Although reproductive health care will be on the ballot in 2026, the most consequential questions may be answered in the courts. There is little political support for a nationwide abortion ban so those pushing to limit reproductive health care are circumventing the will of the people by going to the courts. Mifepristone, a commonly used […]
Crack Down on Mail-Order Abortion Pills in Texas
Texas now lets people sue anyone who mails abortion pills into the state. That means neighbors, strangers, even activists online could take someone to court. Critics see it as an effort to not only impose Texas laws on other states but turn citizens in to anti-abortion “bounty hunters”. The pills in question are mifepristone and […]
Reproductive rights under threat around the world
The Guttmacher Institute – a research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally – recently published a report that reviews the damage the Trump administration has wreaked thus to SRHR services and programs. It’s not just the cuts to foreign aid that are a problem, but U.S. foreign […]
1 out of 5 people born with a uterus will have it removed
Get It Out: On the Politics of Hysterectomy by medical sociologist Andréa Becker is out this month through New York University Press. Although hysterectomies are common worldwide procedures, they are not a mainstay topic of public discourse. Considering the droves of subjects that are affected by hysterectomies, they should be! This important project explores the […]
Planned Parenthood and its healthcare services in peril once again
Due to withholding of federal support Planned Parenthood has closed or is in the process of closing clinics located in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Utah, and Vermont. The non-profit intends to close over a third of its locations across Minnesota and Iowa alone. Planned Parenthood, which often gets caught in the crosshairs of […]
Chemical castration? No, this is not a Margaret Atwood novel
Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood of the United Kingdom is considering options for expanding chemical castration treatments for sex offenders. Chemical castration combines drugs with therapy to lower testosterone levels with the aim to lower one’s sex drive. There are currently chemical castration pilot programs happening in English prisons, but they are on a voluntary basis. […]
A small win for queer rights in conservative-led Italy
Italy’s Constitutional Court ruled recently that female couples who use in vitro fertilization (IVF) abroad can both be legally recognized as parents back in their home country, even for partners who are not the biological mothers. While this ruling does not change other laws under Italy’s conservative government, such as Italy’s current restricted access to IVF […]