Nurses in Namibia reported that at least half the women and children admitted to hospitals and clinics could be victims of domestic abuse. Medical anthropologist Debie LeBeau at the Sociology department of the University of Namibia interviewed the nurses, who are the first to see abused patients and can sense which are victims of domestic […]
On the anniversary of the women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, NY feminists are keeping one foot firmly planted in the past with a watchful, yet hopeful eye toward the future. Present-day women’s rights activists are proud to say that we can now claim the right and own property and have laws that promise equal […]
The morning-after pill can be used as an effective means of preventing pregnancy, according to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers found that women who used the packets of hormone pills correctly had no side effects compared to those who had to go through their physicians. Last year the […]
Researchers at the 12th Annual World AIDS Conference in Geneva reported their latest findings on the detection and treatment of the HIV virus. Dr. Homa Yoon Farzadegan reported that HIV+ women might need AIDS therapies much sooner than HIV+ men. Traditionally, gay men were the subjects of disease progression experiments, but new research has shown […]
The 25th annual National Women’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for July 10-12, a date that marks the 150 year anniversary of the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. Inductees this year include US Secretary of State Madeline Albright and poet Maya Angelou. Other inductees expected to attend include Special […]
Women with average cholesterol levels who have already experienced heart attacks can reduce their chances of repeat coronary problems through the aid of a new cholesterol-lowering drug, according to a study in July’s Journal of the American College of Cardiology. “Women with (a heart attack) show strong, early reductions in recurrent coronary events during therapy […]
A new study released by 12 leading US centers for hereditary cancer will aid in establishing a reformed set of guidelines that state which female patients should be tested for breast and ovarian cancer, based on family history of the disease. The 238 women participants had been already diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, and […]
The American Association of University Women announced a new national commission to study the gender differences in children regarding computer-based technologies. Studies have shown that there are differences in boys’ and girls’ approaches to technologies, but this study will determine exactly what forms these differences take and why. “Girls are using technologies in new and […]
Currently injunctions restricting the use of force by abortion protesters are given out locally, but NOW lawyers are hoping to use RICO on the back of a successful verdict in NOW v Scheidler to push for a national injunction. In this landmark case, Operation Rescue, Scheidler and his colleagues were found liable for violating the […]
Pope John Paul II rebuked pleas from a growing number of liberal Catholics in a statement released Tuesday which changes the church’s cannon law to include a ban against discussing issues that include the ordination of women and euthanasia. Tuesday’s proclamation comes as a disappointment to many progressive theologians who had hoped to continue discussions […]
A federal appeals court in Virginia has ruled that Virginia’s so-called “partial-birth” abortion ban is constitutional, overturning the decision of the lower courts to enjoin the ban and allowing them to begin enforcing the ban. Judge J. Michael Luttig, who handed down the ruling, is historically conservative and upheld Virginia’s law requiring parental consent to […]
The National Center for Health Statistics issued a report on June 30 that indicated a drop in the “out-of-wedlock” birth rate for black women of every age group. Black women under thirty have shown especially large declines. Officials who have interpreted the study attribute the decline to increased use of contraceptives by black women. Sex-education, […]
The military’s longstanding “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was declared discriminatory on Monday when a California state judge ruled in favor of a decorated officer who claimed he was discharged from the National Guard because he is gay. The policy, instituted by the Clinton Administration over five years ago, discriminates on the basis of “sexual […]
French fashion magazine Elle will be priced at 14 francs ($2.34 in U.S. currency) instead of the usual 13 ($2.17) in order to help raise money for the women of Afghanistan. In addition, Elle will donate one franc per issue, so a total of two francs will be donated for each magazine sold. French relief […]
U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro ruled that the Boston School Committee has a “compelling interest” to assemble a diverse student body and thus may consider race when making admissions decisions at public schools there. Ninth-grade student Sarah Wessman sued the prestigious Boston Latin School, claiming that she was denied admission because she is white. […]
A planned merger between Baptist Health Systems (BHS) and Mercy Hospital may force the loss of essential reproductive healthcare services for women seeking healthcare at 4 Florida hospitals. Mercy Hospital is a Catholic facility that could follow the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services compiled in 1971 by the National Conference of […]
The Missouri Supreme Court has overturned a law that contained a ban on marriage between persons of the same sex. Since Missouri’s marriage laws still define marriage as a contract between a man and a woman, marriage is still unavailable to lesbian and gay citizens there. A buyer for a local bookstore said that gay […]
President Clinton signed and announced an executive order that adds sexual orientation to a list of categories for which discrimination is illegal in federal civilian governmental agencies. The current list of categories includes race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, and sexual orientation. Protection for gay and lesbian workers had already been issued at […]
Results from a U.S. Department of Labor study on compliance with labor laws at L.A. garment factories’ show that the overall rate of compliance with Fair Labor Standards Acts requirements is 39%, the same rate recorded in1996. The findings were announced Wednesday at an L.A. Stakeholders Forum that included contractors, manufacturers, retailers, worker’s rights groups, […]
Married women in Bangladesh are accorded extremely low status, yet most women opt for marriage given that the status of single women is even lower. Nurjahan, a teenage mother of two, recently married a man that has married 17 times before in an attempt to shelter herself from the violence from other men. She chose […]
