Posts Tagged ‘ war on women ’

News from Around the Web

January 24, 2013
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News from Around the Web

There’s lots of women-related news to report. And just when I was excited that two important pieces of legislation were reintroduced, wait until you read about the legislation introduced in New Mexico… On Tuesday, Senators Patrick Leahy and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) reintroduced the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The 112th Congress failed to renew the act which helped victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking access needed services, and it improved the criminal justice system’s ability to investigate and prosecute violent crimes against women. The latest version of the bill removes a proposal to increase visas for immigrant victims of violence, a sticking point for several Republicans in the past. Yesterday, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Senator Barbara Mikulski  reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation which will help close the gender-based wage gap. Women make, on average, just .77 cents for every dollar a man makes for equal work. The Paycheck Fairness Act prohibits employer retaliation for sharing salary information with coworkers and increases the compensation women can seek for pay discrimination, allowing them to  pursue back pay and punitive damages. Also yesterday, the Pentagon indicated it would lift its ban on women in combat. According to the Defense [...]

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Women Newsmakers in 2012

December 30, 2012
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Women Newsmakers in 2012

What an incredible year for women. During what many dubbed the War on Women, we used our collective voices, driving positive changes. Here’s a look back at some of the women who made news in 2012. We may not agree with all of their decisions and politics, but we should be grateful they stepped up and inspired us. Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann was the only woman in the presidential race. However, she dropped out in the first week of the year. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited more nations than any of her predecessors. She plans to step down at the end of this year, and speculation abounds as to whether she will run again for President in 2016. The Girl Scouts celebrated their 100th anniversary this year. The organization remains dedicated to teaching girls critical leadership skills and supporting STEM initiatives. This year Senator Barb Mikulski became the longest serving woman in Congress. After Republicans refused to allow her to testify at a panel about contraception, and radio host Rush Limbaugh attacked her, Sandra Fluke became a strong leader for women’s rights. Malala Yousafazai, a young advocate for educating girls, was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban. Consumer [...]

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News from Around the Web

December 29, 2012
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News from Around the Web

Here’s a roundup of news affecting women. ForbesWoman has shared the best jobs for women based on satisfaction, salary, projected growth and annual openings. The top job? Diagnosing doctors including physicians, dentists and optometrists. See the rest of the jobs here. Speaking of women and work, Think Progress created an interesting infographic view of how the United States’ zero weeks of paid maternity leave compare to other countries. To see the sobering facts, click here. And for women not quite ready for maternity leave, interesting news out of the Supreme Court: Two companies, Hobby Lobby Stores and Christian bookstore chain Mardel, asked the Supreme Court to excuse them from having to provide free health insurance to their employees for emergency contraceptives, per the Affordable Care Act. According to reports, the companies said the provision would cause “irreparable harm to their religious freedom and to their businesses.” The high court turned down the request. In other reproductive rights news, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed an anti-abortion “superbill” according to RH Reality Check’s Robin Marty. HB5711 requires doctors to screen women for coercion before performing an abortion, bans telemedicine to prescribe first trimester medication abortions and regulates abortion clinics as hospital operating rooms. [...]

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You Don’t Own Me: A Message from Women Who Vote

October 25, 2012
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DNC Women Deliver

September 5, 2012
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The female speakers on the first night of the Democratic National Convention delivered impassioned speeches illustrating how the party’s policies affect women. From NARAL’s Nancy Keenan’s fiery speech about reproductive rights, to First Lady Michelle Obama’s personal and moving tribute to the President, the convention featured an impressive lineup of women who had specific relevant, messages for women. It was a sharp contrast to the GOP’s softer “salute” to moms. Read "Women of the dnc" by Hello Ladies at Britely!

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The GOPs Mixed Message for Mom

September 2, 2012
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The GOPs Mixed Message for Mom

The Republican National Convention concluded earlier this week after Mitt Romney accepted his party’s nomination and not before Republicans made a desperate attempt to court women voters. The convention featured an impressive lineup of female speakers including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and of course, Ann Romney who talked about mothers saying, “You are the best of America. You are the hope of America. Tonight we salute you and sing your praises.” Romney himself mentioned the word “mom” at least ten times in his acceptance speech. But speeches and theatrics can’t overcome GOP policies that are decidedly not female-friendly. Remarkably, we find ourselves agreeing with something New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said in an interview with CBS. Christie told Charlie Rose, “I think it’s condescending to women to say we have to have a different message for women than we have for men.”  We do too. It’s not about saying “mom” a lot. It’s about the policies. Take Ann Romney’s message, which was was more patronizing than condescending. She told us “women sigh more than men,” and “mothers work a little harder.” She told us her husband makes her [...]

