In the News 1/29/10- Roeder Admits Murdering Dr. Tiller
1/24/10- In Massachusetts, Barriers to Women in Politics
1/20/10- Women's Movement Mourns Loss of 3 Haitian Leaders
1/19/10- Haiti's Women in the Aftermath of Disaster
1/13/10- Clinton Diplomancy Emphasizes Women's Rights
12/15/09- Paterson Extends Protections to Transgender Workers
12/14/09-NYS Juvenile Prisons in Crisis
12/2/09- First Man Convicted Under NY Sex Trafficking Law
12/2/09- Senate Passes Women's Health Amendment
12/2/09- France Proposes Law to Label Retouched Photos
12/2/09-New York State Senate Votes Down Gay Marriage
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Queens Man Becomes First in New York State to be Convicted Under Sex Trafficking Statute
December 2, 2009
The Queens District Attorney Richard A Brown announed that St. Alban's resident David Brown has been convicted of second-degree kidnapping, sex trafficking, third degree promoting prostitution, first degree unlawful imprisonment, and third degree assult. He is the first person to be convicted under New York State's Anti-Trafficking Law, which was enacted in 2007. According to trial testimony, in August of 2008, Mr. Brown was "sold" a 19-year-old for $2,000, who he then forced to work as a prostitute. She was imprisoned in his apartment, assulted, raped, and under constant threat of death. Attorney Brown said that "this is exactly the kind of case that the legislature had in mind when it enactes New York's Sex Trafficking Statute," and that "this office continues to use every tool allowed under the law to prosecute dangerous individuals like this defendent." The investigation was conducted by the New York City Police Dept.'s Queen Gang Squad. Read the District Attorney's press release here.
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France Proposes Law to Place Disclaimer on Retouched Photos
December 2, 2009
In France, parliament member Valerie Bolyer proposed law would require retouched photos to state that they have been altered. While it is no secret that advertisements and fashion photos are more than often digitally retouched, many are concerned about the effects of passing off near perfect, and impossible, body images as real. With teenage eating disorders on the rise, many think that labeling is a necessary step in order to combat some of the negative body images that have become so prevalent in Europe, as well as in the United States. Magazines argue that all art is open to interpretation, and a law requiring labeling would "compromise artistic integrity." However, considering that Self magazine recently featured an airbrushed Kelly Clarkson alongside "Total Body Confidence," it seems hard to believe that publications value artistic merit over viewer manipulation. Read more in this New York Times article.
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Hunger in the US At 14 Year High
November 16, 2009
The Department of Agriculture reported that hunger in the US is at its highest since 14 years ago, impacting minorities and single mothers and children at disproportionately higher levels. As reported in the New York Times, 36 million Americans are collecting aid, about 40% more than two years ago, and as the unemployment rate climbs higher, more Americans are being forced to skip meals. While the conservative Heritage Foundation denies that there is hunger in the US (as Reagan did 14 years ago), even going so far as saying, "When they lose jobs, they constrain the kind of food they buy. That is regrettable, but it's a far cry from a hunger crisis," President Obama, at least, acknowledged that hunger has risen since last year.
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Sexual Assualts, Inadequate Healthcare Among Spate of Issues Facing Women Servicemembers
November 11, 2009
An interview between Democracy Now! and Anuradha Bhagwati, the executive director of service Women's Action Network, an advocacy group for women veterans, and a former captain in the United States Marine Corps, addresses the high rate of sexual assault among women servicemembers. Sexual assault in the military exceedes the rates of assault in the rest of the country- as a recent Pentagon report shows one in every three female servicemembers has been sexually assaulted. In spite of the fact that this is what some have been calling an epidemic of military sexual trauma, the delivery of healthcare to women veterans remains grossly inadequate.
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Mormon Support of Gay Rights Statute Draws Praise
November 11, 2009
The Mormon church, though still in defense of marriage as only existing bewteen a man and a woman, was praised by gay rights groups in Salt Lake City, Utah for its support for an ordinance that would protect gay persons from discrimination in housing and employment. The ordinance is the first to be passed in the state of Utah, and Equality Utah, a gay rights group, was pleased with the changing rhetoric and openness to antidiscrimination statutes and hate-crimes legislation. The Salt Lake City ordinance will be in effect this coming April. Read more in this New York Times article.
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Founding Board Member of NOW, Alice Rossi, Dies at 87
November 10, 2009
Alice Schaerr Rossi, a proponent of women's rights and one of the founding board members of the National Organization for Women, died on November 3rd of pneumonia. She was 87.
An early supporter of abortion rights, Dr. Rossi was a strong feminist voice. Many of her early writings helped form the philosophical underpinning of the women's movement in the late 1960s and 1970s, and her academic research and teaching challenged commonly held assumptions about women's and men's roles in society. Her legacy lives in the many books and articles she has published on women's lives, society and politics, in NOW, which has grown substantially since its founding in 1966, and her children and grandchildren. Read more in this Boston Globe article.
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40 Democrats Threaten to Reject Healthcare Bill Over Abortion Restrictions
November 9, 2009
More than forty Democratic lawmakers have vowed to vote against a final healthcare bill if it contains language the House agreed to on Saturday that adds sweeping new restrictions on abortions. Anti-abortion Democrats, led by Congressman Bart Stupak of Michigan, helped push through an amendment to prohibit any woman who receives government health insurance subsidies from enrolling in an insurance plan that covers abortion. In addition, abortions won't be covered under the proposed government-run insurance plan. NARAL Pro-Choice America called the House provision an "outrageous blow to women's freedom and privacy." Read more on Democracy Now!
