There are some things that are only good on paper. Disastrous recipes. Bad dates with good resumes. Certain haircuts and, generally, photoshop. One thing not so good only on paper is Roe v. Wade. In 1973, the United States Supreme Court declared that privacy as defined under the due process clause of 14th Amendment of [...]
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The Myth of “Pro-Life Feminism”
Alright. Let’s get this out of the way right now. There is no such thing as “pro-life” feminism. It’s a myth, kind of like fairytale happy endings or the abominable snowman. You can’t have feminism without equality. In fact its most basic definition, according to feminist icon Dr. bell hooks, is “feminism is a movement [...]
40 Years of Roe: Choice in a Post-Choice Era
Join us next week (1/22) from 1-2 pm EST for our #RoeAt40 tweetchat. We’ll be joined by the Women’s Information Network, DC Abortion Fund, Jodi Jacobson (Editor in Chief at RH Reality Check), and Caroline R. O’Shea (Deputy Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia). Follow the conversation at #RoeAt40. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark Roe [...]
“Personhood” and the Punishment of All American Women
Did you know that last week a pregnant woman in Memphis was arrested and charged with DUI and “child endangerment” even though passed a test and had no children in her car. She is four months pregnant, however. Whose issue is this? In general, people don’t like thinking women have “issues” unless they’re personal. Individuals, [...]
Feticide Laws Encourage A System Of Gestational Slavery
Anti-choice advocates have a friend in feticide laws. Akin to personhood laws, as far as I can tell, there is no upside to feticide laws. The supposed intent of such laws is to add a charge of murder to anyone who kills a fetus through violence. However, these laws are often really about criminalizing the behavior [...]
43 Million American Women Shouldn’t Be “At Risk”
There are 62 million women of childbearing age in the United States, 43 million of whom are “at risk” for unintended pregnancy. This costs us a minimum of $12 billion dollars a year, and that doesn’t include long-term costs. “At risk” implies an uncontrollable danger. An unavoidable event that happens to a person by accident or as the [...]
Savita Halappanavar’s Death Will Not Be In Vain
Wednesday November 13th the entire country of Ireland and most of the world was rocked by the news that a woman in an Irish hospital died after being denied a termination for a baby she was already miscarrying. She was 31 years old, she was a dentist and her name was Savita Halappanavar. As an [...]
Elizabeth Warren’s Fight for Women vs. Scott Brown’s Faux Pro-Choice Stance
My home state of Massachusetts has never elected a woman to the U.S. Senate. But we have the chance to make history today by voting for Elizabeth Warren. Now I don’t vote for women merely because of their gender. Although I do believe we need more women in electoral office at all levels. But as [...]
Something Of Monumental Importance is Happening Tomorrow!
It’s here! I can’t believe tomorrow is finally Election Day. By now you’re probably exhausted from all of the pleas for your vote. I know I am. But hopefully you’ve already registered and, if you didn’t vote early or by absentee, you plan to vote tomorrow at a polling station. Well if you’re tired of [...]
3 Videos Everyone Should See Before Voting: It’s Not About Abortion
Most women (and their spouses), whether personally comfortable with abortion or not, don’t automatically think about whether or not they might end up in jail, arrested while in labor or strapped to a hospital bed to undergo a forced Cesarean when they get pregnant. Laura Pemberton certainly didn’t before it happened to her. And what happened to [...]