Same-sex couples are currently being treated equally as heterosexual couples when it comes to marriage in California, as most of us already know. Apparently many, many people are not happy with equality and have already tried to attack the legislature; over $16 million has gone in to denying same-sex couples the same, basic right as heterosexual couples in California.
A proposition being called Prop 8 is aimed to eliminate marriage equality and Californians will be voting on this proposition this fall. Go to No On Prop 8 to learn more about this.
I think it is so incredibly close-minded to think that someone can choose who they will love and spend the rest of their lives with. It is such a momentous occasion when someone finds that person out there who will love them because of their faults and not despite them; who will love them when they are sick and take care of them when they are dying, someone to share the good times with and personally, what gender that other person is does not matter.
While looking up more information on Prop 8, I came across this website. It contains nothing but bigoted, right-wing word vomit but what struck me as incredibly horrid is the header image–”Restoring Marriage & Protecting California Children” The first thing that popped into my head was, of course, “What the hell!?” followed by “And what do California children need protecting from?” Of course I could answer this question myself; just because right-wingers believe that they have to convert every other human on Earth who may think differently or have different backgrounds, lifestyles, opinions, etc. they believe that it is their duty to spread the “truth.” This is what religious people are great at–Wherever they go they seem to have a bible in hand and others in their backpacks, purses, etc. to hand out to passersby and if you so much as make eye contact with them, they will jump on you like a bat out of hell and make you wish that when you were thinking about leaving the house that day you just said “Screw it, I’ll stay home, watch TV and order take out.” Here’s a little tip: Children raised by homosexual parents do not always turn out to be homosexuals themselves; it’s a predetermined thing–Just in case you needed some clarification on that. Homosexuals do not come solely from homosexual parents.
Vote no Prop 8–Discrimination isn’t cool and no one has the right to tell someone else that they are wrong for who they love and wish to marry. Using the word “civil union” or “contract” is exactly what segregation was. “What do you mean you want to sit in the front of the bus?”
You can help the Human Rights Campaign get the word out about Prop 8 by donating here or right on the No on Prop 8 website.
Hillary Clinton and Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America had a great, activism-inducing article published in the New York Times on September 18.
Last month, the Bush administration launched the latest salvo in its eight-year campaign to undermine women’s rights and women’s health by placing ideology ahead of science: a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would govern family planning. It would require that any health care entity that receives federal financing — whether it’s a physician in private practice, a hospital or a state government — certify in writing that none of its employees are required to assist in any way with medical services they find objectionable.
Many circumstances unrelated to reproductive health could also fall under the umbrella of “other medical procedures.” Could physicians object to helping patients whose sexual orientation they find objectionable? Could a receptionist refuse to book an appointment for an H.I.V. test? What about an emergency room doctor who wishes to deny emergency contraception to a rape victim? Or a pharmacist who prefers not to refill a birth control prescription?
The Bush administration argues that the rule is designed to protect a provider’s conscience. But where are the protections for patients?
The 30-day comment period on the proposed rule runs until Sept. 25. Everyone who believes that women should have full access to medical care should make their voices heard. Basic, quality care for millions of women is at stake.
Maybe I’m just silly or have it all wrong when I think that someone who holds a job should be able to perform that job efficiently. If you don’t want to assist people then don’t get a job where it is your duty to help people; simple as that. If you can’t do your job then go find yourself a job you can do.
So we have until September 25th to raise an outcry. Now that the new rule has been issued officially it is time for you to speak out during the official 30-day comment period before the rule can go into effect. Speak out now.
Fox News, and more specifically, Bill O’Reilly, have yet again brought up the “angry woman” stance when referring to Michelle Obama. In my opinion, the only reason O’Reilly is so obsessed with this is because Michelle Obama is a strong, aware and educated woman which according to Fox News and O’Reilly is a big no-no. In the following video O’Reilly uses the term “warm and fuzzy” when asking two women he had on his show, Vogue magazine contributing editor Rebecca Johnson and Human Events columnist Michelle Oddis about Michelle’s demeanor. “Is she warm and fuzzy?” Umm no, she is not warm and fuzzy and when it comes to politics, the last thing we need is for a first lady to be “warm and fuzzy.”
Rebecca Johnson spent about a half a day with Michelle Obama for an interview and what she said that I respect about Michelle Obama is that she did not try to win the reporter over; Michelle Obama is not fake and for some reason, O’Reilly doesn’t like that about women.
It is already known that Fox News and O’Reilly himself are very racist and that seems to be the basis for the smear reports he has dedicated his career to spreading in the last few months. The only reason why Michelle Obama and her “anger” comes up continuously is because she happens to be an educated, black woman.
The simple fact of the matter is that when a woman is strong, aware, educated and knows who she is, the media jumps all over her, makes sexist remarks about her and tries to tell people that there is something wrong when a woman is an intellectual. Fox News is known for being sexist and for spreading smear reports about the Obamas and the only reason that they do that is because they are scared and cannot cope with how the world works now. A woman’s role is not merely making dinner for her family and her husband’s colleagues, a woman’s role is not merely smiling and nodding whenever a male says something to her.
