebo. Women who received the drug showed significant improvement in their Hamilton Depression Scale score, a standard evaluation scale, in comparison to women who received the placebo.

Researchers are also testing out a pill version of the new drug that would be more accessible and easier for patients in clinical trials. Other drugs, such as mifepristone, have scientific research that indicates potential treatment for postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is an intense and long-lasting depression that happens after having a baby. PPD can be life-threatening when severe and can prevent mothers from caring for their baby.  Postpartum depression, as the most common childbirth complication, affects about 1 in 9 women, with estimates as high as 1 in 5 women.

Less than 15 percent of women with PPD seek treatment. Without treatment, women can suffer from postpartum depression for months or years. Stigma and shame surrounding women who suffer from postpartum depression inhibits several women from seeking treatment.

 

Media Resources: New York Times 3/19/19; Vox 3/20/19; Center for Disease Control and Prevention 12/13/17; Feminist Newswire 9/28/15

New Zealand Terrorist Attack Leads to Calls for Stricter Gun Regulation

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Last Friday 50 people were killed and dozens injured at two mosques in a New Zealand terrorist attack. The shooting, which targetted Christchurch’s small Muslim community, was the deadliest shooting in New Zealand’s history and has led to increased calls for stricter gun laws in New Zealand.

In response to this, multiple online and storefront gun shops in New Zealand have removed military-style semi-automatic fire arms from their sales. Additionally, the Prime announced that new gun reform laws will be detailed within the week. Local gun store owners in Christchurch reported that they have received increased calls for semi-automatic weapons as well as magazines which can be added to weapons to increase the number of bullets that can be shot.

The gunman first live streamed on Facebook his open fire at the Linwood mosque, killing seven and injuring many. Then, the shooter drove to Al Noor mosque seven kilometers away and killed over 40 worshippers. Those killed were apart of the small Muslim community in New Zealand, which is made up mostly of immigrants from India, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Prime Minister Ardern called this attack a well planned terrorist attack and the shooter has been arrested and charged with murder.

While this case was extremely tragic, the government is confident in further actions that will be taken to reform gun laws and prevent future tragedies. Additionally, the shooter is in custody and awaiting trial in order for justice to be served to the families impacted by this attack.

 

Media: Aljazeera 2019; CNN 2019; NPR 2019; New York Times 2019

Karen Uhlenbeck: First Woman to Win Abel Prize in Mathematics

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On Tuesday, Karen Uhlenbeck, a professor at the University of Texas, became the first woman in the world to win the Abel Prize, an internationally lauded award in mathematics, from The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

On May 21, Uhlenbeck will be presented the award by King Harald V of Norway at a ceremony. Uhlenbeck won the award for her “pioneering achievements in geometric partial differential equations, gauge theory and integrable systems, and for the fundamental impact of her work on analysis, geometry and mathematical physics.” Uhlenbeck helped spearhead geometric analysis and evolved techniques that are now regularly used by mathematicians around the world.

Sun-Yung Alice Chang, who served on the five-member prize committee, stated, “She did things nobody thought about doing and after she did, she laid the foundations of a branch of mathematics.”

The Abel Prize has been awarded annually, since 2003, to emphasize significant advances in mathematics. It is one of the most prestigious awards in mathematics and Uhlenbeck is the first woman of the previous 19 laureates. Uhlenbeck’s win is an achievement for women’s education and also women in the workplace, as they gain recognition for their dedication in work and academics.

 

Media Resources; The Hill 3/19/19, New York Times 3/19/19, Abel Prize 3/19/19

Congress Introduces the EACH Woman Act to Repeal Hyde Amendment

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The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Woman Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and require federal health insurance to cover abortion costs, was introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee and Sen. Tammy Duckworth in both houses of Congress last Tuesday. The Hyde Amendment bans federal funding for abortion with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or a threat to a woman’s life.

The bill, which was originally introduced in 2015, would prohibit federal, state and local governments from passing laws that restrict private health insurance companies from offering abortion care, and restore abortion insurance coverage to the 28 million women who receive health insurance through the federal government and are currently denied coverage for an abortion procedure through the 1976 Hyde Amendment.

While the bill has been reintroduced in the House twice before, this is the first time the EACH Woman Act has been introduced in the Senate. Several senators and representatives have already shown support for the bill, including Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Patty Muarray, and Sen. Kamala Harris. Representatives, Jan Schakowsky and Diana DeGette, Pro-Choice Caucus cochair with Rep. Barbara Lee, have also sponsored the bill.

