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.

02/10/2012
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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02/07/2012
Using Religion to Discriminate

ACLU on Today: Birth Control Rule Does Not Put Religious Liberty at Risk

By Alicia Gay, ACLU at 12:09pm

Laura Murphy of our Washington Legislative Office appeared to discuss the Obama administration’s plan to retain a proposed rule that ensures new insurance plans cover contraception.

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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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02/03/2012
Using Religion to Discriminate

Gerson Gets it Wrong on Contraception

By Sarah Lipton-Lubet, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 4:44pm

Earlier this week, Michael Gerson’s disregard for the health of women and their families appeared once again on the pages of the Washington Post.

The affront? The administration’s announcement that all new health insurance plans — except those held by churches and other houses of worship — will need to include coverage for birth control because it’s essential preventive health care for women.

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02/03/2012
Planned Parenthood

The Komen Foundation: Just the Tip of Iceberg.

By Jennifer Dalven, Reproductive Freedom Project at 1:15pm

Last year, many states put politics before health and cut off funding for Planned Parenthood and other health care facilities that provide critical services for low-income women and men.

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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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01/23/2012
Using Religion to Discriminate

Birth Control Decision Defends Religious Liberty

By Louise Melling, Center for Liberty at 12:00pm

(A version of this post was originally published in the Washington Post "On Faith" opinion section on Friday, January 20.)

Recognizing the importance of birth control to women’s health and lives, the Obama administration stood firm today against the political strong-arming of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other religious groups that oppose contraception. This is a major victory for women’s health that we should all celebrate. But the path to today’s victory was not a foregone conclusion.

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01/20/2012
Using Religion to Discriminate

Score One for Women's Health! Obama Administration Stands Up For Birth Control

By Sarah Lipton-Lubet, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 1:39pm

Today, the Obama administration announced that it would keep in place a proposed rule that ensures that new insurance plans include contraception coverage.

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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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