News

Three Democratic presidential candidates Senator Hillary Clinton (NY), Senator Barack Obama (IL), and former Senator John Edwards (NC), represented by his wife Elizabeth Edwards, shared their positions yesterday on current reproductive health care issues. The lecture series was part of Planned Parenthood’s annual public affairs conference in Washington, DC. Sen. Clinton, echoing her speech at […]

Yesterday marked the fourth day of a week-long anti-abortion protest led by Operation Save America in Birmingham, Alabama. Senior field staff from the Feminist Majority Foundation stationed in Alabama report that no major activity has disrupted any of the targeted clinics. The stated purpose of the protest, called “Back to Birmingham,” is to close the […]

Senate Democrats, in an effort to expose the Republican filibuster on the Iraq war, held an all-night session and rally last night. Despite many Republican senators verbally breaking with the White House, only four Republicans — Senators Olympia Snowe (ME), Susan Collins (ME), Chuck Hagel (NE), and Gordon Smith (OR) — voted to end the […]

A new law recently went into effect in Florida to protect victims of domestic violence from losing their jobs due to necessary time off to seek medical attention or counseling, or to take legal action. Employers with 50 or more employees are now required to provide up to three days off to victims. Compensation for […]

Anti-abortion protestors have gathered in both Birmingham, Alabama and Wichita, Kansas to target women’s health and abortion clinics. Feminist Majority Foundation senior field staff has been on the ground in both cities. The protest in Birmingham — dubbed “Back to Birmingham” — is a week-long event organized by Operation Save America. On Saturday, 28 protestors […]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has announced that the Senate will remain in session all night tonight in order to break the Republican filibuster that is preventing the full Senate from voting on an amendment to end the Iraq War. Despite dropping support for President Bush’s Iraq plan among some Republicans, pro-war senators still […]

Following the refusals of FOX and CBS networks to air a new advertisement for Trojan condoms, both local stations and national organizations are taking positions on the ad spot. Recently, local ABC and NBC affiliates in Pittsburgh announced that they would not run the ad despite the national networks’ decision to air it. Meanwhile, other […]

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed late Saturday to pay a record $660 million settlement to 508 victims sexually abused by the clergy. The resolution comes after four years of legal battles and just two days before the trial in the case was scheduled to begin. The payout is the largest of any Roman Catholic […]

District Judge Jeffre Cheuvront declared a mistrial yesterday in a Nebraska rape case in which the alleged victim would have been unable to say certain words, including “rape” and “assault”. Tory Bowen has accused Pamir Safi with raping her in 2004 when he allegedly knew that she was too intoxicated to give consent. Her trial, […]

Birmingham, Alabama and Wichita, Kansas are the targets of protests by anti-abortion groups this weekend. Starting tomorrow, Operation Save America — led by Flip Benham — will be in Birmingham for a week-long protest with the stated purpose of closing down the city’s last two abortion clinics: a Planned Parenthood clinic and the New Women, […]

A new law signed by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (D) gives women more rights and protections when breastfeeding in public. Governor Rendell signed the bill Monday, ensuring that a woman who breastfeeds in public cannot be accused of obscenity, indecent exposure, sexual conduct, or causing a nuisance. Breastfeeding advocates are pleased with the new law, […]

Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, a supporter of women’s rights and a passionate environmentalist, died last night of respiratory failure at the age of 94. Born in Karnack, Texas in 1912, the former first lady spent her life as an advocate for important social causes, including environmental protection, civil rights, the eradication of poverty, […]

The US House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protection held its second hearing yesterday on the Paycheck Fairness Act (HR 1338). Representative Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), who introduced the bill, said in her written testimony, “In the more than ten years, I have spent working on these issues, we were not able to get […]

Louisiana Senator David Vitter (R) has admitted to patronizing a high-end DC escort service and has been implicated as a patron of a New Orleans high-priced brothel. On Monday evening, Sen. Vitter, who won his Senate seat in 2004 and will be up for reelection in 2010, released a statement acknowledging that he had been […]

Representative Susan Davis (D-CA), a member of the male-dominated House Armed Services Committee, announced that she plans to attack head-on the issue of sexual harassment in the military. As the newly named chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel, she will now have the power to direct formal oversight of the issue. “Unfortunately, […]

Lindy Vivas, Fresno State’s women’s volleyball coach, was awarded damages on Monday after alleging that the school discriminated against her based on her perceived sexual orientation and because she advocated for better access to sports facilities for women athletes. Vivas sought the case in 2004 after her contract was not renewed just two years after […]

Richard Carmona, the first surgeon general appointed by President George Bush, testified yesterday that the Bush administration interfered with and censored his speeches on health issues, including stem cell research and sex education, in order to fit a political agenda. Carmona, who served as surgeon general from 2002 to 2006, told a House committee, “Anything […]