National outrage erupted earlier this month after Brock Turner, a convicted rapist, was given a six-month sentence in county jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on Stanford’s campus in January 2015.
House Approves Inadequate Zika Funding
The House of Representatives last night approved only $622 million in funding to help fight the Zika virus—less than one-third of the $1.9 billion the White House requested and only slightly more than half of what the Senate approved earlier this week.
Congresswomen Demand Action on Equal Rights Amendment
Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) took to the House floor yesterday to urge for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which would grant constitutional protection from discrimination based on sex.
Members of the House Select Investigative Panel Call on Speaker Ryan to Disband Its Witch Hunt Against Abortion Providers
Members of the House Select Investigative Panel today sent a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan calling on him to disband the Panel and end its “unjustified witch hunt against researchers and doctors.”
1 in 6 Hospital Beds Are In Catholic Facilities That Deny Critical Healthcare to Women
A new report issued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and MergerWatch found that one in six hospital beds in the United States are located in a Catholic facility that denies critical reproductive health care services, even when a patient’s life or health is endangered.
House Considers Bill that Stigmatizes Women of Color In Order To Restrict Abortion Access
The House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, chaired by Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ), is holding hearings today on the so-called Prenatal Discrimination Act (PRENDA), a underhanded attempt to restrict access to abortion for women of color.
US Military Generals Support Women’s Inclusion in the Draft
Just one month since opening combat roles to women, top US military officials have stated support for women’s inclusion in the draft.
Zika Virus Raises Need for Increased Access to Reproductive Healthcare
As the Zika virus spreads, at least five countries have advised women to delay pregnancy, advice that many women’s rights advocates have criticized as unrealistic and offensive given restrictive abortion laws and the inaccessibility of birth control in many of the affected areas.
Obama Administration Announces Plan to Expand Lunch Program to Feed Children in Need
In an effort to address child hunger and food insecurity in the United States, the Obama Administration announced the launch of a pilot program that certifies students eligible for free or reduced-price in-school lunches automatically if their families’ collect Medicaid benefits.
FMF Executive Director Will Speak on Gender in Policing and Defusing Police Violence
Katherine Spillar will speak at the City Club of Cleveland tomorrow about how gender equity in policing can reducing incidents of police violence and enhance the ability of police to improve relations with the communities they serve.
Today in Herstory: Men-Only Bar Forced to Open Its Doors to Women
June 25, 1970: A major victory today for equal access thanks to the National Organization for Women!
The ACLU Takes on Gender Discrimination in Hollywood
The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California filed a complaint last week asking for federal and state civil rights agencies to investigate massive gender discrepancies at all levels of the film and television industry.
Violence Against Women Came to the Forefront at Last Nights’ Grammy Awards
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards set a new precedent last night with a speech from a domestic violence survivor and activist and the airing of a PSA from President Obama about violence against women.
Today in Herstory: America’s Women in Uniform Are Making Everyone Proud
February 3, 1944: Women serving their country through military service got a well-deserved salute from the Women’s Army Corps commander today upon her return from a 26-day inspection tour overseas.
Today in Herstory: Maxwell Motor Company Makes Strides for Women
December 15, 1914: The Maxwell Motor Company’s salesroom on “Automobile Row” at Broadway and Fifty-ninth Street in Manhattan took on a distinctly feminist air today.
Today in Herstory: Jailed Suffrage Protesters Show Support for Alice Paul
November 11, 1917: Some of Paul’s most ardent supporters rushed by and clustered below her window to salute her. “West Virginia greets you!” “Oklahoma is with you!” “New York salutes you!”
September 11, 1917: Banquet Honors Jailed “Silent Sentinel” Suffragists
Today saw a celebration of courage and triumph in Washington, DC, as well as optimism in the wake of a defeat in Maine.
Federal Court Strikes Down Austin CPC Ordinance
A U.S. District Judge ruled that Austin’s crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) don’t have to post signage acknowledging they don’t give any form of medical care.
June 16, 1937: Eleanor Roosevelt Confident That One Day A Woman Will Be President
One day a woman will be elected President! That’s the assurance of the woman who currently lives in the White House, Eleanor Roosevelt.
President Obama Nominates Janet Yellen to Lead Federal Reserve
Yellen signaled that if confirmed, she would focus on strengthening the economy by focusing on jobs and controlling inflation.