Michelle Obama is a strong and educated woman and that scares the pants off of the right-wing and for that, I pity them.
In just three days people everywhere have donated to save Bitch Magazine and have saved it from having to close shop. Due to the overwhelming generosity Bitch has received, the next issue of Bitch will hit newsstands on December 1.
We’re thrilled to announce that in just three short days, you’ve rallied together and propelled us beyond our $40,000 fundraising goal. In fact, by the time we looked up from our computers, you’d already donated $46,000! On top of that, you’ve spread the word far and wide, and offered powerful and inspiring words of support.
This tremendous and swift outpouring has been honoring and humbling—particularly because you’ve offered it during the worst days the U.S. economy has seen this year. Thank you. We’re deeply grateful.
Please help us keep the momentum going and continue donating and offering your feedback and ideas. We know many of you have ideas and concerns about Bitch’s future and sustainability, and we’re grateful for the critical feedback and ideas you’ve offered so far. We’re listening. And we assure you we’re hard at work on a sustainable vision, based on your feedback (and we’re at work on a survey to help facilitate this process).
We’ve also discovered through this process that many of you weren’t aware that Bitch is a nonprofit organization, and that we rely on your ongoing financial support to continue our work. One of the advantages of being a nonprofit means that the money we raise above and beyond our fundraising goals simply goes back into the organization to secure our future and help us launch new projects and new ways of fulfilling our mission.
So please, if you haven’t already, we ask that you consider the value of the work we do and join this historic effort to secure the future of a critical voice in independent media and feminism. We’re in this together.
Keep Winnie the wiener dog growing! Give input on our direction, and spread the word!
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Have questions about voting this election season? Has it been so long since you’ve last voted that you don’t even know if you’re registered to vote anymore? Feministe has answered a lot of questions out there and also touch base on what is arising now that will keep voters from voting.
With all the shit that is going down trying to keep voters from voting, completely disregarding the whole democracy thing America likes to enforce on other territories, the biggest thing that we can do now is vote–Or try to, at least.
Vote for Change can tell you if you are already registered to vote and if not, lets you download a voting registration document that must be sent in by October 6th. Time is running out, so make sure you are registered and that you get out and vote. It is the only way for us to get out there and tell the candidates who we want in the white house. Don’t listen to the media or vote simply for who your spouse or roommate wants you to vote for–Get informed and make an informed decision. Here are the candidates on the issues–McCain / Obama. Plus, I’ve talked a great deal about John McCain on the issues so you can check those out here.
Because there isn’t a book out there that will prepare you for an abortion and the only information you can find online is medical jargon and right-wing publications saying you’re going to hell if you get one, there is now a blog about one woman’s experience with getting an abortion.
What to Expect When You’re Aborting is a blog that is sometimes hilarious and light-hearted and at other times brutally honest written by a 23 year old woman.
There is a particular post there that I found great; it was taken from the abortion episode of House. When Dr. House tells a rape victim that she is pregnant, she tells him:
“Abortion is murder.”
“True. It’s a life and you should end it.”
“Every life is sacred.”
“Come on. Talk to me. Don’t quote me bumper stickers.”
“It’s true.”
“It’s meaningless.”
“It means that every life matters to God.”
“Not to me. Not to you. Judging by the number of natural disasters, not to God either.”
“You’re just being argumentative.”
“Yeah. I do do that. What about Hitler? Was his life sacred to God? Father of your child. Is his life sacred to you?”
“My child isn’t Hitler.”
“Either every life is sacred or—”
“Stop it! I don’t want to chat about philosophy.”
“You’re not killing your rape baby because of a philosophy.”
“It’s murder. I’m against it. You for it?”
“Not as a general rule.”
“Just for unborn children?”
“Yes. The problem with exceptions to rules is the line-drawing. It might make sense for us to kill the ass that did this to you. I mean, where do we draw the line? Which asses do we get to kill and which asses get to keep on being asses.” The nice thing about the abortion debate is that we can quibble over trimesters but ultimately, there’s a nice clean line: birth. Morally there isn’t a lot of difference. Practically, huge.”
So what do you have to expect when getting an abortion? Look no further because a woman (you know, the sex that will get pregnant; we don’t want any of those anti-abortion men round these parts talking about morality or religion or any of that shit because frankly, if you have a penis you will never have a pregnancy-ever-no matter how hard you try so a man talking to a woman about abortion is pretty much a slap in the face and yet another way of men trying to make you believe that not only do they think they rule the world, they think it should continue to be like that) stepped up to the plate and put her experience online for the world to see and I love this blog–For its brutal honesty if nothing else.
If you would like some other abortion resources written not just by real people, but real people who perform abortions, check out abortion clinic days.
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Same-sex couples are currently being treated equally as heterosexual couples when it comes to marriage in California, as most of us already know. Apparently many, many people are not happy with equality and have already tried to attack the legislature; over $16 million has gone in to denying same-sex couples the same, basic right as heterosexual couples in California.
You can 
