Three California women filed a class-action lawsuit on Wednesday accusing the state workers’ compensation system of explicit and unfair gender bias.
House to Hold Hearing on Anti-LGBTQ Bill One Month After Orlando Shooting
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing next week on a federal anti-LGBTQ bill, similar to the one that was just blocked by a federal judge in Mississippi. The hearing will take place on Tuesday morning, exactly one month after the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando that claimed the lives of 49 LGBTQ individuals and allies.
House Investigation of Abortion Providers Set to Exceed $1 Million
According to the House Administration Committee, the Select Investigative Panel scrutinizing abortion providers is requesting around $500,000 to continue its probe into the practices of the organizations. If approved, the total cost of the investigation will exceed one million dollars by the end of the year.
New Report Finds Doctors Who Sexually Abuse Patients Receive Little Punishment
The Atlantic Journal-Constitution released a year-long investigative report on Tuesday documenting the minimal punishments doctors who have been found guilty of sexual abuse receive.
Title X Threatened When It’s Needed to Combat Zika
The House Appropriations Committee introduced a draft of a funding proposal for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies that cuts all monetary support for Title X programs.
Protests Erupt Following Police Killings of Young Black Men
This week Philando Castile and Alton Sterling were the two most recent victims to die at the hands of police officers, bringing the number of black people killed by police so far in 2016 to at least 136 individuals.
Obama Announces Continued Troop Presence in Afghanistan
President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that the U.S. military intends to withdraw 5,500 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2016, leaving 8,400 troops in country to provide local security and tailored support.
South Carolina “Personhood Amendment” Fails to Make it on the Ballot
A South Carolina bill that would have put a referendum for a “personhood amendment” on the ballot in November fell short of the necessary two-thirds votes needed to bring it up for consideration on the Senate agenda before the end of June.
Oakland, California Considering Ordinance to Penalize CPCs for False Advertising
Elected officials in Oakland, California are standing up for women’s health with a proposed ordinance that penalizes the dissemination of untrue or misleading information by crisis pregnancy centers.
Federal Judge Blocks Restrictive Florida Abortion Bill
A federal judge has blocked parts of a new Florida law that aimed to limit access to abortion.
Mississippi Judge Strikes Down Anti-LGBT Law
A federal judge blocked Mississippi law H.B. 1523 hours before it was slated to take effect last week.
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Remarkable Number of Reproductive Rights Victories This Week
A remarkable number of legal victories for reproductive health came down this week.
5 Major Supreme Court Victories for Women this Week
This was a great week for women.
Defense Secretary Carter Lifts Ban on Transgender Service Members
In a historic decision, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced Thursday that the Pentagon is lifting its discriminatory ban on transgender people serving openly in the United States military.
Women Refugees Flee One Form of Violence for Another
The refugee crisis currently taking place across Syria and Europe is a distinct issue concerning the violence and challenges that women face around the globe, as a recent United Nations report found that over 75 percent of Syrian refugees are women or children under the age of 17.
SCOTUS Saves Sole Abortion Clinic in Mississippi
The Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the sole abortion clinic left standing in Mississippi, won a major Supreme Court victory Tuesday after the Court declined to hear Mississippi’s appeal to enforce a state law requiring hospital admitting privileges for doctors performing abortions, similar to the Texas law the Court struck down on Monday.
Afghan Rap Singer, Warrior Against Child Marriage, Awarded
Nineteen year old Afghan rap singer, Sonita Alizadeh, known for protesting child marriage through her songs, was recently depicted in a documentary entitled Sonita, which just won the 2016 World Cinema Documentary Audience Award.
Supreme Court Denies Washington Pharmacists’ Religious Freedom Appeal
In a 5-3 decision, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal in Stormans Inc. v. Wiesman, a case brought by Washington state pharmacists who argued for a right to deny services on grounds of religious objections. A 2007 regulation adopted in the state bound pharmacies to fill lawful prescriptions, with the caveat that individual pharmacists with […]
ACLU Lawsuit Aims to Protect Reproductive Health Access for Undocumented Minors
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on Friday against the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which claims that the ORR has violated the separation of church and state by providing millions of dollars annually to Catholic Charity organizations that refuse to provide constitutionally […]
Pat Summit, Trailblazer of Women’s Sports, Dies at 64
Pat Summit, former coach for Tennessee’s Lady Vols basketball team and icon of women’s sports, died early on June 28 in Knoxville, TN.