On Friday, Pope Francis issued a new requirement mandating that Vatican officials report suspected sexual abuse to the Vatican judicial authorities. If they fail to do so, they will face fines or jail time. Francis says that this cooperation is absolutely necessary “in the activities of prevention.” This comes after the Pope admitted last month […]
Temporary Release Granted to Saudi Arabian Women’s Rights Activists
Three of eleven women’s rights activists arrested for human rights work in Saudi Arabia have been temporarily released from prison following a bail hearing on Thursday. More are expected to be released this Sunday but the Saudi Arabian media says that these releases are on a temporary basis. Eleven women were on trial in Saudi Arabia […]
Paycheck Fairness Act Passes U.S. House
On Wednesday, the Paycheck Fairness Act, also known as H.R. 7, passed the U.S. House of Representatives, with a final vote of 242-187 that included seven Republicans. The bill must pass the Senate and be signed by the President to become law. The Paycheck Fairness Act aims to strengthen protections against wage discrimination and amend […]
Trump Administration Argues the ACA is Unconstitutional
The Trump Administration is arguing that a federal appeals court should strike down the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) as unconstitutional, including the popular provisions to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions, the expansion of Medicaid, and the ability for young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until they are 26 years old. In […]
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NASA Cancels First Ever All-Female Spacewalk over Spacesuit
On Monday, NASA issued a press release cancelling the historic all-women spacewalk due to a lack of spacesuits. NASA claims only one correctly sized spacesuit will be accessible by Friday, when the walk was scheduled. Anne McClain, one of the two women set for the mission, is now forced to forfeit her place to a […]
Trump Expands Global Gag Rule, Further Restricting Abortion Access Worldwide
In a press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the expansion of the Global Gag Rule, also known as the “Mexico City Policy,” which prohibit U.S. funding for foreign aid groups and health organizations that provide or refer patients to abortion, even if they do so with separate non-U.S. resources. Although […]
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Michigan Will No Longer Fund Religious Based Adoption Agencies
Michigan will no longer fund adoption agencies that refuse to provide services based on religious beliefs. Previously, Michigan was one of nine states that provided funding for adoption agencies who refused service based on religious beliefs. Attorney General Dana Nessell reached the settlement with the ACLU, stating that “discrimination in the provision of foster care […]
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Discriminatory IAAF Rule to Monitor Female Athletes’ Testosterone Levels
The British Medical Journal has released a study stating that the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) rule requiring women track runners with five nanomoles per liter of testosterone in them to take hormonal treatment is not scientifically accurate. The IAAF have delayed the implementation of this rule after a South African runner, Caster Semenya, […]
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California Mosque Set On Fire Following Christchurch Massacre
Early Sunday morning, a Mosque in Escondido, California was set on fire and covered with graffiti with references to the Christchurch shooting. Seven people were inside, but fortunately, no one was injured and the congregants were able to extinguish the fire before officials made it on the scene. The vandals left behind graffiti which directly […]
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Study Finds About 4 Percent of Women Are Pregnant When Jailed
A study published in The American Journal of Public Health on Thursday found that about 4 percent of women who were currently incarcerated in state prisons in the United States were pregnant when they were first admitted. While overall prison rates have declined, the number of incarcerated women has been increasing at about a rate […]
Ohio Terminates State Funding For Planned Parenthood
On Thursday, the Ohio Department of Health(ODH) notified Planned Parenthood locations all across the state that they would no longer be receiving funding starting next month, due to a 2016 state law that was upheld earlier this month by a federal appeals court. The law forbids the state from providing funding to any affiliations that […]
Woman Won Afghan Singing Competition for the First Time
A woman has won Afghan singing competition, Afghan Star, for the first time in the shows 14-year run. Zahra Elham, an 18 year old and from the Hazara ethnic minority group, beat out her male opponent for first place. As Elham claimed victory, she said “today I represent all the girls of Afghanistan. Today not […]
New Zealand Bans Assault Weapons
Prime Minister Ardern announced Thursday a series of new regulations that will go into effect in response to the Christchurch shooting, including a ban on military-style semi-automatic and assault rifles. This plan comes just six days after the shooting and will go into effect within the month. The Prime Minister also detailed that parts used […]
Six-week Abortion Ban Bill Passes Mississippi Senate
On Tuesday, Mississippi senators passed, by vote 34-15, a 6-week abortion ban bill, which bans most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. If a physician performs an abortion before checking if there is a fetal heartbeat, or performs an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, the physician could have their medical license […]
FDA Approves First Drug for Postpartum Depression, but Could Cost Up to $34,000
The Food and Drug Administration approved brexanolone, an intravenous medication specifically designed to treat postpartum depression that is expected to be sold under the brand name Zulresso in June, for a hefty price tag of about $34,000. The drug works quickly, with effects taking place within 48 hours. However, the medication itself is delivered by […]
New Zealand Terrorist Attack Leads to Calls for Stricter Gun Regulation
Last Friday 50 people were killed and dozens injured at two mosques in a New Zealand terrorist attack. The shooting, which targetted Christchurch’s small Muslim community, was the deadliest shooting in New Zealand’s history and has led to increased calls for stricter gun laws in New Zealand. In response to this, multiple online and storefront […]
Karen Uhlenbeck: First Woman to Win Abel Prize in Mathematics
On Tuesday, Karen Uhlenbeck, a professor at the University of Texas, became the first woman in the world to win the Abel Prize, an internationally lauded award in mathematics, from The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. On May 21, Uhlenbeck will be presented the award by King Harald V of Norway at a ceremony. […]
Congress Introduces the EACH Woman Act to Repeal Hyde Amendment
The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Woman Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and require federal health insurance to cover abortion costs, was introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee and Sen. Tammy Duckworth in both houses of Congress last Tuesday. The Hyde Amendment bans federal funding for abortion with exceptions for […]
UN General Assembly Presidents States Regression in Women’s Political Power
U.N. President of the General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa addressed the Commission on Tuesday stating there has been a “serious regression” in women’s political power, pointing at the lack of progress for women in leaderships positions globally. In response to these obstacles Gabriela Cuevas Barron, The head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, proposed increased affirmative action […]
President of the Philippines under Fire for Sexist Comments
*********trigger warning: sexual assault and violence************** On Monday, the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte spoke at an event for the country’s National Women’s Month, that was meant to honor outstanding women in law enforcement and national security, but in his speech, Duterte referred to the women as “crazy” and “bitches” that deprive him of the “freedom” […]