In a stunning display of misinformation, sexism and chutzpah, anti-choice Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) said yesterday that, from what he understands, “legitimate rape” rarely results in pregnancy, because women’s bodies can somehow stop it from happening. In an interview with The Jaco Report, aired on the news station KTVI-TV (a FOX affiliate), Akin justified his […]
Author: Rebecca Nelson
Rebecca is an editorial intern for Ms. She is a Seattle native studying journalism and religion at Northwestern University. She has lived and reported in Chicago, London, Washington, D.C. and is now based in Los Angeles.
NEWSFLASH: Augusta National Opens Membership to Women
After 80 years of segregated men-only membership, the prestigious golf club Augusta National, which hosts the annual Masters Tournament, invited two women to join its exclusive ranks today. Facing heightened criticism for its sexist policies, the club invited former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore to become its first women […]
A Woman Will Finally Moderate A Presidential Debate Again
After a 20-year absence, a woman will finally take the moderator’s seat in a U.S. presidential debate. CNN’s Candy Crowley, chief political correspondent and anchor of “State of the Union With Candy Crowley,” is the first woman since 1992 to take on the role. Martha Raddatz, senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, will moderate the vice presidential debate. […]
Bus Tour Takes Undocumented Immigrants Through Hostile Territory
Winding through the South, a group of brave U.S. residents have “come out” in some of the most dangerous places in the country. As part of a “No Papers, No Fear” campaign, 30 men and women are riding a bus through key states to show they are ready to emerge from the shadows–as undocumented immigrants. […]
NEWSFLASH: Restrictive D.C. Abortion Bill Fails—And Court Staves Off Arizona Law
A bill banning certain abortions in the District of Columbia failed in the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday, marking an important victory for women’s reproductive health in a time when those rights are being jeopardized in many states. The bill–dramatically named the “District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Protection Act,” would have banned abortions in D.C. […]
Chick-fil-Gay: Being Anti-Same-Sex Marriage is Bad for Business
It doesn’t pay to be anti-gay. Especially if you’re Chick-fil-A. Last week, Dan Cathy, president of the fast food chain known for its chicken sandwiches and Southern fried Christian values, told the Baptist Press that he is “guilty as charged” of supporting the “traditional family.” In other words, he and his company are against same-sex […]
No Comment: “Reclaim Your Wife”
If your wife is breastfeeding your newborn, you need to GET HER BACK. So instructs an ad campaign for a baby bottle manufacturer, ostensibly targeted to new fathers, which hearkens back to the days when men could count women among their possessions. Bittylab, a company helmed by a woman, tells men to “reclaim” their wives from […]
Abuse Scandal Cover-Up Sends Church Official to Prison
Monsignor William Lynn, the high-ranking Philadelphia Catholic Church official convicted of covering up priests’ sexual abuses, was sentenced to three to six years in prison today. Lynn was found guilty on June 22 of one count of felony child endangerment in the Philadelphia archdiocese, where he served as secretary of clergy from 1992 to 2004. […]
Japanese Women Fly Coach to Olympics—While Men Get Business Class
In Japan, winning a world title earns you a seat at the back of the bus, er, plane. The Japanese women’s soccer team flew to Europe Sunday on the same flight as the men’s team. While the women crammed into coach seats, the men’s team scored seats in business class. As it stands, this would […]
What Boy Scouts Can Learn from Girl Scouts
Building campfires, earning merit badges, selling cookies and dodging political controversies–Boy and Girl Scouts need to be prepared. Though the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts came from similar origins, they’ve had a century to grow apart ideologically. As far as inclusion and acceptance goes, Boy Scouts fall far behind the girls. In their latest throwback […]