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House Passes Landmark Healthcare Bill with Amendment Backed by Anti-Abortion Lawmakers
November 9, 2009
Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! interviews Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat and proponant of single-payer, Medicare-for-all healthcare, who voted no on the latest amendment. Kucinich explains why he refused to vote for the bill's passage, described as the biggest overhaul of the country's healthcare system since the Medicare and Medicaid Act of 1965, with special attention to the limits put on abortion coverage.
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In New Jersey, Full Steam Ahead
November 5, 2009
In Tuesday's election, New Jersey governor Jon Corzine, who has said he would sign a same-sex marriage bill, was defeated by Republican Chris Christie, who does not support same-sex marriage rights. Gay marriage advocates have been urging state lawmakers to approve bill before Christie takes office, however, Christie has stated that he would veto the bill, even supporting a state constitutional amendment to overturn gay marriage. Read more in this Gay City News article.
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Marriage in Maine: Losing Forwards
November 4, 2009
From The Nation, a closer look at the vote to repeal the law extending marriage rights to same-sex couples in Maine, a decision based on a close margin of 53 to 47. Who is to blame? It has been found that most Americans want gay people to have the same protections as the rest of the population, such as health care. In fact 50% (besides Oklahoma and Utah) support health care benefits for same-sex partners. However, only 14 states offer benefits, showing that in many cases legal and political responses lag behind public opinion (for more on this check out this New York Times article).
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New York Passes Law Strengthening Protections for Reproductive Healthcare Workers
November 3, 2009
From Ms Magazine's blog Feminist Wire, New York Governor David Paterson signed the Protections for Reproductive Health Care Act last week, which would help those who work in reproductive health by increasing penalties for criminal activities that target healthcare providers, and expand protections for workers. The law would also include volunteers, as well as paid employees. The bill was introduced by assembly member Sam Hoyt following Dr. Tiller's murder in June.
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Domestic Abuse Victim Says She Was Evicted for Reporting Crime
October 18, 2009
Kathy Cleaves Milan, an Illinois woman who was threatened with a gun by her abusive boyfriend, was evicted from her apartment after reporting the incident to the police. Aimco, the private company that owns and operates Milan's apartment complex, where she lived with her daughter and boyfriend, claims that the eviction was not solely based on domestic violence, but also her inability to pay should her boyfriend move out. Milan denies this claim, and has filed a lawsuit against the company. As this L.A. Times article explains, the case shows that the Federal Violence Against Women Act, passed in 2005, does not offer protection for victims of domestic violence that rent in the private market. Sandra Park, from the ACLU's Women's Rights Project said that because of the limitations of the act, many victimized women, not living in either public or subsidized housing, are trapped.
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Hundreds March for Jack Price in College Point
October 18th, 2009
From Gay City News, a march on October 17th took place in College Point, Queens, to show support for 49-year-old Jack Price, a gay man who was nearly beaten to death on October 8th. Some of the protestors included gay activist and democratic nominee for City Council Jackson Heights, Daniel Dromm, director of Generation Q for LGBT youth in Queens, Marisa Ragonese, and students from Flushing High School who are ready for a change. While the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act is about to be signed into law by President Obama, many of the protestors advocated for proper education on sexuality beginning early on in schooling. The two men who assaulted Price, caught on this surveillance tape, have been charged with assault.
A notice from Christine Quinn, Speaker for the New York City Council, urges New Yorkers to contact State Senators Schumer and Gillibrand in recognition of their support for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
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 Iraqi War Vet Faces Discharge Under "Don't Ask Don't Tell"
October 13, 2009
Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point Graduate and Iraqi War vet, is facing discharge under the "don't ask don't tell" policy for being gay. In an interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! Choi discusses why he refuses to hide the fact that he is gay, saying that "silence is not a strategy." At West Point, he founded the group "Knights Out," a LGBT group, and has fought adamantly promoting acceptance regardless of ones sexual orientation. What the military is offering Choi is honorable discharge, which would still deny him proper medical care and loan benefits, in spite of the fact that war has left him legally disabled. Choi is not yet willing to give up his identity, and he encourages others that to fight for one's country, does not mean to lie for one's country.
Choi also appeared on a Rachel Maddow special, "I Am Gay." (picture courtesy of The Nation slideshow)
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Iraqi Women Say No to Hijab or Head Scarf
October 13, 2009
There has been controversy lately about whether or not it is right for European countries to ban the Muslim hijab; now, because of reduced pressure on women from the military, Iraqi women can decide for themselves. In 2007, women were routinely threatened with death for disobeying sharia law and men were threatened for wearing short pants or smoking cigarettes. Now, on the streets where violence and oppression once reigned, Iraqis are beginning to see shops, even beauty and cosmetics stores. ABC news reports that Iraqi women are finally beginning to regain some of their freedom, though it will be a long road.
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Women Are Winning Nobel's
October 12, 2009
The first woman to ever win a Nobel prize in economics, Elinor Ostrom, is the 2009 winner for Economic Sciences. She is one of five women who have won Nobel prizes this year, setting a new and exciting record. Other winners are German author Herta Muller for literature, Israel's Ada Yonath for chemistry, and Americans Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider in the fields of medicine and physiology. Three out of the five winners are mothers. Read more in this Forbes article.
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 Gay Rights Marchers Press Cause in Washington
October 11, 2009
Protestors gathered at the nation's capital for what is now the largest gay rights protest. While President Obama addressed the Human Rights Campaign on Saturday at a benefit, calling his commitment to gay rights "unwavering", protestors demanded a timetable for gay persons to be allowed in the military, marriage for same sex couples, and the eradication of "don't ask don't tell". Nearly 15,000 people attended, mostly aged 20-30, demonstrating a new generational shift in LGBT campaigns. Read more in this New York Times article.
