An Indonesian Supreme Court nominee says Women enjoy rape
Most Americans under the age of 30 don't know Roe v Wade was about rape (and other interesting statistics about people's SAD, lacking knowledge of this landmark ruling.)
Most poor women would have gotten abortions earlier if they could afford it
Fetal Heartbeat bills introduced in Wyoming (because obviously the fetus is more important than the mother.)
Troubling number of women denied their constitutional rights based on pregnancy status
Idaho lawmaker equates abortion to prostitution
In better news:
Indian Men don skirts to protest rape culture
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Abortion Laws - FL, GA, HI, ID
Part 3 in a series.
Florida - #29 - F
72% of Florida counties have on abortion provider.
Bans
Unconstitutional and unenforceable ban after 12 weeks.
Biased Counseling and Insurance Prohibition
May not obtain an abortion until provided a state-approved pack of information as well as a mandatory ultrasound.
Health insurance provided by the new state exchange established under the new health care laws may not include abortion if paid in part or full by state or federal funds, including tax credits or cost-sharing credits.
Refusal Clause
No one can be forced to provide any abortion OR CONTRACEPTIVE services. Yes, this means a pharmacist can refuse to fill a prescription for birth control.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
No public funds can be used for abortion services except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the mother.
No young woman under the age of 18 can receive an abortion until 48 hours after one parent is notified by telephone or in person by the attending physician. If parents cannot be notified, there must be a 72 hour wait after notification is sent by certified mail. Not waived in case of rape, incest, or child abuse. Waived in case of emergency.
TRAP laws
Abortion clinics must keep records of patients for five years, organized for easy retrieval. No limitation on who may have access to the records, and no guarantee of privacy for the patient. Abortion clinics must also obtain special "abortion clinic" licenses.
Georgia - #30 - F
94% of Georgia counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Abortions after 20 weeks prohibited. Unconstitutional, Unenforceable ban on abortion after 12 weeks.
Biased Counseling
24 hour wait after receiving a state-approved lecture covering the usual: age of the fetus, development, estimate of viability, adoption services, pre-natal resources, etc. If she chooses to review the materials in written form she must wait 72 hours.
Refusal Clause
No one is required to participate in an abortion. Pharmacists are not required to fill or refill contraception prescriptions. County and State employees are not required to participate in Family Planning Services. No one is required to participate in sterilizations.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Prohibits public funding for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.
Women under 18 must wait 24 hours after a parent is notified by the attending physician, or 72 hours after mailing notification by certified mail. No exception for rape, incest, or child abuse. The young woman can, however, provide a signed statement from the parent saying they've been notified; the 24 hour wait can be waived if the parent certified in writing they have previously consulted with the young woman or if the parent accompanies the young woman to the procedure.
TRAP laws
Abortion facilities must be "available at all reasonable or scheduled operating hours for observation and examination" by state officials. No regulations provided for the safety or privacy of patients. All abortions other than D&E procedures must be performed in a licensed hospital or ambulatory surgical centers.
News Stories
Georgia's 20 week ban blocked temporarily by state judge
Hawaii - #4 - A
20% of Hawaii counties have on abortion provider.
No bans other than the Federal ban
Refusal Clause
No person or hospital may be required to participate abortion procedures. They must make reasonable efforts to find the patient a doctor that will provide the necessary services and continue to provide care until the patient is transferred.
Religious employers, defined as non-profit organizations whose sole purpose is a religious one and primarily employs people who share the religious values of the company, are not required to provide coverage for contraceptive services in their insurance plans.
TRAP laws
Only a licensed physician, surgeon, or osteopathic physician or surgeon may perform abortions.
Idaho - #44 - F
95% of Idaho counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Ban after 20 weeks, no exceptions. Unconstitutional, unenforceable ban after 12 weeks that also outlines punishments for providers, including jail time, fines, and loss of medical license.
Biased Counseling and Insurance Prohibitions
24 hour waiting period after being provided with state-approved packet of materials.
Disability insurance policies, individual insurance policies, and managed care plans may not include insurance coverage with an exception only to save the woman's life. Abortion coverage may only be obtained by an optional rider paid for with additional fees; no requirements for insurance companies to offer the rider. Health insurance offered in the new state exchange may not include abortion coverage with exceptions to save a woman's life or in cases of rape or incest.
Refusal Clause
No one can be forced to participate in abortion or sterilization services; refusal must be in writing. Exceptions for emergencies.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Prohibits public funding for abortion except for saving the life of the mother, rape, or incest. Rape or incest must be documented by law enforcement or attending physician; a requirement that it be verified by two physicians was deemed unconstitutional.
