Thursday, October 26, 2006

Long Time No Hear

I am currently in South Dakota volunteering for the SD Healthy Families Campaign and will try real soon to update my blog. In the meantime, feel free to catch up on archives.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Kaiser Updates

A panel of the Santiago, Chile, Appeals Court on Thursday overturned a temporary injunction issued by the court earlier this month that suspended the government's plan to distribute emergency contraceptive pills in public clinics to girls ages 14 and older at no cost and without parental consent Reuters AlertNet reports.

Teenage births cost Arizona taxpayers at least $268 million annually, according to a report based on 2004 data by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the AP/Arizona Republic reports.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday signed into law a bill that extends to privately funded laboratories a provision under Proposition 71 that says scientists receiving state embryonic stem cell research funds can reimburse egg donors only for their expenses and cannot pay them, the Los Angeles Times reports. He also signed other measures: AB 2583, which requires the state pharmacy board to post a sign in a visible place informing patients of their right to timely access to a prescribed medication or device that a pharmacist has refused to provide based on ethical, moral or religious grounds; and SB 1245, which requires health plans to cover the HPV test upon referral by a health care provider.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Wednesday approved 45-0 a bill (HR 5472) that would reauthorize CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program -- which offers screening services to low-income women without insurance -- through fiscal year 2011, CQ Today reports.

The docket for the U.S. Supreme Court term beginning Monday is scheduled to include a Department of Justice appeal to uphold a federal law banning so-called "partial-birth" abortion USA Today reports.

U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott on Wednesday ruled that an Ohio law (HB 126) that would restrict the use of Danco Laboratories' Mifeprex to induce a medical abortion is unconstitutional because it is vague and could jeopardize women's health, the AP/Akron Beacon Journal reports.

The South Dakota chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on Wednesday in a statement criticized a law (HB 1215) banning abortion in the state except to save a woman's life, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports.

The Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good on Thursday announced that it will distribute one million copies of its voter guide before the November elections in an effort to emphasize church teachings on various issues, including abortion and contraception, the Washington Post reports.

Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline's (R) request for the medical records of 90 women and girls who in 2003 underwent late-term abortions at two clinics and the lack of resulting prosecutions have become "key issues" in the November election, the AP/Kansas City Star reports.

A district attorney involved in a case that Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline (R) has cited as an example of how his office discovered evidence of a crime by conducting wide-ranging investigations about possibly illegal late-term abortions and sex crimes against children recently responded to Kline's comments, the AP/Wichita Eagle reports. Supposedly, Kline has "absolutely nothing to do" with the case.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday without comment denied an appeal by the Alaska Right to Life Committee to a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said Alaska's campaign finance laws do not violate the First Amendment, the AP/Anchorage Daily News reports.

The health department that serves Michigan's Alcona, losco, Ogemaw and Oscoda counties from 2003 through 2005 violated federal rules by overcharging low-income women for birth control and contraceptive supplies, according to a report conducted by the state Department of Community Health's Office of the Auditor General, the Bay City Times reports.

NARAL Pro-Choice America on Monday filed a friend-of-the-court brief with U.S. District Judge Joseph DiClerico in a case involving a New Hampshire parental notification law saying that state Attorney General Kelly Ayotte (R) essentially is asking the judge to rewrite the law -- a function that the group says should be left to the state Legislature, the AP/Manchester Union Leader reports.

Illinois state Rep. John Fritchey (D) on Tuesday introduced a bill (HB 5840) that would repeal and replace a parental notification law revived recently by the state Supreme Court, the AP/Belleville News Democrat reports.

The federal trial for Chicago-based HMO Amerigroup Corporation -- who has been charged with denying pregnant women and seriously ill people health care coverage -- began Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reports.

SIECUS Releases Abstinence-Only Review

The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US (SIECUS) released its fourth annual review yesterday of a selection of federally funded abstinence-only education programs.

Read article here: Review of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education Finds Misleading Messages

Indonesia Bans FGM

Praise Be!

