Persist.
Today…
…starting with the fluff, is National Cheese Doodle Day. I am 100% here for a bag of Cheddar Jalapeno Cheetos.
…is the start of Abortion Provider Appreciation Week, culminating in Abortion Provider Appreciation Day on March 10 (which is the day Dr. David Gunn was murdered in 1993).
As I telling my kids last night about this busy week, my 12yo referred to abortion as “fetus deletus,” and now I really need to open a clinic. I can see it now: Fetus Deletus v Azar. I hope you’ll all come out for the rally.
Until then, 15 Organizations That Could Use Your Support During Women's History Month, and after, and always. Of course I have to add my friends and patrons at Gender Justice, who do absolutely tremendous work.
June Medical
We Cannot Let the Anti-Choice Movement Strip Away Our Right to an Abortion
Adrienne Kimmell, Ms. Magazine
We knew what was coming … and here we are. Today, the Supreme Court is about to hear arguments in the first major abortion-related case since Brett Kavanaugh ascended to the bench.
I told the Supreme Court about my abortion so strangers won't tell women they can't have one
Danielle Campoamor, NBC News
In a perfect world, sharing my story with the people who make up the Supreme Court would be entirely unnecessary.
She Won an Abortion Rights Case in the Supreme Court. Now She’s Watching the Same Damn Fight Again.
Becca Andrews, Mother Jones
Amy Hagstrom Miller is one of the fiercest advocates for reproductive rights in the country.
Possible Responses to the Major Abortion Case Before the Supreme Court
Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker
In June, when the Supreme Court issues a decision in the Louisiana abortion case it heard this week, it is quite likely to be bad news for abortion rights in this country.
The Trump Administration Defended Louisiana's Clinic Shutdown Law. Will It Sway John Roberts?
Jessica Mason Pieklo, Rewire.News
There is no good reason why U.S. Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall should have been defending a Louisiana abortion restriction at the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday, but there he was.
The Supreme Court's ideological splits are on display.
Mark Joseph Stern, Slate
Usually, the justices negotiate to avoid 5-4 splits when possible. This term is different.
Roberts Denounces Schumer for Talking About Kavanaugh the Way Kavanaugh Talked About the Senate
Dahlia Lithwick, Slate
Since striding onto the national stage, Roberts has claimed the mantle of being the balls-and-strikes guy at the high court. This is one of those instances, though, in which Umpire Roberts clearly can only see one side of the plate.
The Supreme Court’s Biggest Abortion Case in Years Might Come Down to One Man
Carter Sherman, VICE
In arguments over the biggest abortion case to hit the Supreme Court in years, the justices seemed deeply divided — and Chief Justice John Roberts, the closest thing on the bench to a swing justice, gave no clear signal about how he plans to vote.
Supreme Court: Abortion rights had a surprisingly hopeful day in court
Ian Millhiser, Vox
Wednesday morning’s arguments in the biggest threat to abortion rights to reach the Supreme Court in nearly 30 years went so badly for Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill, who was defending Louisiana’s restrictive abortion law, that by the end even Chief Justice John Roberts appeared uncomfortable with her arguments. Murrill spent 20 awkward minutes appearing to test whether it is possible to botch an argument badly enough to lose a case widely expected to go her way.
ABC: Louisiana abortion case having its day at the Supreme Court
ABC: Swing state senators face pressure as Supreme Court hears Louisiana abortion case
Bustle: Supreme Court's Latest Abortion Case Would Harm Louisiana's Most Vulnerable, Says Clinic Worker
CBS: Supreme Court justices focus on the impact of Louisiana abortion law
Glamour: These Are the Lawyers Fighting for Your Abortion Rights
HuffPost: Supreme Court Split In First Major Abortion Case Of Trump Era
L.A. Times: Supreme Court conservatives seem open to upholding Louisiana abortion restrictions
Mother Jones: Today's oral arguments left the Supreme Court's abortion precedents in jeopardy
Ms.: Feminists React to the Case That’s Bringing Abortion (Yet Again) to the Supreme Court
NBC: Pro-abortion demonstrators rally outside Supreme Court as major case is heard
NBC: Divided Supreme Court hears challenge to Louisiana abortion law
NPR: Supreme Court Weighs Abortion Case; Schumer Remarks Draw Rebuke From Roberts
Politico: Outcome of Louisiana abortion case may rest on Roberts, Kavanaugh
Reuters: In major abortion case, U.S. Supreme Court weighs curbs on doctors
Reuters: 'Not going back': Abortion rights forces voice worry outside U.S. Supreme Court
The Root: Rep. Ayanna Pressley Delivers Rousing Speech in Defense of Reproductive Rights
SCOTUSblog: Argument analysis: Justices grapple with Louisiana abortion law
USA Today: Deeply divided Supreme Court debates limits on abortion providers
Not(June Medical) Abortion
If We’re Going to Protect Abortion Access, Language Matters
Mallory McMaster, Bitch Media
As all eyes turn to the Supreme Court today for the oral arguments in June Medical Services v. Russo (formerly June Medical Services v. Gee), it’s a good time to once again highlight the language we use to talk about abortion—and to acknowledge that words themselves are often a significant barrier faced both by people trying to access abortion care and those who advocate for it to be available to all who need it.