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House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition
October 9, 2009
The New York Times reports that the House voted to extend the definition of federal hate crimes to crimes committed because of sexual orientation. Under federal law, hate crimes that fall under federal jurisdiction are those motivated by the victim's race, color, religion or national origin. The new measure, in part dedicated to gay college student Matthew Shepard's murder in 1998, would extend this definition to gender and sexual orientation, as well as gender identity and disability. This comes the weekend before the gay rights march in Washington D.C., where President Obama will make a speech to the Human Rights Campaign.
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Finding Husbands for Iraq's Widows
October 9, 2009
Over the past three years, over 1 million Iraqi women have become widows due to deadly sectarian-based bombings that have claimed the lives of many men. In response, Al Ethar NGO, an Iraqi nonprofit organization, has been providing women and their children with money and free healthcare. Lately, they have been aiding women in meeting up with single men, and providing newly married couples with aid. This has not been met without controversy though: some claim that unmarried men see a marriage with a widowed woman as cheaper, making the program exploitative to women. Others claim that unmarried women need the support, especially to provide their children with decent lives. Read more in this ABC news report.
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MTA Station Cuts Leave Riders Lost
October 9, 2009
The MTA has cut back on the amount of clerks present in subway stations, making it more dangerous for tourists, anxious riders, and women, who are especially vulnerable when travelling at night. Citing financial cut backs as their reason, this year 800 workers are expected to be reassigned, and those who retire will not be replaced. This New York Times article explains that snack vendors have been keeping riders safe, offering directions and advice, while also trying to make a living.
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Women Targeted by "Don't Ask Don't Tell"
October 8, 2009
From Ms Magazine's blog The Feminist Wire, Department of Defense data shows that more women than men were discharged under the "don't ask don't tell" policy, which calls for the discharge of anyone who acknowledges being gay out loud, in spite of the fact that women only account for 15% of the military. The policy, instituted by President Bill Clinton in 1993, has thus far led to the expulsion of 13,000 troops.
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Democratic Women Speak on Behalf of Health Legislation
October 8, 2009
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, at a health care conference on October 8, described how she was kicked out of the hospital, still in a wheelchair, 24-hours after giving birth. Soon after, she fought to prevent this policy, what's come to be known as "drive-by birth", and adopted a law in the Minnesota legislature guaranteeing 48-hour hospital stays for newborns and mothers. Now, she's one of the leaders in the national health care debate, fighting for more coverage for breast cancer, abortion, maternal care, and proper policy for women of all ages. Read this New York Times blog post, which explores the question, "are the stakes in the health care debate higher for women than for men?"
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Group Resists Korean Stigma for Unwed Mothers
October 8, 2009
In South Korea, where unwed mothers are often left to live lives of poverty and disgrace, the first unwed women's support group has been set into motion. Most South Korean women are forced to choose between abortion, which is illegal and dangerous, and adoption, which is the better option but considered socially shameful. Choi Hyong-sook, a young South Korean who is a single mother, started the support group, hoping to find solidarity with other unwed mothers experiencing the same difficulties as herself. Read more in this New York Times article.
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Polanski Loses First Bid for Release
October 6, 2009
The New York Times' Associated Press reports that the Swiss Justice Ministry denied Roman Polanski's first bid for freedom today, citing release too high a risk for the 76-year-old who is wanted by the U.S. authorities for having sex in 1977 with 13-year-old Samantha Geimer. Polanksi will likely remain in prison as the case progresses, but whether or not the settlement made in 1993 with Ms. Geimer will be grounds for dismissal, is still unclear.
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In a Guinea Seized by Violence, Women Are Prey
October 6, 2009
Human rights organizations in Guinea claim that at least 157 women were raped and killed in a government attack, where soldiers raided a stadium of unarmed men and women protesting the leader of the military junta Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara. Guinea citizens have experienced brutal repression of antigovernment sentiment since 2007, but this raid has left many Guinean women especially, feeling traumatized. Read more in this New York Times article.
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City School Step Up Anti-Bullying Push
October 5, 2009
As the New York City Department of Education (DOE) prepares to announce its next steps aimed at strengthening and expanding its two-year-old Respect For All anti-bullying program, the effort is winning enthusiastic praise from a leading advocacy group for LGBT youth as well as new-found credibility with another top policy player that just three months ago voiced significant skepticism.
Read more in Gay City News.
.............................................................................................................................. The High Price of Being a Gay Couple
October 2, 2009
In a New York Time's article, a hypothetical gay family, a couple with two children and one working parent, is put up against a heterosexual couple to weigh the costs of being denied marriage status. Worst case scenario, the couple's liability would be up to $467,562, best case $41,196 for those who can afford better health insurance. Most of the costs in the worst case scenario would be eliminated if same-sex marriage were legalized. Check out more numbers, and a multimedia graph detailing the costs of health insurance for same-sex couples.
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Senate Finance Committee Votes for Abstinence Only Education
October 2, 2009
The Senate Finance Committee approved a measure to restore $50 million of federal funding to abstinence-only sex education. While the committee vote doesn't automatically free up the funds, it does allow the full Senate and the House to vote on the measure. This is signigicant as federal funding, or the lack thereof, for abstinence-only sex ed programs really can change states' agendas. For example, some districts in Texas are moving away from abstinence-only instruction to a more comprehensive sex education curriculum after federal funding for abstinence-only disappeared and the districts had to take a look at teen pregnancy statistics. The rate of student pregnancies in Austin high schools has increased 57 percent since the 2005-06 school year. Check out more in this Salon.com article.
............................................................................................................................ Polls Show Changes in Support on Abortion Rights?
October 1, 2009
As President Obama becomes increasingly more wishy-washy on his abortion support, new polls conducted by the Pew Research Center show that abortion opponents have had demonstrable influence. Surveys suggest that the anti-abortion movement is gaining momentum: while only 8% of liberal Democrats are said to believe that abortion is a concern, 28% of Republicans--the bulk of anti-abortion campaigners are conservative--believe that the fight against abortion is a concern. Check out more stats in this New York Times article, and help support NOW-NYC in protecting the legal right to abortion.
