Afghan government officials have reportedly negotiated a draft peace framework with the Taliban, raising concerns among women’s rights activists in Afghanistan and around the world that any reemergence of the Taliban on the political scene could mean a rollback of women’s advancements in the country, as it did under the Taliban’s previous reign.
Trump Defies Science to Attack Transgender Americans
The Center for Disease Control’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that nearly 2% of all high schoolers identify as transgender; this report also confirms that transgender students need to be protected in and out of school. In school, transgender students are more likely to be victims of bullying, whether in person or online. They […]
Japan’s Supreme Court Upholds Law Requiring Sterilization to Legally Change Gender
The Japanese Supreme Court unanimously upheld Law 111, which requires transgender people looking to officially change their gender to undergo sterilization by removing their original reproductive organs, causing human rights and LGBT activists to immediately denounce the ruling. The Supreme Court denied Takakito Usui, a transgender man, an appeal against the 2004 law, citing that […]
4 Young Girls Subjected to Strip Search in Binghamton, NY
Last Thursday, a school district in Binghamton, New York was accused of subjecting four 12-year old girls to strip searches; the allegations have united community members to call for the resignation of school employees involved in the strip search. The rallied community members called for the resignation of the school nurse and assistant principal at […]
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State ERA Introduced in Maine Legislature
Yesterday, lead sponsor Representative Lois Reckitt and lead co-sponsor Senator Rebecca Millett introduced a state Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the Maine state legislature. The State ERA already has 116 co-sponsors. The lead sponsors believe the measure will pass with at least the two-thirds majority needed. If the State ERA passes with a two-thirds vote, […]
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Bills to Re-Open Government Fail in the Senate
Today, furloughed workers received their second consecutive $0.00 paycheck because yesterday, a plan made by the Democrats, that they hoped would have bipartisan support to end the shutdown, failed to pass, forcing the government shutdown to continue in its 35th day. House Democrats are in the process of composing a border security proposal of $5.2 […]
New Ohio Governor ramps up Attacks on Abortion Rights
Newly sworn in governor Mike DeWine made a surprise appearance at the Ohio March for Life rally on Tuesday and has announced that he would sign the heartbeat bill, vetoed by Kasich, if it came to his desk. This bill would ban abortion after 6 weeks without exceptions for rape and incest, making it the […]
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Nissin Removes Naomi Osaka ad After Receiving Backlash for Whitewashing
Nissin Food Holdings took down a controversial advertisement on Thursday that included a whitewashed version of tennis star and 2018 US Open winner, Naomi Osaka who is half Japanese and half Haitian. The anime style ad drawn by Takeshi Konomi, a notable manga artist, depicted Osaka with light skin, changed hair style, and Caucasian features […]
New York Passes Reproductive Health Act, protecting Abortion Rights
On Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York signed the Reproductive Health Act into law, providing protection against prosecution if an individual receives abortion care as well as expanding the availability of abortions. The law expands the criteria for receiving an abortion as well: the fetus is not viable; endangers the life of the mother; […]
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California Bans Gender-Based Rating for Car Insurance Premiums
California has joined multiple states in banning discriminatory gender-based criteria in determining car insurance premiums, practices that charge higher premiums for women based solely on their gender. The Gender Non-Discrimination in Automobile Insurance Rating Regulation was put into effect this month by the California Commissioner’s Office. Doug Jones, the California Commissioner, approved this regulation as […]
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Federal Trial Reviews Trump Administration’s Citizenship Question on 2020 Census
A new federal trial began Tuesday in Maryland reviewing concerns that the inclusion of a citizenship question to the 2020 census will depress participation of households with noncitizens just a week after a federal judge in New York barred the Trump administration from adding the question to the survey. The same issue is also being […]
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Michigan State University Interim President John Engler Resigns
John Engler, the interim president at Michigan State University, resigned Wednesday after receiving backlash against his comments on the survivors of the former physician for two women’s varsity teams at Michigan State University and previous doctor for the American gymnastics team, Larry Nassar, stating the survivors were “enjoying the spotlight.” In an 11-page letter to […]
Senate to Vote on Short-Term Spending Bill
The Senate has scheduled a vote for Thursday on Trump’s proposal to reopen the government, after the 33 day government shutdown. If the proposal fails to receive the 60 votes needed to prevent filibuster, the Senate will then vote on a different short-term spending bill that will reopen the government until February 8th—the House has […]
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Supreme Court Announces Trump Transgender Military Ban can Immediately take effect
The Supreme Court announced this morning that the Trump administrations’ ban on transgender military service can immediately take effect, impacting over 9,000 Service members, but the Supreme Court declined hear arguments regarding the ban’s constitutionality. Appeals to lower courts will continue but the Supreme Court issued a stay of lower courts’ injunctions which prevented the […]
Government Shutdown Now at 32nd Day, Impacting Federal Workers
On Saturday, during a White House address, President Trump stated he would grant a temporary three-year protection for Deferred Action For Child Arrivals (DACA) immigrants from deportation, without a pathway to citizenship, in exchange for $5.7 billion to fund a permanent wall on the U.S. – Mexico border. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he […]
Afghan Woman Appointed to Key UN Post
Sima Samar, a top Afghan human rights and women’s rights advocate, was appointed to the United Nations High Level Advisory Board of Mediation. Dr. Samar has been a leading advocate for human rights and women’s rights and has served in high ranking roles since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. Since then, she […]
Taliban Threatens To Pull Out Of Afghan Peace Talks
This week, the Taliban threatened to pull out of the Afghan peace talks, led by Zalmai Khalilzad–former US ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan and current envoy assigned to bring the negotiators to the table–impeding progress to negotiating the end of the war.
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Virginia Senate Passes ERA
The Republican majority Senate of the state of Virginia passed a resolution to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment on Tuesday, the 15th. The resolution was passed by a vote of 26 to 14.
Afghan Women Athletes Report Assault
Women athletes on the Afghanistan national football team have come out with serious allegations of sexual and physical assault against leaders of the Football Federation of Afghanistan (AFF), an affiliate of FIFA, including its president Keramuudin Karim.
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Equal Rights Amendment Passes Virginia Senate
BREAKING: The Virginia State Senate has passed the Equal Rights Amendment by a vote of 26-14. More details will be announced tomorrow.