Another week, and another rollercoaster ride for all of us living in the era of Trump. Many thanks to Besame, Black Olive, Eyesbright, ElenaCarlena, Mettle Fatigue, SandraLLAP, TASW, Ramara and everyone else in the group!
Congress and the Federal Govt
So, all of us breathed a sigh of relief when the GOP effort to end the ACA failed in the Senate. Of course, this is the zombie bill — we thought it had failed in the House, and Ryan brought it back from the dead. We’ll have to keep watch, especially since almost every form cut or eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood, coverage for essential benefits like maternity and reproductive care and birth control, among everything else horrifying about it.
Of course, a lot of attention was paid to Senator McCain, recently diagnosed with brain cancer, coming back for his vote. However, another Senator interrupted treatment for stage 4 cancer: Mazie Hirono, of Hawaii. Somehow, her courageous effort post-surgery and decisive vote WASN’T mentioned. Because she’s a Democrat, and would have voted against, or because she’s female? My guess: both. If you missed her speech, you should watch it.
Beyond that, the work and courage of Sens Murkowski and Collins should get a much larger notice than the brief moment of honor from Sen McCain. Especially since their efforts resulted in a direct threat by the Trump admin against the state of Alaska as well as threats of shooting and beatings...from their fellow lawmakers.
In the meantime, the Trump administration continues its personal war on women, and axes $213 million from teen pregnancy programs.
https://www.revealnews.org/…
Also, in ‘Creeper in Chief’ news...the woman who saved the lives of GOP lawmakers at the baseball shooting received a Medal of Honor...and a kiss. http://www.latimes.com/... Further along is another medal to another woman and he doesn't try to kiss her.
The States and their War on Women
Unfortunately, the horror in D.C. isn’t all we have to face.
Mike Pence's legacy on abortion in Indiana, and how it's playing out. As an aside the article mentions that the non-Catholic hospital is likely to merge with the Catholic hospital and cut even further the number of hospitals not following Catholic directives.
https://rewire.news/…
We also have the Texas legislature attempting to eliminate abortion insurance...because of course. www.texastribune.org/… This one is still in process — any Texas Kossacks, please do what you can!
Both Texas and Florida have passed a host of abortion-related restrictions — and we have some powerful workers fighting in the courts to get those restrictions, like the SD 72-hr waiting period, overturned.
Last but not least, Missouri has been working on it’s own anti-choice omnibus...and it’s a doozie. It’s following the current playbook of more reporting requirements, employee disclosure, eliminating extra protections by local government, and the like. The Governor is certain to sign it, so here’s another set to fight in the courts.
Health around the World
Kentucky Health Justice Network volunteer drives poor rural women to distant abortion clinics, "part of a national army of volunteers who are growing bolder even as abortion foes ratchet up opposition to the activists they have branded as "accomplices to murder." Reuters via Medscape http://www.medscape.com/... http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/883330 As a reminder, the Medscape articles require a login, but are still free.
"Leading Cancer Groups Issue Joint Statement on Disparities" by Roxanne Nelson, BSN, RN for Medscape - July 26, 2017 - This is a good thing, of course, but... the only reader comment there so far kind of says it all about who's still invisible:
"Demographically, women are the majority in each disadvantaged socio-cultural-ethnic group, they're the majority in poverty as well, and medical literature increasingly demonstrates that women's bodies differ from men's not only in appearance and the components of the reproductive tract but in symptomology, pharmacokinetics and other factors in diagnosis, experience of disease, and treatment, concerning diseases any gender may suffer.
"By the math, that means epidemiology statistics for any medically disadvantaged population may reflect women's disadvantage more than men's, without reflecting the difference in unmet needs.
"And yet, the only mention of women in the full text and references appears to be in connection with breast cancer."
A US-based anti-abortion group that has quietly funneled funds to El Salvador’s main advocates for the abortion ban. The source of those funds is Human Life International, a not-for-profit group based in the rural town of Front Royal, Virginia. According to documents seen by the Guardian, Human Life International has for years directed a steady flow of dollars to Sí a la Vida, the Salvadoran organization principally responsible for the country’s abortion ban. The funding began in 2000, just as Sí a la Vida had declared victory against legal abortion. Three years earlier, the Salvadoran legislative assembly had banned abortion without exception. In 1999, the assembly added the ban to the country’s constitution. The impact, human rights groups say, has been devastating. Because if you can’t take away women’s rights in one country, try another.
Violence against Women
Pakistan village council orders 'revenge rape' of girl
"A jirga [village council] had ordered the rape of a 16-year-old girl as punishment, as her brother had raped a 12-year-old," police official Allah Baksh told AFP.
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported that the girl was forced to appear before the group and raped in front of them and her parents.
The mothers of the two girls later filed complaints at the local police station.
http://www.bbc.com/…
And here’s an update...29 arrested. But there is a major issue around the globe that the way to punish a man is to attack the women of his family. We have to keep attention on this, because it’s just another way of stating the women are just the possessions of their male family members.
R. Kelly, and America's history of protecting celebrity sex offenders.
https://thelily.com/...
Britain's Advertising Standards Authority limits gender stereotypes in advertising.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/...
New study finds that academia's problem is more severe than previously thought. Contrary to stereotype, most cases involved physical harassment, not just verbal, and over half involved offenders with multiple known victims.
https://www.insidehighered.com/…
A Louisiana woman was found in a burning home...they had to use DNA to ID her. The coroner did his job, though and found out she was shot. Her husband? The Fire Chief. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
This is suspicious, because most women who are killed by guns in the hands of domestic abusers, but there is no information at this time. It also could have been a sick revenge or attack against her husband, because reasons.
Victim blaming is one of the greatest reasons why women don’t come forward about the assault and harassment they face day to day. How ridiculous is it? This ridiculous. But it keeps happening. And another video, about toxic masculinity and why men must be at the forefront of stopping sexual violence.
Abortion access? JUST like slavery, somehow. Yes, we have federal judges that believe allowing women to control their bodies is...the same as taking control of other people’s bodies. The judiciary matters.
Intersectionality
It’s not just pure sex discrimination we need to face...when gender combines with other markers of low ‘status’ (and how it hurts to write that), the effects are even more devastating. The most common? Race and poverty, of course.
When school dress codes target black girls' hair.
http://www.npr.org/…
This is a re-post of another DKos story, but I think this diary on "Jane Crow" and how children are routinely taken from poor mothers is worth seeing again.
https://www.dailykos.com/…
Jasmine Shepard is the first black student to become valedictorian of her Mississippi high school, but another student was named co-valedictorian and walked in first and spoke first. Her family has filed suit.
https://act.colorofchange.org/…
Good News
70% in Chile back easing of abortion ban: poll
Under current law, abortion is punishable by up to five years in prison. However, the legislation under consideration would only legalize abortion under three conditions: rape, if the mother's life is at risk, or if the fetus presents a deadly birth defect... President Michelle Bachelet has worked since 2015 to overturn the strict ban on abortions brought in 1989, in the final days of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship.
https://www.yahoo.com/…
Kenyan girls fly to Google HQ after inventing app to end FGM.
http://news.trust.org/...
Animated chatter spills out from a corner of tech giant Google's Nairobi offices as five Kenyan schoolgirls discuss their upcoming trip to California where they hope to win $15,000 for I-cut, an app to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The five teenagers, aged 15 to 17, are the only Africans selected to take part in this year's international Technovation competition, where girls develop mobile apps to end problems in their communities.
How powerful has Elizabeth Warren become? See Supergirl...and it’s homage to a strong woman who stands up for what is right.