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Now-NYC Denounces Polanski Support
September 30, 2009
The real life filmmakers of some of Hollywood's biggest hits have come out in support of director Roman Polanski, who was recently apprehended in Switzerland. Polanski faces possible extradition to the United States for having fled Los Angeles in 1978 just before he was to be sentenced for having sex with a 13-year-old girl. NOW-NYC is shocked by this outporing of support: "There is no circumstance in which an adult male having sex with a 13-year-old girl isn't rape," said Sonia Ossorio, the president of NOW-NYC. Find out more about what NOW-NYC has to say in this Press Release.
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Hillary Clinton Leads U.N. Fight Against Rape in War
September 30, 2009
After her visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo in August, Hillary has taken swift action to prevent violence against women and girls. Nearly two months later, with the support of 60 nations including Rwanda, Bosnia, and Croatia, she has asked that the U.N. appoint a special envoy for a united effort to end rape and violence during war. The Human Rights Watch is behind the U.N.'s decision, and hopes that the new envoy will be able to finally put an end to sexual violence in wartime. Find out more in this Reuter's article.
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Abortion and the Health Care Debate
September 29, 2009
In an amendment to the proposed health care reform, abortion opponents in Congress are now seeking to prohibit federal insurance subsidies for health plans that cover abortion. Abortion-rights supporters argue that such a restriction would effectively eliminate plans that cover abortion from the marketplace. They say that the current compromise of requiring insurers to segregate public subsidies into separate accounts from individual payments, and to use money only from private sources to pay for abortions, preserves the spirit of the existing ban on federal funding for abortion. Opponents disagree because the subsidies would still help people afford health coverage that included abortion. The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote this week on the amendment. Find out more: New York Times article.
Update! Senate Finance Committee Rejects Burdensome Restrictions on Abortion Coverage.
Read more: New York Times article.
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NBC Plans Special Week of Coverage on Women
September 28, 2009
The New York Times reports that NBC News will devote a week to the roles of contemporary women as an effort to "educate the public on the current state of women in America." Much of the coverage is based on a study done by Maria Shriver, who will work with NBC to lead discussions on the consumer habits of women, the influence of the media and advertising, and buying power in contemporary society. NBC will also work with The Center for American Progress, Time Magazine, the Rockefeller Foundation, and more.
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A Call to Allow Women to Serve on Submarines
September 26, 2009
Admiral Mike Muller, the Joint Chief of Staff, joins Pentagon Officials in calling for an end to the military's ban on women serving in submarines. While some are worried about women and men sharing sleeping quarters, Nancy Duff Campbell, the co-president of the National Women's Law Center, says that this problem is easy to resolve, considering sleeping quarters are already separated by rank. This comes just after the first female has been promoted to the rank of four-star general, and marks another step in expanding equality in the Armed Forces. Read more about women in the military in this New York Times article.
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First Woman Ascends to Top Drill Sergeant Spot
September 21, 2009
Command Sgt. Maj. Teresa King is soon to be the first women to run the U.S. Army's drill sergeant school. King worked her way up from a postal clerk, a very traditional position for women in the Army, to a position traditionally only held by men. As of 2009, only 8 percent of the Army's highest ranking soldiers are women, even though 13 percent of Army personnel are female. While this highlights some of the limits of gender integration in the Armed Forces, it also highlights King's achievement. Find out more about women in the Army in this New York Times article.
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Indian Women Find New Peace in Rail Commute
September 17, 2009
In recent years India has seen rapid social change. On one hand, India is a country where women have achieved groundbreaking success in the political scene. On the other hand, however, the average working woman tends to experience a different reality, one of increasing violence and harassment, especially on commuter trains. Good news is, the new minister of railways (a female) has launched a pilot program, which includes eight commuter trains, known as Ladies Specials, exclusively for women. Indian women enjoy the peace, but still point to a "long list" of changes that the still rigid patriarchal society could make. Find out more in this New York Times Article.
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Garment Workers Protest LIC Sweatshop
August 18, 2009
Six workers from the Great Wall Corp. in Queens, a garment factory, filed suit with the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, charging the factory with running a sweatshop. On August 12 NOW-NYC rallied alongside workers and activists to protest the unfair conditions. The rally was organized by The Chinese Staff & Workers' Association. Workers reported having to work 15 hour workdays without minimum wage or overtime, and two women report that they were fired for dissenting. Workers have filed a complaint with the National Labors Relations Board, and the workers' claims are being investigated. Follow the developments on this story with the Crains New York Business, and check out a video of the dozens of protesters lending their support on NY1.
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Misinformation About Abortion Coverage Could Impact Health Care Reform Efforts
September 11, 2009
In his speech on Wednesday, President Obama said that his health care plan would not include federal funding for abortions. While Rachel Laser of the Democratic think tank Third Way has also argued that abortions would not be paid for with federal tax money, many are fearing that misinformation could incite panic, and stymie reform. How will this effect the health care debate? Read more in this article from Politico.
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Women on Wall Street
September 10, 2009
Former Goldman Sachs employee Jackie Zehner interviewed with Katie Couric on CBS to talk about women on Wall Street. Would Wall Street be better off with more female employees? Many believe that if women were involved in the decision making process, Wall Street might have been on a different path. What role will women play in finance in the future? How can women change the financial world for the better? Check out the interview here.
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Poverty Hits Single Women Hard
September 10, 2009
The Center for American Progress reports that as we sink further into recession, unmarried women have been some of the hardest hit by poverty. The Census Bureau reports an increase in unemployment and food stamp assistance, especially among women of color, those who are divorced and widowed, and the elderly. What does this mean for unmarried women, and how should the government properly intervene? More coverage here.
