Posts Tagged ‘ pro-choice ’

Ignorant Legislator of the Week: Richard Mourdock

October 24, 2012
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Ignorant Legislator of the Week: Richard Mourdock

When we started the Ignorant Legislator of the Week award we didn’t expect it to be a frequent feature. However, another legislator, who will never be pregnant, has weighed in on pregnancy, abortion and rape. In a debate last night, Indiana State Treasurer and Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Richard Mourdock was asked about his views regarding abortion and rape. According to the Associated Press he said, “I struggled with it myself for a long time, but I came to realize that life is that gift from God. And, I think, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.” According to his campaign website,  Mourdock “is unapologetically pro-life and will work to stop federal funding for abortion.”  It will be interesting to see if he apologizes for his comments when his campaign donations slow down.   Related articles Richard Mourdock under fire for rape remarks GOP Senate Candidate Richard Mourdock Thinks Rape is, ‘Something God Intended’ Ind. GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock: Pregnancy from rape can be ‘something that God intended to happen’ – @washingtonpost

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Heroine of the Week: Georgia Representative Yasmin Neal

February 23, 2012
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Heroine of the Week: Georgia Representative Yasmin Neal

After a week of men talking about men who are trying to write laws about women, we are happy to announce a new Heroine of the Week. Georgia Representative Yasmin Neal has introduced House Bill HB 1116, which would seek to criminalize vasectomies. Georgia lawmakers are currently considering HB 954, a bill that would outlaw abortion after 20 weeks, instead of the current 26. The difference in time, some doctors say, would force people to make a decision about ending a pregnancy before they were able to complete a full battery of testing. Neal’s bill underscores the absurdity of lawmakers overriding both medical and personal decision making with regard to reproductive rights. HB 1116 seeks to protect the rights of unborn children who are deprived from being born due to vasectomies. The bill states, “It is patently unfair that men can avoid the rewards of unwanted fatherhood by presuming that their judgment over such matters is more valid than the judgment of the General Assembly.” And the bill clearly states, “It is the purpose of the General Assembly to assert an invasive state interest in the reproductive habits of men in this state and substitute the will of the government over [...]

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News From Around the Web

February 16, 2012
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News From Around the Web

No time to write this week and so much to discuss. So here’s a round up of news from around the web affecting women. Click the links to learn more. Let’s start with Virginia, where this week the legislation passed two disturbing bills. The first gives a fertilized egg rights. The second forces a woman seeking an abortion to undergo a vaginal ultrasound -an invasive probe that is medically unnecessary. The Washington Post reports on Virginia House Deputy Majority Leader Todd Gilbert who believes “the vast majority” of abortions are just “matters of lifestyle convenience.’’ The Frisky’s Jessica Wakeman writes of the bills, “I’m frightened, quite frightened.” We should all be worried. The war on women wages on in Washington as politicians continue to argue about a woman’s access to contraception  – which, we just want to point out, has nothing to do with creating jobs. In fact, if the GOP and the Catholic Bishops had their way, we could be looking at layoffs at birth control manufacturers such as Merck Pharmaceuticals and Bayer Healthcare. Nor, does it have anything to do with religion despite how some try to spin it. This is about controlling women and maintaining a status quo of [...]

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Heroine of the Week: Constance Johnson

February 10, 2012
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Heroine of the Week: Constance Johnson

Oklahoma State Senator Constance Johnson is our heroine of the week. Johnson proposed an amendment to Senate Bill 1433, that would criminalize some ejaculation. The amendment read, “any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman’s vagina shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child.” Senate Bill 1433 declares personhood starts at conception and that, “The laws of this state shall be interpreted and construed to acknowledge on behalf of the unborn child at every stage of development all rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens and residents of this state.” Johnson wrote in the Guardian that she offered the amendment, “to draw attention to the absurdity, duplicity and lack of balance inherent in the policies of this state in regard to women.” Johnson’s amendment comes less than a month after Virginia State Senator Janet Howell proposed an amendment that would have required men to undergo a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before getting a prescription for erectile dsyfunction drugs. This is why we need more women in office.

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Heroine of the Week: Janet Howell

January 31, 2012
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Heroine of the Week: Janet Howell

Brava to Virginia State Senator Janet Howell who made a statement this week when she proposed an amendment to Senate Bill 484, which would require a pregnant woman to undergo an ultrasound and have the option to view her fetus before having an abortion.  Howell’s amendment would have required men to undergo a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before getting a prescription for erectile dsyfunction drugs. Proponents of the mandatory ultrasound before abortion argue its part of informed consent – making sure a woman seeking an abortion knows her legal rights and alternatives, and to be sure the confused little lady really understands what she is undertaking. Perhaps Howell just wanted to make sure that men, distressed by their sexual dysfunction, were clear about the risks of Viagra and the choices they had – like abstaining. Or maybe, she just wanted to make the point that no one should control another person’s body or create legislation requiring unnecessary and invasive procedures on another human being. Not surprising, Howell’s amendment failed and the bill passed the Senate Education and Health committee. However according to the Richard Times-Dispatch, a new amendment, “being formulated by Democrats would require a physician to [...]

