Category Archives: Reproductive Rights

Here We Go Again – Prosecuting Pregnant Women Who Use Drugs

This time it’s Alabama.   A new state law written to protect children from the fumes associated with methamphetamine manufacturing is being used to prosecute women who use drugs during pregnancy.   Of course, the theory of the prosecutions is … Continue reading

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South Dakota, Too, Allows Pharmacists to Turn Women Away

The South Dakota Senate has rejected this bill that would have required pharmacies to dispense contraceptives, despite pharmacists’ religious objections. Unfortunately, the legislature voted to allow South Dakota pharmacists to turn away women who are seeking birth control. More background … Continue reading

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Your Yelling From 17 Feet Closer Isn’t Going to Change My Mind

Anti-abortion activists have filed a legal challenge against the Massachusetts law that expanded the buffer zone around abortion clinics from 18 to 35 feet. Anti-abortion activists complain of an unconstitutional restriction on their freedom of speech. Read more here. -Bridget … Continue reading

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Missouri Must Transport Prisoners to Clinics

The 8th Circuit ruled this week that the State of Missouri must provide transportation to clinics for inmates who want to have an abortion. The ruling responds to a class action brought by the ACLU on behalf of all imprisoned … Continue reading

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A Movie That Really Deals With Abortion

Unlike what’s coming out of Hollywood recently, a new Romanian film, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, really does deal with abortion. It won the Cannes Palme d’Or last year, and it now starts its run in the United … Continue reading

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Will Any of the Candidates End Hyde?

Henry Hyde is dead. We have a Democratic Congress that should continue at least through the next election cycle. And, with massive discontent with the current Republican President and the party generally, we have a strong likelihood that a Democrat … Continue reading

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It’s the 35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Here’s what might happen if it is overturned: More state-by-state information here. See also blogs such as RH Reality Check and the Reproductive Rights Blog.

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The Condom Song

“This is an entertaining and educational video in Telugu on Condom usage, to prevent from sexually transmitted infections and HIV, from Nrityanjali Academy, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.” Watch it all the way through. There is a bit of repetition but … Continue reading

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Embryo Adoption?

I was at the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) conference last week and there, amid all legal publishing companies and on-line search services in the Exhibitor’s Hall, was a table for something called Embryo Connection, which works with the … Continue reading

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“Hyde – 30 Years Is Enough” Petition

Here, via the National Network of Abortion Funds.

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Carhart and Its Effects — Which Women?

The Reproductive Rights Prof Blog has a good re-cap of the AALS Hot Topic panel on Gonzales v. Carhart. Michael Dorf also has offered his thoughts on some of the political issues raised in the panel. Here, I’d like to … Continue reading

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AALS Program on Carhart!

The AALS Hot Topics Panel “Reproductive Justice After Carhart,” is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 4, from 10:30am-12:15pm.

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“More than 50 women in this city are now pregnant with the children of couples from the United States, Taiwan, Britain and beyond. The women earn more than many would make in 15 years. But the program raises a host of uncomfortable questions that touch on morals and modern science, exploitation and globalization, and that most natural of desires: to have a family.”

That’s an excerpt from this article, entitled “World Outsources Pregnancies To India.”

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“When Will It Stop?”

Albuquerque has seen a rash of abortion clinic violence in the past few weeks.   One clinic was burned to the ground, another was set ablaze but suffered minor damage, and a third, a family planning clinic, had its windows … Continue reading

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AALS HOT TOPIC Panel on “Reproductive Justice after Carhart”

There will be a Hot Topic panel on “Reproductive Justice after Carhart” at the AALS Annual Meeting in New York. Here is the information: Friday, January 4, 2008 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Petit Trianon, 3 rd floor, New York Hilton Moderators: … Continue reading

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Katha Pollitt Book Offer

Great combination offer here from our mailbag.   Katha Pollitt is great, and so is the National Network of Abortion Funds.   Apparently, they’re running a promotion now that if you are a new donor to the latter you get … Continue reading

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The Misery Maker is Dead

Henry Hyde died today.   The AP story says nothing about the millions of women he harmed since 1976 with the Hyde Amendment.   Unfortunate for poor women throughout the country, the Hyde Amendment won’t die with him. – David … Continue reading

