Tag Archives: washington dc

Today’s Lady News: Ban Proposed On Abortion After 20 Weeks In Washington, D.C.

Jessica WakemanFebruary 15, 2012 //
Today's Lady News
  • Utah Sen. Mike Like, a Republican supported by the Tea Party, has proposed a ban on abortion after 20 weeks in the District of Columbia. This “fetal pain” bill is based on the anti-abortion argument, unproven by the medical establishment, that five months is the point at which a fetus can feel pain. (You can read more in-depth on “fetal pain” laws here.) Oklahoma, Kansas, Idaho, Nebraska and Alabama have similar fetal pain bills in effect.  [Salt Lake Tribune]
  • I have instructed Amelia to drink some cold medicine and watch this unintentionally HILARIOUS video from the American Life League about the evils of Planned Parenthood, which include “penis balloons,” “vagina cupcakes,” and “vagina macarons.” Actual quote from this video: “Planned Parenthood’s gateway drug is masturbation.” Oh my word, the comedy is priceless! (Priceless and scary.) [The Stranger via Feministing] Keep reading »

Earthquake Rocks East Coast

Jessica WakemanAugust 23, 2011 //

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Virginia, sending ripples from Washington, D.C. to New York City to Boston to Cleveland, around 1:50 p.m. this afternoon. The whole Frisky office here in NYC started shaking. We initially thought it was Amelia’s breakfast burrito getting the better of her, but now we know the truth: several of us just lived through our first earthquake! We’re hoping all Frisky readers and their loved ones are OK. Feel free to share with us any earthquake-related stories in the comments.

UPDATE: Keep reading »

Politics Bloggers Are All Male, Natch

Jessica WakemanMarch 28, 2011 //
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Author Jodi Picoult says book reviewers favor white men. Read More »

To be sure, the young politics bloggers interviewed are all precociously talented and their success at a young age is impressive. Brian Beutler, 28, is a reporter for the online publication Talking Points Memo. David Weigel, 29, is a political reporter for Slate.com and a contributor to MSNBC. Ezra Klein, 26, wrote for The American Prospect and now The Washington Post. Matt Yglesias, 29, is a blogger for Think Progress, the blog for the Center for American Progress.

The problem with the piece, though, is the complete exclusion of female politics bloggers and reporters. They definitely exist … so why exclude them? Why was it necessary to report the “story” — and yes, “story” belongs in quotes — with only young male bloggers? Does that make any sense whatsoever? It comes off as needlessly clubby … almost like a … what’s that word again? A boys’ club. Oh yes, it comes off like a boys’ club. And a boys’ club is perpetuated by many factors, in particular the opportunities afforded to some privileged members over others. Opportunities, like, say, NY Times’ profiles.

The thing is, journalism and blogging in 2011, as far as I’ve seen from my six or so years working in those disciplines, are not total boys’ clubs. There are female politics bloggers and writers in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and anywhere else you go looking for them. The more you look for, the more you find. Why The NY Times either chose not to look, or chose not to include, any women at all other than mentioning in passing that Annie Lowrey is a 26-year-old reporter for Slate, is shameful.

So, I’ll try to be helpful, NY Times, and give you some names of female politics bloggers and/or reporters who perhaps eluded your gaze when you’re wearing those douchey spectacles of sexist trend pieces:

And that’s just to start (although, it’s admittedly a predominantly white list). I could go on and on and on.

Also, I love this parody piece written by Ann Friedman, a former editor at Feministing and The American Prospect, that sends up the stupid New York Times article. Definitely check it out here and be sure to check out Ann’s Tumblr called Lady Journos that curates the work of “journalists who happen to be women.” Because, you know, sometimes they’re just so hard to find. Or something.

