1. Is this actually a problem? 2. Does criminalizing sexting send a healthy, sex-positive message to youth? 3. Does criminalizing sexting open up free speech issues and add to [...]]]> Just what we need: proposed Indiana legislation making sexting a juvenile offense has been sent to a study commission. One might ask a few questions about the sexting panic.

1. Is this actually a problem?
2. Does criminalizing sexting send a healthy, sex-positive message to youth?
3. Does criminalizing sexting open up free speech issues and add to government spending?

The answer to the first two would be an emphatic NO, and the answer to #3 would be an emphatic YES. Let’s hope the study commission reaches a smart conclusion.

From The Courier-Journal: supporting the Fairness Ordinance and a veteran’s response to repealing DADT.

Did you know that to join the EU, a country must protect gay rights? Good policy.

Rick Santorum is spouting off more homophobic nonsense. Google “santorum,” if you don’t already know what it means as a slang term; we’re going to have a hilarious election cycle if Santorum, as the rumors have it, does run for president.

A leader in ex-gay ministry is a convicted felon and con man. How utterly unsurprising.

What to expect when you’re aborting.

A black woman’s response to the lie that the pro-choice is racist.

The Forty Days for Life harrass-a-thon begins again. Do consider escorting at our own EMW!

Virginia anti-choicers are working to divert proceeds from a pro-choice license plate.

More from pro-choice Catholics.

Two sides of sexual anxiety: resizing condoms for male egos, and how much bleeding is normal with first intercourse? And, two sides of desire: debunking the myth that men always want sex, and… new hope for a female Viagra.

On some notable feminists: lessons from Margaret Sanger, the brave life of abortion provider Susan Hill, and remembering Jody Howard.

Utterly awful: supporters of Scott Roeder, the murderer of abortion provider Dr. Tiller, tried to raise money with eBay auctions. Link includes pictures of Roeder’s drawings, which are [...]]]> More on the sex offender ruling. This is an ongoing story—let’s continue to hope for policy that differentiates between violent offenders, pedophiles, and people who made stupid mistakes.

Utterly awful: supporters of Scott Roeder, the murderer of abortion provider Dr. Tiller, tried to raise money with eBay auctions. Link includes pictures of Roeder’s drawings, which are just ghastly. Thankfully eBay has removed all the auctions!

Sigh… Planned Parenthood director becomes anti-abortion activist. Unsurprisingly, more and more details just aren’t making sense. We too smell a right-wing ploy.

More on Mexico’s abortion wars.

A visual history of birth control. Pretty neat!

Colbert on gay rights:

Houston may get its first gay mayor.

New study says that larger foreskins may increase risk of AIDS contraction. This is part of a continuing move to increase circumcision, particularly in hard-hit places in Africa.

Good news: Obama lifted the ban on HIV+ people coming into the US.

Oklahoma continues to crack down on teen sexting, and warns teens there are consequences—i.e., the consequences a stupid law creates. Come on, Oklahoma.

Do you suffer from restless vagina syndrome? On women’s sexual dysfunction and profiting from it.

Criminalizing prostitution will be very bad for Rhode Island. Yup.

Story on runaways and underage prostitution. All the more reason to put strong protections in for sex workers and write better sex trafficking laws.

Outrageous: a sixteen year old girl gets life without parole for killing her abusive pimp. Two SCOTUS cases on the docket could keep this kind of nonsense from happening—let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Reproductive justice recommendations from an international panel.

Yet again conservatives move further right: moderate Republican Dede Scozzafava forced out of NY race, essentially by a Conservative candidate. Scozzafave has since endorsed the Democrat—this is going to be interesting. Also in big election news today are two big gay rights initiatives, one in Maine to repeal gay marriage and one in Washington to allow gay partnerships. Tonight’s news will be big, however these turn out.

More on abstinence only and how it does NOT belong in healthcare reform. And here’s some nauseating abstinence-promoting, patriarchy-glorifying young adult “literature.”

The sad plight and oppression of Somalian women. Unsurprisingly, fundies are to blame.

From the animal world: teacher suspended for having his students read about gay animal behavior, the oral sex lives of bats, and four animals with interesting sex lives.

Lastly, the abortion link page and blog list have new additions.