Book Recommendation

I just finished reading this amazing book by Meg Hickling - "The New Speaking of Sex: What Your Children Need to Know and When They Need to Know It" (2005).

I cannot recommend this book enough, even if you don't have children. I consider it my "Bible" for the work I want to do in schools with youth, and I know I will be using it for reference with my future work.

Added a new link - the blog ReelGirl, which rates movies based on how appropriate they are for kids.

The blogger in her own words:

About Reel Girl:

Reel Girl was founded in December 2009 and is crossposted on SFGate. Reel Girl posts have also been featured, written about, or linked to major sites around the web including The Week (best opinion), Jezebel, Blogher (Spotlight Blogger),Forbes.com, Wall Street Journal, Adweek, Ms., Common Sense Media, and many more.

Reel Girl’s mission is to imagine gender equality in the fantasy world.

More about Reel Girl:

ReelGirl’s mission started out to be a resource for parents to rate and exchange information about media, toys, and products on how empowering they are for girls. But as I blogged, issues came up:

(1) When kids learn through cartoons, books, and toys, that boys are more important than girls, and radically different from them, BOTH genders are negatively affected.

(2) I write more than I rate

So I changed ReelGirl’s tagline. Here’s my blog post about Reel Girl’s newly described mission:

I started Reel Girl because I wanted to create a resource for parents on the internet where they could go to find great stories, movies, and toys that support girl empowerment. I’m the mom of three young daughters, and I wasn’t able to find the kind of information I was looking for in one place.

I also wanted to recognize how messed up our movie rating system is– and the values associated with that rating system. So many G movies perpetuate the absolute worst kinds of gender stereotypes, yet they are supposedly “for kids.” In my opinion, this kind of repetitive imagery is way more dangerous for children than hearing the word “shit.”

So ReelGirl’s rating system is S for stereotype and G for girlpower, 1- 3 possible.

Here’s the problem: I’m a ranter, not a rater. I’m not organized enough to pull this off. I need logos, to go through all the movies, books, and toys out there, and I don’t have the time. Any free moment I get, I usually have something new I want to write about. So while I will continue to rate media and products, I’m going to recognize that mostly, I haven’t been.

I’m changing ReelGirl’s tagline from “Rating kids media and products for girl empowerment” to “Imagining gender equality in the fantasy world.” That’s mostly what ReelGirl is about. My hope is that ReelGirl supports and encourages real imagination (ha ha) instead of the same old recycled stories.

Since having these three kids, I really get how fantasy creates reality and reality creates fantasy in an endless loop. That’s pretty much what this blog is about, fantasizing gender equality in the real world.

Amazing American Resource for Finding the Best Birth Control for You

Bedsider.org

Babies are great…when you’re ready for them. We think in the meantime women should have the right to a healthy, happy sex life without having to worry about unplanned pregnancy. For that to happen, women need to take an active role in their own reproductive health. We want to help with that.

Bedsider.org (Bedsider) is a free support network for birth control for women 18-29 operated byThe National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Launched in beta form in 2010, our goal is to help women find the method of birth control that’s right for them and learn how to use it consistently and effectively.

Right now, seven in 10 pregnancies among unmarried women 18-29 are described by women themselves as unplanned. That sounds like a lot to us. We hope that Bedsider will be a useful tool for women to learn about their birth control options, better manage their birth control, and in the process avoid getting pregnant until they’re ready.

Article: Faith in Hiding - Are There Secular Grounds for Banning Abortion?

The full article can be found on Tumblr here.

Summer and Fall Updates

I'm back, after several months. At long last eh? I didn't mean to let this blog die for a bit, I just got caught up with moving and working on employment stuff and looking for work, plus some of my own work on the side.

Summer - I moved, got told (politely) that my resume sucked, and so I spent all of August and part of September fixing it. In the meantime I unpacked and worked on some of my volunteering on the side. For example, my guild on Gaia Online is now on Twitter and on Youtube. I run both accounts myself, so uploads are slower than I'd like to be, but it's getting there.

Fall - Finished up my resume and started looking for work. After about 2.5 weeks, I found a cashier position at a big name grocery store. It doesn't use my degree of course, but at this point I need the money badly and anything will do. I start tomorrow, and I'm nervous but looking forward to it.

On a personal stuff, the family drama crap hasn't gotten much better. On the plus side though, my partner is moving back in mid-Nov. once his working season is over, so I'm looking forward to that!

Hope you all are well.

Article: The State War on Planned Parenthood Heats Up

Taken from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/14/defund-planned-parenthood-birth-control_n_899334.html

When 21-year old Christina Martel would renew her birth control prescription at Planned Parenthood, it was usually a relatively simple affair. But this summer, getting her prescription became significantly more difficult.

Martel, who is uninsured and makes less than $1000 a month at her part-time job, said she can't afford to go to a regular gynecologist to get her prescription adjusted, so she asked her new Indianapolis Planned Parenthood clinic about their sliding-pay scale for low-income patients this past June.