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Criminal Conviction for Fetal Murder not Incompatible with Abortion Rights, Says Texas

A Texas man appealed his conviction for killing his pregnant girlfriend and the fetus she carried.   He asserted violation of his substantive due process rights, inter alia, on the grounds that  the fetus was not viable (and therefore its … Continue reading

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Moral (Meaning Religious) Objections to Emergency Contraception

From the AP: A federal judge has suspended Washington state’s requirement that pharmacists sell “morning-after” birth control pills, a victory for druggists who say their moral objections to the drug are being bulldozed by the government. The full story is … Continue reading

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There Is No Right to Withhold Child Support

Here’s the frivolous lawsuit of the week.   I wonder if the judge will award attorney’s fees.   The National Center for Men seems like a hooplehead outfit. A federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit nicknamed … Continue reading

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Susan Wicklund – “This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor”

The New York Times has a story today about Dr. Susan Wicklund’s new book, This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor.   The story’s worth reading for her insider’s perspective on the importance of telling the stories of … Continue reading

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(Dis)Honoring Henry Hyde

On November 5, President Bush will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to, among others, Henry Hyde. (Hat tip to Prawfsblawg.) The official press release proclaims that Hyde “has served America with distinction” and has been a “powerful defender of … Continue reading

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Gonzales v. Carhart Aftermath

Tony Mauro has an article worth reading about the aftermath of Gonzales v. Carhart, the Supreme Court case from last Term upholding the federal ban on “partial birth” abortions.   The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear … Continue reading

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Great Blog About Reproductive Health: RH Reality Check

Blog homepage here.   To highlight just one useful offering by this blog: A podcast of Amanda Marcotte interviewing kickass feminist Jenn Frederick of the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line on the myths and realities of domestic violence and barriers … Continue reading

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“Consent and Coercion: Examining Unwanted Sex Among Married Young Women in India”

This study, by K.G. Santhya, Nicole Haberland, F. Ram, R.K. Sinha and S.K. Mohanty, reports: A growing body of research explores the nonconsensual sexual experiences of young people in developing countries. A recent review of evidence suggests that significant minorities … Continue reading

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Birth Control for Middle Schoolers?

Birth control for middle schoolers?   A decision by a Maine school board to offer prescription contraception to middle school girls (high schoolers already have that access) is roiling the political waters and bringing both dissent and support from a … Continue reading

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Allen’s “Atmospherics”

Feminist Law Prof Anita L. Allen (U. of Pennsylvania) has posted to ssrn her working paper, “Atmospherics: A Llewellynesque Comment on Abortion Law.”   Here is the abstract: In 1934, Karl N. Llewellyn published a lively essay trumpeting the dawn … Continue reading

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Duquesne U. Interferes with Public Radio Affiliate

I  was working from home today, so I didn’t listen to the news programming on WDUQ as I usually do on the way home from work. WDUQ is the flagship NPR affiliate in Pittsburgh, broadcasting from the campus of Duquesne … Continue reading

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Forced Womb Removal in Child’s Best Interests?

LONDON, England — A mother is seeking to have the womb of her severely disabled daughter removed to prevent the 15-year-old from feeling the pain and discomfort of menstruation. Doctors in Britain are now taking legal advice to see if … Continue reading

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“Abortion Controversy In Context: Protest & Policy” at the U of Buffalo’s Baldy Center on October 11 and 12, 2007

Speakers include some Feminist Law Profs and my awesome South Carolina Women’s Studies colleague Laura Woliver. Details here: Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy and Law School Conference Center, 509 O’Brian Hall, University at Buffalo Law School Panelists will … Continue reading

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High court won’t review N.Y. law mandating birth-control coverage

Read Kathleen Bergin’s post here.

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Cheap Birth Control at Wal-Mart

From the Kaiser Family Foundation’s kaisernetwork.org, this press release: Wal-Mart Stores on Thursday announced that it will begin selling eight additional generic drugs for $4 per 30-day prescription and several family-planning drugs for $9, USA Today reports (Appleby, USA Today, … Continue reading

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Verizon and Abortion

Looking for a reason to switch from Verizon as your cell-phone carrier? Here’s a good one: Saying it had the right to block”controversial or unsavory”text messages, Verizon Wireless has rejected a request from Naral Pro-Choice America, the abortion rights group, … Continue reading

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If You Can’t Get It There, Can You Get It Anywhere?