The Indonesian government announced this week that it is prohibiting doctors and nurses from performing female genital cutting.

Read more here: Indonesia Bans Doctors from Practicing Female Genital Mutilation

Proposed Bills Threaten Rights of Sexual Assault, Rape Victims

The US Senate Armed Services Committee may vote on two pieces of legislation that could greatly reduce the rights of victims of sexual assault and rape. The Military Commissions Act of 2006, sponsored by Senator Warner (R-VA), and The Bringing Terrorists to Justice Act of 2006, sponsored by Senator Frist (R-TN), aim to clarify how suspected terrorists should be treated, interrogated, and prosecuted. Groups such as the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), however, are concerned that the bills’ content could significantly redefine sexual crimes such as rape.

Under the Geneva Conventions, which articulate how uniformed prisoners of war should be treated, rape and sexual violence are considered torture; sexual violence and abuse are considered cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; and “outrages upon personal dignity” are considered crimes. Both bills on the Senate floor omit these three principles of the Geneva Conventions, making it difficult to prosecute perpetrators of rape and sexual violence. According to CCR, the definitions of rape in the two proposed bills are inconsistent with definitions in international law and other US law. The definitions also exclude sexual abuse that is not characterized by genital or anal penetration, such as other forms of physical contact and non-physical abuses, like forced nakedness, humiliation, and harassment, which were prevalent in the Abu Ghraib scandal earlier this year.

Stop Abstinence Only Programs From Misleading America's Youth

As parents, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles – we all want our young loved ones to grow up to be informed, responsible and safe.

But as "abstinence-only" programs have replaced sex education in many of our nation's schools, the number of teenagers having unprotected sex has actually increased, making America the country with the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the industrialized world.

Join parents around the country in stopping this campaign of misinformation. Sign the petition.

According to a Congressional analysis, "abstinence only programs are teaching our kids that abortion can lead to sterility and suicide, that half the gay male teenagers in the United States have tested positive for the AIDS virus, and that touching a person's genitals "can result in pregnancy."

The outcome: abstinence-only education programs have failed to decrease sexual activity, unwanted pregnancies, and the spread of sexually transmitted infections among today's teenagers. And the number of teenagers having unprotected sex has actually increased!

It's time to set the right-wing straight: Misleading young people about sex and birth control is NOT a "family value." It's setting our kids up for greater rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Are you a parent? Do you know a parent? Then sign the Parents' Petition to oppose "abstinence-only" programs and support the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act - legislation that would establish a nationwide sex-education program.

Take A Stand Against Female Genital Mutilation

More than 135 million women and girls worldwide have been affected by female genital cutting (FGC), also called female circumcision. In countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, girls as young as 4 years old are forced to submit to this painful, unnecessary, and unsafe practice. Take action.

Infibulation, the most severe form of FGC, involves the removal of all or part of the external genitalia, leaving only a small opening for urine and menstruation. The cutting usually takes place between the ages of 4 and 12 and can cause serious complications including severe bleeding, infection, long-term difficulties with intercourse and childbirth, and even death.

Psychologically, cutting can cause tension between couples due to painful or difficult sexual relations. And socially, cutting makes it harder for girls to go to school or earn income by making them more likely to marry early.

We need the help of people like you. Speak out against this unnecessary and unsafe practice.

By signing this petition today, you'll be raising awareness and taking a stand to stop the painful practice of female genital cutting. Your name will be added to a list that will demonstrate to key decision makers just how strong the opposition against FGC is.

We must do all we can to save these girls from a lifetime of pain and suffering.

Where's The Religious Right On Rep. Foley?

The religious right loves to cast itself as the protector of family, children, and morality. But in the face of the Rep. Foley scandal, the religious right has chosen to attack gays, the "Left," and supporters of "tolerance and diversity," instead of Congressional leaders who had been warned about Foley's harassment of pages for years and chose to put their political interests above the interests of children.

See for yourself where the religious right believes the blame really lies......and when you're done, be sure to send this message to your friends.

