2006 March Archive | Feministing

Montana insurance companies must cover contraceptives

Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath said yesterday that insurance companies must cover contraceptives in prescription drug plans–doing otherwise is sex discrimination.

Attempts by women’s advocacy groups, like NARAL Pro-Choice Montana, have failed in recent years to get lawmakers to force insurance companies to automatically offer the coverage.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana said company lawyers are still reviewing the decision and have not yet determined when the mandate will become effective in current prescription drug policies.

Why is it so hard to cover something as easy as birth control pills? Because seriously, paying $50 a month not to get pregnant sucks.

Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath said yesterday that insurance companies must cover contraceptives in prescription drug plans–doing otherwise is sex discrimination.

Attempts by women’s advocacy groups, like NARAL Pro-Choice Montana, have failed in recent years to ...

By Samhita • 18 years ago

Alleged gang rape at Duke.

My roommate just brought this to my attention as her girl Manju (they are both from the League of Pissed of Voters w00t!) has participated in the protesting of Duke’s lackadaisical ignorance to charges of gang rape.

In as ugly a story as is likely to be reported in college sports this year, a black exotic dancer says she was beaten, strangled, and raped at a party hosted at a house rented by the three Duke lacrosse captains. The woman, who says she was told she’d be dancing for a few men at a bachelor party, told police she fought fiercely against her attackers, losing four fingernails in the process.
Initially, the lacrosse team denied it all. It was all ...

By Ann • 18 years ago

Pill of the (distant) Future

Scottish researchers are developing a new-and-improved birth control pill. It sounds positively dreamy: Non-hormonal! Prevents cancer! No PMS! Lower risk of blood clots!

While the Pill is the most effective form of contraception, many are put off by side-effects from the female hormones on which it is based… The new Pill works on a completely different principle, using a chemical called mifepristone to block the action of progesterone, which the body needs to ovulate and support a pregnancy.

But wait! Before you get too excited, note that the new Pill is an extremely low dose of mifepristone, which is the main drug used in medication abortion. So scientists are expecting anti-choice opposition to the pill’s approval.

“If it was ...

Scottish researchers are developing a new-and-improved birth control pill. It sounds positively dreamy: Non-hormonal! Prevents cancer! No PMS! Lower risk of blood clots!

While the Pill is the most effective form of contraception, many are put ...

By Ann • 18 years ago

Girls just wanna have fun …without getting raped

In case you aren’t tired of being called a slut yet, check out Concerned Women for America’s audio interview about girls gone wild on spring break. (Clearly, this is what the AMA warning hath wrought.)
Apparently somebody bought CWA’s Janice Crouse a copy of Female Chauvinist Pigs, because she repeats the book’s message nearly word-for-word: Young women are complicit in a culture that objectifies them.

What we find is the whole culture is really encouraging girls to be more wild. For instance, the Playboy is saying, you know, girls need to be more rebellious, a bit more out there in your face, a bit more like the guys. To be a prude or ...

In case you aren’t tired of being called a slut yet, check out Concerned Women for America’s audio interview about girls gone wild on spring break. (Clearly, this is what the AMA warning ...

By Jessica • 18 years ago

Body-confident women less likely to have unprotected sex

While I’ve had quite enough of studies talking about young people and all their risky sex (AMA, I’m talking to you!), I thought this one was worth checking out.
Apparently, young men who feel good about the way they look are more likely to have unprotected sex with multiple partners while young women with a positive body image were less likely to have risky sex. Interesting.

The men who were most satisfied with their appearance, and the most appearance-oriented — meaning they were highly invested in their looks and considered appearance to be important — were also the most likely to have sex without condoms and to have sex with multiple partners, Dr. Eva S. Lefkowitz of Pennsylvania ...

By Jessica • 18 years ago

Mississippi abortion ban bill is a no go…for now

A Mississippi bill that would have banned most abortions died last night when the House and the Senate couldn’t reach a compromise:

The Senate voted for the negotiations to try to put language in the bill that would protect the state’s current informed consent law if the new legislation was ever challenged in court.
Senators also wanted to include a provision requiring doctors to perform an ultrasound before an abortion…The House plan said that the proposed ban would not take effect until the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that made abortions legal in the nation.
…The Senate conferees refused to sign the bill, and the House conferees refused to sign the Senate proposal.

I would ...

A Mississippi bill that would have banned most abortions died last night when the House and the Senate couldn’t reach a compromise:

The Senate voted for the negotiations to try to put language in the bill that ...

By Jessica • 18 years ago

UN seeks to increase number of women in peacekeeping

The United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations is seeking ways to boost the number of women in uniformed peacekeeping positions.
While 27 percent of civilian positions in peacekeeping are held by women, the number of women in military and police units remain extremely low–less than five percent.
Considering all of the recent problems the UN has had with sexual assault committed by their own peacekeeping units, this is a long time coming.

By Jessica • 18 years ago

Sen. Clinton releases pay equity guide for young women

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), a sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, released a resource guide today for young women, Know What to Ask & Know Your Rights: A Pay Equity Guide on How to Help Yourself in the Workplace.
It’s really more of a pamphlet than a guide (as her press release calls it), but whatever. It’s something.
At a seminar on pay equity, Sen. Clinton said, “We still have work to do to level the playing field. And we all have a role to play as we pursue that goal together: the public sector, private sector, and individuals…I hope this guide is a tool that helps to empower women, looking for jobs or holding jobs ...

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), a sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, released a resource guide today for young women, Know What to Ask & Know Your Rights: A Pay Equity Guide on How to ...