Anti Gay Rights Mayor of Spokane Scandal


A few weeks ago due to some really good investigative journalism in Spokane, Washington, it was found that Spokane Mayor Jim West, known for his anti-gay rights conservatism, was found to be soliciting men on Gay.com.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports…
Spokane Mayor Jim West, who championed an anti-gay agenda during his tenure as one of the most powerful Republicans in the Legislature, yesterday admitted to using the trappings of his current office to entice what he thought was a young adult man but denied allegations that he molested two young boys more than 20 years ago.
West confirmed to The Spokesman-Review of Spokane that he offered gifts, favors and a City Hall internship during Internet chats ...


A few weeks ago due to some really good investigative journalism in Spokane, Washington, it was found that Spokane Mayor Jim West, known for his anti-gay rights conservatism, was found to be soliciting men on ...

Amnesty International’s report of Women in Afghanistan

The Post-Taliban time of Afghanistan has been a confusing time for women. Although, the Taliban was known for its terrible treatment of women, it is still not clear what the condition for women is today and what role the international community plays in demanding the equitable rights of women.
A study done by Amnesty International found that women are still at serious risk in situations of abuse, abduction, etc.
AP reports…
Afghan women are in constant risk of abduction, rape and forced marriage and the government is doing little to address their plight, human rights group Amnesty International said in a report released 3 1/2 years after the ouster of the hardline Taliban regime.
A spokeswoman for the ...

The Post-Taliban time of Afghanistan has been a confusing time for women. Although, the Taliban was known for its terrible treatment of women, it is still not clear what the condition for women is today and ...

Bush rejects compromise on Stem Cell Research

The Washington Post reports that President Bush vows to veto the compromise that key Republicans have created to prevent a showdown in Washington.
House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.), who has an antiabortion voting record, said he talked with Nancy Reagan about finding “some kind of middle ground.” On Tuesday, he joined 49 other House Republicans to pass a bill that would repeal the limits Bush imposed when he announced the first federal funding for stem cell research in 2001.
“We very much want to be able to work with the president and see if there could be some kind of agreement,” Dreier said. “I don’t want the president to be in a position where he has to ...

The Washington Post reports that President Bush vows to veto the compromise that key Republicans have created to prevent a showdown in Washington.
House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.), who has an antiabortion voting record, ...

Got An Old Cell Phone?


The Body Shop National Cell Phone Collection is collecting used cell phones to stop family violence. Donated phones will be sold, refurbished, or recycled, with proceeds benefiting the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Wireless Foundation.
You can drop off your old phones at any of The Body Shop stores through August 31, 2005. Even better? Click here to learn how to start your own collection.


The Body Shop National Cell Phone Collection is collecting used cell phones to stop family violence. Donated phones will be sold, refurbished, or recycled, with proceeds benefiting the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence ...

GLBT Hate Crimes Bill Introduced

A federal hate crimes bill with explicit protections against crimes based on gender identity and sexual orientation was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday.
Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign exclaimed that, “We’re proud that for the first time legislation was introduced that explicitly covers the entire gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, and the community will have an unambiguous shot at equal protection under hate crimes law.”
While the bill is not expected to the pass, it’s notable that (given our scary political climate) it made it through the door at all.
Kudos to — Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), and Tammy Baldwin ...

A federal hate crimes bill with explicit protections against crimes based on gender identity and sexual orientation was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday.
Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign ...

Women & Smoking Update


So there is good news & bad news…
The good news — The CDC announced this week that smoking among women in the U.S. has dropped below one in five for the first time in nearly 30 years. Also notable — last year, the number of people who quit smoking was greater than the number of those who still smoked (only the second time in history that has happened). Nice.
And the bad — A preliminary study, by the European medical journal Human Reproduction, found that among women seeking fertility treatment, there was no difference in the pregnancy rate between smokers and nonsmokers who lived with a smoker, but that both groups ...


So there is good news & bad news…
The good news — The CDC announced this week that smoking among women in the U.S. has dropped below one in five for the first ...

Never underestimate the power of the dark side

Republicans don’t favor comprehensive sex ed for high school students, but apparently it’s a-OK by the time you’re a Capitol Hill staffer. That must be why Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma sponsored a “Star Wars”-themed STD slide show yesterday for young Congressional aides.
At the event, Coburn hypocritically advised staffers to use condoms. He has long been an anti-condom crusader.
Coburn’s STD presentation even contained a special message for the ladies. Apparently, it’s up to us alone to stop the spread of STDs:
“What would happen in this country if the young women would say no [to sex] until they’re 20?” [Coburn] asked. “Disease would go down, the pregnancy rate for unwed mothers would ...

Republicans don’t favor comprehensive sex ed for high school students, but apparently it’s a-OK by the time you’re a Capitol Hill staffer. That must be why Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma sponsored a “Star Wars”-themed ...

Take the Pill, Lose Your Libido?


A recent study by Boston University Medical College researchers found that women who take oral contraception may suffer a *permanent* loss of sex drive.
While researchers knew that oral contraceptives lower levels of testosterone (and therefore sex drive), and increase levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), scientists had previously believed that levels of SHBG would decline when women quit taking the pill. However, the new study found that levels of SHBG remained elevated. Dr. Claudia Panzer explained that: “You would expect levels to drop back to normal after about six weeks, but the worry is that these women will always have more. That means they will have very low testosterone, which has huge implications ...


A recent study by Boston University Medical College researchers found that women who take oral contraception may suffer a *permanent* loss of sex drive.
While researchers knew that oral contraceptives lower levels of ...

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