The male-dominated Marine Corps announced on Monday that it will allow women to train in Quantico, Virginia at its infantry officer school. Women will also be allowed to participate in ground combat battalions. Marine Corps commandant General James F. Amos announced these new rules in an All Marine Message (ALMAR). According to General Amos, 40 […]
The Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments today on Arizona’s controversial 2010 immigration law. The Obama administration has challenged Arizona’s law on the grounds that it conflicts with Federal immigration policy and that the state overstepped its power. The Arizona law includes tough provisions intended to curb illegal immigration. Controversial parts […]
Florida Governor Rick Scott vetoed $1.5 million in funding for the state’s rape crisis centers this week. Scott’s decision will affect 30 rape crisis centers across 67 counties in Florida. Scott’s press secretary told the Huffington Post that the governor vetoed the legislation because”this new funding of $1.5 million would have been duplicative, since, as […]
A school in Afghanistan continues to educate girls despite violent threats, reports the Washington Post. Started by two brothers in Spina, the school provides local girls with an education that they cannot receive from the US-funded school that is only for boys. The school opened in 2007 after the US-funded girls’ school was destroyed. The […]
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) issued a <a href= “http://www.scribd.com/doc/90910497/EEOC-Ruling” target= “_blank”>ruling</a> on Monday that provides protection from workplace discrimination for transgender individuals. The ruling holds that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination against employees or job applicants on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, and national […]
Common Cause filed an IRS claim against the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) on Monday, claiming that group has lobbied in violation of its 501(c)(3) status as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. ALEC has denied the claims, saying the group studies legislative ideas and policy. ALEC’s general counsel, Alan P. Dye, told reporters that ALEC’s “purpose […]
The Tennessee State Senate passed a bill on Monday night that will apply the state’s murder and assault laws to embryos. In a 28-2 vote, the State Senate decided that when a pregnant woman is harmed, prosecutors should be able to bring murder and assault charges on behalf of a second victim, the embryo. Opponents […]
by Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation For the eleventh #HERvotes blog carnival, we’re joining together to urge the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Domestic violence results in over two million injuries every year. Three women die every day in the United States as the result of domestic violence. Since the passage of […]
Two members of congress are calling for the Secret Service to increase the number of female agents. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Senator Susan Collins spoke out about the importance of women in the Secret Service in light of the recent scandal in Colombia in which agents were accused of misconduct involving prostitutes. Paula Reid, a […]
A Wisconsin state law that went into effect on Friday has prompted Planned Parenthood clinics in the state to stop providing non-surgical abortions. Governor Scott Walker signed the law, “The Coercive and Web Cam Abortion Prevention Act” earlier this month. The law requires women seeking non-surgical abortions to visit the same doctor three times before […]
A man who hacked into Britain’s largest abortion provider’s computer system and stole information on 10,000 women has pleaded guilty to the charges. James Jeffery was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for stealing the information from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). He said he was prompted to steal the information […]
A Florida woman is facing 20 years in prison after being convicted on three counts of Aggravated Assault for firing a gun in the air to scare off her abusive husband. Marissa Alexander was arrested in August 2010 after a fight with her husband, who she says was abusive for many years. She said in […]
Three Planned Parenthood Branches announced this week that they will merge into one organization to create a more efficient women’s health resource center. Planned Parenthood of North Texas, Austin, and Waco will now become Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. The merger will also help Planned Parenthood in light of budget cuts and anti-abortion legislation. Ken […]
Oklahoma’s proposed Personhood bill will not come to a vote, the state House said on Thursday, but earlier this week the House passed a fetal heartbeat bill that is now awaiting the governor’s signature. The House Republican Caucus announced they will not to take up the controversial Personhood bill, saying the decision was based on […]
The Vatican has appointed a bishop to reform a group of American Nuns that it says is promoting “radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.” The Vatican investigated the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), a group that represents most of the US Catholic nuns. The investigation concluded that the US nuns were not […]
The Republican members of the Ohio House introduced a bill Wednesday night that would defund Planned Parenthood in the state. House Bill 298 would allocate federal funding to health centers within the state. Under an introduced amendment, funding would be cut off from organizations that provide abortion services. Ohio lawmakers and women gathered on the […]
President Obama signed a memorandum (PDF) yesterday requiring federal agencies to create comprehensive policies to assist employees who are victims of domestic violence. Federal agencies will be expected to have policies for preventing and intervening in domestic violence cases, both against or by employees. The agencies will also need to have specific guidelines for assisting […]
Vice President Joe Biden will hold a forum today with other senior officials to discuss the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. According to MSNBC, those speaking at the forum will include Attorney General Eric Holder, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Lynn Rosenthal, the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, and Sharon Love, […]
A gay airman, who was discharged from the US Air Force under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law, won the right to be reinstated in the military this week. Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde filed a lawsuit after being discharged under the law in 2008. The case, Almy v. US was filed in 2010 and challenged […]
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) announced on Tuesday that it would disband its task force that pushed legislation such as the Stand Your Ground laws and the voter-ID laws. The “Public Safety and Elections” task force of ALEC focused on non-economic issues and most recently gained attention for its advocacy of the Stand Your […]