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In Support of Reproductive Rights on Roe v. Wade Anniversary

January 22, 2012
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In Support of Reproductive Rights on Roe v. Wade Anniversary

For the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling which made abortion legal in the United States, we are participating in NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Blog for Choice Day by answering the question: What will you do to help elect pro-choice candidates in 2012? It’s an important question. According to NARAL, in 2011 26 states enacted anti-choice measures. And in the GOP presidential primary race, four anti-choice candidates are vying for the nomination. In the good news category, on Friday the Obama administration announced it would uphold a ruling that will provide women access to birth control with no co-pays as part of the  Affordable Care Act. And today, President Obama issued a statement reaffirming his commitment to protecting a woman’s right to choose.  It read, “While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue- no matter what our views, we must stay united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant woman and mothers, reduce the need for abortion, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption.  And as we remember this historic anniversary, we must also continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.” And ultimately, [...]

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Do Iowans Use Birth Control?

January 4, 2012
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Do Iowans Use Birth Control?

While former governor Mitt Romney was the technical winner in Iowa last night, Rick Santorum was the real winner, trailing Romney by only eight votes. What do we know about the man that has positioned himself well in the GOP race for the presidential nomination? We know, of course, the former Senator and Congressman from Pennsylvania opposes a woman’s right to choose. According to NARAL Pro-Choice America, Santorum cast 27 anti-choice votes in the House. And as a Senator he  authored the Federal Abortion Ban, a law that criminalizes some abortion services. But Santorum’s pro-life stance seems to go beyond the standard conservative messages about protecting the unborn. Santorum is also opposed to contraception. Of birth control he has said, “One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this country. It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.” He defined those “things” in an interview a few years back (video clip below). He’s referring to sex outside of marriage. According to Santorum, birth control is harmful to women and society. “The pill made it [...]

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Women Newsmakers in 2011

December 31, 2011
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Women Newsmakers in 2011

Another year almost over, another few cents narrowing the wage gap. Here’s a look back at some of the stories that impacted or involved women in 2011: Reproductive rights under attack: Three days into the year we wrote, “Congressman John Boehner (R-Ohio) will become Speaker of the House Wednesday and women should pay attention. … In fact, he represents a significant threat to women’s reproductive rights.” And indeed 2011 saw some of the most aggressive attacks on women’s reproductive health. Ashley Portero at the International Business Times has a round up of the staggering number measures related to reproductive health introduced in 2011 including: H.R. 3 with its disturbing “forcible rape”  language (as if all rape isn’t forcible?) H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act, or as some are called it, the Let Women Die Act. The Heartbeat Bill, which would ban abortions after the first detectable fetal heartbeat- before many women even know they are pregnant. Two fetuses were witnesses at an Ohio legislative committee contemplating this bill. And of course, the attack on Planned Parenthood. Rape and intimate partner violence a very real threat: Speaking of women’s health, in November the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released The National [...]

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If I Were Santa

December 14, 2011
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If I Were Santa

If I were Santa, I’d be making my list and checking it twice. And here are the gifts I would give: For Our Daughters: The gift of self-esteem and positive role models The mass media perpetuates a message that women and girls’ value comes from beauty and sexuality – and it affects us. Sixty-five percent of women and girls have an eating disorder. Eighty percent of the op-ed pages are dominated by men. The number of women in senior management positions globally has gone from 24 to 20 percent from 2004 to 2009. For Corporate America: More women in leadership positions There is a large, and growing, body of research connecting women at the tops of organizations to a strong bottom line performance. However, women comprise 53 percent of new hires, but only 37 percent of managers, 26 percent of vice-presidents, and just 14 percent of executive committees.   For Working Mothers: Flexible work arrangements … and a day of rest The life of a working mother is challenging. Flexible work arrangements give parents the ability to work more flexibly and better manage the challenges of work and family. For Working Families: Passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act According to [...]

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Legislation Watch: House Takes Up Protect Life Act Today

October 13, 2011
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Legislation Watch: House Takes Up Protect Life Act Today

Taking a break from talking about the need to do something about job creation, the House of Representatives will take up the ridiculously named “Protect Life Act” or H.R. 358 today. The bill was introduced by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Penn.) who claims the legislation’s intent is to prevent federal funding for abortion – even though federal funding of abortions is already prohibited. But H.R.358 would also allow hospitals that receive federal funds to deny an emergency abortion even if it would save a woman’s life.  So the “Protect Life Act” doesn’t really protect lives at all. The White House issued  a statement yesterday suggesting the President would veto the bill if it makes it that far. “The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 358 because, as previously stated in the Statement of Administration Policy on H.R. 3, the legislation intrudes on women’s reproductive freedom and access to health care and unnecessarily restricts the private insurance choices that women and their families have today. “Longstanding Federal policy prohibits Federal funds from being used for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered. The Affordable Care Act preserved this prohibition and included policies to ensure [...]

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