Young women under 18 may not obtain abortions unless they obtain the consent of one parent, except in cases of emergency, rape, or incest. No exception for child abuse.
TRAP laws
Unconstitutional requirement that all second-trimester abortions be done in a hospital. Providers must have "satisfactory" transfer arrangements with one or more acute-care hospitals within reasonable proximity. No exceptions for rural area clinics, or requirements for hospitals to make the agreements. Only physicians licensed by the state to practice medicine and surgery, or osteopathic medicine and surgery may perform abortions.
Idaho state code states:
Idaho lawmaker compares abortion to prostitution
Other posts in this series:
NARAL's Report Card
Part 1: Intro, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas
Part 2: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware
Part 3: this post
Part 4: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas
Part 5: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland
Part 6: Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi
Florida - #29 - F
72% of Florida counties have on abortion provider.
Bans
Unconstitutional and unenforceable ban after 12 weeks.
Biased Counseling and Insurance Prohibition
May not obtain an abortion until provided a state-approved pack of information as well as a mandatory ultrasound.
Health insurance provided by the new state exchange established under the new health care laws may not include abortion if paid in part or full by state or federal funds, including tax credits or cost-sharing credits.
Refusal Clause
No one can be forced to provide any abortion OR CONTRACEPTIVE services. Yes, this means a pharmacist can refuse to fill a prescription for birth control.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
No public funds can be used for abortion services except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the mother.
No young woman under the age of 18 can receive an abortion until 48 hours after one parent is notified by telephone or in person by the attending physician. If parents cannot be notified, there must be a 72 hour wait after notification is sent by certified mail. Not waived in case of rape, incest, or child abuse. Waived in case of emergency.
TRAP laws
Abortion clinics must keep records of patients for five years, organized for easy retrieval. No limitation on who may have access to the records, and no guarantee of privacy for the patient. Abortion clinics must also obtain special "abortion clinic" licenses.
Georgia - #30 - F
94% of Georgia counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Abortions after 20 weeks prohibited. Unconstitutional, Unenforceable ban on abortion after 12 weeks.
Biased Counseling
24 hour wait after receiving a state-approved lecture covering the usual: age of the fetus, development, estimate of viability, adoption services, pre-natal resources, etc. If she chooses to review the materials in written form she must wait 72 hours.
Refusal Clause
No one is required to participate in an abortion. Pharmacists are not required to fill or refill contraception prescriptions. County and State employees are not required to participate in Family Planning Services. No one is required to participate in sterilizations.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Prohibits public funding for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.
Women under 18 must wait 24 hours after a parent is notified by the attending physician, or 72 hours after mailing notification by certified mail. No exception for rape, incest, or child abuse. The young woman can, however, provide a signed statement from the parent saying they've been notified; the 24 hour wait can be waived if the parent certified in writing they have previously consulted with the young woman or if the parent accompanies the young woman to the procedure.
TRAP laws
Abortion facilities must be "available at all reasonable or scheduled operating hours for observation and examination" by state officials. No regulations provided for the safety or privacy of patients. All abortions other than D&E procedures must be performed in a licensed hospital or ambulatory surgical centers.
News Stories
Georgia's 20 week ban blocked temporarily by state judge
Hawaii - #4 - A
20% of Hawaii counties have on abortion provider.
No bans other than the Federal ban
Refusal Clause
No person or hospital may be required to participate abortion procedures. They must make reasonable efforts to find the patient a doctor that will provide the necessary services and continue to provide care until the patient is transferred.
Religious employers, defined as non-profit organizations whose sole purpose is a religious one and primarily employs people who share the religious values of the company, are not required to provide coverage for contraceptive services in their insurance plans.
TRAP laws
Only a licensed physician, surgeon, or osteopathic physician or surgeon may perform abortions.
Idaho - #44 - F
95% of Idaho counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Ban after 20 weeks, no exceptions. Unconstitutional, unenforceable ban after 12 weeks that also outlines punishments for providers, including jail time, fines, and loss of medical license.
Biased Counseling and Insurance Prohibitions
24 hour waiting period after being provided with state-approved packet of materials.
Disability insurance policies, individual insurance policies, and managed care plans may not include insurance coverage with an exception only to save the woman's life. Abortion coverage may only be obtained by an optional rider paid for with additional fees; no requirements for insurance companies to offer the rider. Health insurance offered in the new state exchange may not include abortion coverage with exceptions to save a woman's life or in cases of rape or incest.
