Tag Archives: politics

Why One Republican Legislator Voted For Marriage Equality: “I Want To Throw A Wedding For My Kid”

Winona Dimeo-EdigerFebruary 10, 2012 //

The state of Washington passed a marriage equality bill. Read More »

Bigots "Lost" Gay Marriage

Bigots admit they've lost the gay marriage battle in our generation. Read More »

Gay Marriage Ad

This marriage equality ad will give you chills. Watch »

State Representative Maureen Walsh was one of only two Washington state republicans to break rank and vote in favor of the marriage equality bill, which passed. When the governor signs the legislation into law, as she has stated her intention to do, it will legalize gay marriage in Washington. In this video, choking back tears, Maureen Walsh explains why she voted for fairness: she has a gay daughter. Walsh describes the bond she had with her late husband and the experience of her daughter coming out of the closet a couple years ago: “She’s a fabulous human being, and she’s met a person that she loves very much, and someday, by God, I want to throw a wedding for that kid.” You know the old cliche, “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes?” Here is a real life example of just how powerful that shaky voice can be. [YouTube via The Atlantic]

Washington State Passes Gay Marriage Bill

Jessica WakemanFebruary 9, 2012 //

Yay For Starbucks

Starbucks has come out in support of gay marriage. Read More »

Celebs On Gay Marriage

These couples won't marry until it's legal for everyone. Read More »

Santorum on Lesbians

Says being a lesbian is a "choice." Read More »

Bigots "Lost" Gay Marriage

Bigots admit they've lost the gay marriage battle in our generation. Read More »

Washington state’s House of Representatives voted yesterday to legalize same-sex marriage, which will make Washington the seventh state in the country to allow lesbians and gays to marry their partners. Gay marriage is already legal in New York, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Iowa, and New Hampshire. Both Starbucks and Microsoft, which are based out of Washington, supported the bill and Starbucks even sent a letter to their 150,000 employees asking them to support gay marriage. Governor Chris Gregoire has vowed to sign the legislation into law next week and it will go into effect 90 days later, which will be in June. Keep reading »

Mitt Romney Calls Morning After Pills “Abortive Pills”

Jessica WakemanFebruary 7, 2012 //

I Took Plan B

Our writer took the morning-after-pill to thwart unwanted pregnancy. Read More »

Bachmann Stupidity

Sorry, Michele, "the morning-after abortion pill" doesn't exist. Read More »

2012 Election

All of The Frisky's posts about the 2012 election. Read More »

Fact checking time! Mitt Romney hit the campaign trail in Colorado last night and referred to emergency contraception/the morning-after pill as “abortive pills.” This could be because he or his team genuinely doesn’t understand that emergency contraception (Plan B) and the abortion pill (RU-486) are two completely different pills. Or it could be because he’s irresponsibly trying to totally conflate the two for political gain, which I am sure would shock — shock! — you coming from an anti-abortion politician. (Is Mitt anti-abortion this week? I can never keep track!)

Let’s recap, very briefly: The morning-after pill prevents a pregnancy by stopping a woman’s ovaries from releasing eggs — which could be fertilized by the sperm and go implant in the uterus — as well as thinning the lining of a woman’s uterus so a fertilized egg cannot implant. The RU-486 abortion pill, on the other hand, ends an existing pregnancy — as in, the fertilized egg has already implanted in the uterus and a fetus is growing. (I explain it all in more detail in this post.)

See? Two different things, Mitt. Keep reading »

Karen Handel Resigns From Susan G. Komen For The Cure

Jessica WakemanFebruary 7, 2012 //

Karen Handel has resigned from her position as senior vice president of public policy at Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Handel’s resignation letter, after the jump: Keep reading »

Ron Paul Says Abortion Is OK If It’s An “Honest Rape”

Jessica WakemanFebruary 6, 2012 //

Ron Paul Vs. Abortion

Ron Paul claims live babies get dumped in trash cans. Read More »

Vote RuPaul!

We'd rather vote for RuPaul than Ron Paul. Read More »

2012 Election

All of The Frisky's posts about the 2012 election. Read More »

Oh, the bounty that is What Old White Men Think You Should Be Allowed To Do With Your Uterus! This weekend, Republican presidential wannabe Ron Paul sat down with Piers Morgan and, in a departure from his usual “no abortion under any circumstances” position, said he would support abortion if the woman had been raped — but only if it was an honest rape.

Piers Morgan asked Ron Paul if his daughters or granddaughters were raped, if he could actually look them in the eye and tell them they had to carry the pregnancy to term. “If it’s an honest rape, that individual should go immediately to the emergency room, I would give them a shot of estrogen,” said Ron Paul, who is also a doctor.

