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.

Drawing a Line in the Sand: Stopping Politicians from Taking Away Insurance Coverage for Abortion Care

By Brigitte Amiri, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project at 5:07pm

Today the ACLU and the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri filed a case challenging a Kansas law that prohibits insurance companies from providing abortion coverage in their comprehensive plans. Since 2010, 13 states have passed laws prohibiting some or all insurance plans from covering abortion care. Kansas's law is the first to take effect, and our lawsuit is the first to take a step toward putting an end to this growing trend.

Court Finds South Dakota's Extreme Abortion Law Degrades and Humiliates Women

By & Andrew Beck, Reproductive Freedom Project & Brigitte Amiri, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project at 11:21am

In a case brought by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, a federal district court judge in South Dakota yesterday blocked the enforcement of the state's extreme abortion law, which was scheduled to take effect today.

The extreme law is just that: extreme. As we've blogged before here and here, this law requires women to wait 72 hours between the first counseling session with the doctor and the abortion; it also requires women to first visit "crisis pregnancy centers," entities that are notorious for providing false and misleading information; and requires doctors to tell the woman of any possible risk factor published in medical and psychological journals since 1972.

Politicians Play Doctor, ACLU Helps Secure Veto

By Brandon Hensler, ACLU of Florida & Courtenay Strickland, ACLU of Florida at 11:35am

In a last-ditch, 11th-hour move during Florida’s 2010 legislative session, legislators tagged two harmful amendments onto a health care bill (H.B. 1143) without opportunity for public comment, review by any committee of the legislature or expert testimony. The result of the legislation would have been devastating to women in Florida, drastically undermining access to reproductive health care and dictating what types of health insurance coverage private employers may offer their employees.

2013 Has Just Started and We’re In For A Bumpy Ride

By Elissa Berger, Advocacy and Policy Counsel, ACLU at 4:08pm

Think the war on women is over? Think again.

Some politicians have decided to start the 2013 state legislative session by targeting women's reproductive health.

Yesterday in North Dakota, state senators voted on a measure that could be used to ban abortion, restrict treatment for infertility, and threaten access to contraception. If politicians in North Dakota get their way, women would be prevented from seeking abortion and other reproductive health care in the state.

Which State Will Ban Abortion First?

By Elissa Berger, Advocacy and Policy Counsel, ACLU at 1:26pm

Isn't it outrageous that we even have to ask that question?

In Arkansas this week, the State Senate passed a bill that would ban almost all abortions. Within a month, women in Arkansas could be prevented from receiving abortion care, no matter what their circumstances.

In North Dakota, the legislature is poised to vote on set of bills that aim to ban abortion, close down women's health centers, and could prevent couples from using in-vitro fertilization to build their family. The Senate is expected to vote on those bills next week.

State Legislators Double Down on Most Restrictive Abortion Law in Nation

By Mike Brickner, ACLU of Ohio at 5:56pm

Yesterday, retiring Ohio GOP Congressman Steve LaTourette made national headlines while discussing the recent presidential election. He said:

My wife’s a Democrat, and she was so close to voting for Mitt Romney. But then, you know, Mourdock and Akin opened their mouth, and we sent [voters] running back to the Democratic Party, because they think we’re nutty […] We have to get out of people’s lives, get out of people’s bedrooms, and we have to be a national party…or else we’re going to lose.

Move Over Mississippi: Michigan is the Latest State Vying to Shut Down All Abortion Clinics

By Elissa Berger, Advocacy and Policy Counsel, ACLU at 4:36pm

As you may have heard, Mississippi passed a law earlier this year, which was explicitly designed to shut down the only health care center in the entire state where a woman can get a safe, legal abortion.  In passing the law, some politicians made quite clear that they knew the closure would jeopardize the health and lives of Mississippi women—and that they didn’t care.

Respecting Moms on Mother's Day

By Tiseme Zegeye, ACLU Women's Rights Project at 10:27am

This Mother's Day, we need to work towards a country where women's work is truly respected and valued both inside and outside of the home.

California Pushes Back on the War on Women

By Maggie Crosby, ACLU of Northern California at 4:11pm

Across the country we're seeing ongoing attacks on access to reproductive health care. The Guttmacher Institute released data last week detailing that just a few months into 2012, hundreds of provisions to restrict abortion access have been introduced in state legislatures around the country. Several have already been enacted. Here in California, it's vitally important that our state legislature move in the opposite direction and continue its role as a national leader in ensuring that women have access to reproductive health care.

Ultrasound Bill Won't Fly, Even in the "Reddest" of States

By Monica Hopkins, ACLU of Idaho at 12:26pm

I've been repeatedly asked, "What happened? How did you do it?" I can only come up with this answer. Women were watching — and Idahoans got engaged.

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