The Trump administration has massively expanded the so-called “Global Gag Rule” (GGR), which stops any U.S. aid to foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide abortion information, referrals or services — even when they provide those services with their own, non-U.S. funding. The Trump administration’s announcement comes at the beginning of National Women’s Health Week, a…
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National LGBTQ Task Force has joined a coalition of LGBTQ, racial justice, and health equity organizations in filing an amicus brief in Whole Woman’s Health v. Cole asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down draconian restrictions on abortion providers enacted by the State of Texas in 2013. If the restrictions are upheld, it…
It’s hard to believe that less than two months have passed since the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and effectively ended Proposition 8. It’s even harder to believe that we already need to be watching the courts again. There are of course the various marriage equality cases that are peppering the…
I was raised Catholic: First Communion, altar boy, confirmation – the whole 9 yards. My parents ran a group called “Pro-lifers For Survival,” though they were against the death penalty and for a preferential option for the poor, making them a bit more consistent on sanctity of life than many of today’s anti-abortion crusaders. Needless…
BY NEAL PUTNAM Anti-gay protests at the LGBT Pride Parade are almost a tradition that most people dislike but others find either amusing or prove the point that Pride events are needed because of folks with attitudes like theirs. In recent years, members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church have picketed the parade with hateful…
(CNN) — President Barack Obama on Friday chided recent state efforts to enact tougher abortion laws and became the first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood when he spoke at a gala for the group. “When you read about some of these laws, you want to check the calendar. You want to make sure you’re…
(CNN) — Floyd Corkins has pleaded guilty to shooting a Family Research Council employee in August, telling a federal judge Wednesday that he wanted to intimidate gay rights opponents. Corkins, 28, pleaded guilty to three charges related to the shooting at the conservative policy group’s Washington headquarters, including committing an act of terrorism, interstate transportation…
WASHINGTON (CNN) — By Friday Hobby Lobby would have racked up $14.3 million dollars in fines from the IRS for bucking Obamacare. The company is facing $1.3 million dollars a day in fines for each day they choose not to comply with a piece of the health care law that was set to trigger for…
(CNN) — A Texas judge denied a Planned Parenthood request for a temporary restraining order Monday that would have extended the organization’s ability to participate in the state’s revamped Women’s Health Program. A law going into effect Tuesday requires the state to fully fund women’s health clinics with the exception of those that are affiliated…
The Republican National Convention concludes tonight with former Gov. Mitt Romney’s speech officially accepting the Republican nomination for president of the United States. As the convention approached, most pundits agreed he and his surrogates had two missions: reintroduce Romney and get back to the “real issues.” Reintroducing Romney was never going to be a problem…
