This week the Kentucky Senate passed to the floor a bill that forces women to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion [the webpage has been glitchy, so you may have to refresh to get it to load correctly]. Kentucky law already requires counseling, in case you didn’t know. Find your representative’s contact info here so you can tell him or her to vote against this anti-choice nonsense. The Courier also ran an op-ed on this.
Oh, and here’s The Onion’s take on such terrible laws:
New Law Requires Women To Name Baby, Paint Nursery Before Getting Abortion
Meanwhile, remember how Louisville’s anti-choice protesters have been showing up to the abortion clinic dressed like escorts? The feminist blogosphere picked up on it, and the protesters weren’t happy. Excerpt:
While these escorts may seem to you as brave, enduring, heroes, and more..to me they are individuals who use Saturday mornings as a way to justify being as angry and mean as possible. Who yell insults, profane language, and dance in the streets while women go into the abortion clinic. These insults come after attempts to simply say good morning or hello. We do not hate the escorts, nor believe they are deemed our “enemies” as they do. We are divided on this issue of great importance, yet I do not believe that it means we must hate one another.
These same people who “shelter” the woman going into the clinic barely speak a word to her, and instead focus on telling myself and my friends how stupid we are. In fact, the woman is often ignored. Is that emotional support?
Lies, lies, lies. This anti-choicer has conveniently ignored all the insults, judgments, and sanctimoniousness that come from the protesters. Escorts also don’t scream at the women going into the clinic, so I suppose it could be an honest mistake not to hear their kind words. The best thing is, the anti-choicer who wrote this silly email is in the video shot by escorts. So we know exactly the hatefulness he or she espouses, regardless of what they say later. [More here, including the video.]
Meanwhile, the murderer of Dr. George Tiller may be found guilty of manslaughter instead. This sets a terrifying precedent—essentially allowing lesser sentences for murdering abortion doctors. We can only hope it’s a means to curtail appeals. More here.
On having anti-choice allies.
More debunking of the abortion causes breast cancer lie.
Stupak might run for governor. Well, it’d get him out of Congress at least.
Why the big disparity between states offering anti-choice and pro-choice license plates?
The following is tax-funded abstinence-only education in action:
Because clapping for the clap is so much better at curtailing teen pregnancy than telling teens condoms are effective. Riiiiight.
The Courier also ran an op-ed this week about all the Kurtz homophobia ruckus. More reader response here.
This week the Prop 8 trial began. Evidence will include testimony from gay couples, and a historian’s take on marriage. Meanwhile, the homophobes have demanded not to be shown on camera. Do they secretly know their weak arguments are based on hate, or what?
Always hilarious: prominent Irish homophobe Iris Robinson was caught in an extramarital affair with 19 year old chef for whom she embezzled $50000. Juicy! By the way, did you know divorce rates are higher in states banning gay marriage?
Reluctance may be growing about the Kill the Gays Bill in Uganda.
The Democrats might finally start moving on repealing DADT.
Fun stuff: how gay are Catholic priests… or how many people are into blasphemy play? And, also from The Onion, Gay teen worried he might be a Christian. And yes, it IS set in our own Louisville.
Neither victims nor voiceless: sex workers speaking for themselves. And, America’s first legal male prostitute compares himself to Rosa Parks. Uh, well, we guess it’s good for male prostitutes to be ballsy.
Lastly, one that goes to the heart of what PAPER stands for: breaking the generational shame about sex.
