The Eight Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday to lift a block on four restrictive abortion laws passed in Arkansas. Legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arkansas, Holly Dickson, stated: “This ruling is a reminder that the fight against these extreme abortion restrictions is far from won… we are evaluating our […]
Court Rules that Trans Students Must Have Access to Bathrooms that Match Their Gender
On Friday, a federal court in Florida ruled that it is unconstitutional for public schools to ban transgender students from using the bathroom that best matches their gender identity. In a 2-1 decision, the Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit issued the ruling on the basis that “a public school […]
Georgia Teen Who Posted Pictures of School Reopening Has Suspension Revoked
A teenager who was suspended after posting pictures on social media criticizing her high school’s reopening has had her suspension lifted. Hannah Watters posted pictures of her high school’s reopening which depicted scenes of crowded hallways with little social distancing and few students wearing masks. The pictures quickly went viral. Soon after posting them, Watters […]
Voting Rights Restored to Iowans with Felony Convictions
On Wednesday, Iowa ended its title as the only state in the nation to impose a lifetime voting ban on people with felony convictions when Governor Kim Reynolds signed an executive order restoring voting rights. The order automatically reinstated the right to vote to Iowans who have completed their felony sentences, excluding those convicted of […]
New York Attorney General Seeks to Dissolve the NRA, Citing Fraud and Abuse
Following an 18-month investigation into the National Rifle Association (NRA), New York Attorney General Letitia James took action on Thursday to dissolve the organization, which she argued is “fraught with fraud and abuse.” In a press conference, James announced that she was filing a lawsuit against the NRA along with four individuals affiliated with the […]
Today Marks the 55th Anniversary of the Landmark Voting Rights Act
August 6th marks the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). This momentous piece of legislation worked to ensure Black Americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote by combating voter suppression tactics. “I have said this before, and I will say it again – the vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It […]
Protests Surge Amid Growing Rates of Gender-Based Violence in Turkey
Protests have stirred across Turkey in recent weeks as thousands of women have taken to the streets to rally against gender-based violence. Wednesday saw some of the largest rallies yet in response to the rising femicide rates and violence against women in Turkey. Most recently, last month’s brutal murder of Pinar Gültekin, a 27-year-old university […]
Safety Zones to Protect Patients from COVID-19 and Protestors Up For Debate in Louisville
In Kentucky, the Louisville Metro Council is set to debate legislation that would allow healthcare facilities to create “buffer zones” outside their entrances. This would provide protection from COVID-19 and preserve access to services. This access is especially important for medical centers that provide abortion services. The EMW Women’s Surgical Center is the only licensed […]
New Podcast Encourages Iranian Women to Share Stories of Domestic Violence
A new podcast in Iran helps women share stories of domestic violence and raises awareness about the lack of support systems in place for Iranian victims. The podcast is run by an Iranian woman who was herself a victim of domestic violence. In Iran, domestic violence is seen as a private issue, and victims are […]
Study Measuring the Attractiveness of Women with Endometriosis Finally Removed
A peer-reviewed study rating the attractiveness of women with rectovaginal endometriosis, released seven years ago, has finally been finally retracted from the medical journal Fertility and Sterility. The study, titled “Attractiveness of women with rectovaginal endometriosis: a case-control study”, concluded that “Women with rectovaginal endometriosis were judged to be more attractive than those in […]
Trump Signs Order Aimed at Strengthening Telehealth and Rural Healthcare
On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at empowering rural healthcare providers and expanding access to telehealth services. Medicare has greatly expanded its coverage of telehealth services as part of its coronavirus emergency response, but that expansion is set to expire once the public health emergency is over. The executive order calls […]
New Study Reports 50% of Gen Z Men Think Feminism Has “Gone Too Far”
The UK-based advocacy group HOPE not hate recently released a July 2020 report detailing the attitudes and actions of 16 to 24 year-olds in the age of COVID-19. This study, titled Fear and Hope, studied over 2,000 Generation Z individuals to determine their attitudes about domestic and global politics. The study found that approximately 50 […]
Afghan Women and Their Allies Call for Meaningful Participation Intra-Afghan Peace Talks
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) and Cordaid, a leading Dutch relief and development organization hosted a virtual discussion on Afghan women’s role in the upcoming intra-Afghan talks on July 28, 2020. Panelists included former Ambassador of Afghanistan to Norway Shukria Barakzai; former Afghan Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Industries Nargis Nehan; former […]
Teen Jailed for Skipping Online Class Released by Michigan Court of Appeals
Oakland County teenager, known as “Grace,” has been released from jail after public outcry surrounding her imprisonment. Grace was incarcerated for not completing her homework after courses moved online due to the pandemic. The Michigan Court of Appeals voted to release the 15-year-old by overturning a previous ruling that cited missing homework as a probation […]
Claire Rezba Documents Deaths of Healthcare Workers as U.S. Government Ignores Them
Claire Rezba, an anesthesiologist, has been working at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia for years. As the pandemic hit the United States, elective surgeries have been canceled and rescheduled, giving her time to worry about her peers. Her sister is a nurse practitioner, her husband a physician, many of her friends work alongside her. As […]
Illinois Plans Overhaul of Juvenile Justice System to “Reduce the Harm of Incarceration”
On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker announced a four-year plan to overhaul the Illinois juvenile justice system by transferring incarcerated children out of large prison-like facilities and investing more in restorative justice practices. The plan would repurpose the state’s five large juvenile facilities and move the children detained there to small residential centers based in their […]
Reports Reveal China’s Campaign to Forcibly Sterilize Uyghur Women
Reports Reveal China’s Campaign to Forcibly Sterilize Uyghur Women Reports and victim testimonies have brought to light a mass forced-sterilization campaign undertaken by the Chinese government against the Uyghur people. Many Uyghur women have recounted having their fallopian tubes forcibly cut or having IUDs inserted against their will. Others, after being taken to one of […]
Acting Director of ICE Announces Retirement
On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting director Matt Albence announced his retirement from the agency, after serving in his position for just over a year. Albence began his work in federal immigration enforcement in 1994 and has moved positions over the years. He had briefly led ICE before, between Ronald Vitiello’s departure and […]
New St. Louis Nonprofit Aims to Support Women on the Edge of Poverty
St. Louis, Missouri has long been known to face disheartening rates of poverty. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that an estimated 24.2% of residents may be living in poverty. Mission: St. Louis, a Missouri-based organization, has reported that up to 40% of children in the city may be born into poverty. While the […]
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Immigration Wealth Test
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s wealth test that denied people permanent residency if they used or were deemed likely to use public services such as Medicaid or food assistance. The decision, from U.S. District Judge George Daniels, comes after New York and other states challenged the rule in light of the coronavirus pandemic, […]