Yesterday, the British Medical Association (BMA) released a report calling for broad changes in media portrayals of beauty and “ideal” body type. The report argues that “the media’s obsession with stick-thin supermodels was contributing to the rise in the number of young women suffering from eating disorders.” The BMA calls for a realistic range of […]
Honduran Girl Exposes Sweatshop Abuses
At a news conference held Wednesday (5-28) on Capitol Hill, a fifteen-year-old girl told of abuses in a sweatshop in her native Honduras that made clothing for retail giant Wal-Mart’s Kathlie Lee Gifford line of clothing. Wendy Diaz said about 100 minors as young as 12 years old worked 13 hours a day for a […]
Sponsor of Anti-Same Sex Marriage Act Accused of Hypocrisy
Rep. Robert Barr (R-Ga.), chief sponsor of the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” aimed at preventing same-sex marriages does not provide a model for family values, according to lesbian and gay rights advocates. Barr, 48, has been married three times and, in 1988, was accused of failing to pay child support. In 1992, Barr was […]
Man on Trial for Murdering Immigrant Wife
The murder trial for Timothy Blackwell began its third week Tuesday (5-28) in Washington state where Blackwell shot his wife and two other women during divorce proceedings one year ago. Blackwell met Susana Remerata of the Philippines through a catalogue called “Asian Encounters” that promised “pretty, single Asian women who want to meet you.” The […]
FDA Approves New Ovarian Cancer Drug
On Wednesday (5-29), the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug topotecan for the treatment of ovarian cancer in patients who do not respond well to chemotherapy and other treatments. SmithKline Beehcam Pharmaceuticals will begin selling the drug under the name Hycamtin in several weeks. The drug inhibits an enzyme that is essential for tumor […]
Academics, Clinton Criticize Anti-Affirmative Action Moves on Campuses
The American Association of University Professors has released a report calling for the University of California to reverse its July decision to dismantle affirmative action programs for women and minorities throughout the UC system. The report from the 44,000-member organization called the decision ill-advised, and indicated that the political motivation leading toward the decision was […]
U.N. Demands End to Violence Against Migrant Women Workers
At the opening of a five-day meeting United Nations meeting in the Philippines, U.N. experts called for action to put an end to violence against migrant women workers. As increasing rates of unemployment and poverty force more women, often Asian, to seek work in foreign countries, the risk of physical and sexual abuse against the […]
Groups Increase Pressure on Mitsubishi to Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
Last week, the National Organization for Women and Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH and Rainbow Coalition announced plans to expand their boycott of Mitsubishi, the Japanese auto maker accused of allowing the sexual harassment of hundreds of women. The groups are urging consumers to boycott Chrysler Corporation which buys some of its cars from Mitsubishi. Until […]
Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against Smith Barney
Financial services company Smith Barney is being sued by three women on claims of sex discrimination. The current employee and the two former employees suing the company allege that the firm discriminates against women in hiring, training, promotion, and pay, and that women were demoted for getting pregnant or taking maternity leave. In addition to […]
New Pap Smear Method Gets FDA Approval
A new method of obtaining Pap smears has been approved by the FDA in the hopes that it will produce less smudged slides and enable technicians to see cells more clearly to check for cancer. Using the ThinPrep 2000 Pap test by Cytyc Corp., doctors will place cervical cells in a vial and the cells […]
Old Catholic Church in Germany Ordains Two Women
Two women were ordained as priests in the Old Catholic Church in Konstanz, Germany. Angela Berlis, 33, is a theologian and Regina Pickel-Bossau, 48, is a teacher. The ordination ceremony highlighted the divisions in the Catholic church, coming less than three weeks before a scheduled visit by Pope John Paul II who has opposed the […]
House Approves Minimum Wage Increase, Defeats Small Business Exemption
The House voted 281-144 Thursday (5-23) to approve a 90-cent raise in the minimum wage, rejecting a Republican proposal to exempt small businesses from paying the minimum wage and overtime. Fifty cents of the increase would go into effect July 1, with the remaining 40 cents to follow a year later, eventually bringing the minimum […]
Abortion Takes Center Stage in Presidential Contest
President Clinton and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. Robert Dole debated Thursday (5-23) about late-term abortions. After Dole criticized Clinton’s veto of a late-term abortion ban, Clinton accused Dole of succumbing to political pressure on the issue and of disregarding the threats to women’s lives and health posed by the ban of the rare abortion […]
Naval Lt. Commander Faces Court-Martial for Rape
Lt. Commander Donald Clause faces a court martial at the Washington Navy Yard next week on rape charges. Clause allegedly raped a civilian co-worker last June 29 and is also charged with adultery, sexual harassment and conduct unbecoming an officer. Clause allegedly sexually harassed the woman repeatedly between June 19 and the end of July, […]
California Sheriff Increases Jail Time for Spouse Abusers
Sheriff Sherman Block has announced that he will increase by nearly three times the amount of time spouse abusers spend in jail. Despite concerns of jail overcrowding, batterers will now have to spend almost 70 percent of their sentences in jail as opposed to less than 25 percent of the sentence time like everyone else […]
Doctors Fail to Follow-Up on Ovarian Cancer
A study done by the National Cancer Institute has found that doctors routinely fail to check for the spread of cancer in 90 percent of the cases of women having surgery for early-stage ovarian cancer. In 1994, a panel drew up guidelines for the treatment of ovarian cancer, including recommendations that surgeons should take samples […]
Abortion Rights Supporters Create Fund for Harassed Clinician
Supporters of abortion rights have create a support fund to help with legal costs incurred in the case to protect All Women’s Health Services executive director, Jude Hanzo. On Thursday (5-16), Oregon Judge __ granted a permanent stalking order against militant anti-abortion extremist Paul deParrie. DeParrie targeted Hanzo with a “S.H.A.M.E.” campaign to “Stigmatize, Harangue, […]
Kansas Girl Wins National Basketball Championship
Laurie Koehn, 14, won first place in the Don Nelson/Tara VanDerveer International Shootout National Championship basketball competition held in Chicago, Ill. on Saturday (5-18). Kansas native Koehn made 48 of 50 free throws and 42 of 50 three-point shots at the competition to top all other competing state champions, male and female, including Ed Palubinskas, […]
Supreme Court Decision Heralded as Major Victory for Gay Rights
The Supreme Court’s Monday 6-3 decision to strike down a Colorado anti-lesbian and gay rights constitutional amendment will have far-reaching effects on the future of the lesbian and gay rights movement. The court ruled that lesbians and gay men cannot be denied government benefits and protections because of their sexual orientation. All concurring judges signed […]
South Carolina Bans Same-Sex Marriage
On Monday, South Carolina joined the ranks of Idaho, South Dakota, and Utah as the fifth state to ban same-sex marriages. Gov. David Beasley signed the bill which he hoped would “send a very clear message” about the state’s position on the issue.