Tag Archives: women news

Will Mississippi Become The First State Without An Abortion Clinic?

Jessica WakemanJune 25, 2012 //

On July 1, Mississippi’s only surviving abortion clinic may shut down after a new law goes into effect requiring doctors at the clinic to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. This will likely make it impossible for the clinic to continue operating because three out of four of the clinic’s doctors live out of state, in part to avoid harassment by local anti-abortion protestors. Siiiigh. But no worries: coat hanger abortions are no biggie. [New York Times]
The Marine Corps released its plan today to hold troops accused of sexual assault, as well as their commanders, more accountable for their behavior. [Stars & Stripes]
Meet Keith Mason and his wife Jennifer, the forces behind Personhood USA, a group that seeks to change the legal status of a fetus to a “person,” thereby criminalizing all abortion and possibly birth control. [The Daily Beast]
Former CNN/NBC anchor Campbell Brown wrote a pretty annoying op-ed for The New York Times this weekend that criticized Planned Parenthood. [Politico] Keep reading »

Sandra Fluke Talks Sluts, Rush Limbaugh

Jessica WakemanJune 25, 2012 //

Rush Smears "Slut"

Rush Limbaugh called Sandra Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute" on air. Read More »

Advertisers Drop Rush

A number of advertisers have dropped Rush Limbaugh. Read More »

Obama Phones "Slut"

The President called Sandra Fluke after Limbaugh called her a "slut." Read More »

quotable

[W]hat I’ve learned [after being called a "slut" by Rush Limbaugh on his show] has less to do with Mr. Limbaugh specifically and more to do with a part of our population that has this view. Because frankly, you don’t go on national radio and talk for several days about something that no one wants to hear. There’s an audience for this type of sexist vitriol. There is real hate and sexism within our society that we have to do something about.

– Here, here, Sandra Fluke! The Georgetown University law student — who was famously called a “slut” and “prostitute” on-air by Rush Limbaugh after she testified before House Democrats about the limited coverage for birth control at her school — was interviewed this week in The New York Times Magazine. Even though I found Fluke’s comments about erotica/pornography ignorant and annoying — Interviewer: “What does feminist porn look like?” Fluke: “I’ll let you know when I find any.” — she was otherwise super articulate and smart, especially when discussing the difference between free speech and slander. I hope Sandra Fluke runs for office someday and unseats some douchebag Rick Santorum acolyte. [NY Times Magazine]

On Aaron Sorkin And “The Newsroom”‘s Woman Problem

Morgan NelsonJune 25, 2012 //

Pink Pieces

The 10 best pieces of pink journalism from 2012. Read More »

Men Quoted In Media

4th Estate chart about women in journalism

Men overwhelmingly quoted in media about women's rights. Read More »

Reporter Fired For Stripping

Reporter fired for stripping files gender discrimination complaint Read More »

Being an Aaron Sorkin fan runs in my blood. My mom might have been the world’s biggest “West Wing” fan. Although I was too young to really understand the show when it was on the air, I’ve since gone back and watched and loved almost the whole series. Granted, when I watched “The West Wing” I was sure that I would grow up and become a real-life C.J., so why I liked it could be questioned. Maybe it just gave me my political junkie fix or maybe I finally felt like I found a place where people talked faster than me.

As I’ve grown up however, I’ve traded my political ambitions for more journalistic ones. And, apparently, so has Aaron Sorkin. Which is why I was more than happy to watch his newest show “The Newsroom.” (Spoiler alerts ahead!) Keep reading »

Some Creep Is Filming Videos Of Your Legs On The Subway And Posting Them On YouTube

Jessica WakemanJune 25, 2012 //

Creep Shaming

Why whining about "creep shaming" is total BS. Read More »

Woman Attacks Pervert

This woman opened a can of whoop-ass on a man who groped her. Read More »

She-Hulk Catches Perv

A 24-year-old she-hulk caught a perv on the Boston subway. Read More »

Street Harassment

How do you respond? Read More »

The good news is that YouTube has pulled an account belonging to “John Zippy,” a man who was surreptiously filming women’s legs on the subway through a camera placed inside a Starbucks cup and posting the videos online.

The bad news is the YouTube channel “New York Subway Girls” had 35 videos posted on it before it was yanked, featuring 102 women whose body parts were being filmed without their consent. Gross. And the New York Police Department is unable do anything about the vids — unless a woman filmed specifically complains about sexual harassment — because filming in public is not illegal. Keep reading »

Dick Cheney’s Lesbian Daughter Marries

Jessica WakemanJune 22, 2012 //

Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, married her longtime partner Heather Poe today in Washington, D.C. In a statement, the Vice President said he was “delighted” his daughter could have her “relationship recognized,” adding “Mary and Heather and their children are very important and much loved members of our family and we wish them every happiness.” You hear that, bigots? [Advocate]
A “fetal personhood” amendment, which would seek to criminalize abortion by giving a fetus the same rights as a person, may not make it on Ohio’s state ballot this November because the anti-abortion group behind it can’t gather enough signatures. [Feminist.org]
Double X blogger Amanda Marcotte on why women having kids later is better for everyone. [Double X]
Check out this new documentary, “The Invisible War,” which takes on the epidemic of sexual assault within the American military. [MSNBC]
Keep reading »

Should Cabbies Be Punished For Knowingly Driving Prostitutes?

Jessica WakemanJune 22, 2012 //

On Sex Work & Feminism

Actress Billie Piper talks about sex work and feminism. Read More »

Sex Work Past

Is it OK for an elementary school teacher to have been a stripper? Read More »

Call Girls Onscreen

Meet the women who've played call girls in film and TV. Read More »

We can all agree that sex trafficking of women and girls is abhorrent and should be illegal. Maybe we won’t agree about whether consensual sex work should be legal. (I personally believe it should be.) But where do you stand on punishing cab drivers who knowingly drive around prostitutes?

On Friday morning, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation that pins a $10,000 fine on a cab driver who is convicted the second time for knowingly transporting prostitutes to their work. Simply transporting a prostitute or a decoy prostitute would not be illegal, the mayor said, but knowingly driving around sex workers even after getting caught doing so once before would now constitute participating in a ‘sex trafficking operation.’ Keep reading »

Ex-NYPD Cop Admits He Raped Woman, Lied About It

Jessica WakemanJune 22, 2012 //

Cop Rape Accusation

NYPD officier being investigated for raping a 25-year-old woman. Read More »

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

CDC Sex Assault Data

Adolescent girls and preteen boys are at the highest risk for sexual assault. Read More »

Should I Be Scarred?

This woman wonders if she should be more scarred by her date rape. Read More »

Nearly one year ago, those of us who put our faith and trust in the police had our world rocked: an New York City Police Department officer named Michael Pena was charged with grabbing a 25-year-old woman off the street, threatening to shoot her, and raping her in a yard. A neighbor saw Pena raping the woman and called 911.

But this March, a jury failed to convict Pena of rape. It convicted him of seven charges, including sexual assault, but wouldn’t convict him of rape because he insisted he did not “penetrate” her. The eyewitness neighbor who called 911 said it very clearly was a rape and was shocked the jury didn’t believe the 25-year-old woman.

Yesterday, the ex-cop admitted he had lied. In a retrial yesterday, Pena admitted he raped the young Bronx teacher and plead guilty to two counts of rape and two counts of sexual assault. Keep reading »

New Hampshire Governor Vetoes Anti-Abortion Bill

Jessica WakemanJune 21, 2012 //

New Hampshire’s governor vetoed an anti-abortion bill today that would have classified the death of a fetus as a homicide, which is a sneaky tactic by pro-life activists to restrict abortion rights by granting fetuses the rights of full human beings. [Feminist.org]
Vice President Joe Biden has released a powerful new anti-violence against women PSA called #1is2many. Give it a watch and tell me what you think? [Feministing]
An East Texas high school mishandled the case of a high school student who was raped, according to a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The student, Rachel Bradshaw, was forced into a disciplinary program and was told to “work it out” with the young man who sexually attacked her, which she says created a hostile educational environment. [ACLU] Keep reading »

Giant Birth Control Pill Package Trailing Romney’s Campaign

Daley QuinnJune 21, 2012 //

Vagina!

An open letter to the Michigan state reps who are offended by the word. Read More »

Mitt On Morning After

Mitt Romney called the morning after pill "abortive pills." Read More »

Get Rid Of PP

Mitt Romney promises to get rid of Planned Parenthood funding. Read More »

Quick Pic

A giant pack of birth control called Pillamina can now be found flowing, er, following behind Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign and recently showed up at events in Ohio and New Hampshire. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, creator of the costume, hopes the massive pills will draw attention to Romney’s opposition towards President Obama’s birth control coverage mandate in health care reform. After two Democratic, female state reps in Michigan were banned from speaking for saying the words “vagina,” Pillamina decided to pop her way over to Troy, Michigan. Keep on fighting the good fight, Pillamina! [The Hill] [Image via Flickr]

Today’s Lady News: “Daria” Is Coming Back To MTV

Jessica WakemanJune 20, 2012 //

La, la, la, la, la! “Daria” is coming back to MTV’s “Retro Mania” mornings from 9 a.m. until noon for six weeks through August. Unfortunately, the other part of this “retro” bargain is “The Hills” and “Laguna Beach” are coming back, too. Daria and Jane would not approve. [I do! -- Editor] [After Ellen]
OH NO YOU DID NOT: a Republican male representative in Michigan said those two female legislators who were banned from speaking for using the word “vagina” said “it’s like giving the kid a time out for a day.” What infantilization. [Think Progress]
A married lesbian employee of St. John’s Medical Center in New York has filed a lawsuit against the hospital claiming her wife is entitled to the same benefits as other spouses. However, St. John’s is self-insured and therefore protected by federal regulations. Under the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, the hospital may argue it’s allowed to refuse the lesbian wife equal benefits. [New York Times] Keep reading »