Blame Tolerance and Diversity! "It's outrageous, it's shocking. But it shouldn't be totally surprising when we hold up tolerance and diversity as the guidepost for public life this is what you end up getting."-- Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council

Blame the Homosexuals!"But neither party seems likely to address the real issue, which is the link between homosexuality and child sexual abuse." -- Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council

Blame the Left!The Foley revelations are "an attempt to discourage Christian conservative voters and to get some percentage of them to stay home so that the Left can retake the United States Senate and the United States House."-- Gary Bauer, Chairman, Campaign for Working Families

Blame....Planned Parenthood? "There is never an acceptable excuse or rationale for the type of deviant behavior former Congressman Mark Foley has admitted to. Homosexuality is every bit a part of the culture of death as is abortion and contraception. Not surprisingly, Foley was an ardent supporter of both, representing the interests of Planned Parenthood 64 percent of the time thus far in 2006."-- Human Life International

Outraged? I am. Be sure to tell your friends where the religious right stands on the Foley debacle.

Access=Life

Did you know that it has been 25 years since the first cases of HIV/AIDS were reported?

What was once considered a gay men's problem is rapidly becoming a global women's epidemic due to social and biological factors that make women far more vulnerable to the virus than men. More than half of all people living with HIV/AIDS today are women and, in the hardest hit countries, five young women are infected for every one young man!

Experts at the recent International AIDS Conference in Toronto agreed: the best way to fight AIDS is to empower women around the world to protect themselves.

Please join in building on the momentum of the Toronto conference by calling on President Bush to tackle the global AIDS crisis before it is too late. President Bush must fight AIDS by ending violence against women, promoting gender equity, and ensuring universal access to prevention, treatment and support for women and girls living with or threatened by HIV/AIDS before it is too late.

The goal is to gather 25,000 petition signatures by World AIDS Day on December 1st. Click here to sign the access=life petition to President Bush now.

The AIDS crisis continues to grow at a frightening pace -- over 38 million people around the world currently live with the virus and millions more will become infected this year.

The link between women's status and the HIV/AIDS pandemic is finally gaining widespread recognition. World leaders and public health advocates are now calling for changes in the way societies treat women and girls. It is clear that giving women access to education, health care, economic opportunities, and decision-making power will be the key to both protecting women from the virus and preventing a global AIDS catastrophe.

Please join now in signing the access=life petition to urge President Bush to commit the U.S. to empower women worldwide to protect themselves from AIDS. Click here to sign the petition now.

There's no time to waste -- lives are being lost. That is why we have set a goal of collecting 25,000 petition signatures by World AIDS Day on December 1st.

Please help reach this goal by asking your friends and family to join you in taking action. Twenty five years is too long -- we must act now to turn the AIDS crisis around.

Womens-e-news Cheers And Jeers Of The Week

CHEERS:

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and instead of touting the wide array of commercial products that claim to raise funds for breast cancer, many organizations around the country have initiated campaigns to make breast cancer treatment and detection more affordable and to fund new technology and research for breast cancer patients.

Florida Republican Rep. Mark Foley resigned from Congress Friday afternoon in the wake of an alleged scandal involving sexually explicit e-mails to teen male pages, wreaking havoc in a House race less than six weeks before Election Day, according to the Associated Press. The development brightened the prospects for Tim Mahoney, a pro-choice Democrat who was not considered a formidable opponent to Foley, an anti-choice incumbent who won re-election in 2004 with 68 percent of the vote in the Republican-leaning district in central Florida

A federal judge has struck down a 2004 Ohio state law that banned the use of the abortion drug, RU-486, after the seventh week of pregnancy, the Associated Press reported Sept 28. The judge determined the law was too vague and had no exception to protect the health of the woman.

JEERS:

The directors of the Bahraini College have released a new law forcing female students to wear reserved clothing, reported Al Arabiyah Sept. 29. This law, approved by the Bahraini minister of education, prohibits women from wearing short skirts, shorts and any tight clothing.

