2012 November Archive

What We Missed

As Bangladeshis protest the deaths of over 120 people in a factory fire, a Fox host actually says the workers who were killed laboring under sweatshop conditions producing Wal Mart apparel were lucky to have the jobs.

The UN passes its first resolution condemning female genital mutilation.

In the latest from the War on Women, GOP lawmakers and anti-choice groups in Arkansas are working on passing bills limiting reproductive rights.

The ACLU is suing over the military policy to bar women from combat roles.

Four gay men and two of their mothers file a lawsuit today against a New Jersey conversion therapy group that claims to “treat” homosexuality and straighten people out.

Surprise! White male Republican Senators (and a white female Republican ...

By Sharkfu • 11 years ago

Notes from a bitch: Don’t sleep on the red states!

Shall we?

On Election Day, I celebrated victories and obsessed over losses.

I woke up the next day and indulged in 24 hours of relief-fueled joy.

Then, on Thursday, I allowed reality to ooze in.

I spent the weekend after the election in Wichita, Kansas. I was speaking at the Kansas NOW Annual Conference, where I met some amazing activists who are dedicated to protecting access to reproductive healthcare regardless of how anti-choice many folk think Kansas is.

As a Missourian, I can empathize. We may have defeated Congressman Akin and sent Senator Claire McCaskill back to Washington (yay!)…we even elected Democrats to all statewide offices with the exception of one (double yay!)…but Missouri’s General Assembly also has an overabundance of folk who ...

Shall we?

On Election Day, I celebrated victories and obsessed over losses.

I woke up the next day and indulged in 24 hours of relief-fueled joy.

Then, on Thursday, I allowed reality to ooze in.

I spent the weekend after the ...

By Syreeta McFadden • 11 years ago

Quick Hit: The Smiths believe in raising a girl in command of her own body

Let us all take notes on parenting girls to be self possessed women from Jada Pinkett Smith:

A letter to a friend…

This subject is old but I have never answered it in its entirety. And even with this post it will remain incomplete.

The question why I would LET Willow cut her hair. First the LET must be challenged. This is a world where women,girls are constantly reminded that they don’t belong to themselves; that their bodies are not their own, nor their power or self determination. I made a promise to endow my little girl with the power to always know that her body, spirit and her mind are HER domain. Willow cut her hair because her beauty, her value, ...

Let us all take notes on parenting girls to be self possessed women from Jada Pinkett Smith:

A letter to a friend…

This subject is old but I have never answered it in its entirety. And even with ...

By Syreeta McFadden • 11 years ago

Why are we still talking about Chris Brown?

A more discerning adult can look at this twitterclusterfuckerfuffle to see that a) Jenny Johnson, a comedian I never heard of, baited Chris Brown and b) dull witted and unremorseful Chris Brown fired back in a language he’s most comfortable with: misogyny. And yes, this all stopped being news because many of us have already called him on his deep misogyny, his violent assault of Rihanna in 2009, his caustic unapologetic behavior since the offense. And yes, he deleted his twitter page (10 second dance party for that). Yet a chorus of furies emblazoned with the hashtag teambreezy surface at his defense. And yes, this current backlash against Chris Brown has some racial under and overtones because his vitriol was ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 11 years ago

I give to abortion funds because…

Today is Giving Tuesday and the National Network of Abortion Funds is kicking off their holiday fundraising campaign. You should really donate if you can afford to and submit a photo with your reason for giving.

I wrote last year about why abortion access is such an important issue to me. I rarely feel like I’ve adequately expressed just how deeply unjust the Hyde amendment is and how enraging it is that poor people in this country have to rely on charity to exercise their right to choose. But that post comes close. As I wrote then, “The need for abortion funds is evidence of a complete failure to uphold any semblance of equality when it comes to abortion rights.” And this ...

I wrote last year ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 11 years ago

What We Missed

Your regularly scheduled reminder that Hillary Clinton is the shit.

Lesbian Republicans: They exist!

Dan Soloman lost his job at CultureMap for calling out the site’s rape apology.

A parent of an Amherst rape survivor talks about his own survival.

Mel Wymore could become the first openly transgender City Council member in a major US city.

Bill Baxley tells racists to kiss his ass. Actually.

A court orders that an employee’s husband be reimbursed ” for costs arising from the judiciary’s failure to provide the same-sex couple with equal benefits.”

Your regularly scheduled reminder that Hillary Clinton is the shit.

Lesbian Republicans: They exist!

Dan Soloman lost his job at CultureMap for calling out the site’s rape apology.

A parent of an Amherst rape survivor talks about his own ...

By Alexandra Brodsky • 11 years ago

Pediatricians say emergency contraception should be available to women of all ages

Just days after OB/GYNs called for the pill to be available over-the-counter, pediatricians are recommending that emergency contraception be more readily accessible for teens.

Last year, Health and Human Services Secretary Katherine Sebelius refused to allow EC to be available without a prescription for women under 17. In doing so, she acted contrary to the guidance of the Federal Drug Administration and, you know, science. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics is backing up the FDA and advising doctors to prescribe Plan B in advance until the policy changes.

Via ThinkProgress:

The pediatricians’ group points out that requiring young women to contact a physician for a prescription only after they realize they need emergency contraception presents a significant hurdle for ...

Just days after OB/GYNs called for the pill to be available over-the-counter, pediatricians are recommending that emergency contraception be more readily accessible for teens.

Last year, Health and Human Services Secretary Katherine Sebelius refused to allow EC ...

By Alexandra Brodsky • 11 years ago

Update: Ireland’s abortion laws may be liberalized

Earlier this month in Ireland Savita Halappanavarafter died after she was denied a medically necessary abortion. In the following days, allies in Ireland and across the world protested the Republic’s archaic and convoluted anti-abortion laws. Now, according to the Irish Independent, Ireland might be headed for long-needed policy change:

The Government has been told in the expert group report that the State is under a legal obligation to establish “effective and accessible” procedures so that women who are “legitimately entitled” can have an abortion in Ireland…

The report suggests it will be necessary to repeal the 1861 statute governing abortion, which it believes has a “chilling effect” on the treatment of pregnant woman in Irish hospitals.

The ...