By Lori Adelman • 12 years ago

Absurd tactics, blind partisanship propelled Ohio “Heartbeat Bill” through House


A 9-week-old fetus “testifies” to the Ohio legislature during a hearing on the so-called “heartbeat bill”.

“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.”
-Napoleon Bonaparte

As you’ve probably heard, yesterday the Ohio House voted 54 to 43 to pass the so-called “heartbeat bill”, which would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detectable. If the bill passes the Senate, it could prevent anyone from accessing an abortion as early as four weeks after conception, when a heartbeat could potentially be detected by a high-quality ultrasound machine.

As Robyn Marty at Alternet reports, this essentially amounts to an almost total ban on abortion in Ohio.

Many longtime pro-choice activists and journalists are calling this bill the most radical that they’ve ...


A 9-week-old fetus “testifies” to the Ohio legislature during a hearing on the so-called “heartbeat bill”.

“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.”
-Napoleon Bonaparte

As you’ve probably heard, yesterday the Ohio House voted 54 ...
By Lori Adelman • 12 years ago

The Wednesday Weigh-In: Heroines and Bravery Edition

Last week, you weighed in on pride. You expressed pride in being a geek (the one “all my friends come to when they have computer problems”), and pride in being a freak (a “socially ostracized” male feminist). Whether it was biking, blogging, or breaking the law, thanks for sharing the moments and accomplishments that make you proud.

This week Pixar released their trailer for Brave, which will be Pixar’s first movie with a female lead. As Alyssa Rosenberg discusses over at Think Progress, they are long overdue for a female to take on such a role. Check the trailer below.

Today’s Wednesday weigh-in is presented in honor of this seemingly bad-ass fictional female lead:

Who is your favorite fictional heroine, and ...

Last week, you weighed in on pride. You expressed pride in being a geek (the one “all my friends come to when they have computer problems”), and pride in being a freak (a “socially ostracized” male ...
By Lori Adelman • 12 years ago

$1.3 Million does not mean justice for Oscar Grant

As reported by the Grio, yesterday the San Francisco transit agency (known as BART) agreed to pay $1.3 million to the mother of Oscar Grant. You’ll remember Grant was the 22-year-old unarmed black man who was fatally shot by a white transit officer in 2009. The officer was found guilty only of involuntary manslaughter, and has already been released from jail.

The Grio reports that this is actually the second settlement that BART has reached with the Grant family, the first being when the agency agreed to pay $1.5 million to the mother of Grant’s 6-year-old daughter last year.

John Burris, Grant’s family lawyer, said that a civil rights suit is still underway, and that while the settlements do ...

As reported by the Grio, yesterday the San Francisco transit agency (known as BART) agreed to pay $1.3 million to the mother of Oscar Grant. You’ll remember Grant was the 22-year-old unarmed black man who was ...
By Miriam • 12 years ago

The end of gender?

The media has been aflutter lately with gender panic. News of genderless children, boys with pink toenails and now genderless preschools have had the press questioning whether we might be at the end of gender.

I can only dream.

Gender, if we look past the headlines, is alive and well. And to be honest, I would never push for the end of gender. Despite identifying as genderqueer myself (which I define as a recognition of my discomfort with the gender I was assigned at birth–female), I would never advocate for a move toward a gender-blind society. On the one hand I think it’s an unrealistic goal, and on the other hand I think gender is pretty damn cool. ...

The media has been aflutter lately with gender panic. News of genderless children, boys with pink toenails and now genderless preschools have had the press questioning whether we might be at the end ...
By Miriam • 12 years ago

Slutwalk in Mexico City: We have many reasons to march

There has been much discussion around the feminist blogosphere about the resonance of Slutwalks among women of color. Andrea Plaid recently weighed in on the debate at Alternet. Ileana Jimenez of Feminist Teacher interviewed Gabriela Amancaya, one of the organizers of Mexico’s first Slutwalk in the capitol city, adding more vibrancy to the conversation about Slutwalks across nation and race.

Amancaya weighed in on the question of Slutwalks and women of color:

We have to acknowledge our privilege in all cases, as there is no excuse. When we decided to hold a Marcha de las Putas in Mexico City, it was because we knew that machismo exists all over the world but within different contexts. In Mexico, ...

There has been much discussion around the feminist blogosphere about the resonance of Slutwalks among women of color. Andrea Plaid recently weighed in on the debate at Alternet. Ileana Jimenez of Feminist Teacher interviewed Gabriela ...
By Miriam • 12 years ago

Scandal turns into opportunity for first female IMF chief

It was announced yesterday that French finance minister Christine Lagarde has been chosen to lead the International Monetary Fund after Dominique Strauss-Kahn was forced to resign after his arrest for sexual assault.

Until the US announced it’s support for Lagarde yesterday morning, it was unclear whether she or Mexican central bank governor Agustin Carstens would be the pick.

It’s a huge step for a woman to be chosen to lead such a prominent economic player in the world economy. Economics continues to be a field dominated by men, and the vote of confidence given to Lagarde by this appointment demonstrates the impact feminism has had internationally.

About Lagarde:

France’s Christine Lagarde, the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund ...

It was announced yesterday that French finance minister Christine Lagarde has been chosen to lead the International Monetary Fund after Dominique Strauss-Kahn was forced to resign after his arrest for sexual assault.

Until the US announced ...
By Courtney • 12 years ago

What We Missed

Great coverage of the NYPD/rape protest this morning.

How the anti-bullying movement is hurting itself.

Alternatives, and I mean alternatives, to juvenile incarceration.

The International Monetary Fund just selected French finance minister Christine Lagarde to be its next managing director.

Great coverage of the NYPD/rape protest this morning.

How the anti-bullying movement is hurting itself.

Alternatives, and I mean alternatives, to juvenile incarceration.

The International Monetary Fund just selected French finance minister Christine Lagarde to be ...
By Vanessa • 12 years ago

Wisconsin defunds Planned Parenthood; NineteenPercent breaks down the bullshit

Today, Governor Scott Walker signed the bill that will defund Planned Parenthood and other Title X clinics from the state budget. So remember the bad-ass video blogger on Beyonce’s latest song that was all over the internets some weeks ago? Well, we’re thrilled to announce Feministing has asked NineteenPercent to join the team as our new vlogger — and her commentary on the GOP’s attacks on Planned Parenthood couldn’t come at a better time. Check it.

Approximate transcript after the jump.

Today, Governor Scott Walker signed the bill that will defund Planned Parenthood and other Title X clinics from the state budget. So remember the bad-ass video blogger on Beyonce’s latest song that was ...

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