The clinic told Martel she would have to pay full price to meet with a physician because they had just been defunded by the state government, so she decided to wait until she returned to her home-state New Hampshire last week to have a doctor's appointment. Not only had Planned Parenthood been defunded there as well, she found out, but their license to dispense birth control and antibiotics had also been taken away.

"I was shocked to learn that they were no longer able to dispense medication on-site, and enraged when I realized this meant that I would have to pay triple the cost to get it filled at a pharmacy," she told HuffPost in an email.

Martel had paid $12 for a month's worth of birth control pills at Planned Parenthood. She now has to pay $33 a month at the regular pharmacy, which she said really starts to add up.

"I'm just an average broke college student with loans coming out my ears, and I don't want to shell out $33 every month for a prescription that I take first and foremost as a relief to the discomfort I experience on a monthly basis due to painful menstrual symptoms, and secondarily as a means of not getting pregnant," she said.

GOP lawmakers in four states so far -- Indiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Kansas -- have defunded Planned Parenthood in their 2011 legislative sessions because some of the organization's clinics provide abortions. A council of five men in New Hampshire voted to stop the flow of Title X family planning funds to Planned Parenthood and cancel a state contract that allowed it to dispense low-cost birth control and antibiotics on site. Texas passed a bill that puts Planned Parenthood at the bottom of the priority list for state funds, and an Ohio lawmaker floated a "Dear Colleague" letter on Wednesday announcing his intention to defund the health provider.

Here's a Question for all the Conservatives and Republicans

Updates on My Life

So what's been going on with me? Well, I graduate in 6 days, for one thing! Finally, at long last! I'm excited about the big day finally being here, and I'm hoping everything will go smoothly.

I also have something big coming up that I'm not posting online yet, but will reveal in a couple of weeks.

Everything is, as usual, tained by family drama and family BS. I cannot wait for the end of the month, to put it mildly. *le sigh* But what else is new.

6 more days, 6 more days!

Article: Idaho Mother Charged With "Unlawful Abortion", Turned in by Anti-Choice Advocate

Taken from: http://www.care2.com/causes/womens-rights/blog/idaho-woman-charged-with/


Unable to afford the doctors visits and medical bills associated with an actual medical abortion, Jennie L. McCormack of Idaho instead had her sister purchase drugs online to ingest in order to cause a miscarriage. McCormack, who is the mother of three, is now being charged with "unlawful abortion" according to the Associated Press.

If McCormack is found guilty, she could be subject to a $5000 penalty as well as up to five years in prison.

McCormack's case is a sign of the true desperation of women in this country. She said she believed she was only 14 weeks along, although the examination of the remains concluded it was more likely 20-25. She is already a mother of more than one child, one still a toddler. But financially she was cut off from any choice she wanted to make about how many people she wanted in her family, unable to procure an abortion she couldn't afford, and now facing criminal penalties for taking the only option left to her.

According to the report, McCormack was turned into the police by the sister of on of her friends, a woman who stated "There's other things she could have done. She could have asked for some type of help."

But it's obvious that the only "help" that was acceptable in this situation, according to the tipster, was to have the baby, and that the woman who contacted the police did it solely to punish McCormack. "I'm a grandmother myself. And the love and the compassion I have for my grandkids? They're my life. And I felt that if somebody didn't speak up for this baby, who would? It doesn't have a voice anymore," Carnahan said.

Idaho has recently passed a 20 week abortion ban, making any abortion after that point a criminal activity. How many more women will take it into their own hands to try and self-abort due to the lack of ability to obtain a doctor who can perform the procedure safely? And how many women are conservatives willing to throw in jail for the crime of not wanting to add another mouth to feed to their families?

CBC Poll Hitting Close to Home

This is hitting a little close to home. I took the poll and apparently 57.3% of Canadians agree that the Tories should cut funding to Planned Parenthood. That's really f*cking scary.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/04/planned-parenthood-do-you-think-the-tories-should-cut-its-funding.html#pd_a_4951094

Article: Texas Cheerleader Must Compensate School That Told Her to Clap Rapist

Taken from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cheerleader-must-compensate-school-that-told-her-to-clap-rapist-2278522.html


A teenage girl who was dropped from her high school's cheerleading squad after refusing to chant the name of a basketball player who had sexually assaulted her must pay compensation of $45,000 (£27,300) after losing a legal challenge against the decision.

The United States Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a review of the case brought by the woman, who is known only as HS. Lower courts had ruled that she was speaking for the school, rather than for herself, when serving on a cheerleading squad – meaning that she had no right to stay silent when coaches told her to applaud.

Article: Mothers We Could Save

Taken from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/opinion/08kristof.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss


Here’s a Mother’s Day thought: There’s a way to save many of the world’s 350,000 women who die in childbirth each year. But it’s very controversial, for it’s called family planning.