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Freed Journalists Make Statement
September 2, 2009
Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, recently released from a North Korean detention camp, have made their first statement regarding their investigation of human trafficking and subsequent capture. Find out how Ling and Lee attempted to give a voice to victims of human trafficking and gain insight into the dire situation involving young girls and women who have been forced to flee poverty in North Korea only to be exploited in China. Read their statement.
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Women Anchors to Dominate Evening News
September 8, 2009
Journalist Michele Filgate talks about her experience as the former writer for The Evening News with Katie Couric, and reflects on Diane Sawyer's new slot on ABC. Filgate expresses concern that Sawyer's reception will not be as calamitous as Couric's was, but also expresses hope that she might transcend ratings and bring back the news. Hear what she has to say about women in the media, TV ratings, and the fate of journalism.
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Family Court Gives Soldier Visitation in Custody Case
September 1, 2009
After a custody case involving her former boyfriend Daniel Llares, The New York Times reports that National Guard Specialist Leydia Mendoza has been granted visitation rights and weekly sleepovers with her daughter Elizabeth Mendoza. While Mr. Llares still has residential rights, Ms. Mendoza and her lawyer are pressing for full custody. Check out the full story here.
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Investigation Finds Abuse Rampant at Some New York Juvenile Detention Facilities
August 28, 2009
A U.S. Department of Justice investigation has found that four upstate Juvenile Detention facilities run by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) are in violation of constitutional standards intended to protect youth from physical and mental harm. A New York Times article discusses some of the findings. For example, several members of the staff at the Tryon Residential Center, have been using brutal violence against young girls, most aged 14-18. While physical force is only acceptable under extreme circumstances, it has been reported in the New York Times that physical abuse, such as concussions, broken teeth, and spinal fractures, have all become a routine part of the detainees' day. The Legal Aid Society of New York has prepared a lawsuit against the Tryon Center, and says that it will be difficult to make changes since violence is so "entrenched" in prison culture. With the Department of Justice involved, however, there is the chance that the case could go federal.
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Human Trafficking in North Korea and China
Two American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were evenutally released from North Korea after being held for almost five months for alleged illegal entrance into the country. Why were they there in the first place? Ling and Lee were investigating human trafficking in North Korea and China. What questions guided their work? Learn more about human trafficking in North Korea and China to better understand the international struggle facing women and girls.
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Fighting Misogynistic Violence
August 9, 2009
In the wake of the recent shooting at a Pennsylvania gym, in which George Sodini killed three women and wounded nine others, Bob Herbert discusses the clear misogynistic motives behind the majority of mass shootings in the United States. "We have become so accustomed to living in a society saturated with misogyny," Herbert writes in his article "Women at Risk," "that the barbaric treatment of women and girls has come to be more or less expected." Herbert urges his readers to "take particular notice of the staggering amounts of violence brought down on the nation’s women and girls...for no other reason than who they are." Read Herbert's article, "Women at Risk"
................................................................................................................................. First Latina Supreme Court Justice Confirmed
August 8, 2009
Sonia Sotomayor became the Supreme Court's newest justice on Saturday, August 8, 2009. Sotomayor, age 55, is the first Hispanic justice and only the third woman in the court's 220-year history. Read more
.................................................................................................................................. Journalists Released from North Korea
August 5, 2009
Two American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee were joyfully liberated from being held in North Korea after Former President Bill Clinton's meeting with Kim Jong-Il to negotiate their return. The two women, who had been taken by North Korean officials in March, were released after a harrowing stay in which they were sentenced to 12 years in a hard labor camp. President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and other government officials have been working quietly to negotiate their release since they were detained. Learn more about this story. Detained Journalists in North Korea
The detention of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, two journalists who allegedly illegally crossed into North Korea to complete a story, received some media attention several weeks ago, but this attention has died recently. Despite Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's efforts to persuade the North Korean governement to grant amnesty to the two journalists, Lee and Ling are still carrying out their sentence of hard labor, and prospects for their return to the United States are growing dim. Learn more about this story.
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Dr. Tiller: His Life and Legacy
July 25, 2009
The murder of Dr. Tiller has stirred-up serious discussion about the future of abortion politics in this country. Despite his death at the hands of an anti-abortion fanatic, nothing can diminish the important work
Dr. Tiller accomplished in the service of women. Read more about the life and legacy of this extraordinary man in the New York Times.
................................................................................................................................. Pharmacists Can No Longer Refuse Plan B
July 7, 2009
On Wednesday, July 7th a federal appeals court ruled that pharmacists must stock and dispense the
Plan B "morning after" pill. Prior to the ruling, Plan B could be legally denied based on "conscience protections" that enabled individual pharmacists to decide whether they felt it was "moral" to dispense this form of contraception. The verdict is a clear victory for women and can have wide impact. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has asserted that by failing to dispense Plan B, the suing Washington pharmacists were not fulfilling their legal obligations. The court's ruling underscores that women's full access to their legal medications is more important than a pharmacist's individual moral convictions. Finally!
Read more on Feministing and SFGate.
