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BREAKING: Lawmakers have solved all of the United States’ problems through legislation. Now they have time to devote to dangerous, blatantly unconstitutional bills that they know have no chance of passing!
That’s what you’d think is going on anyway. Congress yesterday passed a nationwide ban on abortion after 20 weeks.
They know that Roe v. Wade ensures women the right to an abortion to the point of viability, without a specified time limit.
They know that just a month ago a federal court struck down Arizona’s …
On Tuesday, over 100 activists gathered together in DC\’s Dupont Circle to honor Beatriz and all women who have experienced abortion at a vigil hosted by Advocates for Youth, Ipas, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), and The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.
The vigil began with a prayer from the Rev. Harry Knox, President and CEO of RCRC. ”We are comforted in knowing that justice was finally accomplished and that the life of this blessed woman was spared. We give thanks that you see Beatriz, …
It’s Week 9 of 50 Days of Action for Women and Girls, a campaign to demonstrate mass support for policies and programs that will allow women and girls to be healthy, empowered, educated, and safe.
How can you get involved?
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Ogilvy & Mather Argentina recently created a campaign for Huggies with the aim of sharing the experience of pregnancy with fathers who usually do not experience a baby’s growth in utero the same way a woman does. It was sweet, until I noticed they used one word – “compensate”.
“Pregnancy was always about her. That’s why at Huggies, we did something to compensate fathers…”
Sorry fathers. We didn’t know you wanted to experience the joys of pregnancy too. I’m sure women everywhere have been chastened by this commercial, and …
Believe it or not us males face issues regarding our body as well, being apart of this large group of men who have this challenge i must say its not an easy road. It isn’t different from the issues women face but it stems from the need to be liked by someone.
In today’s society the fat guy gets no “game” with all the women and in some cases men going crazy over the abercrombie and fitch model or the guy on the cover of last months issue of …
The Candies foundation has done a great job at repackaging anti-teenage pregnancy messages in a way that youth and celebrities a like pay attention to. However, it has greatly failed at addressing or highlighting the factors that lead to teenage pregnancy and how to avoid an unintended pregnancy.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced last Friday that it would be changing their outdated gender marker policy. For the transgender community and our supporters, this is a big step forward. Previously, the gender marker on one’s social security card could only be changed after gender affirmation surgery. Not only are these surgeries expensive and typically not covered by insurance, but they are not desired by all members of the trans community. The new SSA policy allows an individual to change their gender marker by presenting a passport or …
Rape Culture is when a culture normalizes, excuses, tolerates or even condones rape.
Exhibit A:
Imagine this. I am driving in a car when Go Missin by Usher comes on. The person in the car with me starts singing along.
Harmless right?
WRONG.
The correct reaction to this song is for me to pull the car over and we both hop out, screaming our heads off. Because that song is scary guys. It is pull the car over in the middle of traffic and run away scary. Everyone is …
Let me start off by wishing everyone (who has a dad), a very Happy Fathers’ Day. Now that my heteronormative wishes have gone through, let me get right to the point. Celebrating Mothers and Fathers on separate days is straight up offensive. Do mind the pun. Having specific days dedicated to either mothers or fathers assumes that all families conform to “traditional” and “heteronormative’ lifestyles and does not acknowledge the fact that there are many families who do belong to these strict structures. LGBT families are an example that …
Sanaa Hamid, a student of photography at UCA Rochester, has created this amazing project which aims to create discussions about cultural appropriation. In this project, two people on either sides of the issue are photographed wearing a controversial item.
“This body of work is an exploration of the extent of cultural appropriation and encourages a discussion about it. I give the appropriator and the appropriated the opportunity to defend themselves and create a dialogue between them, while maintaining a neutral stance myself. I am not attacking those who appropriate,
…
“Together we can end HIV stigma, but we need to be able to TALK ABOUT IT. Share this graphic to continue the conversation and encourage your network of friends to speak up!”…
In an attempt to lower teen pregnancy rates, Chicago has implemented a thought provoking ad campaign. All over the city people are encountering billboards picturing pregnant young men. While the images are powerful, I am uneasy about their message and effectiveness.