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Ignorant (Would Be) Legislator of the Week: Tom Smith

August 28, 2012
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Ignorant (Would Be) Legislator of the Week: Tom Smith

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tom Smith caused a post-Akin uproar yesterday when he compared pregnancy outside of wedlock to rape. When asked at a Pennsylvania Press Club luncheon about Congressman Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” comments, Smith said, “I lived something similar to that with my own family.” Asked by a reporter what that situation was, he said his daughter had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. According to news reports, Smith was asked if he thought having a baby out of wedlock was similar to rape and he at first said no and then kept talking,  ”No, no, no, but put yourself in a father’s position, yes. It is similar.” Smith, who built and sold a coal mining business in Pennsylvania, is running against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey on November 6. According to his campaign website, he is “pro-life, period” and will “work in the United States Senate to protect our most vulnerable citizens.” No, not victims of violent, sexual assault. Fertilized eggs. Related articles Having a Baby Out of Wedlock Kind of Like Getting Pregnant from Rape, Says Senate Candidate [Rape Rape] Pennsylvania Senate candidate Tom Smith: Sex out of wedlock ‘similar to’ rape The GOP War on Women Continues….Pennsylvania Edition

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Ignorant Legislator of the Week: Todd Akin

August 20, 2012
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Ignorant Legislator of the Week: Todd Akin

This week’s Ignorant Legislator of the Week award goes to Congressman and Senate hopeful Todd Akin of Missouri. During a television interview yesterday Akin explained his anti-abortion stance and why he doesn’t support exceptions in the case of rape. Said Akin of pregnancies resulting from rape, “It seems to me first of all from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” Watch the video clip below. Akin is hoping to unseat Senator Claire McCaskill. Following Akin’s televised comments, the Senator said in a statement, “It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape. The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive.”     Akin also issued a statement post television appearance. It said, “As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault.  In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that [...]

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This is the Year to Close the Wage Gap

April 16, 2012
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This is the Year to Close the Wage Gap

Tuesday, April 17 is Equal Pay Day, again. Equal Pay Day 2009 was impetus for my starting this blog. That day I dropped my son at school; at my request he was wearing red – one of the ways activists observe the day. As he was filing into class, I turned to a group of mothers and noted how proud I was he was helping me observe the event. The women, including several who work outside the home, had never heard of the gender wage gap. I was shocked and thought to myself, “Hello ladies, you need to know this!” A blog was born. Back then, women earned, on average, just 77 cents for every dollar a man earned. Today women earn 77.4 cents. The current gap translates into $10,784 less per year in median earnings, and for women of color, the gap is even greater. African-American women earn, on average, 62 cents, and Hispanic women earn, on average 54 cents, for every dollar men earn. I can understand why some of my neighbors may not have been aware of the gap three years ago. For starters, women typically don’t talk about salaries. It’s frowned upon in the workplace and [...]

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Ignorant Legislator of the Week

April 1, 2012
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Ignorant Legislator of the Week

Our Ignorant Legislator of the Week award goes to Georgia Representative Terry England for comments he made on the House floor earlier this week while debating HB 954, the “fetal pain” abortion bill which is on its way to the Georgia Governor to sign. I wish I could say this was an April Fool’s Joke, but a.) it happened in March and b.) it’s no joke. While debating HB 954, Georgia House Representative Terry England spoke about his experiences delivering calves and pigs dead and alive and how it breaks his heart. He also spoke of dog and hog hunting and chicken fighting. What am I talking about you ask? I have no idea. What was Rep. England talking about? Watch the clip. And then consider this statement on the gentleman from Georgia’s website: The roughly one minute and forty second clip that you saw posted online were only a small part of a contentious and heart-wrenching three hour debate that took place in the Georgia House of Representatives two weeks ago. If you watch the entire debate, you will see that Rep. England was making the point that we spend a great deal of time debating the value of [...]

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