Women fill less than 10 percent of seats on corporate boards at 300 of the world's top businesses, Agence France-Presse reported Sept. 25. A joint study from three financial firms showed that women held 7.6 percent of seats on executive committees at those businesses, which together have $17.9 billion in revenues.

Up to 200,000 Nepalese women are detained against their will in Indian brothels and 25 percent are under 18, reported the New Kerala newspaper Sept. 24. A report from the Asian Development Bank says that 12,000 Nepalese women are trafficked every year to India on the promise of jobs or because they are a burden to their families.

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Visit these websites to learn about the disease and what you can do to help eliminate this killer of women.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: http://www.nbcam.com/
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Medline Plus: www.nlm.nih.gov
American Cancer Society: All About Breast Cancer
National Cancer Institute: What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer
MayoClinic: Breast Self-Examination

It's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month – and this year, women's access to preventative options are being threatened. Take action!

Congress is considering cuts to Medicare programs that would limit women's access to lifesaving screenings and treatments at the time in their life when they have the highest risk of developing breast cancer.

Send a message to your congresspeople to vote NO on cuts to Medicare!

If these cuts occur, many physicians – oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and surgeons – will be forced to cut back on their services for our aging population.

Yet 42% of all patients diagnosed with breast cancer are age 65 or older, and more than half of all breast cancer-related deaths occur in this age group. Medicare patients with breast cancer deserve the best care available -- help fight to ensure they get it.

Victory! Teen Endangerment Act Failed In Senate

To all who contacted their senators and urged them to oppose the cloture motion and S. 403, the Teen Endangerment Act: Your voices were heard!
In an exciting victory, the cloture motion failed. As a result, Senate leadership was unable to present this legislation to the President for his signature before adjourning.

It's Time to GET OUR HER VOTE !

It's Time to GET OUR HER VOTE !

2006 is an election year. With our national at war, the right to abortion and birth control in jeopardy, global warming increasing, and attacks on affirmative action, it is time for young feminists across the country to register and vote on November 7!

In 2002, the last non-presidential election, less than 20% of 18-24 years olds voted, but more than 60% of senior citizens made it to the polls. This is why social security dwarfs issues young people care about like women's rights, reproductive choice, affirmative action, civil liberties, global peace, and the environment. This is our future; we must play a part in how it is determined.

The Get Out Her Vote Campaign (GOHV) is a student voter education and registration initiative aimed at significantly increasing registration and voting by young women. GOHV legally targets young women and students of color because they are traditionally underrepresented .

GOHV is a non-partisan campaign in accordance with the laws and regulations governing 501c3 organizations. This means your FMLA cannot support an individual candidate or party - Democratic, Green, Republican, Independent, etc. In addition, your FMLA must afford everyone the opportunity to register to vote regardless of their party affiliation. While partisan groups are focusing on candidates you will focusing on the importance of voting and what is at stake for young people, especially young women and people of color!

By focusing on at least four issues your group will stand out with students and this will help increase the group's membership. GOHV also offers group members an option for civic involvement that can make a difference but only lasts a few short months. Most state's registration deadlines end in early October!

Here's your chance to get involved!

The Feminist Majority Foundation has compiled these materials and this website to help you launch a successful Get Out Her Vote (GOHV) campaign on your campus.

  1. Getting Started - Everything you need to know about planning and launching a successful campaign.
  2. Frequently Asked Questions - A fact sheet to prepare you for questions from college voters.
  3. Spreading the Word - Ideas on how to publicize your activities and reach student voters.
  4. What is at Stake? - An issue guide to the 2006 elections. Read to learn about what's at stake for young people and voting.
  5. Why HER Vote Counts - Get the numbers: women must vote in order for women's issues to be addressed !

With these materials, the FMLA/affiliate is empowered to get out the feminist vote. Remember - FMF campus organizers are available and more than willing to help, so feel free to get in touch and make sure to bookmark www.getoutHERvote.org for the latest materials and updates.

And listen to this radio PSA about Why Get Out Her Vote: Sheryl Crow

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Taking some much needed time off--please catch up on some fiesty archives.