2012 February Archive

Judge rules pharmacists can refuse to sell emergency contraception

In yet another victory for “religious conscience” at the expense of women’s health, a federal judge struck down Washington State’s law requiring pharmacies to stock emergency contraception. The AP reports:

Washington state cannot force pharmacies to sell Plan B or other emergency contraceptives, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, saying the state’s true goal was to suppress religious objections by druggists–not to promote timely access to the medicines for people who need them.

U.S. District Judge Ronald Leighton heard closing arguments earlier this month in a lawsuit that claimed state rules violate the constitutional rights of pharmacists by requiring them to dispense such medicine. The state requires pharmacies to dispense any medication for which there is a community need and to stock ...

Washington state cannot force pharmacies to sell ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 12 years ago

Texas willing to throw 130,000 poor women under the bus to stick it to Planned Parenthood

Via KYBOOMU, it seems that Texas, in its stubborn quest to deny funding to Planned Parenthood, is willing to sacrifice an effective and much-needed program that provides reproductive health care to 130,000 thousand low-income women.

Last year, the Texas legislature passed a law making it illegal for the state to provide Medicaid funds to any organization that is even affiliated with one that provides abortions. That means that even the many Planned Parenthood clinics that don’t offer abortions at all would be denied funding to provide contraception, cancer screenings, and basic preventive health care through the state’s Women’s Health Program. As it did when Indiana and other states pulled the same stunt, the Obama administration cried foul, saying ...

Last ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 12 years ago

Maryland becomes 8th state to pass marriage equality

Gay marriage is coming to Maryland! Last night, the legislature passed the bill and Gov. O’Malley has promised to sign it into law. Maryland is the eighth state to approve gay marriage–and the fourth state one to do so in the last year.

Unfortunately, the law will probably be put to a referendum on the November ballot. (Because here in America, we occasionally like to put our basic civil liberties up for a popular vote–that is, when the government isn’t unilaterally trampling all over them.)

Nevertheless, between this victory and Washington’s new marriage equality law–and despite that one recent setback since New Jersey’s Governor happens to be a raging bigot–there definitely seems to be some serious homomentum these ...

By Miriam • 12 years ago

Not Oprah’s Book Club: Mother, Stranger

I’ve written about Cris Beam’s books before. Her last book, I Am J, was a young adult novel featuring a young Puerto-Rican trans character.

Cris’s new book is actually a release from a new publishing company that is putting its eggs all into the digital basket. The Atavist, has created a new publishing platform specifically for ipad and iphone that allows for many types of multimedia content to be offered alongside the text. The pieces are in between a full-length book and a long article, around 8,000 words.

Mother, Stranger is about Cris’s relationship with her mother, who she was estranged from at age 14. It focuses on her mother’s mental illness.

The interactive elements include photos from Cris’s ...

I’ve written about Cris Beam’s books before. Her last book, I Am J, was a young adult novel featuring a young Puerto-Rican trans character.

Cris’s new book is actually a release from a new publishing company ...

By Chloe Angyal • 12 years ago

What We Missed

France has officially done away with the term “mademoiselle.”

At The American Prospect, I interview Tammy Duckworth, the double-amputee Iraq War vet who is running for Congress in Illinois. She, unsurprisingly, thinks that Rick Santorum’s recent comments about women in combat are total rubbish.

Also at The Prospect, Jamelle Bouie writes about the scapegoating of hooking up and binge drinking in the Yeardley Love murder case.

Cindy McCain says that the GOP is not anti-gay, it’s just that the media that portrays them that way. Yeah, the media, which report on the GOP’s anti-gay policies and rhetoric, allowing anyone with half a brain to draw the conclusion that the GOP is anti-gay. Stupid liberal media!

Only 7 of Babble.com’s Top ...

France has officially done away with the term “mademoiselle.”

At The American Prospect, I interview Tammy Duckworth, the double-amputee Iraq War vet who is running for Congress in Illinois. She, unsurprisingly, thinks that Rick Santorum’s recent ...

By zerlina • 12 years ago

Rapper Too $hort says he learned something from XXL video debacle

Rapper Too $hort appears to have learned something from the recent XXL.com video debacle. When XXL posted a video of the rapper giving “advice” to middle school boys on “how to turn girls out,” many called for the resignation of Editor in Chief Vanessa Satten. After a conversation with the brilliant writer and activist Dream Hampton, Too $hort told AllHipHop.com he understands why everyone was upset, and that his “jokes” about sexual assault aren’t funny.

AllHipHop.com: It’s been a rough couple of weeks for you in regards to the negative feedback that you received for your recent XXL video. Tell us what that was all about.

Too $hort: At the time, I thought it was something of a comedy nature. ...

By Chloe Angyal • 12 years ago

BREAKING: Virginia Personhood bill dies in Senate

WWBT reports from Richmond:

In a surprise vote the Virginia Senate has decided to refer the Personhood bill back to a Senate committee, which effectively kills the bill from consideration this year.

The Senate voted 24-14 against the controversial measure, which was widely criticized by pro-choice groups, thereby saving Gov. Bob McDonnell from having to make a difficult decision on the politically charged matter.

The Personhood bill would have defined life as starting at conception. The decision means the bill cannot be considered again until 2013.

Yesterday, Virginia’s controversial SB 484 was amended to no longer require a transvaginal ultrasound of all women seeking abortions. Arch-conservative Governor Bob McDonell and a handful of Republicans revised the bill so ...

WWBT reports from Richmond:

In a surprise vote the Virginia Senate has decided to refer the Personhood bill back to a Senate committee, which effectively kills the bill from consideration this year.

The Senate ...

By zerlina • 12 years ago

“I Have a Say”: Share your birth control story on YouTube

The Coalition to Protect Women’s Health Care got a shout out at this morning’s hearing on birth control. Sarah Flake, a Georgetown University student, testified and mentioned that women should be encouraged to share their birth control stories on YouTube. “I Have A Say” is a direct response to last week’s ridiculous hearing on “religious freedom” in the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, where chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) had a row full of dudes testifying about women’s health care – without a tinge of irony. The fact of the matter is birth control is an economic issue for many women, and these videos are certainly a good way for women all over the country to make ...