Abortion Abortion Providers On the Hill Politics

Anti-Abortion Activist Who Advocated for Ending Women’s Suffrage Speaks at RNC

Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee turned anti-abortion activist, spoke at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Tuesday. Johnson was the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic before leaving after reportedly watching an abortion on an ultrasound. She now runs And Then There Were None, an organization which helps those who work in facilities […]

Politics

2020 Democratic National Convention Roundup

Speakers including Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders, Ady Barkan, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton addressed the public through a virtual Democratic National Convention. Speeches included pleas to vote, praises for youth involvement, recognition of empathy, and calls to keep fighting. NIGHT 1 First Lady Michelle Obama on empathy and moving forward […]

Politics

Young, College-Educated, Democratic Women: You are Most Likely A Feminist

A new Pew Research study, conducted during March and April, confirms that age, education level, and political affiliation can indicate whether or not someone identities as a feminist. Overall, 61% of women said that “feminist” describes them “very” or “somewhat well”. Across different age groups, the 18-29 cohort was most likely to identify as a […]

Politics Race

The BREATHE Act Calls for Sweeping Change to Criminal Justice System

The Movement for Black Lives has proposed a bill that calls for sweeping changes to the nation’s criminal justice system. Introduced on Tuesday, the BREATHE Act calls to divert federal resources from systemically racist institutions such as policing and incarceration. The Movement for Black Lives is a coalition of over 150 organizations fighting for racial […]

Activism Global Politics Womens Rights

Egypt Arrests Female Social Media Influencers for Promoting “Immorality”

Four young Egyptian women on the popular social media app TikTok have been arrested by state authorities accusing them of spreading “immorality” with their content. These women are the most recent targets of state authorities monitoring social media accounts for “offensive” content. Since President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s election in 2014, hundreds of dissident public persons, […]

On the Hill Politics Race

House Unveils Justice in Policing Act Amid National Protests

Democratic leadership in the House and the Senate unveiled legislation today to overhaul policing standards in response to nationwide protests against anti-Black racism and police brutality. The Justice in Policing Act, led by Chairwoman Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), seeks to increase accountability in police brutality cases and […]

Election On the Hill Politics

Historic Wins for Women of Color Down the Ballot

On Tuesday, nine states and the District of Columbia held primary elections. These elections resulted in historic gains for women, particularly for women of color. In spite of current circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests, voter turnout was impressive and women candidates of color prevailed in primaries for Congress, state legislatures, and local […]

Politics Race

First Female African American Mayor Elected in Ferguson

On Tuesday night, Ella Jones, 65, was elected to serve as Ferguson, Missouri’s next mayor. A former city councilwoman, Jones will become the first African American and first female mayor in the city’s history. Jones received 54 percent of the vote, and her opponent, councilwoman Heather Robinett, lost by 138 votes. Jones will succeed James […]

Election On the Hill Politics

New Mexico Has the Historic Opportunity to Elect First All-Female U.S. House Delegation

New Mexico voters may send a historic all-female U.S. House delegation to Congress next year. The state’s three congresswomen could all be women of color, which would be another national first. Women are seeking the Democratic and Republican nominations in all six of the state’s primary races. At least one Latina or one Native American […]

Afghanistan Global Politics Womens Rights

Afghanistan Remaining a Republic is “Non-Negotiable”

In a virtual event on the intra-Afghan talks at the United States Institute of Peace, Habiba Sarabi emphasized that for Afghan women, negotiating on the structure of the government is “non-negotiable.” Habiba Sarabi, the former governor of Bamiyan province in Afghanistan is one of five women on the team representing the Afghanistan government, formed to […]

Health On the Hill Politics

Health Department Official Fired For Speaking Out Against Hydroxychloroquine

Rick Bright, the official who previously led the federal agency involved in working to develop a coronavirus vaccine was removed from his position after urging caution and research before advocating for hydroxychloroquine. As the Trump administration pushed for the anti-malaria drug to be used in treating patients with coronavirus, Dr. Bright denounced these actions as putting “politics […]

Abortion Courts Health Politics

Texas Governor’s Executive Order Banning Abortion Expires

Tuesday night, Texas’ Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s March 21 executive order expired. The order had been the object of weeks of legal debate over the classification of medication and procedural abortion as a ‘non-essential’ medical procedure during the COVID-19 crisis. On Wednesday, Gov. Abbott announced a new executive order, allowing certain medical procedures to resume, […]

Courts Politics

Jill Karofsky Defeats Daniel Kelly for Wisconsin Supreme Court Seat

Democrat Jill Karofsky has defeated the incumbent Justice Daniel Kelly for his seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court according to results released Monday, reducing the conservative majority in the court and solidifying another seat for a woman on the bench. According to Partick Marley for USA Today, Karofsky has “served as the state’s first violence against […]

Global Politics

Karen Pierce Appointed First Female British Ambassador to US

Karen Pierce has been appointed as Britain’s first female to hold the prominent position of ambassador to the US. Pierce is currently serving as the UK’s permanent representative to the United Nations. Pierce, has served as a diplomat for much of her career, joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1981, and holding diplomatic posts in several […]

LGBTQ Other Issues Politics

Virginia Senate Passes Bill Banning LGBTQ+ Discrimination

Yesterday the Virginia Senate passed the “Virginia Values Act”, which adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the commonwealth’s anti-discrimination law, with a 30-9 vote. The Bill (SB 868 in Senate and HB 1663 in the House), makes sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes in regards to discrimination for things such as housing, employment, […]