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed women’s constitutional right to make their own reproductive decisions, and it didn’t say ‘only wealthy women’ or ‘only women with insurance,’” Duckworth said. “Whatever you think about the Supreme Court’s ruling, we should all agree that what’s legal for a wealthy American shouldn’t be illegal or inaccessible for a poor American or a person of color—and that’s what this bill is about: fairness, equality, and equal opportunity.”

Hyde creates two separate categories of American women: those who can afford to access their constitutional rights and those who cannot. Those who cannot include Native Americans, veterans, federal prisoners, employees of the federal government, and the 1 in 6 American women of reproductive age who are enrolled in Medicaid.

A ban on federal funds for abortion coverage forces women to pay out of pocket costs, averaging over $350, a substantial burden that forces one in four poor women seeking an abortion to carry their pregnancy to term. In addition to the ban on federal funds for coverage, 11 states restrict abortion coverage on private insurance policies and 26 states have laws restricting abortion coverage in insurance plans within state exchanges. Studies show that women who seek abortion but are denied are more likely to slip into poverty than women who are able to get an abortion.

Advocates of abortion access fear that eliminating tax subsidies and implementing strict regulations will push insurance companies to stop covering abortion for all women, as they are unlikely to offer a product that so many are effectively barred from purchasing.

 

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 1/31/17; Guttmacher Institute 3/1/19; Bustle 3/12/19; Vogue 3/12/19

UN General Assembly Presidents States Regression in Women’s Political Power

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U.N. President of the General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa addressed the Commission on Tuesday stating there has been a “serious regression” in women’s political power, pointing at the lack of progress for women in leaderships positions globally.

In response to these obstacles Gabriela Cuevas Barron, The head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, proposed increased affirmative action by parliaments around the world in order to increase gender parity. Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka also argued at the meeting that women must be “change makers” in order to change the systems made for men by men that currently exist in government.

This lack of progress is attributed to the pushback against female leaders throughout the world. According to the executive director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, this pushback includes political violence, online abuse as well as verbal abuse, all of which deter female candidates from running as well as harm their ability to win seats.

Recent statistics report that only 6.6 percent of the world’s leaders and 24 percent of lawmakers are women. Last week it was also released that the percentage of elected female world leaders, as well as heads of government, both dropped a percentage in the last year. However, women prime ministers increased significantly, about 2.4 percentage points, reaching a historic high.

 

Media: Huffington Post 2019; New York Times 2019; UN 2019

President of the Philippines under Fire for Sexist Comments

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*********trigger warning: sexual assault and violence**************

On Monday, the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte spoke at an event for the country’s National Women’s Month, that was meant to honor outstanding women in law enforcement and national security, but in his speech, Duterte referred to the women as “crazy” and “bitches” that deprive him of the “freedom” to express himself. Duterte started his speech saying: “Puta (bitches), you know you women are depriving me of my freedom of expression. You criticise every sentence or word I say, but that is my freedom to express myself.” In his speech, Duterte defended himself by saying he loves women, and the fact that he has two wives is proof. His speech was prompted by the criticism he faced for his comments on women and priests.

Last week, Duterte faced backlash because he warned women to stay away from Catholic priests because they would be “cornered” and “courted” by them.. He claimed priests would be inclined to assault women because of the “scent” of their bodies. After facing outrage from the public for his comments, he stated in his speech that women that were the exception of his remarks were merely “rejects” of priests.

Because the Filipino president has been under fire for controversial, sexist comments since entering office, women have continuously protested against him. For International Women’s Day, activists around the Philippines marched in protest of Duterte. In 2018, he said female guerrilla fighters would be shot in the vagina, and claimed that without vaginas, women are “useless.” During his election campaign in 2016, he joked about the 1989 prison riot where an Australian missionary was killed and prison inmates lined up to rape her, by stating  he wished he had the opportunity to do so as well, and as mayor he should have been the first. This past December, he claimed he molested a teenage maid.

Besides his large variety of controversial comments on women, Duterte has also faced criticism for his violent approach to the Philippine antidrug war, which has brought thousands of brutal deaths, and his threats to journalism and journalists. Because of his controversial comments, Duterte’s attempted to consolidate his reputation by threatening multiple news outlets and journalists in the past, including Maria Ressa, who brought international attention to Duterte’s violent war on drugs; she was arrested last month.

 

Media Resources: LA Times 3/12/19; Independent UK 3/12/19; Rappler 3/12/19; The Guardian 3/12/19; TIME 3/12/19; Feminist News 2/14/19

Dr. Leana Wen: First Asian-American Physician to Head Planned Parenthood

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Dr. Leana Wen is the first Asian American as well as the first physician in 50 years to become the president of Planned Parenthood in 2018 after Cecile Richards announced her resignation. As an emergency room doctor and former health commissioner, Wen leads one of America’s most trusted reproductive health care providers.

Born in Shanghai, China, Wen’s family immigrated to the United States when she was eight years old, following the Tiananmen Square massacre. By 18 years old, Wen had already graduated from California State University and was on her way to medical school. After earning her medical degree at Washington University School of Medicine, Wen became a Rhodes Scholar, obtaining her master’s degrees at the University of Oxford as well as becoming a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School.

Previously, Wen was the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, leading the oldest health department in the United States and improving the city’s overall well-being. During her four years as the commissioner, Wen issued a blanket prescription for naloxone, which reverses opioid overdoes, to all residents of Baltimore, saving about 3,000 people in three years. In addition to combatting the opioid epidemic, Wen also led initiatives to support transgender-related medical services; reduction of infant mortality; coverage for children who need glasses; medication and food access to seniors; expansion of trauma and mental health service; and programs to treat gun violence as a public health issue.

Last year, Wen sued the Trump administration for its major cutbacks on teen pregnancy prevention funding as well as the intentional and unlawful sabotaging of the Affordable Care Act, which resulted in a federal judge ordering $5 million restored in funding. Under Wen’s leadership, the Baltimore City Health Department was recognized as the Local Health Department of the Year by the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

 

Media Resources: Planned Parenthood; New York Times 9/18/19; Refinery29 9/13/19

Happy International Women’s Day!

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Today is International Women’s Day, but while we celebrate the achievement of women throughout the world, we must also be aware of the injustices that still exist in the United States that prevent gender equality.

The U.S. is currently one of six U.N. member states, Pacific island nations of Tonga and Palua, Iran, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan, to not ratify CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The United States is the largest and most powerful country to not support CEDAW, essentially diminishing the important work the Convention has done to promote the safety and equality of women globally.

Over 130 countries have language in their laws preventing gender equality but the U.S is one of a few countries to not have gender equality language in its Constitution or laws. Additionally, only six countries have sufficient equal work rights for women and men. The U.S. falls short on both of these measures, and has yet to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

Currently, the United States ranks 51 out of 149 countries for gender equality. It is estimated that the world gender gap will take over 108 years to close, and the U.S. is a major contributor in the inequalities women face today.

International Women’s Day brings light to these issues that persist, while also empowering women around the world on the progress that has been made. Since it’s beginning in March of 1910, women have joined together in solidarity to raise awareness for women’s issues and celebrate the accomplishments of their peers. Throughout the years, passion to join the movement has been ignited around the world and global feminists have been successful in spreading feminist goals to communities worldwide.

 

Media: CNN 2019; UN 2019; World Economic Forum 2018; The Guardian 2019; Teen Vogue 2018

The Woman Behind the Impression: Kate Mckinnon

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She’s donned a jabot and hurled “Ginsburns” and yelled at Matt Damon’s Brett Kavanaugh while wearing a prosthetic turkey neck as Lindsey Graham: Kate McKinnon, the longest-serving female cast member of Saturday Night Live, made history in 2012 when she signed onto the show as the first openly lesbian cast member.

McKinnon is best known for her celebrity impressions: Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, and Jeff Sessions, just to name a few. However, before she joined SNL, she was a regular cast member on The Big Gay Sketch Show from 2007-2010. She also performed live sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City after she graduated from Columbia University with a degree in theater.

Her other work includes Vag Magazine, a web series about a group of feminists that start their own magazine. In 2016, she starred in Ghostbusters alongside Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Leslie Jones in her first blockbuster debut. She has since played Morgan in The Spy Who Dumped Me, which features Mila Kunis, Hasan Minhaj, and Justin Theroux as well.

