How we feel about Justice Sonia Sotomayor blocking the ACA birth control mandate for a few loud complainers:
Here’s BK Magazine on what we should really be talking about when we talk about R. Kelly.
The Office of Financial Management has released a new report (.PDF) on how hospital mergers impact access to healthcare in Washington, reports the Times.
There’s still time to register for Lobby Day 2014.
Zombies and feminism unite! The NY Times on gender equality in video games.
Posted by Blogging Czar Lauren Kuhlik
Chris Christie not as evil as previously believed: The New Jersey governor signed into law a bill that will make it illegal for employers to retaliate against employees to investigate wage discrimination by discussing their compensation with one another. This law is a huge win for New Jersey women and other marginalized groups. Of course, this acknowledgment of the obvious—women and racial minorities earn less than white men for doing the same job—will likely make him unelectable in a federal election. Just keep digging, fringe Republicans. [NJ 101.5]
Let’s limit safe abortion even further in Iowa: Iowa’s medical board voted to end a system that allows women in rural areas to have greater access to the abortion pill. Currently, staff members at remote hospitals can perform the necessary bloodwork and other tests, and doctors can teleconference with women in order to prescribe them the pill. Because women in Iowa have little access to clinics that provide abortions, the teleconferencing gives them better access to more reproductive options. The ban may go into effect as early as November. [Times-Republican]
Does Mitch McConnell assume that women can’t use the internet?: Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell is trying to get more support from women voters by launching the “Women for Team Mitch” initiative. Unfortunately, McConnell doesn’t have any actual track record in helping women in any way whatsoever, so he has relied on outright lies and purposeful mischaracterizations. For example, at a recent event, he pointed out that he co-sponsored the Violence Against Women Act in 1991. While true that he did sponsor the bill 22 years ago, it seems more relevant that he has since withdrawn his support and consistently voted against the bill. Maybe he thinks that women don’t have access to computers and can’t look up that information. He also started crying when he told about how he allowed a woman to take leave from work to care for her sick daughter. So he was apparently overwhelmed by his own kindness in following the law. The Family and Medical Leave Act (which he voted against) requires employees to provide leave in exactly those circumstances. Women aren’t falling for it, Mitch. [Leo Weekly]
You should probably donate to this pro-choice video game: Game developers are raising money to create a game that shows how difficult it is for Texas women to access a full range of reproductive care. In the game, you can choose between a variety of players and attempt to navigate the tricky process to getting the health care that they want. Difficulties include crisis pregnancy centers that masquerade as actual health centers and a dearth of centers that provide abortion. You can donate here. [Think Progress]
A Few Choice Words 