“Honest rape“? Did he actually go there? Oh, yeah, he actually went there. Keep reading »

AZ Governor Jan Brewer Shoves A Finger In The President’s Face, People Flip Out

Jessica WakemanJanuary 26, 2012 //

2012 Election

All of The Frisky's posts about the 2012 election. Read More »

Sexism Vs. Michele

Michele will have to deal with sexist BS on the campaign trail. Read More »

Sexism Vs. Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi portrayed as the Wicked Witch of the West. Read More »

Maybe I shouldn’t get so worked up about things that I read on other people’s Facebook feeds. But I couldn’t help but feel a lump in my stomach this morning when I saw a former classmate from NYU — from the gender studies program, no less — post the now-infamous picture of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer shoving her finger in President Obama’s face, mouth open as if in mid-lecture, with the comment “President Obama really needs to learn to get angry and slap-a-bitch.” Keep reading »

Military Announces New Strategies To Deal With Sexual Assaults

Winona Dimeo-EdigerJanuary 20, 2012 //

Military Sister

My brother joined the armed forces. Read More »

New "Rape" Definition

A new definition of rape has been approved by the FBI. Read More »

Rape Checklist

A handy checklist of things that cause rape. Read More »

File this one under It’s About Time: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has announced that the military is implementing new strategies to prevent sexual assaults and improve their current system for responding to sex crimes. According to official data, there were 3,191 reported sexual assaults in 2011; however, these crimes so often go unreported that Panetta and his team estimate the actual number to be astronomically higher — closer to 19,000. The new plan includes better training for victims’ advocates, increased funding for investigators, and an improved data system to compile sexual assault information across different branches of the military. While these changes aren’t necessarily revolutionary, it is a sign that the armed forces are taking sexual assaults more seriously, and that’s a step in the right direction. [The Raw Story]

Birth Control Will Be Covered By Most Employers, Obama Administration Announces

Jessica WakemanJanuary 20, 2012 //

BC Should Be Covered

Birth control should be covered by health care plans, says report. Read More »

BC For Everybody

Health insurers are required to offer birth control without co-pays. Read More »

They're So Stupid

Yes, covering birth control is just like covering "manicures and pedicures." Read More »

Most employers will be required to cover the full cost of contraception and other preventative services in their health plans under the Affordable Care Act, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today. This means that women’s preventative health care like birth control will be available without co-pays or deductibles when Obama’s health care reform law goes into effect in August 1, 2012.

This past August, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that health insurers would be required to cover birth control without co-pays following the release of a report by the Institute of Medicine. That independent panel of doctors had cited coverage of preventative health care, such as STD screening and birth control, in its recommendation of best practices.

(And of course the talking boobs on Fox News wasted no time asking what Blue Cross/Blue Shield will be forced to cover next — manicures and pedicures?!?! Really. Someone said that. )

Keep reading »

Newt Gingrich Throws A Hissyfit Over GOP Debate Question About “Open Marriage”

Jessica WakemanJanuary 20, 2012 //

Newt's Infidelity

Newt Gingrich cheated on his wife, then asked for an "open marriage." Read More »

Newt Won't Cheat Again

Newt Gingrich and Callista Gingrich photo

Newt Gingrich has promised he won't break his marital vows yet again. Read More »

2012 Election

All of The Frisky's posts about the 2012 election. Read More »

Last night’s Republican debate got off to an uncomfortable start last night when Newt Gingrich was asked the first question of the night about his ex-wife Marianne Gingrich and whether he asked for an “open marriage.” CNN moderator John King asked the question because Marianne Gingrich appeared in an ABC News interview that also aired last night claiming Newt cheated on her with current wife Callista Gingrich and asked for an “open marriage.” When Marianne Gingrich said she didn’t want an open marriage, and in fact that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Newt asked for a divorce. When questioned about Marianne’s statements at Thursday night’s debate, Newt called them “false” and chastised John King, saying, “I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that.” Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Male Reporters Dominate Campaign Trail Coverage

Jessica WakemanJanuary 13, 2012 //

Reporters on the campaign trail are skewing heavily male, according to an examination by the Columbia Journalism Review. According to NYU journalism professor Meryl Gordon, politics reporters at newspapers, glossy magazines and blogs are mostly men, and when there are women, there is usually only one or two. This, of course, is echoed in coverage on the campaign trail. [Columbia Journalism Review]
Props to Jessica Ahlquist, 16, of Rhode Island, who successfully won a legal battle over a religious prayer banner which was hung in the Cranston High School West auditorium. Jessica contacted the Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU last year, which brought the case to a federal judge. Yesterday, the judge ruled that the prayer banner in a public school was indeed in violation and must immediately be removed. [Boston.com]
“Shit Homophobic People Say” — featuring quotes from actual homophobes! [YouTube] Keep reading »