Abortion Activists Are Not Waiting for a Supreme Court Decision to Act
Lauren Rankin, Bitch Media
In the early 2010s, native Louisianan Linda Kay was scrolling through Facebook when she noticed a post about anti-choice protesters and harassment. The hostility they expressed took the 70-year-old’s breath away: Kay had an abortion before the Supreme Court decided on Roe v. Wade in 1973, so she has a deeply personal understanding of abortion rights and what is at stake when access to abortion is restricted.
The Radical Future of Self-Managed Abortion Is Already Here
Amy Littlefield & Laura Gottesdiener, The New Republic
With appropriate support and information, however, experts say that self-managed medication abortions are extremely safe. And for some of the women who undergo them, the process can be a transformative experience that spurs them to activism.
Abortion Pills Can Protect Access if the Supreme Court Overturns Roe v Wade
Marie Solis, VICE
In fact, what may be one of the most effective ways to expand abortion access has almost nothing to do with the Supreme Court: For nearly two decades, the FDA has restricted the safest, easiest form of abortion—abortion with pills. Lifting these restrictions would mean opening up access to early abortion care to millions of Americans. In parts of Europe, where abortion drugs aren’t regulated to the same extent, medication abortions make up as many as 90 percent of terminations; the rate in the U.S. is just under 40%.
A 22-Week Abortion Ban Is One Step Closer To Making It On Colorado’s Ballot
Megan Verlee, Colorado Public Radio
A group trying to outlaw abortion in Colorado after 22 weeks of pregnancy submitted petitions to the Secretary of State's office to qualify for the November ballot. The organization, "Due Date is Too Late," says volunteers collected more than 135,000 signatures. They will need at least 124,632 valid ones to make the ballot. Groups generally try to turn in far more than the minimum the verification process generally results in many being thrown out.
'Handmaids' Attend Kentucky Committee Hearing On Abortion Bills
Josh James, WUKY-FM
A Kentucky House committee has signed off on two abortion-related bills that critics worry will be used to target providers. Attendees with Planned Parenthood and other groups expressed their opposition in committee Wednesday by dressing as characters from The Handmaid's Tale.
Bill to ‘Protect Life of Unborn’ Advances in Senate
Maya Smith, Memphis Flyer
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced an anti-abortion bill Tuesday pushed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and opposed by many. Sen. Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), one of the bill’s sponsors, said the legislation (SB 2196) is “one of the nation’s strongest opportunities to protect the life of the unborn.” He also added that “nothing in the bill...
LGBTQ
Your Go-To Guide For Using Gender Neutral Pronouns
Amber Leventry, Scary Mommy
I went to a local event recently which offered name tags as a way to make it easy to get to know community members. I wrote my name (Amber) and then added my gender neutral pronouns (they/them). I do this as a way to tell people that neither my name nor my physical appearance is what determines my gender identity.
Pete Buttigieg’s campaign normalized being gay and openly Christian, LGBT advocates say
Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Washington Post
Liberal candidates are often afraid of appearing too religious because it could be off-putting to voters who favor gay rights, said Matthew Vines, an activist who runs the Reformation Project, a group that works to promote the inclusion of LGBTQ people in churches. But because Buttigieg is gay, Vines said, he could talk about religion in a way that wasn’t assumed to be coming from a conservative position.
Arizona state House passes bill banning transgender female athletes from participating in school sports
Kelly McCarthy, ABC News
The measure passed in the House Tuesday after six hours of debate. The Arizona House of Representatives passed a new bill that if signed into law would ban transgender female athletes from participating in school sports.
CBS: Arizona House passes bill banning transgender student athletes from participating in girls sports
NewNowNext: Arizona House Passes Sweeping Ban on Trans Student Athletes
LGBTQ Issues Roil Florida School-Choice Debate
Evie Blad, Education Week
Even as Florida lawmakers consider an expansion of the state's voucher and tax-credit scholarship programs, a fierce debate simmers over how participating private schools treat LGBTQ students and families.
Georgia School Bans Trans Girl From Dance For Wearing Makeup and a Blouse
Neal Broverman, Out Magazine
A Georgia school is on the defensive after a 13-year-old transgender student was removed from a Valentine's Day dance for wearing makeup and girls clothing, according to her mother.
