The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday upheld a federal law that on its face treats men and women unequally. Immigration law in the United States holds that a child born outside of the U.S. to an unwed female citizen automatically becomes a U.S. citizen. A child born outside of the U.S. to an unwed male citizen, […]
Teen pregnancy and abortion rates are at a record low in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control announced yesterday, citing a combination of factors, including improved access to effective birth control, improved sex education, and abstinence programs. The data disproves anti-choice advocates’ claims that legal abortion, sex education programs, and accessible contraception will […]
Three women won historic seats in Northern Ireland’s House of Commons this week. Unionist Lady Sylvia Hermon was the first woman to be elected in the province of Ulster since Bernadette Devlin in 1969. The lawyer and academic said she hoped her victory would encourage other women to get involved in politics. Iris Robinson of […]
The medical office of a Tacoma, Washington abortion provider was bombed on Monday, June 11. Three clinic staff members were inside the building at the time and escaped injury; provider Dr. Doug Attig was in the parking lot during the noontime explosion and was also uninjured. After the blast, at least fifty people were evacuated […]
Cinematographer Amy Vincent, actor Whoopi Goldberg, and director Betty Thomas were among the award recipients at the 25th annual Crystal Awards in Los Angeles. The Crystal Awards honor individuals who have worked to expand the role of women in the entertainment industry. Amy Pascal, president of Columbia Pictures, said she has to defend her production […]
In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed an evangelist group designed to convert young children to meet in a school after hours if other private groups are allowed to use the space at that time as well. The decision, written by ultra-conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, maintains the Court’s prohibition on explicitly school-promoted religion, […]
In our December 1999/January 2000 issue, we reported that the French legislature—under pressure from feminists and lagging far behind most members of the European Union when it comes to female representation in Parliament—was scheduled to vote on a gender parity law. In June 2000, the law was officially announced, and was tested this March with […]
Choices Campus Community activists from AUBURN UNIVERSITY invite you to attend the third annual Southern Girls’ Convention on July 20 through July 22. Hundreds of feminists and campus activists from across the country will come together in Auburn, Alabama for a weekend of discussion, action, and entertainment devoted to building a powerful network of Southern […]
Lorri L. Jean, the former executive director of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, will become the new head of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). A Los Angeles resident, Jean oversaw the expansion of the L.A. Center from an $8 million organization to a $32 million organization, helping to increase private […]
President Bush’s Council on Social Security convened for the first time today to begin discussions on the future of the system. The 14-member council has only four women, and all of its members are in favor of privatization. “Privatizing Social Security could have a disastrous impact on elderly women, the majority of women would be […]
More than 3,000 protestors flooded the streets of Madrid on Sunday, in protest to President Bush’s upcoming visit on Tuesday. The protestors voiced opposition to a range of Bush’s policies, including his support of the death penalty, failure to abolish Third World debt, poor environmental policies, anti-abortion tactics, globalization, and the arms race. They held […]
Women on Waves left the Netherlands today to travel to international waters off the shores of Ireland, where abortion is illegal, to provide abortion and reproductive health services to women on a specially equipped vessel. FMF’s National Clinic Access Project’s staff is providing technical expertise in contemporary threat management and is assisting in the development […]
The Employment Policy Foundation reported this week that women are breaking into male-dominated fields, and getting paid well for it. From 1989-2001, the top 10 white-collar jobs where women’s participation increased included: Profession 1989 2001 Veterinarians 2% 43% Public Administrators 4% 37% Math & Science Teachers up 600% Chemistry Teachers up 400% Industrial Engineers 6% […]
The California Senate voted 26-12 to pass legislation on June 6 imposing state penalties on individuals who threaten or intimidate reproductive healthcare providers, staff, or patients. The bill, a state rendition of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE), also penalizes individuals who cause property damage at clinics or who block or attempt […]
In a major victory for immigrant women, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a 19 year-old Mexican woman refugee status as a victim of domestic violence. Applicants for asylum must prove that they cannot return home because of persecution as membership in a particular social group, lack of protection from their county’s government and […]
In an effort to thwart feminist student activism on college campuses nationwide, the conservative Independent Women’s Forum has unveiled a major anti-feminist advertisement campaign, called “Take Back the Campus.” Already in three college papers, the full-page ad lists “the 10 Most Common Feminist Myths,” disputing the accuracy of the college rape statistics and criticizing Women’s […]
A major study suggests that lower doses of the hormones estrogen and progestin as a therapy for menopausal women work just as well as higher doses, with fewer side effects. As many women fear, and doctors debate, that hormone replacement therapy may cause breast cancer, a low-dose hormone replacement regimen could become in demand in […]
Oklahoma’s anti-choice governor Frank Keating (R) signed a bill that will hold doctors liable for “physical and emotional injuries” suffered by a minor if they do not obtain parental consent prior to providing an abortion for the minor. The law does not prohibit the doctor from performing the abortion without parental consent, but pressures her/him […]
British Airways will pay millions of dollars in back pay to a group of more than 500 flight attendants who were prohibited from working on flights while pregnant. A British employment tribunal found the airline guilty of sex discrimination in 1998. A settlement was finally reached this week: the airline will pay $3.2 million in […]
A new report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that overall death rates and cases of cancer declined in the United States during the 1990s. The study shows mixed results for women’s health, increases in lung cancer deaths among women and improvements in breast cancer detection. Breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer […]