Refusal Clause
No one can be forced to participate in abortion or sterilization services; refusal must be in writing. Exceptions for emergencies.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Prohibits public funding for abortion except for saving the life of the mother, rape, or incest. Rape or incest must be documented by law enforcement or attending physician; a requirement that it be verified by two physicians was deemed unconstitutional.
Young women under 18 may not obtain abortions unless they obtain the consent of one parent, except in cases of emergency, rape, or incest. No exception for child abuse.
TRAP laws
Unconstitutional requirement that all second-trimester abortions be done in a hospital. Providers must have "satisfactory" transfer arrangements with one or more acute-care hospitals within reasonable proximity. No exceptions for rural area clinics, or requirements for hospitals to make the agreements. Only physicians licensed by the state to practice medicine and surgery, or osteopathic medicine and surgery may perform abortions.
Idaho state code states:
"The supreme court of the United States having held in the case of 'Planned Parenthood v. Casey' that the states have a 'profound interest' in preserving the life of preborn children, Idaho hereby expresses the fundamental importance of that 'profound interest' and it is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state that all state statutes, rules and constitutional provisions shall be interpreted to prefer, by all legal means, live childbirth over abortion."News Stories
Idaho lawmaker compares abortion to prostitution
Other posts in this series:
NARAL's Report Card
Part 1: Intro, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas
Part 2: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware
Part 3: this post
Part 4: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas
Part 5: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland
Part 6: Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Abortion/Contraception Laws: CA, CO, CT, DE
California - #1 - A+
22% of California counties have no abortion provider.
No bans other than the federal ban on certain second-trimester abortions.
Refusal Clause
Allows certain people/organizations to refuse to have anything to do with abortion services; does not apply to pharmacists. Applies to doctors, nurses, and religious organizations. Does not apply in emergency medical situations. Health-care providers can refuse to provide care they don't agree with, but must assist the patient in transferring to a doctor who will provide such care. Religious employers who disagree with contraception may exclude it from their insurance plans.Only applies to employers who are non-profit religious organizations who primarily employ people who share the religious tenets of the organization.
Restrictions on Young Women's Access to Abortion
Ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable, this law would require a woman under the age of 18 to obtain parental consent before getting an abortion, regardless of rape/incest/child abuse.
TRAP Laws
Only licensed physicians or surgeons may provide surgical abortions. Only licensed physicians, surgeons, or someone who has obtained a specific license for it may provide non-surgical abortions.
California has written the freedom of choice into their state laws:
Pharmacists are prohibited from refusing to fill contraception prescriptions. California has a protection from clinic violence policy, and allows for Medicaid/public funds to be used for low income women's family planning and abortion services.
Colorado - #22 - C+
78% of Colorado counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Colorado has an unenforceable, pre-Roe ban on abortion.
Refusal Clause
Hospitals, hospital staff members, and people employed by hospitals may refuse to do any abortion services, but the refusal must be in writing. Private institutions, physicians, and the employees of such may refuse to offer contraception or abortion services. County and City employees may refuse to offer family planning services. No hospital or person may be required to participate in a sterilization. None of these refusal clauses have exceptions for emergencies.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Colorado prohibits public funding for abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother. Some of these provisions conflict with federal law that allows Medicaid to be used for abortion; therefore they are, for the most part, unenforceable.
Women under 18 must wait 48 hours after notification has been sent to at least one parent, by certified mail or personally delivered by the attending physician. Not waived in cases of rape or incest, but waived in cases of child abuse if the physician has reported the abuse. Also waived in emergencies. These requirements may be waived by a judge.
TRAP Laws
A law predating Roe v Wade requires all abortions to be performed in a hospital; ruled unconstitutional. Only licensed health-care professionals may provide abortions. (I certainly have no problem with that.)
News Stories
Colorado Senate proposes "gender-based" abortions ban (uh, there's nothing suggesting these are happening...)
Bill proposed to make abortion a class 3 felony
Connecticut - #3 - A
13% of Connecticut counties have no abortion provider.
No bans other than the federal ban on certain second-trimester abortions.
Refusal Clause
No person may be required to participate in any part of an abortion for any reason. Religious organizations may refuse to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortion services.