[New York Times]
[AnnFriedman.com]

Today’s Lady News: Meryl Streep Wants A Lady Museum

Jessica WakemanSeptember 22, 2010 //
  • Meryl Streep has pledged $1 million towards the creation of a Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Senate is expected to vote on a bill about the museum’s creation and about allocating a place for the institution near the National Mall. The bill doesn’t ask the government to pony up any of the cash because it will all be funded privately. [Washington Post]
  • The White House recently announced that Larry Summers, the controversial ex-president of Harvard University, is leaving the National Economic Council at the end of the year. Word on the street says President Obama wants to replace him with a female CEO. [Politico]
  • Today kicks off the “40 Days of Life” protest, for which opponents of abortion will pray and fast outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan/College Station, Texas, through December. Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast has released a statement calling the protests outside their clinic harassment. Anti-abortion protesters in Tulsa are joining the “40 Days of Life” protest, too. [KBTX, Tulsa World]

Keep reading »

Carrying 3 Condoms In D.C. Makes You A Prostitute

Annika HarrisJanuary 11, 2010 //

Carrying three or more condoms in Washington, D.C. isn’t a sign that you’re a responsible adult who has a big night ahead of you, instead it could mean you’re a prostitute. Police in D.C. are setting up “Prostitution Free Zones,” in which officers can arrest anyone they suspect of being a sex worker. And the police have been accused of using the number of condoms a person has in their possession as an indication of their intent to sell sex. While this law can be a nuisance to people who aren’t in the sex trade (condoms are often sold in packs of three), it really is dangerous to sex workers because it forces them to abandon safe sex practices, which puts their health and that of the public at risk. D.C. has HIV/AIDS rates greater than a severe epidemic. And this law will make matters worse because prostitutes, who are often controlled by pimps, will be further criminalized and won’t seek medical attention for fear of being arrested. Sadly, this practice has also been adopted by police in San Francisco and New York City. [Change.org] Keep reading »

Merry Christmas, Wankers

Susannah BreslinDecember 28, 2009 //

The Sexist reports on a bag of leftover dildos that were left out in the snow sometime around the holidays. One woman ran over them on her bike, and pedestrians were purportedly tripping over the, er, “goodie bag.” Conclusion: People in DC are way freakier than previously believed. [The Sexist] Keep reading »

Michelle Fenty, D.C.’s Other First Lady

Annika HarrisNovember 11, 2009 //

Michelle Fenty sounds a lot like Washington, D.C.’s other first lady on paper. She’s an accomplished attorney, married to an influential politician, and is an involved mother. She met her husband, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, when she served as his mentor. And she’s also been noted for her stylish wardrobe. But this isn’t the life this dynamic woman always envisioned for herself. Keep reading »

Washington, D.C. Offering Free STD Testing To All High School Students

Catherine StrawnAugust 6, 2009 //

Half of Washington, D.C.’s cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea are among adolescents, so it’s a good thing the city has expanded a pilot program that offers free STD testing to high school students.

Last year, when the program launched with STD testing offered in eight schools, about 3,000 students participated and 13 percent of them tested positive for an STD, mostly gonorrhea or chlamydia. This year, all high school students will have the opportunity to participate in the program. They will attend a lecture and Q&A session about STDs. Then 15 to 20 of them at a time will be given paper bags containing urine collection cups and will be sent into bathroom stalls. Once students are in the stalls, they will decide whether or not they want to provide a urine sample. They’ll then return the paper bags with the container inside, either filled or not, so others won’t know whether they’ve given a sample. Students will then be given a password to use when they call in a week later to find out the tests’ results and receive treatment, if necessary. Keep reading »

Quick Pic: D.C. Is Becoming The Reality TV Capital City

Annika HarrisJune 19, 2009 //

This is the house Bunim/Murray Productions will turn into a swanky pad for the next crop of horny cast members on “The Real World: Washington D.C.” MTV will also air a D.C.-version of “The Hills” this summer. But MTV isn’t the only network moving into the capital. Bravo will soon feature political wives, philanthropic leaders, sophisticated fashionistas, and other power players in “The Real Housewives of D.C..” Keep reading »

Inauguration Day Missed Connections

Catherine StrawnJanuary 21, 2009 //

After the day’s festivities, which included dancing until the early morning hours, the president and first lady were probably too worn out to have sex last night, but that doesn’t mean other people didn’t have fun! While there weren’t as many Inauguration Day Craigslist missed connections in Washington, D.C., as there were on election night, there were enough to prove that Obama really does bring people together! Keep reading to see a selection… Keep reading »

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