A federal judge last week issued a preliminary injunction against a Washington state rule that requires pharmacies to provide emergency contraceptives like the morning after pill. US District Judge Ronald Leighton said pharmacists can refuse to sell emergency contraceptives if they immediately refer the customer to another nearby source. Under Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire, the […]
Two Missouri women, Rose Marie Hudson and Elsie Hainz McGrath, were ordained as Catholic priests on Sunday by Roman Catholic Womenpriests. 600 well-wishers came to view the ceremony, held at the Central Reform Congregation synagogue in St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke threatened to excommunicate the women if they proceeded with the ceremony. […]
Student outrage over the skyrocketing birth control prices at their college health centers is growing. Students facing doubling, tripling, and even quadrupling contraception prices are now organizing. Feminist Majority Foundation, NARAL Pro Choice America, National Organization for Women, and Planned Parenthood student groups are organizing actions nationwide. In New York City, students for several colleges […]
A new study just released confirms a host of previous studies that abstinence only education does not reduce sexual activity or the incidence of pregnancies among teens. The study released by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy also contradicts assertions by advocates of abstinence only programs that comprehensive sex education promotes promiscuity. […]
The House voted 235-184 on Wednesday to give anti-discrimination protections to gay, lesbian and bisexual workers. The bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would make it illegal for businesses with 15 or more employees, except the military, religious groups, and private clubs, to make decisions about hiring, firing, promotions, and pay on the basis of sexual […]
A recent study by the Gender and Multi-Cultural Leadership Project highlights state and local elected officials of color. The study examines the background, history, roles, and policy positions of these officials. Ms. Academic Committee scholar Carol Hardy-Fanta, Director, Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts, was one of the […]
The City Council of Oakland, CA voted on Wednesday to approve an ordinance that establishes safety zones around women’s health clinics, and requires protestors to stay at least eight feet away from patients entering the clinics. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the ordinance is meant to address “an increasing number of complaints of harassment […]
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve Judge Michael Mukasey’s nomination as attorney general on Tuesday, despite his refusal to define water-boarding as torture. Two Democrats, Senators Dianne Feinstein (CA) and Charles Schumer (NY), voted with the Republicans on the committee making the vote 11-8. Mukasey’s nomination will now move to the full Senate. Mukasey’s […]
Pro-choice candidates were successful in yesterday’s election, taking control of Virginia’s State Senate away from anti-choice legislators and making gains in the State House, as well. In Virginia, 84% of the candidates endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia were victorious, according to the NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia press release. “This shift will not only help us protect […]
Rep Joseph Crowley (D-NY), along with 103 co-sponsors, introduced the Prevention Through Affordable Access Act last week. The bill will address the growing problem of skyrocketing birth control prices on college campuses and in clinics that serve women with low incomes. It has bipartisan support. Prices have gone through the roof due to an unintended […]
Anti-abortion extremist groups have threatened to sue the city of Denver because they have not yet been given permits to demonstrate during the August 2008 Democratic National Convention. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department began accepting special-event applications for 2008 on Thursday, reports the Rocky Mountain News. The city cut 14 parks from those available […]
Anti-choice Missouri Governor Matt Blunt recently launched a taskforce to investigate the effects of abortion. The group’s members are examining “the physical, emotional, social and economic effects of abortion,” reports the Associated Press. Blunt has said that he will begin the taskforce with the “presumption that abortion has a negative impact on Missouri children, Missouri […]
Anti-abortion extremist groups are in the preliminary stages of getting an abortion ban initiative on the 2008 South Dakota ballot. An email from the group 40 Days for Life noted a 95 percent vote among anti-choice leaders to pursue another ballot initiative, reports the Argus Leader. The Secretary of State’s website currently lists a proposal […]
The US House of Representatives has cut in half earmarks in the appropriations bills for the military and 11 other agencies compared to last year. Led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) the Democratic leadership fulfilled a promise to cut this targeted spending which is primarily used by members to finance pet projects. Under new disclosure […]
The Senate passed the re-vamped SCHIP expansion bill on Thursday with a vote of 64-30. The House passed the same bill 265-142 last week with only one Democrat voting no, 26 votes short of the two-thirds required to override the veto promised by President Bush. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides health insurance […]
According to a report released this week by the National Women’s Law Center, an alarmingly high number of young women are dropping out of high school. These young women face higher economic costs than their male counterparts. “The high school dropout crisis has received significant recent attention but almost exclusively as a problem for boys. […]
Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced yesterday the International Violence Against Women Act. The bill was written with the input and expert advice of over 100 NGOs focusing on gender-based violence, human rights, health care, international development and aid, including the […]
House Foreign Affairs Committee hearings yesterday on the Global Gag Rule, which prohibits family planning programs receiving US federal funds from speaking about or counseling on abortion, revealed its profound anti family planning and lethal impact on the poorest women in the world. House Committee Chair Lantos’s (D-CA) challenging introductory remarks summarized its anti-birth control […]
Mal Johnson, who was the first woman reporter hired by Cox Radio and Television New, died over the past weekend. As Cox’s White House correspondent, Johnson covered five presidents, as well as Capitol Hill, the State Department, and various federal agencies. The National Council of Women’s Organizations (NCWO) announced that creation of the Mal Johnson […]
Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, just announced, as of November 5, the National Partnership will become the publisher of the Daily Women’s Health Policy Report, currently published the Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser will then include women’s health issues in its Daily Health Policy Report. To sign up for the […]