TRAP Laws
Clinic that provide abortions, whether surgical or not, must have a standard operating room. Clinics must hire counselors who are supervised by a person with a graduate degree or training in social work, psychology, counseling, nursing, or ministry. Only licensed physicians may perform abortions; however the CT Attorney General has issued an opinion stating this only applied to surgical abortions, and that state-licensed nurses, mid-wives, and physician's assistants may provide mifepristone (medical abortion drug) as long as they are acting under a licensed physician.
Young Women's Access to Abortion
Women under the age of 18 must have a counseling session before an abortion, explaining options and exploring the possibility of involving the young woman's parents.
Delaware - #21 - C+
33% of Delaware counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Unconstitutional and unenforceable pre-Roe blanket ban on abortion.
Counseling and Delay Requirements
Cannot receive an abortion until 24 hours after she gives her own written consent. Prior to giving consent, the woman must sit through state-mandated counseling. (Standard pack - other options, effects on future children, risks, etc) Waiting period has been ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Refusal Clause
No person or hospital may be forced to participate in an abortion. Religious employers may refuse to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortion services.
Restriction on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Prohibits public funding for abortion unless the life of the mother is in danger, or the pregnancy is the product of rape or incest reported to the police. (Exception, the physician notes in writing that the woman had just cause for not reporting the rape to police.)
Women under the age of 16 may not receive an abortion until 24 hours after one parent has been notified. No exceptions for rape or incest, only for emergencies.
TRAP Laws
Only a state-licensed physician may provide abortions.
This is part two in my "Abortion Laws by State" series, you can find the other parts here:
NARAL's Report Card
Part 1: Introduction and Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas
Part 2: This post
Part 3: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho
Part 4: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas
Part 5: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland
Part 6: Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi
22% of California counties have no abortion provider.
No bans other than the federal ban on certain second-trimester abortions.
Refusal Clause
Allows certain people/organizations to refuse to have anything to do with abortion services; does not apply to pharmacists. Applies to doctors, nurses, and religious organizations. Does not apply in emergency medical situations. Health-care providers can refuse to provide care they don't agree with, but must assist the patient in transferring to a doctor who will provide such care. Religious employers who disagree with contraception may exclude it from their insurance plans.Only applies to employers who are non-profit religious organizations who primarily employ people who share the religious tenets of the organization.
Restrictions on Young Women's Access to Abortion
Ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable, this law would require a woman under the age of 18 to obtain parental consent before getting an abortion, regardless of rape/incest/child abuse.
TRAP Laws
Only licensed physicians or surgeons may provide surgical abortions. Only licensed physicians, surgeons, or someone who has obtained a specific license for it may provide non-surgical abortions.
California has written the freedom of choice into their state laws:
"The legislature finds and declares that every individual possesses a fundamental right of privacy with respect to personal reproductive decisions. . . Every individual has the fundamental right to choose or refuse birth control. . . Every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child or to choose and to obtain an abortion. . . The state shall not deny or interfere with a woman's fundamental right to choose to bear a child or to choose and obtain an abortion. . ."
Pharmacists are prohibited from refusing to fill contraception prescriptions. California has a protection from clinic violence policy, and allows for Medicaid/public funds to be used for low income women's family planning and abortion services.
Colorado - #22 - C+
78% of Colorado counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Colorado has an unenforceable, pre-Roe ban on abortion.
Refusal Clause
Hospitals, hospital staff members, and people employed by hospitals may refuse to do any abortion services, but the refusal must be in writing. Private institutions, physicians, and the employees of such may refuse to offer contraception or abortion services. County and City employees may refuse to offer family planning services. No hospital or person may be required to participate in a sterilization. None of these refusal clauses have exceptions for emergencies.
Restrictions on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Colorado prohibits public funding for abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother. Some of these provisions conflict with federal law that allows Medicaid to be used for abortion; therefore they are, for the most part, unenforceable.
Women under 18 must wait 48 hours after notification has been sent to at least one parent, by certified mail or personally delivered by the attending physician. Not waived in cases of rape or incest, but waived in cases of child abuse if the physician has reported the abuse. Also waived in emergencies. These requirements may be waived by a judge.
TRAP Laws
A law predating Roe v Wade requires all abortions to be performed in a hospital; ruled unconstitutional. Only licensed health-care professionals may provide abortions. (I certainly have no problem with that.)
News Stories
Colorado Senate proposes "gender-based" abortions ban (uh, there's nothing suggesting these are happening...)
Bill proposed to make abortion a class 3 felony
Connecticut - #3 - A
13% of Connecticut counties have no abortion provider.