Though she keeps a relatively low profile and chooses not to use social media, she’s always been open about the impact of her sexuality: “As minorities, we’re on the fringe, and there’s just something so wonderful about that perspective, something so inspiring. If you’re part of that minority, you can make fun of those people while respecting them and lifting them up.”

 

Media Resources: Bustle 5/8/15

Alabama Court Allows Man to Sue Abortion Clinic, Recognizing Fetal Personhood

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An Alabama man, Ryan Magers, is suing a reproductive health center as well as the manufacturer of the pill his ex-girlfriend used to end her six-week pregnancy, after a probate court judge granted his petition and recognized the full legal rights of a fetus. Magers’ lawyer claims his lawsuit may be the first U.S. court case that recognizes an aborted fetus’ legal rights.

Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger issued a decree that the fetus is a person, which permits Magers to name the fetus as a co-plaintiff. Magers is legally representing the estate of “Baby Roe,” claiming that the aborted fetus suffered a “wrongful death.” Magers claims that his then-girlfriend received an abortion in early 2017, despite Magers “repeatedly” pleading that she carry her pregnancy to term.

The decision follows a November bill that Alabama passed, a “personhood law” or Amendment 2, which provides constitutional rights to fertilized eggs and fetuses. The amendment effectively makes the mother and fetus equal under state law. The law also declares that under the Alabama constitution, state citizens do not have any legal right to an abortion, meaning that if Roe v. Wade were overturned, all Alabamans would not be able to legally receive an abortion.

The 1973 ruling in which the Supreme Court stated that access to abortion is protected under the right to privacy, Roe v. Wade, legalized abortion across the United States. The right to privacy is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. With the legalization of abortion across all 50 states, abortion-related mortality rates dramatically decreased. Currently, abortions are one of the safest medical procedures in the US, with a 99% safety record.

However, with Kavanaugh on the Court, a challenge to bills that threaten Roe could give the Court an opportunity to overturn Roe once and for all.

 

Media Resources: The Washington Post 3/6/19; Rolling Stone 3/6/19; Time 3/7/19; Feminist Majority Foundation 1/22/18; Feminist Majority Foundation 7/17/18

Senator McSally Speaks out Against Sexual Assault in the Military

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On Wednesday in a Senate Armed Services subcommittee, Senator Martha McSally, a veteran of the Air Force and the first woman to fly in combat after the ban on women was lifted, revealed that she is a rape survivor and that the rape occurred while actively serving in the military. In an emotional speech, she stated that “like you, I am also a military sexual assault survivor,” that her attacker was a superior Air Force officer, and how that experience led to question her commitment to the Air Force after 18 years of service.

According to the Department of Justice, in 2018 there were 6,769 reports of sexual assault. However, as Senator McSally revealed that she, like many survivors of sexual assault, did not report the attack due because she was afraid of repercussions and lacked faith in the reporting system. The military has tried to combat the issue through programs and initiatives but there has been very little success. Senator McSally urged commanders to be held responsible for lack of inaction in dealing with reports of sexual assault and to actively remove attackers from the ranks.

This year, Senator McSally is the second female GOP member to come forward as a survivor of sexual assault. In January, Senator Joni Ernst, an army combat veteran and a survivor of mental, physical, and sexual assault, shared her story as a survivor to bring awareness to the seriousness and threat of sexual assault. Women, such as the senators, give power to the #MeToo movement as they share their stories with the public in hopes of changing the culture surrounding sexual assault.

Their perseverance helped mark a place in history for women. Senator McSally paved the way for future women pilots in the Air Force and today, as Senator, she is trying to fix the broken Uniform Code of Military Justice process.

 

Media Sources: CNN, 3/7/2019; ABC News, 3/6/2019; The Hill, 3/6/2019

California Attorney General and Twenty States File Injunctions to Stop ‘Domestic Gag’

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This week, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed suit in U.S. District Court in San Francisco seeking an injunction to stop the abortion gag rule in Title X Family Planning Program funding from taking effect, which would affect more than 4 million low income women across the United States, and a coalition of at least 20 states plan on filing an injunction in the U.S. District Court in Eugene, Oregon as well.

Attorney General Becerra argued that the rule change is an “extraordinary overreach.” “HHS has exceeded the scope of its statutory authority and acted in a manner that is arbitrary, capricious, and not in accordance with law,” Becerra wrote in the suit. The rule would deny “patients access to critical health care services and prevent doctors from providing comprehensive and accurate information about medical care.” “If existing health care providers are forced to decide whether to provide full and accurate information to patients, or forego federal Title X funding, numerous providers will have no choice but to sacrifice needed funds, to the detriment of the patients they serve.”

