George W Bush's New Contraceptive Rules

FEMINISM - In the waning days of the Bush administration, George W. Bush has issued a federal rule reinforcing protections for doctors and other health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions or provide contraceptive information because of religious or moral objections.

The rule will limit a patient's right to get medical care and accurate information. For example, a pharmacy clerk could refuse to sell birth control pills, AIDS medication, condoms and face no ramifications from an employer.

Despite multiple long-standing federal laws on the books protecting health care providers from participating in abortions or sterilizations, the Bush administration argued that the rule was needed "to raise awareness of federal conscience protections and provide for their enforcement."

What it actually does however is make it harder for women to get services such as contraception, birth control or counseling in the event they are pregnant and want to learn all of their options, and not just the ones the religious wacko on the other side of the counter is pushing.

Several medical associations as well as a group of 13 attorneys general were among the many thousands who wrote to the department to protest the new rules after it was proposed. Opponents didn't like the rule any better after it was finalized.

"In just a matter of months, the Bush administration has undone three decades of federal protections for both medical professionals and their patients, replaced them with a policy that seriously risks the health of millions of women, then tried to pass it off as benevolent," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Several lawmakers have promised to take up legislation that would overturn the rule once Congress reconvenes in January. Another option is for the Obama administration to issue new regulations that would trump it.

Making birth control more – not less – accessible is the best way to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce abortion. Its not only ridiculous, its dangerous when you consider the fact AIDS is still very strong in the United States, and more unwanted pregnancies raises both the abortion rate and the suicide rate.

NOTE: If anti-abortion people were really serious about cutting back on abortions they should be PROMOTING condoms and working to get rid of poverty in America.

"IF ANTI-ABORTIONISTS SPENT HALF AS MUCH TIME GETTING RID OF POVERTY AS THEY SPEND TRYING TO GET RID OF ABORTION POOR WOMEN WOULDN'T NEED ABORTIONS AS OFTEN ANYWAY."

The Truth about Women's Work

FEMINISM - How much are women paid in Canada and the United States?

In Canada the average woman earns 72.5 cents for every dollar a man earns.

In the United States the pay equity is 77.8 cents, but only only 71 cents for African American women and 58 cents for Latinas.

Both countries have pay equity laws, but the differences is actually the type of work men and women generally do. Men gravitate towards high paying factory work or management positions, whereas women tend to get jobs in the service industry and are overlooked for promotions into a managerial position.

Although truthfully, some women also reject promotions because they choose their families over spending more time on their career (see the Career and Family Dilemma). Some of them might even be single parents and thus don't really have time for a highly demanding career. Nothing wrong with that, if anything its a moment where we should criticize men for taking promotions and becoming a neglectful father.

Some promotions, I believe, should be given to people who are single and don't have children to worry about. Of course, some parents might argue against this idea because they're also thinking of terms of more money, better job security and hopefully providing more for their child's education/etc. Evidently it is a balancing act and open to personal interpretation.

Then there is a different matter... unpaid women's work. Or more specifically, domestic work such as cooking and cleaning (because technically a stay-at-home dad could also do those tasks). Its notoriously difficult to track domestic work, and its not just "cooking and cleaning". It could also cover gardening, home repairs, renovations and car repairs for those who like to do-it-themselves. Some economists have tried to measure what the economic contribution such things are...

But frankly I think its impossible to measure and wholly inaccurate. There is a dramatic difference between domestic partners who stay at home, cook, clean, fix the car, renovate the house, grow tomatoes/potatoes/peas/corn, sews/mends their clothes and darns their socks... and the type of person who just sits at home watching TV or playing computer games all day. One is evidently an economic benefit to the family unit... whereas the other is dependent and seemingly incapable of making themselves useful.

And then there's the value of parenting itself. Teaching your children life skills and morals. How do you put a price on that?

By that time you get to that, and assuming the person isn't a neglectful parent, you realize their value becomes incalculable and how important good parenting is.

Hockey player suspended over sexist comment

FEMINISM/CANADA - Hockey agitator Sean Avery, the NHL's most hated player, was suspended indefinitely today because of comments he made:

“I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don’t know what that’s about. Enjoy the game tonight.” - Sean Avery, referring to his ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert.

Actress Elisha Cuthbert is currently dating Calgary Flames defenceman Dion Phaneuf and the comment was considered to be a shot below the belt both at the fellow player and just plain inappropriate.

The comment certainly does reflect badly on the notoriously sexist National Hockey League (NHL), but things are trying to change.

“This is a situation where he’s painted our organization with a brush nobody wants to be painted with,” said Avery's coach Dave Tippett. “I know from a personal standpoint, that’s not the way I want to be perceived as an organization and as a team.”

There has only been ONE female hockey player in the history of the NHL: Her name is Manon Rhéaume and she has only played in two exhibition games for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Exhibition games are only for show.

So when will women ever be taken seriously in the NHL? Its nice that they're curbing the bad language against women, but its past time women athletes broke the glass ceiling.