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Violence on NYC Subways
July 2, 2009
You shouldn't have to compromise your safety and well-being to simply get across town. Unfortunately, many New Yorkers do. Harassment-and even violent attacks-which are often aimed at women, racial minorities and LGBT people, are happening on subways, at station platforms and at bus stops across the five boroughs. As part of its Anti-Violence campaign, NOW-NYC is helping to coordinate New Yorkers for Safe Transit to raise awareness about and put a stop to harassment on board. Read more on some of the most recent incidents:
Rape on board | Alleged police brutality on the platform | Subway violence stats
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Nuns Under Investigation
July 2, 2009
Nuns in the U.S., who are often recognized as the driving force behind much of the actual work and social services that get delivered despite their secondary status within the church, are being investigated by an increasingly conservative church leadership. Read more
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Biden Announces New Violence Against Women Czar
June 26, 2009
In a move that demonstrates the Obama administration's commitment to addressing violence against women, Biden announced that feminist ally, Lynn Rosenthal, would serve as a new White House advisor on domestic violence and sexual assault. Read more
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Republicans Take Control of New York State Senate
June 8, 2009
Placing the fate of bills on critical issues like same-sex marriage in jeopardy, two Democratic Senators voted with all 30 Senate Republicans to oust Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and re-establish Republican control of the senate. Senators Pedro Espada, Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens joined with Republicans in the maneuver. Read more
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First Hispanic Woman Nominated to Supreme Court
May 26, 2009
President Obama has nominated South Bronx native, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, to serve as a Supreme Court justice. Widely acknowledged as one of the most respected legal minds of the day and esteemed for her breadth of experience, Judge Sotomayor would be the third woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Her presence on the court would mark an important milestone for women and for our country. Judge Sotomayor would be the first woman of color to join the court, signaling a clear recognition of her contributions and accomplishments in a field which traditionally lacks both gender and racial diversity.
National NOW Press Release | NY Times Coverage
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California Supreme Court Upholds Prop 8
May 26, 2009
The California Supreme Court voted to maintain Proposition 8 in a 6-1 decision which continues to deny same sex couples the right to marry. Prop 8 arguably violates fundamental rights guaranteed by the California constitution by breaching the rights to privacy and to equal protection. Protests across California combined with the increasing number of states legalizing marriage for same sex partners (currently Iowa, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and Massachusetts) makes it clear that the decision in California does not mark the end of this struggle.
National NOW Press Release | NY Times Coverage
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Supreme Court Rules Pension Plans May Exclude Pregnancy Leave
May 18, 2009
In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in AT&T v. Hulqueen that employeers need not give women credit for maternity leaves taken before the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978 when calculating their pension benefits. The case involved four women who took maternity leaves before Congress made discrimination based on pregnancy a form of sex-discrimination and, as a result, are recieving smaller pensions. In her dissenting opinion, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg stated that the court had "erred egregiously" in advancing "the strange notion that a benefits classification excluding some women ('pregnant women') is not sex-based because other women are among the favored class ('non-prgranant persons')" and that, although Congress in 1978 "intended no continuing reduction of women's compensation, pension benefits included, attributable to their placement on pregnancy leave...[the plaintiffs] will recieve, for the rest of their lives, lower pension benfits that colleagues who worked for AT&T no longer than they did."
New York Times Article | Article on Feminsting.com
................................................................................................................................. Craigslist Rethinking Sex Ads? President Sonia Ossorio goes on the record
May 14, 2009
The front-page headlines of two recent "Craigslist" killings coupled with the threat of several lawsuits finally prompted Craigslist to reconsider how it manages the "erotic services" section of its community listings. However, long-time advocates who work on fighting sex trafficking and the commercial exploitation of underage girls are wondering just how real the promise for change really is.
President Sonia Ossorio in AMNY | More coverage
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New York State Assembly Passes Equal Marriage Bill
May 13, 2009
For the second time in its history, the New York State Assembly passed a bill that would legalize marriage for same-sex couples in New York State. Several legislators who voted "no" in the historic 2007 vote made the switch to supporting equality in this vote, including a handful of Republicans. The fight now moves to the state Senate. NY Times Article
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Insurers Will End Unfair Premiums for Women
May 6, 2009
A large disparity in health insurance premiums charged to women and men was uncovered late last year. Yielding to government pressure, insurers have decided to end the unfair practices which charged women anywhere from 25 to 50 percent more for the same exact coverage. Learn more
................................................................................................................................. Maine Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
May 6, 2009
In a sweep taking place across New England and across the U.S., Maine's governor signed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in his state. Maine now becomes the fifth state to legalize same sex marriage following Massachusettes, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont. New Hampshire may be next. Read more
................................................................................................................................. Kathleen Sebelius Confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services
April 28, 2009
The Senate confirmed the nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services, despite Republican efforts to delay the vote because of Sebelius's pro-choice record. According to NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan, "this vote shows that a majority of senators understand that Americans are tired of the antagonistic politics of the past. As our country faces challenges on a number of fronts, especially on the issue of affordable health care, we look forward to ensuring that women's health and sound science are a priority." Learn more: New York Times Article | Reuters Article ................................................................................................................................... Emergency Contraceptive to be Made Available to 17-Year-Olds
April 22, 2009
The Food and Drug Administration complied with a judge's orders and lowered the age limit for purchasing Emergency Contraceptive (the "morning after" pill) to seventeen, thus overturning one of the most controversial health rulings of the Bush administration. Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards stated that the F.D.A.'s decision "is a strong statement to American women that their health comes before politics." Learn more: New York Times Article | New York Times Editorial | NPR Article | NARAL Press Release ................................................................................................................................... New York City Council Passes Clinic Access Bill
April 2, 2009