Oregon Governor Kate Brown released a statement saying that, “everyone deserves the ability to make their own decisions about their healthcare. It is appalling that the federal government wants to rob individuals of the right to complete medical information and full access to the critical health care services they rely on.”

The two lawsuits argue that the new rule violates the Affordable Care Act which outlawed “unreasonable barriers to the ability of individuals to obtain appropriate medical care.” In Oregon, officials stated that the rule would “require health clinics to open another location, or create a separate entrance for patients, have separate examination rooms, hire separate personnel to work at separate workstations, maintain a separate phone number and website, and have separate electronic medical systems in order to continue to accept Title X funds.”

Oregon is one of twenty states filing a joint suit this week. Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia, are part of the suit. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights will sue the administration over the rule as well.

This suit came after the Trump administration announced it is implementing a policy that prevents clinics that provide abortion counseling and referrals from receiving Title X Family Planning Program funding, funding that provides birth control, STD tests, cervical and breast cancer screenings, and reproductive health care to low-income and uninsured individuals. Under Title X, federal dollars already cannot directly fund abortion but this rule will make it harder for patients to seek the care and counseling they need.

In order to continue receiving Title X funding, health care providers must demonstrate clear physical and financial separation between abortion services and other reproductive health services. In some cases, patients must enter through different doors depending on which services they seek. According to Planned Parenthood President, Leana Wen, Planned Parenthood serves 41% of Title X patients but Planned Parenthood is estimated to lose $60 million in federal funding. “This rule will block doctors across the country from referring Title X patients for safe, legal abortion,” Wen said.

 

Media Resources: Washington Post 3/4/19; Feminist Newswire 2/28/19; NPR 2/22/19; AJMC 2/22/19; HHS 2/22/19

 

Patsy Mink: “Ahead of the Majority” and First Woman of Color in Congress

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In honor of Women’s History Month, we’ll be highlighting the stories of women in the United States who paved the way and inspired girls everywhere to follow their dreams.

As a Japanese-American from Hawaii, Patsy Mink became the first woman of color in Congress and the first Asian American woman to serve in Congress in 1964. Her work for the advancement and equality of women not only affected politics, but also education and reproductive rights.

Patsy Mink was born in 1927 in Paia, Maui. Although Mink was the first female president of her high school student body and graduated as the valedictorian, she faced discrimination as a woman of color in college. Mink was assigned to the international students’ dorms because people of color were not allowed in the main dorms. In addition to facing discrimination as a person of color, Mink also faced gender discrimination when applying for medical schools. After Mink was rejected from several medical schools because of her gender, she applied to the University of Chicago’s law school where she was accepted as a part of the “foreign quota.” “Someone in law school had not read up their American history and hadn’t realized Hawaii was annexed in 1898 and that we were all American citizens,” Mink recalled.

After no law firms would hire her, Mink continued to specialize in family and criminal law. She also became involved in local politics, becoming the first Asian American woman elected in the Hawaii House in 1956. Mink then continued to become the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964, serving for 12 terms. Mink also became the first Asian American to run for U.S. President in 1972.

In Congress, Mink was the principle author of the 1972 Title IX legislation that guarantees that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

Title IX has had huge impacts not only on women’s sports, but also on women’s participation in higher education in general. Mink also introduced the first comprehensive Early Childhood Education Act.

In addition to Title IX and the Early Childhood Education Act, Mink advocated for civil rights, health care, welfare, the environment, and education. In 1970, Mink testified before Congress against President Nixon’s Supreme Court nominee, George Carswell. Mink objected Carswell’s nomination based on sexism, stating, “I am here to testify against his confirmation on the grounds that his appointment constitutes an affront to the women of America.” After Carswell’s nomination failed, Justice Harry Blackmun, who later wrote the majority opinion for the landmark case, Roe v. Wade, was appointed to the Supreme Court.

Mink was known at times to be controversial as she continued to draw attention to women’s inequality. “It is easy enough to vote right and be consistently with the majority,” Mink said. “But it is more often more important to be ahead of the majority, and this means being willing to cut the first furrow in the ground and stand alone for a while if necessary.”

Following her career in Congress, Mink went on to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. After her death in 2002, Title IX was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.