No bans other than the federal ban on certain second-trimester abortions.
Refusal Clause
No person may be required to participate in any part of an abortion for any reason. Religious organizations may refuse to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortion services.
TRAP Laws
Clinic that provide abortions, whether surgical or not, must have a standard operating room. Clinics must hire counselors who are supervised by a person with a graduate degree or training in social work, psychology, counseling, nursing, or ministry. Only licensed physicians may perform abortions; however the CT Attorney General has issued an opinion stating this only applied to surgical abortions, and that state-licensed nurses, mid-wives, and physician's assistants may provide mifepristone (medical abortion drug) as long as they are acting under a licensed physician.
Young Women's Access to Abortion
Women under the age of 18 must have a counseling session before an abortion, explaining options and exploring the possibility of involving the young woman's parents.
Delaware - #21 - C+
33% of Delaware counties have no abortion provider.
Bans
Unconstitutional and unenforceable pre-Roe blanket ban on abortion.
Counseling and Delay Requirements
Cannot receive an abortion until 24 hours after she gives her own written consent. Prior to giving consent, the woman must sit through state-mandated counseling. (Standard pack - other options, effects on future children, risks, etc) Waiting period has been ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Refusal Clause
No person or hospital may be forced to participate in an abortion. Religious employers may refuse to provide insurance coverage for contraception and abortion services.
Restriction on Low Income Women's and Young Women's Access to Abortion
Prohibits public funding for abortion unless the life of the mother is in danger, or the pregnancy is the product of rape or incest reported to the police. (Exception, the physician notes in writing that the woman had just cause for not reporting the rape to police.)
Women under the age of 16 may not receive an abortion until 24 hours after one parent has been notified. No exceptions for rape or incest, only for emergencies.
TRAP Laws
Only a state-licensed physician may provide abortions.
This is part two in my "Abortion Laws by State" series, you can find the other parts here:
NARAL's Report Card
Part 1: Introduction and Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, and Arkansas
Part 2: This post
Part 3: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho
Part 4: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas
Part 5: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland
Part 6: Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi
Monday, January 14, 2013
Abortion/Contraception Laws: AL, AK, AZ, AR
Yesterday I posted NARAL's pro-choice report card of the United States, in which the country as a whole received a D. Which didn't surprise me, but did surprise Elena-Maria of Wiccan Fusion. Her comment made me realize that I do get page views from outside of the U.S. and those visitors probably don't know what's been happening here in regards to anti-choice laws. So in the next three days I'm going to go state by state and give a basic summary of the anti-choice laws.
As an overall view, yes, we still have Roe v. Wade at the federal level, meaning abortion is legal. Women have the right to an abortion. At the state level, governments have been putting in restrictions left and right "for the health of the mother." They're saying women can still get abortions, so long as abortion clinics obey new and extremely restrictive, hard-to-follow laws. Several states have had personhood amendments introduced (and thankfully defeated) that would have given fertilized eggs full rights as citizens, thereby making abortion murder. A personhood amendment has even been re-introduced at the Federal level by none other than Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for vice president last year.
The Affordable Health Care Act (also known as Obamacare) requires that companies provide insurance plans that offer contraception with no co-pay. There are exceptions for religious organizations like churches, whose sole purpose is a religious one, but none for companies headed by religious people, such as craft store Hobby Lobby. They did come up with a compromise, in that if the company won't pay for the contraception, the insurance company will foot the bill, but that's not enough for some employers who continue to cry that it's against their religious beliefs. Hobby Lobby has reportedly stated that they will pay the fines (up to 1.3 million US dollars A DAY) rather than provide contraception coverage for their employees. Meanwhile, most companies still don't offer paid maternity leave, and still cover viagra in their insurance plans. (I don't know the details of Hobby Lobby's insurance or maternity leave.)
Federal funds are prohibited from being used for abortion; so non-profits like Planned Parenthood, that provide a huge amount of women's health services, very carefully do their accounting so none of their federal funding pays for their abortion services. Only about 3% of what they do is abortions; the rest are contraception services, mammograms, pap smears, cancer screenings. Nonetheless, conservative-run states have been trying to defund Planned Parenthood, even if it means giving up federal funds. Texas successfully defunded PP this year in their state, foregoing federal funding for their other womens' health programs to do it.
Today we'll go over the laws for four states, after the break.