As seen above, the uniting message of these ads is, “Unexpected? Most teen pregnancies are. Avoid unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Use condoms. Or wait.” While I applaud the Chicago Department of Health for not promoting abstinence and safe sex practices, by imploring “use condoms” instead of “use protection” …
A dangerous development in Myanmar is largely going unreported. Recently, local authorities announced their support for the enforcement of a two-child limit for Rohingya Muslims. While not an official policy of the central or state government, the policy has been implemented on a grass-roots level. The most recent public endorsement for this policy comes from Immigration Minister, Khin Yi who stated that Rohingya families of 10-12 children are “not good for child nutrition. It’s not very easy for schooling. It is not very easy to take care of the …
On Monday, June 10, the Justice Department announced it would no longer pursue attempts to block over-the-counter availability for Plan B One-Step and generic one-pill emergency contraceptives.
The Justice Department invited Teva, the maker of Plan B, to submit an application for over-the-counter status, and said it would approve the application “promptly” (though we do not know when the product will actually move to pharmacy shelves).
This is a great step forward for helping young women prevent teen pregnancy. Once emergency contraception has been cleared for over-the-counter status, young women …
i read a book called everyday. its about A, who lives in a different body everyday. A therefore has no gender, sexual orientation, race..A is defined by emotions, actions, A is everyone. i think sometimes life would be better if we had no gender.
i am not transgendered, i am a female, and for the most part i like it. but i do prefer the term brother over sister, something i shall never tell my family, but only release here.
i am a female, a daughter, but also a …
On Mondays, after spending my day working for and with young college sexual health and reproductive rights activists as the Manager of Campus Organizing at Advocates for Youth, I come home to cook dinner and text my sisters as we prepare for yet another drama filled episode of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta. Yes, I enjoy my fair share of terrible yet entertaining reality TV shows like most Millennials and LHHA happens to be one of the train wrecks that I can’t turn away from!
Let me start …
This week there has been a lot of discussion around sexual assault in the military. On June 4, the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee met with the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the first hearing this session and the following day the House Armed Services Committee approved legislation that will establish stricter prosecution and punishment measures for perpetrators of assault. The bill is expected to move to the House floor next week. The major theme that prevailed through these talks was the question of who should address …
If you haven\’t browsed the #safetytipsforwomen hashtag on Twitter, you probably should. It consists of sarcastic tweets for women, highlighting the fact that women\’s behavior is not the cause of rape, rather people are just horrible.
Leigh Hofheimer at canyouralate.org (run by the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence) posted this. She was inspired by ridiculous violence prevention tips targeted at victims, like they are the problem and not the attacker.
Ten rape prevention tips:
1. Don’t put drugs in women’s drinks.
2. When you see a woman walking
…
As a follow up, to my post about CPCs in Louisville, here are a few tips about distinguishing CPCs from real clinics.
Crisis pregnancy centers, or pregnancy resource centers, disguise themselves as medical facilities, but usually have no licensed doctors, nurses or counselors. They often appear under “Abortion Alternatives,” and may have names similar to abortion clinics nearby in order to confuse patients into entering their buildings instead of the real clinics.
Once you enter a CPC, their mission is to prevent you from getting an abortion at any
…
Just in case women didn’t have enough to deal with Repro-Justice wise, there are also fake abortion clinics to contend with in addition to pro-life hecklers.
I’ve always known about CPCs (Crisis Pregnacy Centers), but I never knew just how horrible they could be until now.
There have been reports of a couple of fake clinics in downtown Louisville, KY. These clinics are right next to a genuine one – EMW Women’s Surgical Center on Market street.
Tumblr user thisgingerisback reports, “…this place is seriously a nightmarish hell-hole …
The 2013 Pride Prom in Akron, Ohio was spectacular, a safe environment for LGBTQ teens and allies. Supported by CANAPI and PFLAG, the night was filled with dancing and fun for all involved. It was a refreshing change to have a prom that allowed dates of any gender and non-gender specific clothing.…
Is it really 2013? Is it though? Is it?
People of different races can get married yeah? Same-sex couples can get married in some places too no? So why can’t people handle a simple Cheerios commercial featuring a bi-racial family.
