Nearly 6 million people in the United States will not be allowed to vote in the upcoming presidential election for one reason. As the November election nears, voting rights have become an important topic of conversation. From photo ID requirements to early voting restrictions, the negative effects of barriers to voting are being foreseen, not […]
“Where Are the Women?”
by Ali Tweedt, FMF Intern Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s (D-NY) now-infamous words have gone viral paired with a picture of last Thursday’s all-male panel at the hearing on contraception coverage by religious institutions. The hearing, “Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?” was […]
When Did Stopping Violence Against Women Become Political?
Last Thursday, I attended the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting when they voted to send the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011 to the Senate floor for a vote. Every Committee Democrat voted yes and every Republican voted no. Most of the Republicans didn’t even show up to cast their no votes, but did so […]
Finally, Finally! FBI’s “Forcible Rape” Definition Is Officially History
By Annie Shields Last month we reported that victory was in sight in our months-long Rape is Rape campaign. At a December Senate hearing, FBI Director Robert Mueller let slip that “sometime this spring” the agency would update its archaic definition of “forcible rape.” Mueller’s prediction gave us reason for optimism, but an official announcement today from […]
Obama’s Deeply Paternalistic Statement on Plan B Decision
by Jon Walker This post originally appeared on Firedoglake. This is a pure expression of male paternalism regarding women being able to make their own reproductive decisions. From USA Today: President Obama said today that “as the father of two daughters,” he supports his health secretary’s decision to block over-the-counter sales of the Plan B […]
HERvotes Takes On the Jobs Crisis
This post originally appeared on the Ms. Blog Our first #HERvotes blog carnival was so successful, we’re doing it again! On August 25-26, to mark the anniversaries of the passage of the 19th amendment and the March on Washington, Ms. joined with 21 women’s organizations to collectively publish 77 blog posts with a single harmonious […]
HERVOTES: “Mancession” Gives Way to “He-covery”
As the “Mancession” gives way to the “He-covery”, women are calling for their fair share. President Obama’s jobs bill offers a plan to get Americans back to work, allocating funds ranging from payroll tax cuts to those for school revitalization. The White House estimates that 280,000 teacher layoffs will be avoided. Women represent 78% of […]
Vote Like Your Life Depends on It. Because It Does.
This Friday marks the 91st anniversary of women’s suffrage in the U.S. Yes, many of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived in a time when they weren’t allowed to vote. And for African Americans, the right to vote didn’t truly come into full effect until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But now, armed with that […]
HERVotes: Why Women Must Vote in 2012
This blog is part of the #HERvotes blog carnival. The Feminist Majority Foundation is proud to join a major coalition of organizations, HERvotes, which is growing, representing millions of American women in an effort to mobilize women voters in 2012 around preserving women’s Health and Economic rights. Right now, a slew of historic gains for women […]
A Preventive Health Care Game-Changer for Women
By Kari Paul In a huge victory for women’s health, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report today advised that birth control and seven other women’s health services should be considered “preventive care” and be covered by health insurance with no co-pay. The institute’s recommendations for no-cost coverage also include yearly preventative-care visits; lactation counseling and […]
Virginity Tests: Time to Let Gender Out of Revolution’s Closet
There is no doubt that the recent revolution in Egypt got the wheels of the Arab Spring rolling. But just as quickly as women flooded the corners of Tahrir Square and the streets of Cairo in the hopes of a democratic Egypt, their voices were sidelined. This is not uncommon. Even in conservative countries, we […]
Eleanor Smeal Tribute to Geraldine Ferarro
We are saddened today to learn of the death of Geraldine Ferraro. She was an historic feminist, a compassionate humanitarian and a role model for generations of women and girls seeking to break the glass ceiling. She was a champion for women’s rights during her three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, but of […]
President’s 2012 Budget – a Striking Contrast to Republicans for Women’s Programs
Today President Obama released his 2012 Budget, which poses a direct contrast to the massive cuts to programs that benefit women and girls proposed by House Republican in the Continuing Resolution (CR) for funding FY 2011. The proposed budget would decrease funding for the Department of Defense by $78 billion over the next five years, […]
Republican House Leaders Launch New War on Women
Republicans propose massive cuts in programs that benefit women as they propose increases in Defense spending of $8.1 billion. The House begins consideration of the Continuing Resolution (CR) for funding FY 2011 without which the government will shut down on March 4. Republicans would eliminate Title X domestic family planning programs with a massive cut […]
Life at Conception Act Introduced in the Senate
Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Life at Conception Act in the Senate yesterday that would establish that human life begins at the moment of conception. If passed, the bill would extend equal protection under 14th article of amendment of the Constitution to unborn fetuses and would reverse Roe v. Wade, […]
Boehner Bias?
On Wednesday, Nancy Pelosi handed over the speaker’s gavel to John Boehner, who is charged with leading the “Tea Party Congress” in their efforts to repeal health care reform, disband the Select Committee on Global Warming, defund Planned Parenthood and do a bunch of other things that people who have never held elected office think […]
Sheriff Decries Consequences of Inflammatory “Vitriol” After Tucson Shooting
Arizona Democrat Gabrielle Giffords is fighting for her life in a Tucson hospital after having been shot in the head by a gunman while she conducted a “Congress on Your Corner” event in front of a market. Although she was listed in very critical condition after surgery, Dr. Peter Rhee, medical director of the trauma […]
Election Results 2010 – The Gender Gap Lives
Don’t believe anything you might have read to the contrary: The gender gap was alive and well in the 2010 midterm elections. That gap—the measurable difference between the way women and men vote—showed clearly in 25 of 26 U.S. Senate races and 17 of 18 gubernatorial races for which exit polls were conducted. (There were […]
Sneak Peek at the new Spring Ms.: 5 of the 25 Gains for Women in the Health-Care Bill
Feminists didn’t get everything we wanted in the historic health-insurance reform package passed in March: The lack of a public option and limits on abortion coverage were the most glaring setbacks, and a single-payer system wasn’t even considered. But bottom line, an additional 32 million Americans will gain health-care coverage—meaning that the vast majority in […]
Unbelievable: Stupak Hijacking Health Care Reform Again!!
News broke late Friday night that Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) was brokering a deal with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to ban all abortion coverage in the health-care reform bill. You may be feeling deja vu. Backed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Stupak pulled the same trick–an 11th hour meeting with Pelosi–to […]