Four Right-Wing Lawmakers Exploiting the Gosnell Case to Pass Anti-Choice LawsAddressing Violence Against Women Living With HIV in Latin America and the CaribbeanAdoption Imperialism: A Q&A With ‘The Child Catchers’ Author Kathryn JoyceAriel Castro Could Face Murder Charges for Terminating Victim’s Pregnancies

Four Right-Wing Lawmakers Exploiting the Gosnell Case to Pass Anti-Choice Laws

by Adele M. Stan

Video

Close Cuccinelli Aide, VA GOP Treasurer: “I’m Not a Big Fan of Contraception, Frankly”

Bob Fitzsimmonds, the treasurer of the Republican Party of Virginia and a former aide to anti-choice state Attorney General (then-Senator) Ken Cuccinelli, gave this 20-minute interview at the recent Virginia Republican Convention. In it, Fitzsimmonds says, among other things, “I’m not a big fan of contraception, frankly. … I think there are some issues with giving morning-after pills to 12-year-olds, and pretty soon I guess we’ll hand them out to babies, I don’t know” (13:30). He also makes some scientifically inaccurate claims about sexually transmitted infections and sex education (7:45 and 9:10). [via Blue Virginia]

Moving Reproductive Rights Forward

President Obama, you made a promise to the women of the United States last year on the campaign trail. We urge you to fulfill that promise.

Nurses Explain the Affordable Care Act in 90 Seconds

Wondering what the Affordable Care Act can do for you and your family? Check out what nurses have to say about the benefits of the health-care law and then share this video with friends, family, and co-workers! (HealthLawBenefits.org is a joint campaign of SEIU, the Nurse Alliance of SEIU and 1199SEIU.)

Audio

Kermit Gosnell Convicted and Asking How Women Afford Abortion

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On this episode of Reality Cast, I’ll be covering the Gosnell verdict and its aftermath. Also, a researcher from Guttmacher comes on to explain to us exactly what kind of obstacles women face when getting funding for abortion.

NPR: A Sharper Abortion Debate After Gosnell Verdict

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The murder conviction in Philadelphia for the deaths of three babies and one of his female patients is likely to further inflame the already heated abortion debate. Editor in Chief Jodi Jacobson is interviewed in this report by NPR’s Julie Rovner.

The Ongoing Plan B Debacle, and Conservatives React to Obama’s Planned Parenthood Speech

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On this episode of Reality Cast, a lawyer from the Center for Reproductive Rights explains the latest developments in the fight to make Plan B available over-the-counter without age restrictions, anti-choicers react to the new Plan B regulations, and unsurprisingly they freak out over President Obama’s talk at Planned Parenthood.

News
The funding, which is usually used to provide medical care and contraceptive coverage for poor and uninsured women who do not qualify for Medicaid, would instead go to an umbrella group for about half of the state's CPCs.

The funding, which is usually used to provide medical care and contraceptive coverage for poor and uninsured women who do not qualify for Medicaid, would instead go to an umbrella group for about half of the state’s CPCs.

Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI).

Democrats were allowed one witness to the Republicans’ three at a hearing on Rep. Trent Franks’ proposed 20-week abortion ban.

The Illinois senate voted 37-21 Wednesday in favor of legislation that would mandate comprehensive sex education in classrooms that teach sex ed.

The Illinois senate voted 37-21 Wednesday in favor of legislation that would mandate comprehensive sex education in classrooms that teach sex ed.

When asked if she thinks people should purchase insurance riders in case they become impregnated by a rapist, Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing (above) replied, "Nobody plans to have their homes flooded."

When asked if she thinks people should purchase insurance riders in case they become impregnated by a rapist, Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing replied, “Nobody plans to have their homes flooded.”

SB 522 would force anyone under age 17 in the state to get a prescription for EC, regardless of whether they have a valid ID.

SB 522 would force anyone under age 17 in need of EC to get a prescription, regardless of whether they have a valid ID.

Nebraska State Capitol

The Gosnell trial is over, but states continue to use it as an excuse to push their anti-choice agenda.

A panel of judges sent a strong message to state legislatures that abortion rights matter.

A panel of judges sent a strong message to state legislatures that abortion rights matter.

A highly contagious strain of meningitis that has struck 22 men in New York City in the last three years, killing seven of them, has public health experts scratching their heads and looking for ways to get as many gay men vaccinated as possible.

A highly contagious strain of meningitis that has struck 22 men in New York City in the last three years, killing seven of them, has public health experts scratching their heads and looking for ways to get as many gay men vaccinated as possible.

A new advocacy campaign urges the social media site to crack down on gender-based hate speech.

A new advocacy campaign urges the social media site to crack down on gender-based hate speech.

The committee voted not to recommend the three bills, which would make it harder for teens to access safe abortion care and would redefine what constitutes a viable fetus in the state's legal code.

The committee voted not to recommend the three bills, which would make it harder for teens to access safe abortion care and would redefine what constitutes a viable fetus in the state’s legal code.

Scene of the attack on the officer being investigated post-shooting.

