This week’s news continues to confirm that Rightwingers are mired in the determinism of biology is destiny. That is their go to corner for safety from the modern world. Governing by church is something they either openly or covertly aspire to. Along with controlling women and their bodies.
Wingnuts, Abortion, and People:
- In Brazil this is an open endeavor. In Brazil, it’s newly elected far right leader will abolish the country’s human rights ministry as it will be subsumed into a newly created ministry, which will also consume FUNAI into it’s fold. The latter is an agency which oversees protection for the Indigenous peoples of Brazil. The new agency will also oversee issues related to women and family.
The new minister for this new ministry is one lawyer and evangelist, Damares Alves:
[...] a lawyer, evangelical preacher and congressional aide, who co-founded a group that rescues indigenous children from situations of danger and evangelises in indigenous communities.
Ms. Alves believes that women are “born to be mothers.” Based on what, I wonder?
- Similarly aligned, we have seen the Ohio legislature considering the Heartbeat Bill which would expand the notion of “person” to include “unborn humans,” thereby making abortion akin to murder, with the full weight of penalties for homicide applicable to woman who get an abortion [unless her life is in danger]. There appears to be a kind of contagious thinking, in that now Oklahoma legislature is similarly considering a bill very like the one in Ohio. Similarly, in Oklahoma, abortion will be classified as homicide, carrying a likely sentence of life in prison. Neither bill makes any allowances for rape or incest. Both bills also seek to punish doctors who perform abortions.
On Wednesday, Irish lawmakers passed legislation that takes the country one step closer towards providing free and legal abortions, approving a bill to legalize the procedure. It will now go to the Senate, where it is also projected to pass. At the end of May, voters in the country overwhelmingly voted to repeal Ireland’s decades-old constitutional ban on abortion.
”The bill would allow a woman to seek abortion for any reason up to the 12th week of pregnancy, and later in a case of fatal fetal abnormality or serious risk to a woman’s life or health. It includes a mandatory three-day waiting period after first consulting a doctor.”
“Eliminating the tampon tax will put more money into the pockets of women, in-turn strengthening the families they support and nurture,” said Kelly. “I am thankful we were able to come together to even the playing field for women, girls and families on medically necessary products. No one should face extra economic challenges simply because of their gender.
Men Behaving Badly—
- In South Sudan, 125 women and girls were raped over the time of ten day. Not only raped, but also whipped and clubbed. This is a stark rise over a ten month period of increasing violence towards women. The violence has been described by a midwife as “indescribable.” The victims were elderly women, expectant mothers and very young victims. Sexual violence has been widespread feature in the five years of the South Sudan’s civil war.
- In continuation of the #MeToo theme — where is it today? It has gone mainstream, and progress is evident:
The available numbers aren’t altogether decisive, but point to a shift. The legal website Above the Law reported in November that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has not reported an increase in sexual-harassment complaints in the first quarter of 2018, but since October of 2017, claims are up 12 percent. Preliminary data from the EEOC about the 2018 fiscal year also shows that the agency has reported a 50 percent increase in harassment lawsuits, the majority involving allegations of sexual harassment.
- One fallout in the #MeToo era, men in corporations and workplaces are avoiding female colleagues — as in not sitting next to them on a flight, booking hotel rooms on different floors, and avoiding one on one meetings. This avoidance is known as the Pence Rule: to never be caught anywhere — travelling or dining — alone, with a woman. In corporate America, that rule includes female colleagues, apparently. Thereby minimizing any accusations of impropriety from women. Because, of course, obnoxious behavior on the part of grabby men is never the problem! Women, on the other hand, are the problem.
Ongoing Coverage in WOW —
- The WOW diaries have covered many instances where rape kits sat untested and reported rapes were not followed up on by investigators. This was another similar story investigated by CNN, where the detectives had a practice of pressuring victims, rushing cases to close cases, and destroying rapt kits. After watching that coverage, the Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams issues an apology and stated that there would be changes in the way his department would henceforth investigate rape, including ending the practice of making victims sign “prosecution declination waivers.”
- Past WOW diaries have covered the incarceration of Cyntoia Brown, serving a life sentence for killing a 43 year old man for soliciting sex from her. She was 16 at the time, and had been trafficked as a child. After she had been sentenced to serving more than five decades for her crime, many people pointed to her story and her situation which had been so horrific. It brought together many people to advocated an early release for her. On Thursday, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that the sentence was constitutional, and that any early release would depend on sentence credits such as good behavior, participation in vocational and educational programs.
More New Issues —
The senators shared two other concerns: Epstein’s plea agreement granted immunity to unindicted co-conspirators, and Epstein was allowed to avoid federal prison by serving out his sentence in county jail, where he was given a work release unavailable to other sex offenders.
- The use of pronouns can be significant, specially when it comes to our nations veterans. The VA’s motto is “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan." There is a move to change that:
Her name was Margaret Corbin — and now there's a bill in Congress to name the Manhattan VA for her. It's part of another movement, to change the motto of the Department of Veterans Affairs so that it reflects that women do — and have always — served in the armed forces.
Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves —
- A woman's place is, indeed, in the house.The House of Rep., that is.This past November, thirty five women were elected into the U.S. Congress, House of Representative. here’s a tweet attached to a lovely article with quotes from all the elected women!
- Women are stepping up to the front in the media and making spaces for themselves. Samantha Bee has recently set up her own production company for narrative television and documentaries. Her company is called Swimsuit Competition. Additionally, they signed a deal with TBS to develop original content.
- MMA fighter Leslie Smith is doing what she does best: fighting. This time for Project Spearhead & collective bargaining rights for her and all UFC fighters. Allana Harkin steps into the ring. Produced by Halcyon Person with Lauren Walker.
This diary would not have happened without help and support from ramara, thurayya, Besame, SandraLLAP, Noweasels, Tara the Antisocial Social Worker, Angmar and BMScott.