The Vermont Supreme Court ruled today that lesbian and gay couples must receive benefits and protections equal to those given to married couples of the opposite sex. The Court is leaving it up to the state Legislature to determine whether the benefits will be given through formal marriages laws or a parallel domestic partnership system. […]
Planned Parenthood and several other abortion providers won a victory in February when a Portland jury ordered militant anti-abortion protestors to pay $109 million for threatening abortion providers with “Wanted Posters” and The Nuremberg Files Web site. The plaintiffs, however, have collected virtually no payments. Last Spring U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones ruled that […]
A thirteen-year old girl, “Laura,” who is three months pregnant, has been denied an abortion by an Italian court, overturning the decision of her guardian to go ahead with the procedure. Laura is three months pregnant by her fourteen-year old boyfriend, who is also mentally disabled. Her guardian described Laura as a “a 7-year-old who […]
Responding to questions on abortion from Larry King last night on ‘Larry King Live,’ Republican Presidential candidate George W. Bush declared that “the American people need to be led toward life.” Bush also spoke of respecting differences of opinion on the issue of abortion within the party and the possibility of “common ground” on issues […]
Women Waging Peace, organized by Swanee Hunt, a former U.S. ambassador and director of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, which sponsored the event, launched a global network to move women’s peace efforts toward shaping public policy. Over two weeks, 110 women from around the world […]
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Title IX compliance on Thursday in their decision on a lawsuit filed by a group male wrestlers, claiming that the university was discriminating against them on the basis of sex. Essentially the ruling allows California State University at Bakersfield to eliminate men’s […]
At the end of December, the Pro-Choice Public Education Project, a nationwide consortium of abortion rights groups, will begin broadcasting 30-second commercials aimed at female viewers 16 to 25 years old. The ad will be shown in New York and California and released to the 50 PEP member organizations for their use. The ad is […]
A proposed state ban on lesbian and gay marriages in California would affect nearly 150,000 children living with lesbian and gay couples or single parents. According to a study by Michael Wald, Stanford University law professor, those children might feel ostracized by society if their parents’ marriages were not considered valid. Wald specializes in the […]
Two studies published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine found that alcohol, drugs and unemployment are dramatic contributors to violence against women. The studies compared the cases of 661 female victims of violence treated in emergency rooms to cases of 1,179 women and girls treated for other medical problems. One study, led by Demetrios […]
Chilean banker Liliana Labra has been appointed as head of the Banco de Credito e Inversiones, the only bank in Antarctica. The first woman to run the branch, Labra said she is excited about the opportunity and slightly apprehensive. “But I know that this is a huge challenge that will open doors for other women […]
The Taliban militia has invited First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to visit Afghanistan and view for herself the condition of women there. Taliban foreign ministry said in a statement that Ms. Clinton was welcome to visit Afghanistan and “speak to Afghan women about their rights.” The statement issued by the Taliban on Tuesday claims that […]
According to two reports issued Tuesday, one in three American schools offer abstinence-only policies that leave out any discussion of birth control or the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The Kaiser Family Foundation found in a survey of secondary school principals that 34 percent of their sex-education programs had abstinence-only policies. In […]
Defense Secretary William Cohen has ordered spot checks of military bases around the nation to determine whether lesbian and gay service members are being harassed. The acting Pentagon Inspector General, Donald Mancuso, will supervise teams that will determine what problems exists in implementing President Clinton’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for lesbians and gay men […]
According to a Reuters survey, more women will work in financial markets by the year 2010 and could become the managers of the future. The survey shows that women are moving into higher-powered positions and have more flexibility in employment advancement. Reuters also found that financial market jobs like trading, brokering and dealing, historically dominated […]
In keeping with the United Nations resolution passed on November 14, the State Bank of Pakistan has ordered banks to freeze all assets belong to Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban army. The UN imposed economic sanctions on the Taliban in an attempt to force the Taliban to hand over suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden, accused of masterminding […]
Jordan’s Senate revoked a bill that permits lenient punishment for those who kill their female relatives thought to have shamed their families. Senator Leila Sharaf during Monday’s sessions argued against keeping the current code that ensures leniency for men who murder family members. “Do we want every man in this country to take the law […]
Sarah Weddington was the keynote speaker for the National Organization for Women-New York state annual conference in Saratoga Springs on Saturday. The conference, held at the Gideon Putnam Hotel, was entitled “The Millennium Summit – To Your Health,” and highlighted health care and reproductive rights. Lois Shapiro-Canter, NY NOW president, spoke about the high cost […]
Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party has named as his running mate political dissident and feminist Annette Lu, the first woman ever to run for vice president in Taiwan on a major party’s ticket. Chen made the announcement on the anniversary of the Formosa Incident, a human rights protest that ended violently. Chen praised […]
Former Senator Carol Mosely-Braun was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa by Vice President Al Gore on Thursday. Mosely-Braun, the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, made it clear in her remarks that her diplomatic appointment is a vindication of all allegations against her. Mosely-Braun even thanked Senator Jesse […]
The World Food Program (WFP) stated today that millions of people in war-ravaged Afghanistan face the potential of severe food shortages this winter. The WFP pointed to soaring wheat prices, a bad harvest, and a lack of supplies from Pakistan as contributors to this potential food crisis in Afghanistan. Many in Kabul blame the United […]