Republicans in Congress have gone on the warpath this budget season against family planning programs at home and abroad. To illustrate the stakes, let me share a Mother’s Day story about a pregnant 30-year-old Somali woman named Hinda Hassan.

Rep. Steve Simon = Hero

"How many more gay people does God have to create before we ask ourselves whether or not God actually wants them around?"

Anti-Abortion Movement and Men

Reposting this from Balloon Juice.

Reposting from Tumblr

david-tennant:

mehhhhrrrrlin:

singingeachtoeach:

WHAT IS THE GODDAMN PROBLEM WITH YOUR BRAINS?

THE EASY ANSWER TO RAPE IS THIS: DON’T WANT RAPE? DON’T RAPE PEOPLE.

DON’T WANT AN ABORTION? DON’T HAVE AN ABORTION.

NOW. YOU FAT WHITE MEN SITTING IN CONGRESS WITH YOUR CUSHY JOBS AND HEALTH INSURANCE AND PENISES CAN SUCK MY FUCKING DICK. LEAVE MY FUCKING VAGINA ALONE, YOU GODDAMN FUCKING ASSHOLES.

THIS FOR FUCKING EVER.

I JUST WANT THIS ON MY BLOG

New Developments?

Had a talk with someone today and it sounds like I might be moving to someplace new, somewhere that wasn't in the picture before. Will post the details once I'm into May and some stuff has happened. ^_~

May 15, 2011 - SlutWalk Vancouver

I will be participating in this event, so I'm reposting it here from my Facebook activity.

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http://www.slutwalkvancouver.com/

SlutWalk Vancouver is coordinated by a group of committed organizers, and working groups.
Inspired by, and acting in solidarity with SlutWalk Toronto, SWV shares their vision (adapted from SWToronto:

• SlutWalk is not about hate, and we do not use hateful language.
• SlutWalk addresses the culture that excuses away all sexual assault, not solely rape.
• SlutWalk recognizes that sexual assault is not something solely done by men towomen.
• All people, regardless of gender, have a role in challenging victim blaming and sex shaming that create a culture that justifies acts of sexual violence. This event is not just about the violence, but the excuses that allow violence to continue.
• Women are most often the targets and men are most often the perpetrators, but all genders are affected. SlutWalk recognizes all gender expressions as those that have been and can be negatively impacted. All genders can be sluts or allies.
• Some communities/people are at a higher risk of sexual assault than others based on their status, work, ability, access, race, identity, and a variety of other factors. We aim to recognize this and come together, in all our diversity, as people who are all affected and unite as sluts and allies.
• Use inclusive and respectful language when discussing the diversity of people affected: men/women and all gender expressions, racialized communities, people of different abilities, etc.
• SlutWalk is an impassioned and peaceful stance that aims to engage others in dialogue.

RSVP at the event's Facebook page if you're interested in participating!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103973876354281

Practicum = Awesome

So tomorrow is my final day of practicum. It was supposed to be today, but I had Tuesday off unexpectedly, so I said I'd come in on Thursday to make up for it.

How do you know you're fortunate to be working at a wonderful practicum? When they get you a cake to thank you for all of the hard work you did. <3 <3 <3 They're totally awesome, I was really touched that they did that for me. They were having a staff meeting when they brought it out, and then my supervisor and a couple other staff members said some wonderfully kind things about how they appreciated the work I did for them and how they were happy to have me there. They said I "set the bar" for future practicum students, which flattered me.

But as sad as I am to finish tomorrow, I will be returning in mid-May for SlutWalk in Vancouver, and I hope to stay in touch with them so I can continue to do volunteer work (of some kind) with them.

If anyone from YouthCO is reading this, thank you so much for the opportunity to do my practicum with you. I was so grateful and felt so blessed to meet everyone and do the work that I did, and I will definitely keep in touch so I can work with you guys again in the future. Thank you thank you thank you for everything. <3

Article: Kansas, Idaho Advance "Pain-Capable" Fetus Bills

This is from a few weeks ago (Mar. 30th), sorry for the delay in posting it.

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Taken from: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/03/kansas-idaho-advance-pain-capable-fetus-bills

Kansas and Idaho are the latest states to take up bills that would reduce the window of time in which women can obtain an abortion. Last month, we reported that Minnesota lawmakers had introduced a bill that would limit abortions to 20 weeks after conception, based on the (not-scientifically-sound) claim that a fetus can feel pain at that point. That bill was approved in committee, the Minnesota Independent reports, and is expected to advance.

Final 3 days!

I can't believe the end is almost here! I have 3 more days (after today) at my practicum, and then I'll be done! :( I will be coming back for SlutWalk in mid-May, however, and I hope to keep in touch with them to do future work and volunteering for them.

I'm talking to my practicum about potentially setting up a satellite office in another part of the province. I'm hoping that will generate some work for me, so I have something to jump to once I graduate.

3 more days, 3 more days!

Article - Texas Considers Bill to Ban Almost All Abortions

Taken from: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/03/texas-moves-ban-abortions-case-rape-incest


From the Texas Independent:

House Bill 2988 by state Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) would prohibit
abortions from being performed unless a physician determines there is a
substantial risk to the woman's life or a major body function. Parker's bill
comes on the heels of a bill by state Rep. George Lavender (R-Texarkana) banning
abortions except in cases of medical necessity, rape or incest.

Among other things, Parker's bill makes no exception for cases of rape or incest, an exception that's long been considered untouchable even by many pro-lifers. It also explicitly prohibits physicians from considering possible impairments to mental health. A spokesperson for Rep. Parker told Mother Jones that the legislator "does intend to include [exemptions for rape and incest] if it moves through the process." But they're not included in the version that was filed on Thursday because Parker didn't actually write the bill; it was drafted at the behest of the Grass Roots Institute of Texas, an organization founded by conservative activist Bill Burch.

Going Into Week 10

Please pardon any typos, my keyboard is a little glitchy right now... ^^;

So I can't believe I'm starting Week 10 now! My first day will be on Tuesday, but still! Wow does time ever fly. I had a slow week last week, missed 2 days and spent half my on-site time punching buttons for an event on campus. :/ So I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things this week.

Article - Pregnancy Drug Price Skyrockets

Taken from: http://www.themarysue.com/pregnancy-drug-spike/


A medication for pregnant women that prevents premature birth that currently costs $10 to $20 per dose will soon cost $1,500 per dose. Why and how did this happen? In a move that was intended to make the drug Makena more available and of a more consistent quality, its manufacturer, KV Pharmaceutical, was granted a retroactive monopoly, making it the only pharmaceutical company to sell the drug and, therefore, charge whatever they want according to their own labor, research, and manufacturing costs. So, if you had any doubts whose side the pharmaceutical industry was on …

Article - Texas Gang Rape Coverage Continues to Appall

Taken from: http://jezebel.com/#!5780291/texas-gang-rape-coverage-continues-to-appall


It's not just The New York Times coverage of the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl that's like a blueprint about how not to report on rape. Today, TV got in on the act.

The Houston Chronicle reporter who appears to have done the most in-depth coverage of the case (including an egregious analysis of the child's Facebook page) was on CNN today. We understand that it can be awkward or unsettling to talk about horrible things on live TV and the reporter was trying to burnish what few details are known, but was it really necessary to go on at length about how the basketball team in the town is third-ranked but lost this week after some of its players were charged with the rape of a child?

Article - Doctor Gets Court Order to Confine Pregnant Woman Against Her Will

Taken from: http://news.change.org/stories/doctor-gets-court-order-to-confine-pregnant-woman-against-her-will


With issues like the Stupak Amendment and Nevada's Personhood Initiative in the national spotlight, I am aware that a woman's right to choose whether or not to carry a fetus to full-term is under attack.

What I didn't realize, perhaps naively, is that her right to choose how to carry a fetus is also under fire. Last March, Florida resident Samantha Burton was in week 25 of her pregnancy when she paid a visit to her doctor. Burton was showing signs of potential miscarriage, so her physician ordered bed rest. Burton explained that, as a working mother of two toddlers, bed rest simply wasn't a viable option and then proceeded to ask for a second medical opinion. Seems reasonable, right?

Article - What the Battle Against Reproductive Rights is Really About

Taken from: http://skepchick.org/2011/03/what-the-battle-against-reproductive-rights-is-really-about/


Across the United States, the news from the reproductive rights front hasn’t been that great lately. Between trying to criminalize miscarriage in Georgia to whatever the hell is going on now in South Dakota (I’ve lost track at this point), the legal right of a woman to have a child when she judges is best to is under more simultaneous attacks than it has been in quite some time.

To me, this is glaringly apparent right now in my home state of Ohio. At the beginning of 2011, we learned the newly-elected state legislative body proposed five different bills that limit abortion rights in the first eight days of the session. Five bills. In eight days. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty relieved we’ve cleared out of the way every other political issue Ohio currently faces so that we can devote most of our time and energy to introducing bills that infringe on the rights already guaranteed at the federal level to all U.S. women by Roe v. Wade and have a slim chance of making it to law.

Some People Are Just Full of Shit

Article - No Jail For Rapist Because Victim "Wanted to Party"

Wow. Alberta is the Texas of Canada, but Manitoba's not far behind. :/

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Taken from: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/24/no-jail-for-rapist-because-victim-wanted-to-party/


A convicted rapist will not go to jail because a Manitoba judge says the victim sent signals that “sex was in the air” through her suggestive attire and promiscuous conduct on the night of the attack.

Kenneth Rhodes was given a two-year conditional sentence last week that allows him to remain free in the community in a decision likely to trigger strong debate.

Article - GOP Floats New Version of "No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion" Bill

Assuming I'm correct in remembering where she lives, this one is for Alicia.

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Taken from: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/gop-floats-new-version-no-taxpayer-funding-abortion-bill


House Republicans have dropped some controversial provisions from a bill that would permanently bar federal funding for abortions, but still plan to extend the reach of existing bans to cover tax credits and some deductions, according to a GOP memo [PDF] obtained by Mother Jones on Monday.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), is designed to ensure that tax dollars do not "pay for, subsidize, encourage, or facilitate abortions," say the sponsors. But abortion rights groups have argued that the law, also known as H.R. 3, would effectively eliminate private insurance coverage for abortions by creating a strong disincentive for employers and individuals to select plans that cover those services. In turn, they argue, many insurers would likely stop offering abortion services in order to avoid losing customers.

Article - GA Law Could Give Death Penalty for Miscarriages

Taken from: http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2011/02/miscarriage-death-penalty-georgia


It's only February, but this year has been a tough one for women's health and reproductive rights. There's a new bill on the block that may have reached the apex (I hope) of woman-hating craziness. Georgia State Rep. Bobby Franklin—who last year proposed making rape and domestic violence "victims" into "accusers"—has introduced a 10-page bill that would criminalize miscarriages and make abortion in Georgia completely illegal. Both miscarriages and abortions would be potentially punishable by death: any "prenatal murder" in the words of the bill, including "human involvement" in a miscarriage, would be a felony and carry a penalty of life in prison or death. Basically, it's everything an "pro-life" activist could want aside from making all women who've had abortions wear big red "A"s on their chests.

Article - Who's Behind the Bills That Could Legalize Killing Abortion Providers?

Taken from: http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/americans-united-life-justifiable-homicide-bills


First, it was South Dakota. Then Nebraska and Iowa. The similarly worded bills, which have quietly cropped up recently in state legislatures, share a common purpose: To expand justifiable homicide statutes to cover killings committed in the defense of an unborn child. Critics of the bills, including law enforcement officials, warn that these measures could invite violence against abortion providers and possibly provide legal cover to the perpetrators of such crimes.

That these measures have emerged simultaneously in a handful of states is no coincidence. It's part of a campaign orchestrated by a Washington-based anti-abortion group, which has lobbied state lawmakers to introduce legislation that it calls the "Pregnant Woman's Protection Act" [PDF]. Over the past two years, the group, Americans United for Life, has succeeded in passing versions of this bill in Missouri and Oklahoma. But there's a big difference between those bills and the measures floated recently in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Research (Mostly) Completed, Break Time!

Oh thank god it's Monday today. I can sleep in and get caught up on homework, something I've desperately needed to do and haven't done the last couple of nights because I've just been so tired.

I've completed my second research project at work, at least for the most part. I'm still going to do some extra work on Tuesday, but otherwise I will be moving on to another resource project hopefully. So I'm really looking forward to that. :) I received very positive feedback for the project that I just completed, and I was really flattered about that.

This weekend I also completed YouthCo's facilitation training, to help those of use who are going to perhaps one day be facilitating or co-facilitating workshops of our own. I was fine until the very end, when I bombed the practice run in front of the rest of the group, but they still thought I did a good job in other aspects, which was a relief.

I'm still having my family issues, and am distancing myself from my immediate family. As usual, everyone else can see it except for them. Thankfully today was a short visit, in lieu of a full visit tomorrow due to the crappy weather we got recently (snow! >_<). Now I can have a full day off at some, getting caught up on homework and running errands. Then it's back to Vancouver on Tuesday.

That's about it that's new with me for now. More articles to come soon as I find them. Something tells me it's not going to end anytime soon. :/

Article - Iowa Bill Opens Door For Deadly Use of Force to Protect the Unborn

I'm losing my ability to be surprised anymore. This is so sick and messed up. :(

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Taken from: http://iowaindependent.com/52869/iowa-bills-open-door-for-use-of-deadly-force-to-protect-the-unborn


Two bills sponsored by Iowa House Republicans could have significant public safety consequences, and perhaps the most unnerving of those potential outcomes would be the justifiable use of deadly force against abortion or family planning providers.

When the two pieces of legislation are combined they create a situation where a fertilized egg would be considered a person, and allow for the public execution of those who would threaten such a person.

Article - Nebraska Revives "Justifiable Homicide" Abortion Bill

*sigh*

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Taken from: http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/nebraska-justifiable-homicide-abortion-bill


Just when abortion rights supporters thought they had beaten a controversial bill they believe would legalize the killing of abortion providers, it has cropped up again—this time in a more expansive form that has drawn the concern of law enforcement officials.

Last week, South Dakota's legislature shelved a bill, introduced by Republican state Rep. Phil Jensen, which would have allowed the use of the "justifiable homicide" defense for killings intended to prevent harm to a fetus. Now a nearly identical bill is being considered in neighboring Nebraska, where on Wednesday the state legislature held a hearing on the measure.

Article - "Don't Dress Like a Slut": Toronto Cop

Here, I'll pick on Canada for a bit. Boo Toronto!

This was posted about (on the York University newspaper's website) on Feb. 16th of this year.

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Taken from: http://www.excal.on.ca/news/don%E2%80%99t-dress-like-a-slut-toronto-cop/


Students and staff at Osgoode Hall Law School are demanding an apology and explanation from the Toronto Police Service after one of their officers suggested women can avoid sexual assault by not dressing like a “slut.”

Article - GOP: Yes to Contraception for Wild Horses, No for Women

Taken from: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2011/02/16/votes-contraception-wild-horses-women-0


During a month in which the anti-choice Republican and Tea Party majority in Congress and in many states have made it their priority mission to eliminate access to contraception for women here and abroad, and on the very same day that the House planned to vote to take away birth control for women living in poverty in the US and eliminate funding for international family planning, you will be happy to know that there is at least one group the GOP believes deserves access to contraception.

Wild horses.

Article - GA Legislator Wants to Investigate Miscarriages, Create Uterus Police

Wooow, I don't even know where to start with this. Reproductive rights are going to hell in a handbasket in the US, evidently, or at least in certain states.

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Taken from: http://blogs.babble.com/being-pregnant/2011/02/21/georgia-legislator-wants-to-investigate-miscarriages-create-uterus-police/


First the attack on Planned Parenthood funding and now this: State Rep. Bobby Franklin of Georgia introduced a bill in his state last week that, if enacted, would require proof that a miscarriage occurred naturally. If a woman can’t prove that her miscarriage–or spontaneous abortion–occurred without intervention, she could face felony charges.

Updated Blogroll

I've added a few more blogs to my blogroll, so check them out. :) Especially "SexGenderBody," a very interesting blog about sex, gender and body issues.

Article - House Blocks Fed. Aid for Planned Parenthood

*headdesk* WTF? Because Planned Parenthood provides abortions, that justifies cutting their aid? Nevermind all of the other helpful and necessary services that PP provides... >:[
I will be watching this issue for sure in the days to come.

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Taken from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41669274/ns/politics-capitol_hill/?ocid=twitter


WASHINGTON — The House has approved a Republican proposal to block federal aid for Planned Parenthood.

The 240-185 vote on Friday is a victory for anti-abortion forces led by Indiana GOP Rep. Mike Pence. He says taxpayer money should not go to groups that provide or promote abortion.

"This afternoon's vote is a victory for taxpayers and a victory for life," Pence said Friday. "By banning funding to Planned Parenthood, Congress has taken a stand for millions of Americans who believe their tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the largest abortion provider in America."

Article - South Dakota Shelves Bill Aimed at Defending Unborn

Here's an update on an article I posted a couple of days ago.

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Taken from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/us/17dakota.html?_r=4&adxnnl=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1297958503-w3B/PKX72O7gv1phxJsKHA


A state bill to expand the definition of justifiable homicide in South Dakota to include killing someone in the defense of an unborn child was postponed indefinitely Wednesday after an uproar over whether the legislation would put abortion providers at greater risk.

The House speaker, Val Rausch, said that the legislation had been shelved, pending a decision on whether to allow a vote, amend the language or drop it entirely. A spokesman for Gov. Dennis Daugaard said, “Clearly the bill as it’s currently written is a very bad idea.”

First Workshop Shadowing

Today I got to sit in on a workshop presented by one of the other staff members working with my supervisor in YouthCo's sexual health program. They each did the HIV 101 workshop, which I got to see in core training, but this was my first time seeing it in the actual school setting. I believe the class was a class of grade 8 students, and my supervisor (in the class next door) had a class of grade 9s.

Blog Layout Update

Just a quick note - if anyone is looking for the list of links which used to be at the bottom of this blog, they've been moved to the "Sexual Health Links" page up under the header with the other pages.

If anyone has a link they think should be added to the list, please feel free to comment and add it here. I'll look and if I like it, I'll add it to the list. :)

I Get to Do This As My Practicum? Sweet!

I'm so psyched. Right now I'm doing research for a YouthCo staff member about sexual lubricants - types, viscosities, marketing, etc. I'm also working on trivia, which encompasses questions about HIV/Hep. C, harm reduction, general health and wellness, and sexual health (including birth control, condoms, STIs, etc). It's so awesome! :D Everything right up my alley.

I'm looking at the website Scarleteen.com (http://www.scarleteen.com/), and I've decided to try to join as a volunteer, or maybe even a staff member. That would be a long way away of course, but this is the field I'd like to get into, and if I can get my foot in the door somehow, I'm hoping it will benefit me in the near future. Especially if I end up moving to be near my partner's family again, but that's another tangent in itself.

Aside from that, not much else is new. Still tired, still stressed, still dealing with family BS that will probably never resolve itself. I'm into week 6 of my practicum, and I can't believe we're almost half done! Can't wait to get it over with so I can grad and move on with life!

Article - South Dakota Moves to Legalize Killing Abortion Providers

Wow... WTF is wrong with parts of the US? :/

~

Taken from: http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/south-dakota-hb-1171-legalize-killing-abortion-providers


A law under consideration in South Dakota would expand the definition of "justifiable homicide" to include killings that are intended to prevent harm to a fetus—a move that could make it legal to kill doctors who perform abortions. The Republican-backed legislation, House Bill 1171, has passed out of committee on a nine-to-three party-line vote, and is expected to face a floor vote in the state's GOP-dominated House of Representatives soon.

Article - Singapore News: Government to Review Baby Bonus Scheme

Many thanks to my friend Adelin in Singapore who shared this link with me: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1108833/1/.html

We were discussing baby bonuses and fertility rates between her country (Singapore) and mine (Canada).

Here's some food for thought - since Canada also has a low birth rate, do you think something like a baby bonus scheme would work for Canadians? Why or why not? Do you like the idea of a baby bonus scheme? Why or why not? Do you have any other thoughts on the idea? And if you are from a country outside of North America, what is your country's birth rate?

Online Comic "Sex Talk"

YouthCo tweeted this, and I'm reposting this because I thought it was really neat.

It's an online web combic about "communication, consent, and gettin' it on." I'm posting it as a resource for anyone who is interested:

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/maisha/sextalk/series.php?view=archive&chapter=44232

Article - Officials Consider Requiring Insurers to Offer Free Contraceptives [US]

This is wonderful news! Hopefully this will pass, and reproductive rights for women in the US can take a step forward.

~

Taken from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/health/policy/03health.html?_r=1


WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is examining whether the new health care law can be used to require insurance plans to offer contraceptives and other family planning services to women free of charge.

Article - New GOP Bill Would Allow Hospitals to Let Pregnant Women Die Instead of Having an Abortion

Taken from: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/new-gop-law-would-allow-hospitals-to-let-women-die-instead-of-having-an-abortion.php?ref=fpb


The controversy over "forcible rape" may be over, but now there's a new Republican-sponsored abortion bill in the House that pro-choice folks say may be worse: this time around, the new language would allow hospitals to let a pregnant woman die rather than perform the abortion that would save her life.

Sick, sick, better, sick

For those who've seen me post a whole bunch of articles recently, and are wondering whether this blog will still be about my practicum, rest assured it will be. I've just had a super busy couple of weeks, and I was sick on top of it. I still haven't really adjusted to getting up at 6am either, so I'm still functioning on about 4 hours of sleep a night, which makes for uber long days.

My practicum is going well, minus the fact that I'm way behind in hours (due to only being there 3/4 days a week, and then being sick) and my paperwork is overdue. So I'm a little stressed about that.

I finally finished up the first phase of a research project I was working on for my supervisor, and will be working on something for another staff member when I return next week. I am hoping to get in a full 4 days next week, because I'm pretty far behind on hours.

It's hard to believe it's already February - the last month has gone by so fast! I can't wait for this semester to be over though, so I can graduate and move on with life. :)

Article - GA State Rep Says There's No Such Thing as Rape Victims

Taken from: http://www.dlcc.org/GA_Rep_Says_No_Such_Thing_as_Rape_Victims


U.S. House Republicans have received a great deal of attention over the past week since seeking to qualify the crime of rape with the term “forcible” in a high-profile piece of legislation. Such a distinction could create classes of rape victims, with “forcible rape” victims somehow being ordained as worse off than victims of statutory rape, date rape, rape by coercion or deception, rape of the disabled or mentally impaired… You get the picture.

Article - Utah Bill Criminalizes [Self-Induced] Miscarriages

Taken from: http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/13141

Note: I edited the title because I thought it was misleading to just say "miscarriages", even if that's what it says in the article. Any empahsis in the article is from me.

**PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2010, AND MAY NO LONGER BE CURRENT IF THE LAW HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED**


Last week, the Utah House and Senate passed a bill that would make it a crime for a woman to have a miscarriage, and would in most instances make induced abortion a crime. The bill still needs the signature of the governor to be signed into law, but already it is causing concern across the United States.

Article - Judge Rules That South Dakota Doctors Must Say Abortion Ends Life

Taken from: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/20/judge-rules-south-dakota-doctors-say-abortion-ends-life/

**PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2009, AND MAY NO LONGER BE CURRENT IF THE LAW HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED**


SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota -- A federal judge upheld part of a South Dakota law that requires women to be told abortion ends a human life, but struck down disclosures that the procedure increases the likelihood of suicide and that they have an existing relationship with the fetus.

Article - Texas Bill Would Force Woman to See Ultrasound

Taken from: http://www.keyetv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx?content_id=20c2b6cc-5c79-495a-adf5-9e05f2528972 [link no longer works]

**PLEASE NOTE THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2008, AND MAY NO LONGER BE CURRENT IF THE LAW HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED**


Two bills submitted to the Texas Legislature Tuesday would force doctors to show women ultrasounds of their unborn children two hours before they had an abortion.

The identical bills, one submitted to the Texas House, as HB 36, and one to the Senate, as SB 182, were introduced by Rep. Frank Corte Jr., R-San Antonio, and Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, respectively. They outline the changes in procedures doctors would have to go through when a woman opts to abort her child.

Article - Ohio Bill Dictates That Men Should Have Final Say on Abortion

Taken from: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/22/ohio-bill-men-final-say-abortion/?youvegottobekiddingme

**PLEASE NOTE THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2009, AND MAY NO LONGER BE CURRENT IF THE LAW HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED.**


State Rep. John Adams (R-OH) has re-introduced radical legislation that would prevent a woman from having an abortion until she gets written consent from the biological father. As proposed, the bill triggers criminal penalties against women for “providing a false biological father.” Adams says the “first-degree misdemeanor” would be punishable with up to “six months” in jail and a “$1,000 fine.”

Article - North Dakota Says Shacking Up Is Now a Sex Crime

Taken from: http://www.local6.com/family/10782557/detail.html [link no longer works]

**PLEASE NOTE THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2007, AND MAY NOT BE CURRENT ANYMORE IF THE LAW HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED.**


BISMARCK, N.D. -- In North Dakota, a man and woman who live together without being married are committing a sex crime. It's right there in the law, a state senator said, alongside the prohibitions against adultery, incest and indecent exposure.

Article - Women Can't Say No After the Start of Sex

Taken from: http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/10198629/detail.html
[link no longer works]

**PLEASE NOTE THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2006, AND MAY NOT BE CURRENT ANYMORE IF THE LAW HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED**


ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- An appellate court said Maryland's rape law is clear -- no doesn't mean no when it follows a yes and intercourse has begun.

Article - The House GOP's Plan to Redefine Rape

All I can say is that I'm so glad I'm not American. Bunch of sick BS is what this is.


Taken from: http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion

Practicum Pictures on Facebook

I've set up an album on Facebook for pictures I take at my practicum.

You can view the album even if you don't have a FB account. To view the album, click here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=613909&id=575805173&l=dc78eb52c0


** Caution: Some pictures may be a little unsettling due to their content (lots of STI, HIV, & Hep. C awareness). Please view at your own risk. I don't plan on uploading anything disturbing or upsetting, but just in case, since some people have different sensitivities.

Follow YouthCo on Twitter

YouthCo, the place where I'm doing my final practicum, has a Twitter account.

They are having their launch party this upcoming Saturday (Jan. 22) to celebrate the launch of their new community engagement campaign. They plan to focus on how many people think HIV and AIDS is "a thing of the past" because treatments and other help are available, and to try to get the gay community in Vancouver (and others) to either volunteer, donate, help spread the word, etc.

To follow them on Twitter, click here: http://twitter.com/YouthCO

What's Wrong With Society?

Article: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.610wiod.com%2Fcc-common%2Fnews%2Fsections%2Fentertainmentarticle.html%3Ffeed%3D104665%26article%3D8041720&h=a3fb8

What's wrong with today's world? What is wrong with today's society, where it's apparently "cool" for an 11 year old to wear adult-type make-up and get dressed up to look like a skanky reality TV "star" from the show Jersey Shore? Where were the parents, and why did they apparently ok this?

First Day Down

So yesterday's first day at YouthCo was a success!

It was a very quiet day, with only a few members coming in throughout the course of the day. Otherwise it was just the staff and I working on stuff. I was given a research project to start, so I spent my shift on my laptop working and listening to music. 8D Totally awesome way to spend my practicum hours, if you ask me.

Find This Blog on Facebook!

Quick post from me before I head off to my first day of practicum in a few hours.

I have created a Facebook fan page for this blog, which you can see here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/You-Want-to-Be-a-What/183731784990327#!/pages/You-Want-to-Be-a-What/183731784990327

If you've liked this blog, and you have a Facebook account, please consider liking the fan page! I'd like to build up a fan base, so I can share my adventures with people and share what sexual health information I have. :)

Please feel free to share both this blog link and the FB fan page link with anyone you think might be interested.

I've also added a few things and re-arranged the widget layout on the right.

Confirmed Final Practicum

First post of the new year - My final practicum has been confirmed for YouthCo HIV & Hep. C Community Outreach in Vancouver! I'm to start on the 11th and I'm very excited. :D

I'm going to look into getting my student loan repaid by the end of the month too, so I can reapply for another grant and bursaries in this semester.