The US Department of Health and Human Services has released proposed regulations that would repeal a ban preventing HIV-positive foreigners from entering the country. The law, originally enacted in 1987, prohibits foreign nationals with HIV from obtaining visas for travel to the US and prevents them from becoming legal permanent residents. The new regulations are […]
The Delhi High Court ruled today to decriminalize sexual activity between consenting same sex partners in New Delhi, India’s capital. This groundbreaking decision was made after eight years of proceedings and campaigning from gay rights activists. The first lawsuit seeking legalization of homosexuality in New Delhi was filed in 2001 by a gay rights NGO, […]
Minnesota’s Supreme Court unanimously denied Republican Senator Norm Coleman’s appeal yesterday, ruling that Democrat Al Franken is the winner of November’s Senate race. This ruling (see PDF) upholds the decision of lower courts in Minnesota, and states that Franken officially won the race by 312 votes – 0.011%. On John King’s “State of the Union” […]
The Planned Parenthood in El Paso, Texas, is closing after 72 years due to financial difficulties. Interim Executive Director Analinda Moreno announced the closure, which will affect six offices in El Paso that service more than 12,000 women, on Friday. She told the El Paso Times that “We knew eight days ago that there was […]
The DC Superior Court rejected a proposed referendum yesterday that aimed to overturn recent legislation in the District that would recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said in a statement, “The court’s ruling today is an important victory for fairness, the rule of law and the […]
The Supreme Court yesterday ruled in a razor slim 5-4 decision in favor of a group of white firefighters from New Haven, Connecticut on a Title VII race case that has far reaching impact on race, sex, and ethnicity employment cases. The decision (see PDF,), written by Justice Anthony Kennedy for Chief Justice Roberts and […]
This past weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which broke out after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a New York City gay bar. On the anniversary, seven patrons were arrested at a Fort Worth, Texas gay bar after police allegedly used excessive force during an alcoholic beverage code inspection. The Human Rights […]
The American Medical Association released a report at its annual meeting yesterday finding that abstinence-only sex education does not result in reduced sexual activity among teens. The American Medical News reported that the Council on Science and Public Health reviewed several sex education studies and found that abstinence-only programs resulted in “no delay of initiating […]
Vice President Joe Biden announced the appointment of Lynn Rosenthal as the first ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women Friday. The Vice President said that he and the President were looking for someone with a passion for helping victims of domestic violence. In his remarks, he said that “the worst imprisonment in the […]
At least fifteen HIV-positive women in Namibia who were forcibly sterilized are now suing the government. According to the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW), these cases represent a larger group of at least forty Namibian women who have been made infertile against their will (see PDF of report). Cases documented by the […]
Neera Desai, PhD, a pioneer of women’s studies in India, died of cancer at age 84 last week. Dr. Desai founded India’s first women’s studies program, the Research Center for Women’s Studies at SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai. She also served as head of the Post-Graduate Department of Sociology at the university. Desai promoted women’s […]
The US Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the strip-search of 13-year old student Savana Redding at her Arizona public school was unconstitutional. Redding was accused by another student of having prescription-strength ibuprofen, a substance banned under the school’s drug policy. When Vice Principal Kerry Wilson found no pills in Redding’s outer clothes or backpack, he […]
Attorney General Eric Holder testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday urging passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. Holder opened his remarks by referencing the recent shooting at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, as evidence of continued hate crimes and the need for this legislation to finally be passed. […]
Iranian Nobel laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi met with European Union Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering on Wednesday and urged him to respond to the post-election violence that continues in Iran. Ebadi, who earlier called for the Iranian government to hold new elections and pay reparations for protester casualties, is asking the EU and […]
A 2008 court decision which declared unconstitutional a Virginia ban on a specific abortion procedure was overturned yesterday by the Fourth District US Court of Appeals in a split 6 to 5 decision. The so-called “Partial Birth Infanticide Act of 2003” was declared unconstitutional in a 2008 2 to 1 panel ruling because it is […]
On Tuesday, the Arizona state Senate passed a restrictive anti-choice bill on a 16 to 12 vote. The bill is now awaiting final approval of Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who has an anti-choice record. She replaced current Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano who vetoed several pieces of anti-choice legislation while Arizona Governor. This legislation […]
L’Oreal was found guilty this week of racial discrimination in hiring by France’s highest court this week in a suit brought by SOS Racisme, a French anti-racism group. The suit claimed that L’Oreal employees were told to look for “BBR” women for a shampoo campaign – “BBR” stands for “bleu, blanc, rouge,” the colors of […]
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that millions in grants will be awarded to improve girls’ proficiency in math and science yesterday on the 37th anniversary of Title IX. The $2.4 million in grants will be distributed to 13 groups, which each run separate support projects. According to a press release, the four-year grants are […]
During a failed prison break, 20 women were brutally raped in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) late Sunday. During a botched escape attempt from a prison in Goma, ex-militia members allegedly violently attacked 20 female inmates and killed two guards after they failed to break through the prison’s walls to escape. The offending prisoners […]
As protests continue over Iran’s presidential election results, women are playing a major role in the public uprising. Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum argues that the large scale of demonstrations is due in part to years of organizing by women’s rights groups. Though many pundits are crediting the election of Barack Obama and the use […]
