2009 June Archive | Feministing

What We Missed.

Ross Douthat clearly wanna be startin something, but Amanda calls it all out.
Kenyon Farrow tells us that 40 years after Stonewall: black gays still targeted.
The Wimbledon marginalizes players that are not “attractive.” This is both racist and sexist.
And finally a piece by Amy Sueyoshi for American Sexualities Magazine (a project of the National Sexuality Resource Center) on Inequality in the Marriage Equality Movement.

By Samhita • 14 years ago

Getting Closer to Removing the HIV Travel and Immigration Ban.

In a historic move the Department of Health and Human Services has issued regulations that will start the process to lift the HIV travel and immigration ban. The ban is from the 80’s and has stigmatized and restricted the movement of people with HIV. The ban is based on discrimination, hate and fear. Andrew Sullivan writes,

Once the ban is lifted, the US will be able to become a venue for AIDS and HIV research conferences again (the US has been unable to host such events because of the ban for years), and leave behind the tiny number of countries – from Yemen to Saudi Arabia – that still actively stigmatize and penalize people with HIV in ...

By Samhita • 14 years ago

Reversing “Reverse” Racism or Something.

The case of Ricci v. DeStefano involved 17 firefighters who had taken the qualifications exam to become firefighters. All passed, all were white, but one Latino, and the city invalidated the test because they feared a racial discrimination lawsuit. The court found that this was essentially “reverse” racism and violated Title XII.
The ruling yesterday to overturn Ricci v. DeStefano was another bad decision in a series of bad decisions by the SCOTUS that will have implications for communities of color, women and poor people. Legal Momentum tells us why,

The Court created a new, more stringent standard for employment discrimination claims in striking down the New Haven Fire Department’s attempt to ensure that its promotional exam did not ...

By Samhita • 14 years ago

Just Because People Are Staying Married, Doesn’t Mean Marriage is Working.

The NY Times writes last week about marriage, infidelity and Mark Sanford,

Despite strong social riptides working against it — the liberalization of divorce laws, the vanishing stigma of divorce, the continual online temptations of social sites like MySpace or Facebook — the marriage bond is far stronger in 21st-century America than many may assume. Infidelity is one of the most common reasons cited by people who divorce. But surveys find the majority of people who discover a cheating spouse remain married to that person for years afterward. Many millions more shrug off, or work through, strong suspicions or evidence of infidelity. And recent trends in marriage suggest that the institution itself has become more resilient in recent years, ...

The NY Times writes last week about marriage, infidelity and Mark Sanford,

Despite strong social riptides working against it — the liberalization of divorce laws, the vanishing stigma of divorce, the continual online temptations of social ...

By Vanessa • 14 years ago

OK Rep. Sally Kern blames recession on moral crisis in new “citizen’s proclamation”

A new level of batshit crazy has come out of Oklahoma, and not surprisingly authored by homobigoted Rep. Sally Kern (R).
The state representative has taken it upon herself to create an “Oklahoma Citizen’s Proclamation for Morality,” which essentially blames the nation’s sinners (you know, like the gays and divorcees) on the economic recession. Here’s a snippet of the document, which can be read in its entirety here:

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; and
WHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and
WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government ...

By Vanessa • 14 years ago

Founder of India’s first women’s studies program dies

Dr Neera Desai, a founder of India’s first women’s studies program, the Research Centre for Women’s Studies at SNDT Women’s University, passed away last Thursday from cancer at the age of 84. Professor Vibhuti Patel, a colleague and friend of Desai and the director of department of Post-Graduate Studies and Research at SNDT said:

“I had been working with her since 1977. In all these years that I had known her, I thought of her as a warm person who was forever motivating and ever ready to experiment with new ideas. She was a major institution builder. This is a period when women’s studies is coming of age. However, she started work in this field in the early 50s ...

By Vanessa • 14 years ago

Limbaugh Reaches a New Low

Via Media Matters, I wasn’t shocked to find that Rush Limbaugh was happy to mock the White House appointment of Adviser on Violence Against Women Lynn Rosenthal, but felt it necessary to point out his thoughts on what one who occupies the appointment would advise: “Put some ice on it.”

It’s a domestic violence adviser. What the hell kind of advice are you gonna get? About the only kind of advice – I mean we’re talking about democrats here, right? We’re talking about the party of Bill Clinton. So I assume If you’re going to have a domestic policy adviser, the advice you’re gonna get – put some ice on it. Your lip’s a little bleeding and swollen ...

By Courtney • 14 years ago

What We Missed

Carnal Nation questions the validity of Ms. Magazine’s coverage of sex workers.
Steven Waldman, left, of Beliefnet and William Saletan of Slate debate the idea of reducing abortion by paying pregnant women.
Planned Parenthood of El Paso is closing all six of its health-care centers because of financial problems.
Tennis player Chris Evert joined agrees that the noise level in women’s tennis, specifically the “grunting” is out of hand. Seems steeped in mysognoistic assumptions about appropriate conduct for women to me…any tennis players want to chime in?
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia ...