War on Women

The "War on Women" describes the legislative and rhetorical attacks on women and women’s rights taking place across the nation. In includes a wide-range of policy efforts designed to place restrictions on women's health care and erode protections for women and their families. Examples at the state and federal level have included restricting contraception; cutting off funding for Planned Parenthood; state-mandated, medically unnecessary ultrasounds; abortion taxes; abortion waiting periods; forcing women to tell their employers why they want birth control, and prohibiting insurance companies from including abortion coverage in their policies.

02/17/2012
Contraception

Wanted: Women on Birth Control, Not Men on Ham Sandwiches

By Sarah Lipton-Lubet, ACLU Washington Legislative Office & Dena Sher, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 6:17pm

Yesterday's House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on the new HHS rule that requires insurance plans to include birth control with no co-pay (except for those held by churches or religiously affiliated nonprofits like universities) has caused quite a stir. A few observations:

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02/11/2012
Birth Control Coverage

Why the Contraception Mandate Matters

By Dara at 1:15pm

An employee at a religiously affiliated nonprofit writes about the struggle to get her employer to cover contraception prescribed for conditions like polycystic fibrosis and dysmenorrhea.

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02/10/2012
Contraception

Modified Birth Control Rule Should End Controversy (But It Probably Won’t)

By Alicia Gay, ACLU at 3:30pm

The administration's actions should lay to rest arguments that religious liberty is under attack in this country.

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02/06/2012
Using Religion to Discriminate

ACLU's Laura Murphy on the "Today" Show Tuesday Morning

By Alicia Gay, ACLU at 6:02pm

Tune into NBC at 7 a.m. to watch Laura talk about the president's decision that ensures contraception is covered by the new health insurance plans.

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01/23/2012
Contraception

ACLU Lens: White House Affirms Contraception Coverage for Millions of Women

By Robyn Shepherd, ACLU at 1:32pm

Last week, the Obama administration stood for reproductive rights and refused to broaden exemptions to a rule that requires employers to provide health insurance for contraception.

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12/14/2011
War on Women

Why Ohio's "Heartbeat Bill" is Truly Heartless

By Mike Brickner, ACLU of Ohio at 10:19am

Ohio lawmakers are poised this week to pass the most restrictive law in the nation preventing families from making important health decisions on pregnancy. House Bill 125 would prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected — as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. That means even before a woman may know she is pregnant, she and her family will not have a full range of medical options available to them.

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11/21/2011
Contraception

Serving the People or the Bishops?

By Sarah Lipton-Lubet, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 5:15pm

The politically powerful U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have been on an all-out campaign to force their beliefs on the rest of us.

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11/09/2011
Abortion Insurance Ban

Message From Mississippi: Trust Women, And Leave Our Families Alone.

By Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project at 12:44pm

Red state, blue state — it doesn't make a difference. The message to government is clear: Keep out of our bedrooms, our doctors’ offices, and our personal lives.

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08/31/2011
Abortion Insurance Ban

Contraceptive Coverage Should Be the Rule, Not the Exception

By Laura W. Murphy, Director, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 12:53pm

Far too often, government policies tend to be at odds with reality when it comes to women's reproductive health by ignoring the services that women need most. Which is why guidelines recently issued by the Department of Human Services requiring insurance coverage for contraception and other preventive services were so welcome. After all, virtually every woman of childbearing age practices some sort of contraception at some point.

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08/26/2011
Abortion Insurance Ban

Military Women Deserve Equal Medical Care

By Alicia Gay, ACLU at 5:08pm

This post is part of Mom's Rising's Blog Carnival on women's health and economic rights, held this week to commemorate the anniversaries of the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment and the 1963 March on Washington.

When Congress returns from their summer recess next month, you can expect it to tackle many of the urgent issues we've heard so much about in the news. Issues like the budget, patent reform and FAA legislation are sure to take center stage. Throughout the debates, and amendments and political posturing, there is an issue that you may not ever hear about: whether to eliminate a little-known ban on insurance coverage of abortion care for military women and dependents who are victims of rape and incest.

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