It’s a 31-second spot featuring a little girl who asks her mum if it’s true that Cheerios are beneficial to heart health. Cut to her father, who wakes up on the couch with a pile of Cheerios on his chest because kids are so cute innit? Silly girl, Cheerios …
Activist is not a word that applies to me until a year into college when I am sweating in Downtown Columbus outside the Statehouse at the Ohio Advocates’ first retreat, dodging business suits at the lunch hour rush.
Here’s a secret: when I found I had been accepted to the Ohio Advocates Youth Leadership Council, I thought that it was a mistake. I remember doubt asking, in a breath of disbelief, Are you serious? The same doubt spoke when I held the mouse steady over the SEND button and …
In an interview with the Guardian on June 2nd, actor Michael Douglas revealed that his throat cancer was caused by HPV (human papillomavirus). The stage four cancer was originally deemed fatal when Douglas was diagnosed in August 2010. While he has been cancer free for two years, his outcome could have been much worse if he had not seen a doctor in Montreal who correctly diagnosed him. Before learning HPV had caused the cancer, he had seen many specialists who failed to notice the large tumor on …
According to the Bay Area Reporter this stamp of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected to public office, will be released in 2014.…
After the Boy Scouts announced earlier this week that they would allow openly gay scouts to remain in the program, but would refuse to accept gay and lesbian adult leaders, the California senate hit them back–by taking away their tax-exempt status.
Boy Scouts of America is a non-profit organization that does not have to pay taxes to the government because of the service that they do for the youth of America which, up until recently, did not include openly gay or queer youth. BSA’s decision, which was …
Last April, one of the facilitators in my youth group approached me for an opportunity to be in an internship. I was told that I’d be a member of a youth council, that our main goal is to establish better sexual education in public schools. I was completely sold and wanted to sign up as soon as possible. My excitement built once I had an interview and met with Daily, who described in very good detail what was expected from me and the activities I’d be participating in.
The …
Part one and part two of this series has outlined the structural nature of rape culture in the US military that is made of and results in severe lack of trust, abuse of power, and a staunch unwillingness to make necessary changes. Those outside the command structure of the military however are more than ready to force them in line. Since February, six pieces of legislation have been introduced in Congress and the Senate that, together, tackle these problems in a comprehensive way.
The Ruth Moore Act
The first …
Reposted from Feminists-At-Large and the Voice.
I used to consider myself “transiently pro-choice,” mainly because I didn’t know enough about the issue to restrict anyone’s rights, but I certainly wasn’t comfortable with abortion.
Then things started to change as I came to college and, through my studies, came to some startling realizations about women’s health.
I felt that way before I developed a greater understanding of healthcare in America, particularly the fact that millions are uninsured and underinsured. Not only that, but also that it is easier in …
On Wednesday, the highest court in El Salvador denied an abortion to a woman with a pregnancy that is so high-risk that doctors say it could kill her. Beatriz, 22, is carrying a 26-week fetus with anencephaly, a birth defect that means part of the brain and skull are missing and that the baby will almost certainly die at birth. Beatriz’s doctors say the abortion is necessary for Beatriz’s health and perhaps to save her life. But by a vote of 4–1, the Salvadoran judges ruled that in light
…
Whenever abortion is the topic of a conversation, especially when spoken of as a choice that someone wants to make for whatever reason that’s personally valid to them, there is always someone who pops up and says, “Adoption is an option too!” You know, as if that thought never occurred to anyone ever or it’s some kind of a magical word to rid one of an unwanted pregnancy. I witness it all the time on my STFU Pro-Lifers blog through the large amount of messages I receive on a …
Recently I came across an article on the Catholic News Agency (http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/cw/post.php?id=713) that presented the argument that marriage can never be gay because marriage was not intended for “happiness”, but for “the good of the other(s). The primary “other” being the spouse, and the subsequent “others” being children who issue forth from that union.” Let me begin with saying that I agree.
Don’t kill me.
I don’t think that marriage was originally intended for happiness. The author notes that for thousands of years we have all bought into this …
There are a lot of forces out there trying to misinform the public, especially the youth, when it comes to reproductive/sexual health and rights. One of the biggest groups out there is called Live Action. When you look up Live Action on Google, they’re listed as a non-profit pro-life organization. According to them, they are a “youth led movement dedicated to building a culture of life and ending abortion.” They claim to do undercover investigation in clinics to prove and document “illegal, inhuman, and gruesome” practices and share it …
So,recently, I have found myself in a funny spot on my journey to becoming what our society labels as “adult”. For the last couple years, I think my master status was the role of “teen mom”. I had to change diapers,work full time, and do my homework all at once. All this, while I was still discovering who I was as a young adult, I was also molding this other little human being. I don’t want to go on with the cliches, “I’m stronger now” and “I learned from …
Some South Carolina politicians are really sneaky and conniving with the bills that they try to get passed at the Senate level. Thankfully, there are some members of the senate subcommittee who don’t get tripped up that easily. A senator from Spartanburg named Lee Bright wanted to get a bill passed that would require doctors that perform abortions to be board certified in obstetrics and gynecology, in addition to gaining staff privileges at local hospitals. His reasoning for wanting this bill passed is because he claimed that it would …
Illinois is having a hard time getting petitions to get the HB-61 Bill passed. Are you kidding me?! Signing the petition would update the law to correspond with medical advances in HIV management and transmission and protects families’ and students’ medical privacy. This is an issue that needs to be dealt with quickly. Everyone needs to have a right to privacy. Why is Illinois being exempt? 49 other states are on board, and they are the only remaining state still functioning under a law that thinks it’s necessary to disclose …
UPDATE: Many of you signed the petition, sent out tweets and posted FB comments, and we’re happy to report your activism has paid off. Facebook has agreed to remove content that condones and encourages violence and hate speech against women. They’ve acknowledged the problem and are taking steps to fix it. Let’s see that they do.
Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of injury for women between the ages of 15 and 44, more then rape, muggings, and car accidents combined. Nearly 1 in 4 women experience at …
…And the Scandals Keep Coming
Two new scandals involving a Sergeant and a Lieutenant Colonel responsible for sexual assault prevention programs have come to light recently, adding to the three scandals I reported on last week. The two new reports from Fort Hood and Fort Campbell demonstrate again that sexual assault in the military is structural and demands fundamental changes. My next post, detailing the six pieces of legislation that have been introduced to combat this problem will be posted next week. This week, I’m looking at the new …
Mississippi Could Soon Jail Women for Stillbirths & Miscarriages?
On March 14, 2009, 31 weeks into her pregnancy, Nina Buckhalter gave birth to a stillborn baby girl. She named the child Hayley Jade. Two months later, a grand jury in Lamar County, Mississippi, indicted Buckhalter for manslaughter, claiming that the then-29-year-old woman “did willfully, unlawfully, feloniously, kill Hayley Jade Buckhalter, a human being, by culpable negligence.”
The district attorney argued that methamphetamine detected in Buckhalter’s system caused Hayley Jade’s death. The state Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments on
…
According to “Today”, Republicans on the Ohio House Finance Committee voted to adopt changes to the two-year state budget that will significantly restrict the teaching of sexual education in the state, mandating an abstinence-only approach. To know that the only approach to teach young adults sexual health education is abstinence is very limiting in educating. Young adults deservethe RIGHT to get all of the education they need, besideswhenhas less been better than more? In this case more is better! Stepping up to bring awareness to the different types of contraceptives (and yes abstinences is one method) is great, …
There are three things you must know before you read this post:
Now, as much as I love Benedict, his portrayal of Khan Noonien Singh is QUITE problematic. Here’s the thing, Khan is “…a genetically engineered superhuman Sikh from …
Because there are actually sensible people on this planet who know that the responsibility of pregnancy does not fall solely on the shoulders of girls and women, the campaign above exists. The Chicago Department of Public Health’s Office of Adolescent and School Health has launched a great campaign about teenage pregnancy. The campaign features images of pregnant lads, reminding people that there is always another party involved. Because in today’s society, people are quick to shame the young women, forgetting that they couldn’t possibly have gotten pregnant all on …
Just when you thought it was safe again (Yeah right. When is it ever?), a club in Glasgow decided to install a two-way mirror in its bathrooms, making it easy for men to spy on women without the other party’s knowledge. For what purpose exactly? I don’t know. When you figure it out, let me in on the grand plan.
When confronted, the skeevy mcskeevs of The Shimmy nightclub claimed that the mirror was, “a design feature created as a bit of fun, an interactive feature which we …
(Note: Katia Gomez is the Founder and Executive Director of Educate2Envision, an international NGO working with the children and young people of Honduras. Recently, her organization was recognized by the WomenDeliver as one of the 25 finalists for the WomenDeliver 25, an online competition to determine the top social enterprises that benefit girls and women around the world. More than 13,500 votes were cast online to select Teen Revolt, New Incentives, Wedu, and the other winners. Each finalist will receive a scholarship to WomenDeliver 2013, where they …
When a teenager or young woman looks in the mirror to consider her appearance, the chances are good that she will not be happy with what she sees.
To help battle that misconception, the second annual True Beauty Fashion Show was held Sunday at St. Mary Catholic Central High School. The event was meant to encourage girls, teens and young women to celebrate and appreciate their own beauty rather than compare themselves to unrealistic standards that are pervasive in advertising and popular culture.
Paxton Kreps of LaSalle, a junior …
Planning events are a great way to advocate for issues that matter to you and your community. For me, the biggest thing was to giving myself plenty of time to plan everything out, and make sure that it would go smoothly, and as planned.
If you’re working with your council and you want your coordinator to work with you or attend the event, let that person know in advance! They need to know ahead of time, because their schedules can get very busy. You might need to come up …
“You don’t have kids, do you?”
Have ever met someone and really hit it off? You start asking the basic initial questions, like, “where do you live?” “How old are you?” “Where is your family from” and so on.
Then you ask, Or you are asked, “You don’t have kids. Do you?” As if having a kid is going to make or break this potential relationship. If you are the one being asked the question, what should you answer? What should you say? Feel? Or think?
Should you …
Dear Sex Ed Teachers,
Let me start by thanking all the sex educators out there. You are helping us become better human beings.
We might not show it, but we truly appreciate you and all you do.
We (as in your students) know more than anyone that talking about sex can be a bit uncomfortable, but you, being the great sex teacher you are, maneuver us around the initial awkwardness and get us to a place where we are all comfortable enough to ask questions.
Yes, yes, we know …
Colorado Youth Testify in Support of HB 1081
I strictly assumed that by this time period humans would not be arguing over equality, inclusion, and sexual health. Apparently, some Americans don’t want their children learning about “the gays”, “the lesbians”, “the immigrants” or “cultures.” Some are even outraged because “white heterosexuals” are “no longer represented.” These are authentic words spoken from citizens present in the committee for HB 1081 or “The Sex Ed Bill”, on Thursday February 7th. I went into committee humming “I’m just a Bill” …
Ogilvy & Mather Argentina recently created a campaign for Huggies with the aim of sharing the experience of pregnancy with fathers who usually do not experience a baby’s growth in utero the same way a woman does. It was sweet, until I noticed they used one word – “compensate”.
“Pregnancy was always about her. That’s why at Huggies, we did something to compensate fathers…”
Sorry fathers. We didn’t know you wanted to experience the joys of pregnancy too. I’m sure women everywhere have been chastened by this commercial, and …
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Academic essay is the piece of written work, which is aimed at exploring a topic or issue in the most effective and detailed manner. The academic essay is quite different from other forms of written work, as it requires a significant amount of in-depth knowledge about the essay topic. For the purpose of writing an academic essay, the writer needs to follow a specific outline that conceives three major headings namely introduction, …
IT’S one of the latest advertised emergency contraceptive pills on the market, and is considered accessible and effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies. But Qualcare, the sole distributors of Pregnon in Jamaica, is cautioning women to use it only in cases of emergency, and not as a substitute for a regular contraceptive method.
District manager at Qualcare Limited, Othneil Brown, said like most doctors he too has a problem with women abusing Pregnon, which should only be taken as an emergency contraceptive method.
“They (doctors) prefer if you use …
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