As an overall view, yes, we still have Roe v. Wade at the federal level, meaning abortion is legal. Women have the right to an abortion. At the state level, governments have been putting in restrictions left and right "for the health of the mother." They're saying women can still get abortions, so long as abortion clinics obey new and extremely restrictive, hard-to-follow laws. Several states have had personhood amendments introduced (and thankfully defeated) that would have given fertilized eggs full rights as citizens, thereby making abortion murder. A personhood amendment has even been re-introduced at the Federal level by none other than Paul Ryan, the Republican nominee for vice president last year.
The Affordable Health Care Act (also known as Obamacare) requires that companies provide insurance plans that offer contraception with no co-pay. There are exceptions for religious organizations like churches, whose sole purpose is a religious one, but none for companies headed by religious people, such as craft store Hobby Lobby. They did come up with a compromise, in that if the company won't pay for the contraception, the insurance company will foot the bill, but that's not enough for some employers who continue to cry that it's against their religious beliefs. Hobby Lobby has reportedly stated that they will pay the fines (up to 1.3 million US dollars A DAY) rather than provide contraception coverage for their employees. Meanwhile, most companies still don't offer paid maternity leave, and still cover viagra in their insurance plans. (I don't know the details of Hobby Lobby's insurance or maternity leave.)
Federal funds are prohibited from being used for abortion; so non-profits like Planned Parenthood, that provide a huge amount of women's health services, very carefully do their accounting so none of their federal funding pays for their abortion services. Only about 3% of what they do is abortions; the rest are contraception services, mammograms, pap smears, cancer screenings. Nonetheless, conservative-run states have been trying to defund Planned Parenthood, even if it means giving up federal funds. Texas successfully defunded PP this year in their state, foregoing federal funding for their other womens' health programs to do it.
Today we'll go over the laws for four states, after the break.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Sunday Photo
So this isn't exactly a photo, but large graphics. NARAL just came out with their pro-choice report card, ranking the U.S. states by their pro-choice/anti-choice laws. I found it pretty interesting. (And I've added it to my resources for determining which states I will NEVER live in!)
So here's the map, followed by the actual report card:
So here's the map, followed by the actual report card:
I was very pleased to see my home state of Oregon got an A, as well as the state I live in now, Maryland.
The actual report card:
This is the beginning of my summary of abortion laws by state. You can find the other posts here:
Part 3: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho
Part 4: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas
Thursday, January 10, 2013
A is for Altars
Yeah, I'm sure everyone is going to be doing altars this week, but every altar is different, no? So let me show you mine. I don't have the best light on this wall, so the camera's flash throws shadows a bit oddly.
I'll have closeups in a moment. So this is the last part of the hallway into the living room; the door to the kitchen is just to the right of the altar. That means I walk past this spot multiple times a day. I like that it's in such a well-traveled spot; it keeps me mindful of it. The necklace hanging on the left side of the altar is a sun, the necklace on the right is a moon. The statue in the middle I found in the same shop that I bought the little statue of Ganesh and the little statue of Shiva. I don't see it as a fertility symbol so much as a sexuality symbol. Here's a close up of it:
When I'm not wearing my necklace, it hangs here. It's a trinity knot inside a dragon ouroboros. The statue stands on top the tarot card The Sun, for family, love, and loyalty. Turning to the left side of the altar:
It looks cluttered in this shot, but it's really not. Ganesh is sitting on top of a glass cube with a dragon etched inside; That represents me. I coil my hematite bracelet around the cube when I'm not wearing it, and there's two more pieces of hematite to either side of the cube. I love hematite; it grounds me and makes a lovely worry stone. (Those two pieces occasionally go in my pocket if I know I'm going into a stressful situation.) I usually keep a tarot card or two under the glass cube for various purposes. The crow feather is one of many that I own; Crow is rather dear to my heart. On the left wall of the altar is a stuffed bull - I am a Taurus, after all!
Now the right side of the altar:
This glass cube has the Marine Corps' Eagle, Globe, and Anchor etched into it; it represents my husband until I can find a Peter Pan statue. Shiva sits next to him; Sascha rather likes destruction for creation's sake. As he's still looking for a job, there's a coin sitting on top of the cube; it happens to be a British pound coin, but it more the monetary symbol of it. (It was also left in our car by a dear friend and not discovered until we were halfway across the country from said friend, so it's a special coin to us.) In front of Sascha's cube is a dragon sheltering a fairy under his arm, a good symbol for us.
The two goblets on either corner hold small lavender candles for serenity. The altar cloth has an aquatic theme; I may be a very earth person, but I have Pisces rising and can be watery in my imagination and emotions. The entire altar is the top shelf of a bookcase (one of many in our house!) but this bookcase holds my pagan/feminist/philosophy/mythology books.
