Have we always considered sex exercise? Meaning have we told ourselves that sex actually has some sort of medicinal property that’ll tone your muscles, helps respiration, flexibility, and burns loads of calories? HA! No. Sex is fun — and that’s primarily it. So stop trying to make it healthy, sex havers. Continue reading
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We have come to the final chapter of this week’s series on anti-abortion legislation. It’s been relatively quiet on the western front, with only one bill requiring parental consent in Montana and a ruling on Idaho’s 20-week abortion ban.
You can find your state’s current reproductive laws on the Guttmacher Institute. You can also usually find current proposed bills on Open States, or on your state legislature’s website. Continue reading
The Midwest has been busily restricting our reproductive rights this year! Get ready for some hot, old-white-conservative-man-on-woman* legislation.
This is just some of the legislation proposed in 2013. For a full list of your state’s reproductive laws, check out the Guttmacher Institute. You can also usually find current proposed bills on Open States, or on your state legislature’s website if they allow you to search by subject. Continue reading
Welcome to the third installment in this series on anti-choice politics in 2013. The northeastern states haven’t had as much success in passing most of the proposed anti-abortion legislation this session, though not for lack of trying. Highlights include the loss of the entire Women’s Equality Act in New York, a stalled bill that would require crisis pregnancy centers to tell the truth about their services, and Gov. Chris Christie’s refusal to include additional funds for family planning in the New Jersey state budget.
Let’s see what’s happening in your state! Continue reading
Prepare for the onslaught.
Highlights of anti-abortion absurdity in the southeastern region include a desperate attempt by Marco Rubio to pander to his base, a bundle of anti-choice amendments attached to a Sharia law ban (I know, right?) that was hidden from the public until the vote, and a bill so racist, five legislators just walked the hell out of the chambers during the debate.
Keep in mind, this is just some of the legislation proposed in 2013. There’s been plenty of anti-choice bullshit introduced and passed in past years, especially since 2011. You can find your state’s current laws on the Guttmacher Institute. Continue reading
It’s been a banner year for anti-abortion politicians and their handlers, and we’ve only just passed the halfway mark. In the first three months of 2013, legislators introduced 694 provisions related to reproductive rights and health, and half of them sought to restrict access to abortion. Just let that number sink in for a moment. Continue reading
Crowds estimated between 5000 (Planned Parenthood) and 10,000 (MoveOn.Org) gathered Monday on the South Side of the Capitol Building in Austin, TX to Stand With Texas Women. Dressed in burnt orange, the unruly mob filled the lawn for several hours listening to politicians, musicians, clergy, and leaders of the Pro-Choice movement.
A broad range of people attended the rally — more women than men; lots of children and infants; several pregnant women; fewer people of color than I hoped. Contrary to reports from Republicans, the protesters were from Texas. People came from all over the state, based on conversations with those standing around us, in bus and car loads. There was a positive, energized vibe despite the heightened police presence. The rally organizers planned thoughtfully, providing kid-friendly areas, free cold water, and for a short time, electronic charging stations. Certainly the unusually comfortable weather and cool breezes helped.
As expected, the signs were witty, pointed, crass, and spot-on. Continue reading
Crisis pregnancy centers, or pregnancy resource centers, disguise themselves as medical facilities, but usually have no licensed doctors, nurses or counselors. They often appear under “Abortion Alternatives,” and may have names similar to abortion clinics nearby in order to confuse patients into entering their buildings instead of the real clinics. Crisis pregnancy centers greatly outnumber abortion clinics in the United States, and the poorer the area, the more centers (and fewer clinics) there are likely to be. Continue reading
If you perform the most rudimentary of internet searches, you can find out what a Bikram yoga class entails. It’s a 90 minute class of 26 poses, worked through in a group, as close to in unison as possible (this never happens in a normal class), in a room heated to a humid 105 degrees.
Sounds daunting. Continue reading
For me, a zit is not just a zit. A zit is a scar in its infancy that will be with me for at least 3-6 months. Thankfully, finally, my hormones evened out and my skin has mostly calmed down and now I only get the occasional zit. But as recently as 9 months ago, this was not the case. Over the years I’ve developed some strategies and tried some truly miraculous products to deal with hyperpigmentation and I’d like to share them with you. Continue reading