The Public Advocate for the City of New York issued a press release assailing the limited availability of emergency contraception in New York: The New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is failing to provide New York City women … Continue reading

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The 10th Circuit dismissed an appeal of a federal judge’s decision that health care providers and others are not required under Kansas law to report underage sex between consenting adolescents.

Story here. Press release from the Center for Reproductive Rights here.

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Doctors not Required to Describe Embryo as “Existing Human Being”

Yesterday the New Jersey Supreme Court issued this opinion in the case of Acuna v. Turkish, in which the plaintiff alleged a breach of duty by the defendant doctor for failing to inform the plaintiff that an abortion would result … Continue reading

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Upcoming Conference:”The New Face of Women’s Legal History”

Renowned legal and history scholars from across the nation will gather at The University of Akron School of Law on Oct. 19 for a constitutional law symposium titled”The New Face of Women’s Legal History.” The symposium’s broad theme will address … Continue reading

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Pro-Choice Senators Vote To Overturn Global Gag Rule

NARAL account here. LA Times report here, which notes: Defying a White House veto threat, the Democratic-controlled Senate voted Thursday to overturn a long-standing ban on U.S. funding for overseas family planning groups that support abortion. The vote was 53-41, … Continue reading

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Consider Joining the Planned Parenthood Pill Patrol!

From this site: Every day in America, women are forced to play the lottery when they walk into their neighborhood pharmacies and ask for Plan B emergency contraception (EC). Planned Parenthood is launching a nationwide campaign to protect women’s health … Continue reading

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NYC Teens and Unsafe Sex

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has issued a report on Teen Sexual Activity and Birth Control Use in New York City.   From the press release: More than two thirds (69%) of sexually active New … Continue reading

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Scholarship on Abortion in the Middle East and North Africa, Spain, and Trinidad and Tobago

Links, titles and abstracts over at Reproductive Rights Prof Blog.

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Commercial Success of Morning-After Pill

From the AP: In the year since it was approved for over-the-counter sales, the morning-after pill has become a huge commercial success for its manufacturer, but its popularity and solid safety record haven’t deterred critics from seeking to overturn the … Continue reading

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Rudy Giuliani and Abortion as Wedge Issue

In a political science class I attended as a guest yesterday, another guest brought up the possibility that abortion is no longer a major wedge issue in American politics. She thought that Rudy Giuliani’s ascendancy in the Republican party was … Continue reading

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What Does Ethan Leib’s Essay “A Man’s Right To Choose (An Abortion)” Mean?

Click here to read Ethan Leib’s”A Man’s Right To Choose (An Abortion?)” Here is the abstract: This article attempts to argue – contra Danforth and Casey – for a man’s right to participate in the abortion decision and provides some … Continue reading

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Proposed Ohio Law Would Require Man’s Permission For Abortion

Story here, below is an excerpt: Several Ohio state representatives who normally take an anti-abortion stance are now pushing pro-choice legislation – sort of. Led by Rep. John Adams, a group of state legislators have submitted a bill that would … Continue reading

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Justice Talking on Abstinence-Only Education

Listen here. Below is the overview: Federal and state funding programs provide local groups with millions of dollars for “abstinence-only-until-marriage” education programs that are hailed by some as the best way to keep teenagers from having sex and to stop … Continue reading

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Who’s Your Egg Donor? The British Government Wants the World to Know

From this article in the London Times: The birth certificates of children born from donated eggs and sperm would be marked with details of the way they were conceived, under proposals advanced yesterday [July 31, 2007]  by MPs and peers. … Continue reading

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SCHIP Amendment Fails By One Vote

Last night, an amendment to a children’s bill failed on the US Senate floor by one vote: 49-50. The proposed amendment, offered by anti-choice Senate Wayne Allard, would have allowed states to make an embryo or fetus eligible for the … Continue reading

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“Turn Down The Heat On Clinic Protests”

Gloria Feldt discusses abortion clinic protests here.

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Welcome Back to Campus – Now Pay More for Contraception!

According to a Journal of Higher Education article (sorry, pay site), students returning to campus next month will have to pay a lot more for contraception from campus health centers.   The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 removed incentives for … Continue reading

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