The New York City Council voted by an overwhelming majority to pass the Clinic Access Bill, a major step towards protecting access to reproductive health care in New York City. The bill strengthens the previous law that criminalizes the blocking of clinic entrances and exits by clarifying what activities are prohibited, making it easier to prosecute violators and protecting doctors and patients from harassment and violence, while still allowing for peaceful gatherings and protests. NOW-NYC testified in support of the bill last November. Learn more: New York City Council Press Release | Take Action: Find your City Council Member and thank him or her for supporting the bill or express your disappointment that he or she did not support it. ................................................................................................................................... New Law Restores Affordable Birth Control for Women
March 13, 2009
On March 13, President Obama signed into a law the “Affordable Birth Control Act” as part of the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill, restoring the ability of college and community health centers to sell birth control at extremely low prices. This bill reverses the effects of the Defecit Reduction Act of 2005, which eliminated discounts on birth control that pharmaceutical companies were able to offer to clinics, resulting in massive increases in birth control prices. Now, up to four-million college students and low-income women will once again have access to affordable birth control. Learn more: National NOW Press Release | Planned Parenthood Press Release | Nonie Wainwright on RH Reality Check | US News and World Report Article ................................................................................................................................... President Obama Creates White House Council on Women and Girls
March 11, 2009
On March 11, President Obama signed an executive order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls. Chaired by Valerie Jarrett and directed by Tina Tchen, the Council aims to ensure that women and girls are treated fairly in public policy and that Cabinet agencies consider how their programs will affect women and families. Areas of priority for the Council include improving women's economic security, promoting policies that establish a better work-family balance, preventing violence against women, and improving women's health care. Learn More: Obama's Speech | White House Press Release | National NOW Press Release | Washington Post Article ................................................................................................................................... Federal Judge Rules FDA Acted Improperly and Orders Plan B to be Made Available to 17-Year Olds
March 24, 2009
In a victory for family planning advocates, a federal judge ruled against the FDA's actions to restrict access of Plan B or "emergency contraception" to minors. NOW-NYC is hopeful that broader access to Plan B will help prevent unintended pregnancies and empower young women to make the best decisions for their own reproductive health and lives. Read more: Nancy Northrup on RH Reality Check | NY Times Coverage
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New Report on Public Funding for Family Planning
February 24, 2009
According to new research by reproductive health think-tank the Guttmacher Institute, publicly-funded family planning prevents nearly 2 million unintended pregnancies and 800,000 abortions per year, and saves taxpayers billions of dollars. This is why NOW-NYC is urging Congress to support a provision that would expand medicaid coverage to family planning services, because every $1 spent on family planning saves $4 in prenatal care and childbirth expenses for unintended pregnancies. Take Action | USA Today Article | Fact Sheet from Guttmacher Institute | Full Report ................................................................................................................................... New York City Public Advocate Calls for Protections for Caregivers
February 11, 2009
New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum called for passage of a bill that would help close the wage gap for women by amending the New York City Human Rights Law to protect caregivers against employment discrimination. Read NOW-NYC's Press Release | Read Public Advocate Gotbaum's Press Release | Briefing from A Better Balance ................................................................................................................................... U.S. Department of Justice Releases Human Trafficking Statistics
Posted February 9, 2009
According to the stats released in January of this year, over 1,200 alleged incidents of human trafficking were reported in the U.S. over the 21-month period from January 2007-September 2008. The recent stats released by the U.S. Department of Justice paint a bleak picture for young women and girls:
• 83% of all alleged reported trafficking incidents involved sex trafficking, and one third, or 32%, of the total involved the sex trafficking of children. 71% of sex trafficking victims were under age 25.
• Over 90% of the victims, overall, were female. Hispanics are particularly hard hit: Hispanic victims constituted 37% of all sex trafficking victims and 56% of labor trafficking victims.
• It’s also clear that sex trafficking is a local problem. The stats show that U.S. citizens accounted for 63%, or a clear majority, of sex trafficking victims. The full press release can be found here. ...................................................................................................................................
Obama Signs Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
January 29, 2009
President Obama signed his first bill into law, approving the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act! A victory for women's rights and economic justice, the legislation expands workers' rights to sue in cases of pay discrimination. Read National NOW's Press Release | New York Times Coverage
................................................................................................................................... "A Great Adventure:" Hillary Clinton Confirmed as Secretary of State
January 21, 2009
The Senate voted 94-2 to confirm Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State. According to NOW President Kim Gandy, "women here and abroad couldn't have asked for a better advocate to head the State Department than Hillary Clinton. She has fought tirelessly throughtout her life for the rights of women and children worldwide, and NOW is proud to support her leadership once again." Read National NOW's Press Release | New York Times Coverage | Video ................................................................................................................................... DOE Agrees to Switch Girls’ Soccer Season to Comply w/ Title IX
January 17, 2009
The NYC DOE came to an agreement with the New York Civil Liberties Union to switch the girls’ soccer season from the spring to the fall to comply with Title IX, the equity in education law. NOW-NYC supported the efforts and spoke alongside young women soccer players at this weekend’s press conference at Riverside Park. Read NOW-NYC’s Press Release | Read the NYCLU’s Press Release | Photos | NYTimes Coverage | NY Dail News Coverage
................................................................................................................................... House Passed Fair Pay Bills! Urge Senate to do the same!
The Ledbetter legislation, which was blocked in the Republican-led Senate last year, will essentially reverse the Supreme Court decision that requires workers to file charges on a pay discrimination claim within the first six months of receiving their first discriminatory paycheck. The Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear gave employers the go-ahead to discriminate as long as they weren't caught in the first six months after the onset of their illegal actions. The companion bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act, which did not even make it to the Senate floor last year, closes loopholes that allow employers to pay men and women discriminatorily and provides consequences. National NOW's Press Release
We thank the House for passing these bills and we appreciate the support from NYS Senators. Tell your friends to urge their senators to push for these bills and pave the road for pay equity. Contact your Senators NOW! ................................................................................................................................... Dominican Women Risking Health and Lives for At-Home Abortions
A prescription drug used to treat ulcers, misoprostol, is being used by many Dominican women as an inexpensive and private way to end their unwanted pregnancies, even though the side effects can be severe and even life threatening. Instead of choosing to be treated by a licensed, experienced physician, two recent studies show that many women in the Dominican community are willing to pose extreme risks to their lives and health. Some of the reasons indicated by the studies include cost, shame, tradition, mistrust of the health care industry, concern about clinic protesters and fear of deportation. Read more here.
