Roundup: Women's Status in 2010 at the Ballot Box

Today everyone is still hashing over the news of Scott Brown's win in Massachusetts, what does it mean, and where are we going. But if you want to see where women's reproductive rights stand at this exact moment, NARAL Pro-Choice America has released the 19th edition of Who Decides? The Status of Women's Reproductive Rights in the United States, a comprehensive report with analysis of choice-related legislation and court decisions.

You can check out the map to see the laws in your state but there are some highlights from 2009.

• In 2009, 14 states and Washington, D.C. enacted 21 pro-choice measures.
• Wisconsin enacted a law that requires health-insurance plans that provide prescription-medication benefits to cover contraceptives and required pharmacists to fill valid birth-control prescriptions.
• Hawaii, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Washington enacted laws that improve sex education in schools.
• Utah and D.C. enacted laws to ensure that sexual-assault survivors receive information about and access to emergency contraception in emergency rooms.

And the low-lights:

• In 2009, 14 states enacted 29 anti-choice measures, increasing the number of anti-choice measures enacted in states since 1995 to 610.
• Virginia enacted a law that establishes "Choose Life" license plates. A portion of the proceeds from these plates funds anti-choice organizations known as "crisis pregnancy centers" that target women considering abortion and often mislead, coerce, and intimidate them.
• Arizona enacted a far-reaching law that includes a litany of anti-choice provisions that, among other things, subject women to state-mandated lectures and waiting periods that delay access to abortion care. The law also allows certain individuals or entities to refuse to provide abortion services and to refuse to provide or dispense contraceptives.

Speaking of that Virginia "Choose Life" license plate, ever wondered where the money collected from sales of the plate is being distributed? So does the Washington Post, which reported that one of the so-called crisis pregnancy centers listed by Heartbeat International, the sponsor of the Virginia plate, seems to be nothing but someone's house.

One pregnancy center listed by several anti-abortion groups as a certified clinic -- the Mattingly Test Center in Loudoun County -- is a two-story brick house owned by Linda Mattingly, a former director at Care Net, a Leesburg-based pregnancy network. There are no signs in front indicating it is a clinic, the Internal Revenue Service has no record of it as a 503(c) nonprofit, and it is not registered as a corporation with the Virginia secretary of state.

A woman who answered the door of the Ashburn house last week said pregnancy services had been, but no longer were, provided there. She did not give her name before closing the door. The Washington Post tried to reach Mattingly by phone, but messages were not returned.

Mattingly is listed on Heartbeat's Web site as among the anti-abortion clinics in Virginia in good standing and, according to the Richmond Coalition for Life, is eligible for funding.

In other election forecasting, predictions for 2010 are going to be flying fast and furious what the Massachusetts loss "means." One issue that could be shaping up, there could be a fight just for pro-choice candidates within the Democratic party. In Michigan, for example, the top two likely Democrats contender for the governorship are pro-life. That would be state House Speaker Andy Dillon and the infamous U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak.

"In a Democratic primary, we hate to see a candidate who is anti-choice," Sarah Scranton, executive director of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Michigan, told Michigan Messenger. "Not only are [Dillon and Stupak] anti-choice and against abortion rights, neither of them have been with us on the family planning issues."

"For us, even if you're against abortion, you should be with us on the prevention issues," she added, "because we know those are the things that will prevent unintended pregnancy and therefore abortion."

As the legislature convened for its 2010 session last week, Scranton and her allies among the state's 28 Planned Parenthood affiliates are tracking no fewer than 11 House bills at the moment. The bills range from the issues Scranton first mentioned to enforcing a so-called "duty to dispense" at pharmacies to requiring health insurance plans to cover pap smears and even infertility treatment.

In other election news: the Alaskans for Parental Rights campaign is claiming they have enough signatures to put a parental notification measure on the Alaska ballot in 2010.

Lastly, perhaps because we need something to laugh about, Mens's Daily News wants everyone to know, that's it's really unfair that women get all the rights when it comes to whether they give birth or not. Men, after all, only get the option of using a condom, having a vasectomy or not having sex at all, none of which, we are to understand, is the same as equality in reproductive rights for men.

I have sometimes wondered if my lack of rights as a man is because, being male; I am regarded as not quite a human? Or because our feminized society simply prefers having a men as a slave caste.

January 20, 2010

Where's the logic in abortion study by Dr. Henry P. David? Washington Post (Letter)

Speaker asks for prayers to move 'mountain' of abortion Peoria Journal Star

January 19, 2010

Wordsmiths distort abortion debate WatertownDailyTimes.com

Phony Calls Tell Massachusetts Residents Pro-Life Group Opposes Scott Brown LifeNews.com

Alaska Pro-Life Group Submits Signatures for Parental Notification on Abortion LifeNews.com

Pro-Life Rallies in New England Draw Large Crowds Lifesite

Planning families Salt Lake Tribune

TEXAS FAITH: Do religions oppress women? Dallas Morning News

Who Has Reproductive Rights? Men's News Daily

Dozens of Haitian Orphans Travel to US for Adoptions FOXNews

Now is not the time for Haitian adoptions, says agency Globe and Mail

Injection linked to loss of bone mass Daily Nation

China to maintain low birth rate: Vice Premier Xinhua

Reidy: Catholic bishops get serious about sex and marriage Daily News Tribune

Martha Goes Mad! Wall Street Journal

Pro-choice groups sound alarm about Stupak, Dillon governor bids Michigan Messenger

New Report: 2009 a Mix of Highs and Lows for Pro-Choice Americans Huffington Post

Questions raised about anti-abortion groups getting Va. license plate fee Washington Post

Abortion foe faces jail San Mateo Daily Journal

House Members Say Senate's Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill Won't Get Support LifeNews.com

Ohio Abortion Clinic Follows National Trend and Closes Christian News Wire

Breaking News: Kline ethics complaint released Kansas City Star

Lone Republican to Back House Health Care Bill Opposes Pro-Abortion Senate Bill LifeNews.com

Barbara Boxer Confirms Nelson's Health Care Deal Doesn't Stop Abortion Funding LifeNews.com

Significance of Western World's Largest Abortion Facility The New American

Backers rally around Roeder Topeka Capital Journal

Abortion activists drawn to Kansas murder trial Washington Post

A new script for talking about abortion Feministing

Gentilly abortion provider's license suspended NOLA.com