Stand Up For Women's Health

Here are a few of the stories we’ve been paying attention to:

New York:

• NY Mag has a huge feature on the “New Voice of the Feminist Movement”: http://nymag.com/news/features/feminist-blogs-2011-11/ 
• Conservative groups were up in arms about specific pieces of the proposed sex ed curriculum in NYC: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/25/us/new-york-sex-ed/
• Which led the city to revamp parts of the curriculum: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/sex-ed-schools-dial-graphic-part-curriculum-article-1.969038?localLinksEnabled=false
• And garnered reaction from the public: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/opinion/talking-about-sex-in-class-and-at-home.html?_r=1   

National News:

• The Supreme Court will review Health Care Reform law on November 10: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/scotus-firms-up-health-challenge-timeline/2011/10/26/gIQAsbdUJM_blog.html

Political News:

• The sex education of Mitt Romney: http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/boston_daily/2011/10/24/sex-education-mitt-romney/
• The Washington Post explores how abortion became a political litmus test: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/how-abortion-became-a-political-litmus-test/2011/10/24/gIQAwOdOCM_blog.html
• A new poll finds Americans have a deep distrust of the government: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/us/politics/poll-finds-anxiety-on-the-economy-fuels-volatility-in-the-2012-race.html?hp
• A former White House Aide will be joining Planned Parenthood Federation of America: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/190289-white-house-aide-leaves-for-lobbying-job-at-planned-parenthood
• And Democratic women are vowing a comeback: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/29/nancy-pelosi-christie-vilsack-and-democratic-women-vow-2012-comeback.html
• While the NY Times explores the influence that non-GOP conservative groups are having: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/us/politics/outside-groups-eclipsing-gop-as-hub-of-campaigns-next-year.html?_r=1&ref=politics

Let’s Talk:

• The Today Show did a segment on Let’s Talk Month: http://moms.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/24/8448049-the-sex-talk-so-embarrassing-yet-so-necessary
• And CNN runs an opinion piece calling for mandatory sex ed in all schools: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/29/opinion/martin-sex-education/

Medical News:

• More questions about Mammograms and their effectiveness: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/mammograms-role-as-savior-is-tested/?ref=health
• Which the NY Times editorializes on: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/opinion/more-questions-about-mammograms.html?ref=opinion
• And now heart troubles are being linked to HPV: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/health/research/25theory.html?_r=1&ref=health
• Unsurprisingly, a panel has recommended the HPV vaccine for boys as well as girls: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/health/policy/26vaccine.html?_r=1&hp
• Which the NY Times editorial board is behind: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/opinion/the-hpv-vaccine-is-for-their-own-good.html?ref=opinion
• Birth control pills reduce the risk of ovarian cancer: http://www.healthnews.com/en/news/Birth-Control-Pills-Reduce-Risk-of-Ovarian-Cancer/0J29V9Ge11SRz1Sv3Hij56/
• Though newer ones can increase the risk of blood clots: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/fda-says-yaz-and-other-next-generation-birth-control-drugs-appear-to-increase-blood-clot-risk/2011/10/27/gIQAt3OvMM_story.html
• And Doctors now recommend HIV testing start at age 16: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/31/doctors-urge-hiv-testing-starting-at-16/

International:

• The UN is telling member States that they must legalize abortion: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/sarah-boseley-global-health/2011/oct/24/abortion-unitednations?newsfeed=true
• Which of course begs the question, do the US abortion restrictions in states violate international human rights? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anu-kumar/abortion-human-rights_b_1029221.html
• On a different note, various “7 Billionth” babies have been born around the world: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/national_world&id=8412146

Mississippi:

• Michelle Goldberg says the personhood amendment might ban IVF: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/24/personhood-ballot-initiative-in-mississippi-could-ban-some-ivf-practices.html
• Think Progress agrees: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/10/25/352731/pro-life-measure-advancing-in-several-states-could-ban-couples-from-conceiving-children/
• As does the NY Times Editorial Board: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/opinion/the-personhood-initiative.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
• And Gothamist does as well: http://gothamist.com/2011/10/26/latest_threat_to_womens_right_to_ch.php
• While Jessica Valenti has a fantastic op ed on it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-an-anti-abortion-push-to-redefine-person-could-wind-up-hurting-women/2011/10/26/gIQAQSwGQM_story.html?hpid=z3
• Unfortunately, that’s not stopping both Mississippi Gubernatorial candidates from supporting it: http://jezebel.com/5852902/both-candidates-for-mississippi-governor-think-zygotes-are-totally-people
• Still, grassroots opposition to the measure is growing: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2011/10/25/mississippi-grassroots-opposition-to-prop-26
• The NY Times calls this amendment a new tactic in the fight against abortion: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/us/politics/personhood-amendments-would-ban-nearly-all-abortions.html?ref=us
• A movement, however, that is fractured: http://floridaindependent.com/54147/fetal-personhood-debate
• And ABC news explores the man behind the abortion debate: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/10/the-person-behind-mississippis-personhood-amendment/

State News:

• A Kansas Judge has postponed a criminal court case against the local Planned Parenthood: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/24a56bc4d5134b3da24353c4b2a36c9e/KS—Planned-Parenthood-Criminal-Case/
• And a trio of doctors are challenging that state’s restrictive laws: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/kansas-abortion-clinic-re_n_1062989.html
• And in North Carolina, a taxpayer-funded CPC told a Jewish woman she should convert to Christianity: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/10/24/351772/taxpayer-funded-crisis-pregnancy-centers-tell-jewish-woman-to-convert-to-christianity-or-go-to-hell/
• Though a North Carolina judge blocked part of that state’s abortion restriction: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/43c77756d2b94b56bf1a9512e42a871f/NC—Abortion-Lawsuit/
• And finally, a look at the 600 anti-abortion bills proposed this year: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/239958/20111029/personhood-amendment-states-proposed-600-anti-choice.htm

 That’s all we’ve got. What have you been reading?