An Indiana Planned Parenthood has become the scene of a violent incident, when an officer shot a truck driver outside the clinic Monday. However, “[o]fficials said they don’t believe there is any connection to the Planned Parenthood,” according to reports.

According to a complaint filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center and others, doctors and officials from the state of South Carolina performed unnecessary sex assignment surgery on an infant in their care.

According to a complaint filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center and others, doctors and officials from the state of South Carolina performed unnecessary sex assignment surgery on an infant in their care.

Roundups
The right tries to drum up support for personhood and fetal rights via criminal prosecutions.

This week, the right tried to drum up support for personhood and fetal rights via criminal prosecutions.

This week, West Virginia bans sexting among teenagers.

This week, the Illinois senate took up a bill requiring that sex education be medically accurate, West Virginia took on teen sexting, and a new study suggested we may need to change our HPV messages if we want more women to get the vaccine.

A federal judge blasts the Obama administration on emergency contraception, and the battle over Arkansas' 12-week abortion ban heats up.

This week, a federal judge blasted the Obama administration on emergency contraception, and the battle over Arkansas’ 12-week abortion ban heated up.

RH Wire
Commentary
In Latin America and the Caribbean, cancer is a rapidly growing and increasingly deadly epidemic.

In poor countries, cervical cancer is often the most common cancer-related death among women, or even the leading cause of death for women, period.

As we celebrate the many incredible successes PEPFAR has brought us in its first ten years, I offer many heartfelt wishes for even more in its next ten years.  Happy birthday, PEPFAR!

With the program now entering its pre-teen years, it’s the perfect time to take stock of its efforts to reach young people in their second decade of life.

A recent New York Times article detailed the health effects of immigration on the Latino community, but it neglected to note one of the likely causes of those health outcomes: racism.

A recent New York Times article detailed the health effects of immigration on the Latino community, but it neglected to note one of the likely causes of those health outcomes: racism.

maleteenpregnancy

The Chicago Department of Public Health’s Office of Adolescent and School Health just released a new set of teen pregnancy prevention ads that feature images of half-naked young men who appear, thanks to technology, pregnant.

Any law that allows abortion only in certain cases also helps create two classes of women: those that “deserve” abortions, and those that do not. This is a complete fallacy; all women deserve access to abortion care, along with the entire range of reproductive health care.

Any law that allows abortion only in certain cases also helps create two classes of women: those who “deserve” abortions, and those who do not. This is a complete fallacy; all women deserve access to safe abortion care, along with the entire range of reproductive health care.

This is a crisis of constitutional proportions. Action by the federal government is needed right now.

President Obama, you made a promise to the women of the United States last year on the campaign trail. I’m writing today to urge you to fulfill that promise.

Analysis
The next Supreme Court Term could be historic in re-defining religious liberty.

The next Supreme Court Term could be historic in re-defining religious liberty.

The first words uttered after a child is born are often “It's a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” But sometimes doctors don’t know exactly what to say. How does this happen, and what should parents and doctors do?

The first words uttered after a child is born are often “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” But sometimes doctors don’t know exactly what to say. How does this happen, and what should parents and doctors do?

Home care workers in Vermont may soon have collective bargaining rights, as a result of union advocacy and organizing.

Home care workers in Vermont may soon have collective bargaining rights, as a result of union advocacy and organizing. “We’ve gone to thousands of doors. There’s no shop floor here.”

foxnews2

While Fox News has devoted extensive airtime to pushing scandals that have since begun to fall apart, it has largely ignored new allegations of sexual assault in the military.

postsecret

How can we use all the data we have to create programs that actually make a dent in abortion stigma?

According to earnings statistics, women get far less bang for their buck out of higher education. Recent proposals to reduce student debt could benefit women over the course of their lives—but they may not go far enough.

According to earnings statistics, women get far less bang for their buck out of higher education. Recent proposals to reduce student debt could benefit women over the course of their lives—but they may not go far enough.

Advice
You had a sexual experience you enjoyed and felt good about, and you want to tell your friends about it. But you're afraid they're going to judge you about it. What to do?

You had a sexual experience you enjoyed and felt good about, and you want to tell your friends about it. But you’re afraid they’re going to judge you about it. What to do?

Do you want to be with someone, anyone, who would only stay with you because you're having the sex they want to have? Really?

Do you want to be with someone who would only stay with you because you’re having the sex they want to have?

It either hurts or feels like nothing. You don't know what to do, or what's wrong, and your partner is handling it really poorly. Here's some information and advice to the rescue.

It either hurts or feels like nothing. You don’t know what to do, or what’s wrong, and your partner is handling it really poorly. Here’s some information and advice to the rescue.

Q & A
2013-03-27-seltzer

Young filmmaker Assal Ghawami has written and directed a film that brings together themes of “The Yellow Wallpaper” with a story of a contemporary back-alley abortion.

prochoice rally sign

Rally organizers Claudia Reynolds-LeBlanc and Donna Shade discuss how Arkansas citizens aren’t going to let anti-choice legislators take away reproductive rights without a fight.