 

Media Resources: The Atlantic 9/16/18; Women’s eNews 8/26/15; Women on 20s; Feminist Majority Foundation 7/18/16

Federal Judge Ordered Reinstatement of Gendered Pay Data Collection

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A federal judge ordered that the Trump administration must reinstate an Obama-era rule requiring companies report pay data by race and gender. U.S. district judge for the District of Columbia, Tanya S. Chutkan, said that by rolling back the Obama-era rule the Trump administration violated the law and that the Trump administration failed to demonstrate that the Obama-era rule meaningfully increased the “burden on employers.”

Judge Chutkan ordered the government to move forward with pay data collection that is expected to help close the wage gap between men and women. Maya Raghu, the senior counsel for the case, said that this is a “victory for equal pay.”

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that at the current rate of progress the wage gap in the United States will not close until 2059. In North Dakota, Utah, Louisiana, and Wyoming, the wage gap is not expected to close until the 22nd century.

 

Media Resources: Washington Post 3/5/19; Institute for Women’s Policy Research 3/22/17

Google and Apple Permit Saudi Arabian Women Surveillance App

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Google and Apple are still offering an app on their platforms and in their stores that allows Saudi Arabian men to track and monitor women, despite previous backlash and investigations into violations of human rights and privacy.

Absher, which translates to “yes sir,” is an app that lets Saudi Arabian men track and limit where their wives and daughters can go. The app works in conjunction with the government and allows users to see the whereabouts of the women they are tracking, as well as access their transportation and flight information. Absher enforces the regimes’ “guardian system,” and uses e-government alerts to warn men when a woman has left the permitted area he sets within the app.

Last month, pressure by those in opposition to the regime lead Google to review the app for violating the terms of use set by the company, it was decided the app complied with all guidelines. Absher was found to not violate the “hate speech” terms category, despite opponents of the app arguing that it is associated with systemic discrimination which is rooted in violence against women.

Opponents of this app point out that Google and Apple have the ability to set their own standards, but they have ignored the human rights implications this app. The Absher app is just one example of systemic and statewide discrimination, belittlement, and violence against women.

 

Media: Washington Post 2019; NY Times 2019; CNN 2019

Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Faces 34 Years in Jail in Iran

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After two trials, Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human and women rights lawyer in Iran, faces 34 years in prison as well as 148 lashes after defending women who protested wearing hijabs in public. Multiple organizations, including Amnesty International, are now calling on the Head of the Judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, and the Mission of Iran to the UN to release Sotoudeh.

Nasrin Sotoudeh was detained in June of 2018 without warning and was originally told after the arrest that she would serve five years in prison without trial. Now, after two ongoing court cases that Amnesty International is calling “grossly unfair,” her punishment has increased to 34 years.

The trial regarding Sotoudeh’s charges took place without her or her lawyer present, on December 30th of 2018. Sotoudeh was not allowed at her trial due to her “inappropriate” dress. The Court decision ruled to charge Sotoudeh with seven criminal offenses including “inciting corruption and prostitution” and “openly committing a sinful act… by appearing in public without a hijab.”

As of now Sotoudeh remains detained in prison.

 

Media: Amnesty International 2018; The Guardian 2018

Trump Rule will Eliminate SNAP Benefits for over 750,000 Individuals

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

The Trump administration is now receiving comments on a proposed rule that will eliminate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for over 750,000 unemployed and underemployed individuals and cut $15 billion dollars from the program over 10 years. Trump originally wanted this to be included into a farm bill he signed into law; however since it did not make it into the bill he plans on using regulatory rule-making to enact this proposal.

The proposal tightens the current work requirements for SNAP recipients. To maintain benefits, able-bodied 18-49 year olds must work a minimum of 20 hours a week. The proposal raises the age limit for these work requirements to 59 year olds and limits the eligibility for families that qualify for other welfare programs to receive SNAP benefits.

The proposal would also eliminate states’ ability to waive the work requirements for unemployed individuals living in areas with high unemployment rates. Any waiver issued would only been good for a year and require approval from the governor.

SNAP is one of the largest federal government safety net programs, with over 42 million recipients in 2017 at a cost of $68 billion.

 

Media Resources: The Inquirer 3/5/19; Chicago Tribune 12/20/18; U.S. News & World Report 12/20/18; Washington Examiner 2/22/18

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