I'm very happy with my current altar; it's the first time it's really been out in the living space instead of hidden in a bedroom. I like not having it hidden anymore.
Book Review - Celtic Fairy Tales
Celtic Fairy Tales (Dover Children's Classics) - collected by Joseph Jacobs
I really enjoyed this short book of fairy tales. They are told in a conversational, story-telling style, making it a wonderful book for reading to children, or to memorize the tales to tell in some other setting. It includes some well-known stories, such as "Connla and the Fairy Maiden", where Connla rides with the fairies and steals the maiden they wanted to steal, and winds up marrying her; or "Fair, Brown, and Trembling", a celtic take on Cinderella.
I particularly enjoyed "A Legend of Knockmany", though I've read it before. It's the story of how Oonagh, Fin M'Coul's wife, scared off Cucullin by pretending Fin was his own infant son. (All spellings from the book.) Upon seeing how strong the "baby" was, Cucullin realized the father must be immensely stronger than he himself was, and fled.
There are lesser known stories in the book as well, like "The Shee an Gannon" where a young man must discover what stopped Guragach Gaire from laughing in order to win the hand of the princess. I also enjoyed "Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree", in which a man's first wife is murdered by her mother out of jealousy over her beauty. His second wife revives his first, helps her kill her mother, and the two of them live happily with the husband ever after.
Some of the stories are simply re-tellings of other stories, like "Conall Yellowclaw" where a man disguises himself as a sheep to get out of the cave of a blind cyclops. Just like Odysseus and Polyphemus.
Overall, a very enjoyable book.
I really enjoyed this short book of fairy tales. They are told in a conversational, story-telling style, making it a wonderful book for reading to children, or to memorize the tales to tell in some other setting. It includes some well-known stories, such as "Connla and the Fairy Maiden", where Connla rides with the fairies and steals the maiden they wanted to steal, and winds up marrying her; or "Fair, Brown, and Trembling", a celtic take on Cinderella.
I particularly enjoyed "A Legend of Knockmany", though I've read it before. It's the story of how Oonagh, Fin M'Coul's wife, scared off Cucullin by pretending Fin was his own infant son. (All spellings from the book.) Upon seeing how strong the "baby" was, Cucullin realized the father must be immensely stronger than he himself was, and fled.
There are lesser known stories in the book as well, like "The Shee an Gannon" where a young man must discover what stopped Guragach Gaire from laughing in order to win the hand of the princess. I also enjoyed "Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree", in which a man's first wife is murdered by her mother out of jealousy over her beauty. His second wife revives his first, helps her kill her mother, and the two of them live happily with the husband ever after.
Some of the stories are simply re-tellings of other stories, like "Conall Yellowclaw" where a man disguises himself as a sheep to get out of the cave of a blind cyclops. Just like Odysseus and Polyphemus.
Overall, a very enjoyable book.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Sunday Photo
It snowed here just before Christmas, and though it didn't stick long, I have some really pretty pictures of the woods behind our apartment.
Friday, January 4, 2013
PBP - Andraste's Hare
Well, here we are again! It's a New Year, and a new Pagan Blog Project. So we start back at the beginning of the alphabet with A. Conveniently, the name of this blog starts with A, so I thought I'd explain the meaning.
Andraste is believed to be an ancient celtic warrior goddess and the patron goddess of the Iceni tribe. (The tribe Queen Boudicca hailed from.) Andraste is a warrior goddess, a goddess of victory. She oversees battles and is represented by ravens. There's a very in-depth look at her here.
A few of the more important bits from that blog about her:
"Andraste is a warrior goddess, the goddess of victory, of ravens and of battles, similar in many ways to the Irish war goddess Morrigan. Her name is thought to mean "the invincible one" or "she who has not fallen". It is told that her presence was evoked on the eve of battle to curry favor. As a Goddess of divination, she was probably called upon to divine the outcome of battles and war."
"As Andred, her romanised name is Andraste, she was a lunar mother-goddess figure associated with fertility and love. In her dark aspect however, she was associated principally with warfare and specifically with victory. She is sometimes compared to the goddess Andarte, a deity worshipped by the Vocontii of Gaul."
The hare was believed to be a sacred animal to Andraste; before Boudicca led her troops into battle it's said she released a rabbit and watched where it fled, as an augury.
