The bill that would require women to undergo an invasive transvaginal ultrasound before having an abortion was pulled after Virginia’s governor withdrew his support. Governor Bob McDonnell faced a wave of criticism over the bill. It was argued that a transvaginal ultrasound, or “state-sponsored rape” as some blogs have named the invasive procedure, is not medically ...
In the United States, where abortion rights are under direct attack, The Doula Project is promoting services for women who are terminating their pregnancies. The remit of a doula is to provide non-medical support through the latter stages of pregnancy and birth. American States have passed over eighty laws this year restricting a woman’s right ...
We own our bodies, and the government cannot step in and tell us what to do with them. That doesn’t sound too outlandish, right? A recent United Nations report stood up for this idea, saying that a woman has a right to her own health and body. Although the idea seems simple it goes against ...
Since the beginning of 2011, nearly a dozen laws have been passed that limit a woman’s right to an abortion. Women are fighting back, but they need help. There seems to be a lack of passion and fury in today’s reproductive rights activists, and there may be a reason why: we don’t know what is ...
Doctors who perform abortions based on the sex or race of the fetus will now be committing a crime in Arizona. Felony charges will be issued if they can show that the abortion was performed “for the purposes of helping parents select their offspring” because of race or sex. There is no requirement for doctors to ...
A case that’s been ongoing for five years between Ireland and three women over access to abortion has been brought before the European Court of Human Rights. Although abortion is allowed in Ireland if “a woman’s life is at risk”, in these three cases “Irish restrictions on abortion had stigmatised and humiliated them, risking damage to their health.” ...
Pregnant teens in Alaska must now inform their parents before having an abortion. This law took effect yesterday and the judge says it is in the interest of “promoting communication between pregnant minors and their families.” The girls that already tell their parents, with or without a law, are not the ones that are vulnerable ...
An Australian couple is on trial for having an abortion. She was 19, he was 20, and this was the best choice for them at the time. They used drugs to have a medical abortion. They declared them to the customs agents. They followed instructions. They thought everything would be okay. But now she ...
Anti-abortion proponents often quote the pain the fetus feels as a reason to restrict abortions. But in a win for the pro-choice side, a British study has just said that fetuses to do not feel pain before 24 weeks and there is no reason to change the rules. Before 24 weeks the fetus’ brain is too ...
In America, anti-abortion advocates must be celebrating in the streets. Eleven states have passed laws this year restricting abortion and 370 state bills are under consideration. I think it’s time we finally accept that women will never be completely free to choose and there will always be an ongoing battle over rights to abortion. Also, for ...
Dear Madame X, I have just started seeing this girl. She seems great, but she recently told me she...
Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved arrived in my hands via a public library, when I was a broke teenager with...
My attention was drawn this week to an article about the reaction at a Canadian university to proposals to...
Airport security. Bloody nuisance. Also a conspiracy designed to subjugate women. Allow me to elaborate. Despite flying quite a...
The Cannes film festival has kicked off this week with controversy over the lack of films made by women...
Dear Madame X, I seem to be only attracted to men who are macho assholes. I like them at...
When A Clockwork Orange was published in 1962, the term sexualized violence wasn’t in use. The distinction between sexualized...
Skincare. Not so very long ago, a man would have been mocked mercilessly for using just the word, never...