................................................................................................................................... Supreme Court Ledbetter Decision Trampling Civil Rights
The Supreme Court's ruling in the case involving Lilly Ledbetter is proving to be a huge setback to civil rights, being cited to rebuff or overturn over 300 discrimination lawsuits in only the 19 months following the decision. While the previous Congress was unable to successfully pass a bill to reverse this horrible trend, Barack Obama and the new Congress are planning to get civil rights back on track. Read more here.
................................................................................................................................... Sexist Advertising Persists in the Face of Big Advances for Women
12/15/08 - Take a look at this piece by Alex Leo in the Huffington Post about the top five sexist faves of the advertising industry. These are tired and old stereotypes, but somehow Madison Avenue keeps regurgitating them. Please, be sure to report the worst offenders to our Bias Busters campaign here.
................................................................................................................................... Are Women Being Left Out of Obama's Initiative to Create Jobs?
12/12/08 - By focusing on creating jobs in male-dominated sectors such as construction, women are on track to be left out of the major job creation plans of the incoming administration. Linda Hirshman brings the issue to light here.
................................................................................................................................... Supreme Court Hears Case on Pregnancy Discrimination
12/11/08 - Retired AT&T employees are suing their company because they are receiving less of their pension benefits than other workers who needed to take leave on disability. The difference for these employees? They are women who took maternity leave. While the women plaintiffs in the case took the leave prior to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, the company calculated the pension benefits in the 1990's, long after the act was passed. What's even worse is that the lawyers for AT&T are citing the recent Ledbetter decision as precedent for why they should not be held accountable for discrimination that was considered legal prior to 1978! Read more here.
Are you being discriminated against at work? Learn about the NOW-NYC Service Fund's Employment Discrimination Legal Clinic here.
................................................................................................................................... NOW Endorses Carolyn Maloney for Senate Seat: 12/03/08 read press release
................................................................................................................................... Women Sidelined for post in New York state high court
12/01/08 - The state Commission on Judicial Nominations has put forth its list of seven candidates to succeed Chief Judge Judith Kaye, and there is not one woman on this short list. “It is deeply disturbing that in a state as diverse as New York and with such a wide pool of talented women, this commission was hard-pressed to find even one woman qualified for the post,” said Sonia Ossorio, president of the National Organization for Women in New York City. “It is simply unacceptable to exclude women from the recommendations.” NOW-NYC applauds Governor David A. Paterson and State Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo for recognizing the lack of diversity in this nominating process and working to find solutions to ensure qualified women are not excluded from being considered for important positions in New York State leadership. Learn more
................................................................................................................................... Election Day Update: 11/05/08 - Ballot measures to restrict abortion fail in South Dakota and Colorado.
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Many women pay hundreds of dollars a year more than men for identical health insurance coverage. 11/03/08 Learn more ...................................................................................................................................
McCain shows contempt for women in last presidential debate
by Sonia Ossorio, NOW-NYC President
The last presidential debate finally brought some discussion about issues women live and think about everyday: reproductive freedom and pay equity. These are two issues—attacked and sidelined by the Bush Administration—that have a new bully in John McCain, who is vying to replace George Bush in the White House. He clearly stated his lack of concern for these issues as well as what appeared to be contempt for what he views as “the pro-abortion movement” and abuse of the “health exemption” for determining abortion rights. Read more
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Current economic crisis will disproportionately impact women
12/16/08 - We haven't heard much about how women will be impacted by the current crisis, but Women's eNews faces it head on in today's article, Crisis Likely to Deepen Women's Poverty in New York.
NOW-NYC and it's charitable arm, the Service Fund of NOW-NYC, are working to connect women with resources to help them navigate an uncertain financial landscape. We hold a monthly employment discrimination legal clinic, and we're launching a financial legal clinic for women thinking about or going through divorce in November of 2008. We held our first in a series of programs, "Women & Money: Let's Talk," earlier in 2008 to help women get the information they need to be financially empowered. And NOW-NYC continues it's fight on pay equity. Help us by learning more and calling for equal pay for women today!
................................................................................................................................... Vajayjays Censored in NYC: Vaginal Contraceptive Film Booth Too Much for New Yorkers to Bear
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the street fair along 3rd Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, lots of the usual: roasted corn, scarves and sunglasses for sale, and bowls of condoms at the health booths. But apparently, products for the vagina, oh very controversial. VCF, the Vaginal Contraceptive Film, a product you don’t need a penis to use, got the boot from the fair, mostly because of the company’s audacity to print “vaginal” in big letters on its display. Read more
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Sexism not enough: anti-Republican sentiment is what it takes to give talking heads "the boot." 09/07/08 - The good news is that Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann will be replaced as anchors of MSNBC’s political night coverage. The bad news is that AP cited the “tipping point” as Olbermann’s criticism of a Sept. 11-themed video at the RNC. Apparently months of egregious sexist coverage of the presidential primaries and election was not enough of a reason. Check out NOW’s media hall of shame for some of the worst comments to date.
See something in the media that gets you angry? Submit it to our bias busters at contact@nownyc.org. Check out some of the most outrageous comments on our media watch pages.
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Teens and low-income women in NYC at high risk for intimate partner violence
According to a report by the New York City Department of Health issued this week, 44% of all women murdered in NYC between 2003 and 2005 were killed by intimate partners. The report also found that one in 10 public high school girls report being assaulted in the past year.
Victims of domestic violence can call the NOW-NYC Service Fund Helpline at 212.627.9895 to find out how to get help. In an emergency, victims should call the police (911). Other resoureces include the City’s Hotline at 311 or 800-621-HOPE (621-4673).
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