Yesterday, Maryland’s High Court rejected a petition effort that would have interfered with a recent Montgomery County law banning discrimination based on gender identity. The law, which prohibits gender identity-based discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations, was passed by the Montgomery County Council last November and signed into law by County Executive Isaiah Legget. […]
A recent report released by New York City’s Health Department examines a strong connection between women murdered in the city and domestic violence. The report (see PDF) found that 44 percent of all women murdered in the city between 2003 and 2005 were killed as a result of domestic violence. The report defines domestic violence […]
Abortion is poised to be a major issue in this year’s presidential race and the Democratic and Republican parties have approved platforms that outline opposing positions. The Democratic Platform (see PDF) states that “the Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless […]
Donny Deutsch recently made sexist comments about Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin and former Democratic Presidential contender Hillary Clinton. Deutsch appeared on CNBC‘s Squawk the Street (Watch the video here) and made several misogynistic comments including praising Palin for earning respect through her ability to make men “want to mate with her” and calling […]
The Spanish government has appointed an expert panel to explore possible changes to Spanish abortion law. Currently, abortion is legal in Spain, but only in cases of rape, severe fetal abnormalities, or when the mother’s mental or physical health is at risk, according to Reuters. The appointed panel consists of doctors, lawyers, academics, and government […]
An Ohio ballot measure that would have mandated employers to provide paid sick leave was withdrawn from consideration by the Secretary of State last week. A coalition of more than 150 organizations, Ohioans for Healthy Families, worked to put the measure (see PDF) on the ballot and also made the decision to withdraw it. If […]
Four Iranian women’s rights activists have been sentenced to six months in jail for “spreading propaganda” against Islam. Specifically at issue is their work as part of the Million Signatures Campaign as well as articles they posted online, according to Agence France-Presse. The Million Signatures Campaign is a petition drive that seeks to end discriminatory […]
The official Republican Party Platform adopted this week has the potential to threaten women’s rights domestically and abroad. Globally, the platform (see PDF) rejects adopting the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It supports withholding funds from international organizations involved in abortion and upholding the “Mexico City […]
More than 800 were arrested at the Republican National Convention this week. In addition to the arrest of hundreds of protesters, four journalists, including Amy Goodman of Democracy Now were arrested while covering the protests. (Watch video of Goodman’s arrest here.) In addition to continuous protests outside of the convention site, some protesters also attended […]
The measure that would have preserved affirmative action programs in Colorado will not be on the November ballot. The measure, Initiative 82, would have preserved affirmative action programs that are threatened by Amendment 46, which has been cleared for the ballot. The disqualified initiative fell about 8,000 signatures short of the number required. If approved, […]
Proposed amendments to the Florida state constitution were disqualified Wednesday after a ruling by the Florida Supreme Court. The proposed amendments were placed on the ballot by the 2007-08 Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, a move that was reportedly engineered by former Governor Jeb Bush, according to Americans United for Church and State. The […]
A women’s health clinic that opened in Green, Ohio this summer will move to Akron. The clinic, which offers a range of services, including abortion services, was picketed daily by anti-abortion protesters. Kellie Copeland, spokeswoman for NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, told the Canton Repository that the clinic’s decision to relocate resulted from the fact that the […]
Within the past week, both the California State Senate and the State Assembly passed an equal pay bill that will now be sent to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill (see PDF) clarifies time frame for submitting claims of unequal pay and discrimination, beginning at the date of each unlawful payment or act. These parameters for […]
An anti-affirmative action ballot measure in Arizona will not be on the November ballot. The measure was decertified based on the signatures collected, but its decertification was challenged last week. A lawsuit to restore the measure to the ballot was officially abandoned Friday by supporters of the measure, who cited an inability to review all […]
There will be a full investigation into the case of two convicted rapists who were given a pardon by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in May. The victim, Sara, discovered that the men had been released from prison when she they saw them walking in their village and she has since been forced into hiding with […]
A last-minute lawsuit filed Wednesday in Arizona seeks to put a decertified affirmative action ban back on the ballot. The lawsuit argues that election officials in four counties wrongly deemed a number of voter signatures to be invalid and that if these signatures were recounted, then the measure would qualify, according to the Associated Press. […]
The Mexican Supreme Court has ruled 8-3 that a Mexico City law that allows abortion in the first trimester is constitutional. Outside of Mexico City, abortions are allowed only “in cases of rape, when the mother’s life is in danger, or if the fetus has severe deformities,” according to the Associated Press. The Court’s decision […]
Randall Terry, the founder of the militant anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, was arrested at the Democratic National Convention after leading a sit-in that would have blocked a convention center entrance. Nearly 60 participated in the sit-in and 13 were arrested after police warned the protesters to disperse three times, according to the Associated Press. Terry […]
Del Martin, a pioneering activist for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and feminist movements in the United States, passed away yesterday. “Del was a courageous champion who without question is the foremother of the current lesbian and gay rights movement. I am proud I was able to serve with her on the NOW Board when […]
Senator Joe Biden, who has long worked closely with the women’s movement, accepted the Democratic nomination for Vice President last night. Biden was introduced by a short video and remarks by his son, Beau Biden. Both highlighted Senator Biden’s work with the Violence Against Women Act. Beau Biden said “When domestic violence was often a […]