So Andraste's Hare, to me, is a path to victory. It's the journey. This blog is about exploring my spiritual side and deciding who I am. While Wisdom is what drives me, more than Victory, my condition of victory is finding wisdom, so in a way it works.
The mythos of Andraste and Boudicca and the white rabbit has more than one meaning for me; my Maine Coon cat is named for Boudicca. My beautiful fearless girl. I've often thought of this entire pagan journey as falling through the rabbit hole, or chasing the white rabbit. It's kind of amusing to me how often Andraste and Boudicca and her hare show up in my workings and in my life.
So Andraste's Hare. Finding victory and wisdom in the path of the White Rabbit.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Book Review - The Hollows, by Kim Harrison
Today's review is a little different. I'm about six books into The Hollows series by Kim Harrison. I'd read the first four some years ago, and decided to re-read those and then catch up on the rest of the series. And they are FANTASTIC. They start with Dead Witch Walking
. Dead Witch Walking introduces Rachel Morgan, Ivy Tamwood, and Jenks. They all leave the I.S. (think a supernatural FBI/police force) to form an independent investigator firm. Rachel's a witch, Ivy is a living vampire, and Jenks is a pixie.
The books remind me a lot of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, before they devolved into porn. The Hollows has a few romance side plots, but they are definite side plots. They're not the main drive of the books.
So far I've read Dead Witch Walking, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead
, Every Which Way But Dead
, A Fistful of Charms
, For a Few Demons More
, and I've just started The Outlaw Demon Wails
. The action does not stop in these books!
I thought the take on vampires was especially interesting in this series; there are living vampires and undead vampires; you can be born a vampire or bitten and turned. That makes you a highblood or lowblood living vampire, respectively. Once you die, you come back as an undead vampire without your soul. Through the use of vampire pheromones, the undead and living vampires manipulate those around them. They wind up being a very abusive family, where the undead vampires use and abuse all around them, their only thought being for their own welfare/pleasure, while the living vampires strive to please their undead masters because the pheromones make them think they love them.
I could see it being triggering for someone who'd been abused or lived through a similar situation. The author mentioned in an interview that she intentionally styled them after abusers/abused; where the living vampires struggle with their feelings of love for their abusers while fighting the instinct to pass the abuse on. The relationship between Ivy, Rachel, and Piscary (Ivy's undead master) is a good example of this.
The series continues with White Witch, Black Curse
, Black Magic Sanction
, Pale Demon
, A Perfect Blood, and, on January 22, Ever After
.
I'm hoping to be caught up with the series by the time Ever After comes out, and I'm making good progress.
If you're looking for a good supernatural series that ISN'T all about the sex (there's a few sex scenes, but mild ones) then you should take a look at the Hollows series!
. Dead Witch Walking introduces Rachel Morgan, Ivy Tamwood, and Jenks. They all leave the I.S. (think a supernatural FBI/police force) to form an independent investigator firm. Rachel's a witch, Ivy is a living vampire, and Jenks is a pixie. The books remind me a lot of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, before they devolved into porn. The Hollows has a few romance side plots, but they are definite side plots. They're not the main drive of the books.
So far I've read Dead Witch Walking
, The Good, the Bad, and the Undead, Every Which Way But Dead, A Fistful of Charms, For a Few Demons More, and I've just started The Outlaw Demon Wails. The action does not stop in these books! I thought the take on vampires was especially interesting in this series; there are living vampires and undead vampires; you can be born a vampire or bitten and turned. That makes you a highblood or lowblood living vampire, respectively. Once you die, you come back as an undead vampire without your soul. Through the use of vampire pheromones, the undead and living vampires manipulate those around them. They wind up being a very abusive family, where the undead vampires use and abuse all around them, their only thought being for their own welfare/pleasure, while the living vampires strive to please their undead masters because the pheromones make them think they love them.
I could see it being triggering for someone who'd been abused or lived through a similar situation. The author mentioned in an interview that she intentionally styled them after abusers/abused; where the living vampires struggle with their feelings of love for their abusers while fighting the instinct to pass the abuse on. The relationship between Ivy, Rachel, and Piscary (Ivy's undead master) is a good example of this.
The series continues with White Witch, Black Curse
, Black Magic Sanction, Pale Demon, A Perfect Blood, and, on January 22, Ever After.I'm hoping to be caught up with the series by the time Ever After comes out, and I'm making good progress.
If you're looking for a good supernatural series that ISN'T all about the sex (there's a few sex scenes, but mild ones) then you should take a look at the Hollows series!
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