A provision in the federal health reform law (PL 111-148) requiring employers to provide breastfeeding women with break times and a private place to express milk or breastfeed their infants is a “huge victory” for breastfeeding advocates who have been fighting for a national measure since at least 1992 , the Washington Business Journal reports. As recently as last summer, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that... [Read More]
Today, Roman Polanski broke his recent silence in the case that goes back 33 years. In the 900-word statement published in France, Polanski argues that the time he spent in Chino 33 years-ago should be considered “sentence served” based on his original plea deal and then lays out his argument. If his argument is legally correct, then Mr. Polanski needs to present his case in a Los Angeles court, where the... [Read More]
On Wednesday, Iran won a seat on UN Commission on Status of Women. The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is committed to promoting gender equality. Well, it seems the UN has a different definition of “gender equality” than most women. Perhaps this appointment is a backroom deal given that a few days ago Iran announced its withdrawal from a seat on the UN Human Rights Council? If the link between... [Read More]
We wanted to take time to update everyone on some of the issues that we have been recently covering: U.S. to WellPoint: Stop droppoing breast cancer patients, April 23, 2010 Yesterday it was announced that WellPoint and Blue Shield of California will “stop dropping sick policyholders.” The statement lacked mention of breast cancer patients, specifically. Yet the statement comes less than a week after Health... [Read More]
The following article is courtesy of National Partnership of Women & Families. April 26, 2010 — Several states are debating and advancing new restrictions on abortion rights, “a trend fueled in part by” passage of the federal health reform law (PL 111-148), USA Today reports. Elizabeth Nash of the Guttmacher Institute said that at least 22 states are weighing bills that would increase waiting periods... [Read More]
From Reuters: In a letter dated April 22 to Angela Braly, WellPoint’s chief executive, Sebelius said she was “surprised and disappointed” to learn from a Reuters report that the company has specifically targeted women with breast cancer for aggressive investigation with intent to cancel their policies. “As you know, the practice described in this article will soon be illegal,” Sebelius wrote.... [Read More]
Earth Day officially hit middle-age today. Forty years ago, Denis Hayes, the organizer of the orginal earth day, said the issues were obvious – clean air, clean water, celebrating the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Today’s issues seem more obtuse – global warming, ocean pollution, carbon-based energy systems. Are they really? The personal actions remain obvious – recycling,... [Read More]
Newsweek Examines NARAL Survey Showing ‘Intensity Gap’ Between Younger Abortion-Rights Opponents, Supporters April 19, 2010 — Newsweek staff writer Sarah Kliff writes that antiabortion-rights Democrats’ influence on the health reform debate raised a critical question for abortion-rights advocates: “[I]f Democrats won’t stand for strong abortion rights, who will?” Kliff reports that... [Read More]
Our cases start with one person and one story, which is collaborated by many other women’s experiences. Selenia Wilborn’s story is one that women of all professions can relate. From our friends at the Title IX Blog: Title IX Covers Harassment in Truck Driving Program In 2007, Selenia Wilborn (not pictured) was the only woman in her class in the Tractor-Trailer Truck Driving Program operated by a community... [Read More]
Supreme Court Justice diversity has been defined in recent decades by gender and/or ethnicity - as those important attributes help to shape one’s life experiences. However the fractured 5-4 court decisions have resulted in an “us vs. them” – you pick your side – attitude about the validity of the Court’s decisions. The common denominator among the current justices - they all come... [Read More]