Fighting For LGBTQ+ Rights In Georgia
Natalie Gontcharova, Refinery29
In an episode of new YouTube docuseries Fundamental, LGBTQ+-rights activists in the country of Georgia discuss the challenges of their nascent movement. "We don’t want to be seen as victims," Eka Aghdgomelashvili, the executive director of Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG), a feminist organization working on women's rights issues in Georgia that was founded in 2000, says in the film.
Trans female athletes would be banned from high school girls sports under SC proposal
Mitchell Willetts, Charlotte Observer
South Carolina lawmakers proposed a bill Wednesday that would require transgender high school athletes to compete on teams with the gender they were assigned at birth — and not the gender they identify with. .
Virginia bans conversion therapy for LGBTQ children, a first in the South
Ryan Miller, USA Today
Virginia became the first state in the South to ban the discredited practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ children. Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, signed the ban into law on Monday, making the Virginia the 20th state plus the District of Columbia to ban the practice.
Over the objections of religious groups, Virginia is poised to mandate nondiscriminatory care for transgender patients
Kate Masters, The Virginia Mercury
In a year when the General Assembly passed sweeping LGBTQ-friendly legislation, it’s a relatively low-profile health bill that has opponents questioning whether the state is going too far in its protections for transgender Virginians.
Reproductive Health & Justice
Black women are more likely to die during childbirth. These six leaders are trying to change that.
Chelsea Cirruzzo, The Lily
Black women are 2.5 times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. That’s according to a report released in January by the CDC which also found that over 650 women died of a pregnancy-related cause in 2018. And some experts estimate that these numbers even fall short of the actual mortality rate, ProPublica reported. The report comes at no surprise to some.
Deaths related to pregnancy and birth are lower in CT than New York and the nation, but double the Massachusetts rate.
Ken Dixon, Register Citizen
Women die in Connecticut from pregnancy-related issues at a rate less than New York State, but twice that of Massachusetts, and U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams joined Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday to call for more support, discussion and action.
Maternal health bills fail in Indiana General Assembly
Whitney Downard, Vincennes Sun-Commercial
Indiana’s infant and maternal mortality rates outpace poor countries such as Vietnam and Iraq, but bills addressing maternal health didn’t get far in the 2020 session of the state’s General Assembly. Indiana has the county’s 3rd-highest pregnancy-related mortality rate, defined as a woman’s death during pregnancy or within one year after delivery.
Democrats’ generational divide on gestational surrogacy
Zach Williams, City & State NY
Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa has been the go-to person for Gov. Andrew Cuomo on a number of issues, including a proposal in his budget this year that would legalize paid gestational surrogacy. The proposal has divided progressive lawmakers. Some say that it is a matter of basic fairness and civil rights for couples who could otherwise not have children. But some older lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly say they are worried that legalizing gestational surrogacy, which is legal in nearly every other state, would result in the exploitation of low-income women. These opponents blocked the bill from passing last year.
Lawmakers Act to Correct Racial Disparity in Maternal Mortality Rates
Megan Pauly, vpm.org
The governor and lawmakers are working to address racial disparities in Virginia’s maternal mortality rate. Right now, Black women in the commonwealth are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women. Some moms and advocates say they’re off to a good start, but much more is needed.
A Campaign To Put Sex Work Decriminalization On The Ballot In D.C. Is Being Scrapped After Pushback From Local Activists
Otillia Steadman, BuzzFeed News
Activists had asked the group Decriminalize Sex Work to kill the ballot initiative due to allegations of sexual misconduct against the group's political director and "fundamental ideological differences.”
Workplace Equality
Ladies: You’re Never Going To Achieve Work-Life Balance-It’s All A Sham
Janice Gassam, Forbes
Currently women make up almost half of the workforce, with that number expected to decline in upcoming years. Women are more vulnerable when it comes to their jobs, with research indicating that they are more likely to lose their jobs to technology compared to men. The primary reason for this is because fields and industries that are heavily dominated by women will be greatly impacted by technology and automation.
Gender wage gap narrows but shows no signs of going away
Jessica Dickler, CNBC
The gender wage gap has remained remarkably stubborn for decades. Still, gains are being made. As of 2018, women earned 85% of what men earned, according to a Pew analysis of hourly earnings of both full- and part-time workers in the U.S. That's up from 67% about one generation ago.
Paid Family Leave Effort Could Have New Life With New Backer
Andrew Kenney, Colorado Public Radio
Sen. Dominick Moreno, vice chair of the legislature's powerful budget committee, is getting behind the Democratic effort to secure paid family leave for workers in Colorado. The Commerce City lawmaker confirmed this week that he has agreed to cosponsor the bill, not long after two of his fellow Democrats withdrew their own names from it. Sen. Angela Williams and Rep. Monica Duran said that the current proposal wouldn’t do enough to serve low-income workers and people of color.