New Black Woman

Arizona joins the war against women

Posted on March 17, 2012 by New Black Woman

The state of Arizona has already proven to the world it’s anti-immigrant and proud of its xenophobia. The state is also now showing its disdain for women who use birth control. Case in point:

Arizona legislators have advanced an unprecedented bill that would require women who wish to have their contraception covered by their health insurance plans to prove to their employers that they are taking it to treat medical conditions. The bill also makes it easier for Arizona employers to fire a woman for using birth control to prevent pregnancy despite the employer’s moral objection.

Under current law, health plans in Arizona that cover other prescription medications must also cover contraception. House Bill 2625, which the state House of Representatives passed earlier this month and the Senate Judiciary Committee endorsed on Monday, repeals that law and allows any employer to refuse to cover contraception that will be used “for contraceptive, abortifacient, abortion or sterilization purposes.” If a woman wants the cost of her contraception covered, she has to “submit a claim” to her employer providing evidence of a medical condition, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome, that can be treated with birth control.

I absolutely have no words for this. I can’t say I’m shocked by Arizona’s actions as they’ve shown they could care less about what the world thinks of their xenophobic behavior. I’m more disturbed by what seems to be an orchestrated attempt by politicians to literally implement laws that restrict women to roles and duties reminiscent of the 1950s.

Posted in Arizona, government in your uterus, women's rights | Leave a comment

Atheist group appropriates slavery, apologizes

Posted on March 14, 2012 by New Black Woman

This billboard by Pennsylvania Nonbelievers has sparked outrage

One would have thought organizations have learned by now that appropriating and reducing the impact of slavery and the subjugation of black Americans will mostly likely be met with outrage, skepticism and down right disapproval. Pennsylvania Nonbelievers apparently never received that memo and put up many billboards with a similar messages in Harrisburg, which has prompted the organization to apologize for the billboards.

From the Huffington Post article linked above:

Now, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is investigating and is meeting with both the atheists who sponsored it as well as leaders of the NAACP who found it offensive and racially charged.

The atheists behind the sign said they were trying to draw attention to the state House’s recent designation of 2012 as “The Year of the Bible” — an action by lawmakers that the atheists have called offensive.

But there were concerns that erecting such a billboard is playing with fire.

“If this had been Detroit, there would have been a riot,” said Aaron Selvey of Harrisburg, who visited the billboard site last Wednesday (March 7), the day after the sign was put up and later torn down.

“We don’t want things to escalate into violence or community tension, so we try to address situations like that right away,” added Shannon Powers, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. “We would not recommend tearing down because it could lead to escalation. It hasn’t, and we’re tremendously thankful for that.”

The billboard was quickly replaced with an ad for the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra.

Ernest Perce V, the Pennsylvania state director of American Atheists, said he won’t press charges against whoever damaged the billboard he designed, and said he, too, is a victim after receiving death threats.

“We hope people can see just a little bit of discrimination we get,” said Perce, who offended local Muslims last year when he dressed as a “Zombie Muhammad” in a Halloween parade.

Perce and the atheist sponsors of the billboard said they are dismayed that people were offended by the image instead of what he called injustices in the Bible and legislators naming 2012 “The Year of the Bible.”

Perce said he will proceed with a 25-billboard statewide campaign against the Bible and the legislation.

“We ask that you turn your anger toward the (state) House of Representatives,” he said, adding that his group does not support or condone slavery while the Bible, which he called “evil,” does.

Brian Fields, president of the Pennsylvania Nonbelievers, understands the image was provocative.

“I want to say that I’m truly sorry that many people have misunderstood this billboard. It was never our intention to use race as our message itself,” Fields said.

“I don’t know if that would have had the impact, the same meaning if it wasn’t tied into something visceral. The picture shows the consequences of the statement that the Bible makes.”

The organization in question first presented an FAQ on the billboards, which addresses issues on using the Bible and whether slavery was ethical. It also addressed if the billboard was racist, to which it responded:

Only if you would claim that pointing out a cause of slavery is racist. In this country, slavery was primarily of a particular race. To ignore that history would be irresponsible. Additionally, the Bible (specifically the verse highlighted on the billboard) was used in this country in support of slavery in the south. This is the pernicious problem of dogma – Slavery in the Bible justified slavery in this country. To forget that history means giving us the opportunity to repeat it. So, what is racist here is not the billboard, but rather the practice of slavery that the billboard condemns.

Racism equals power and privilege, both of which allows for majority to appropriate the experiences of the marginalized to push its own agenda. With that said, one would be a fool to argue the billboard isn’t racist due to its overt appropriation of slavery and the shared black in America experience.

The problem with the billboard is not only is it racist, but that it reduces the act of slavery by equating it to following a Bible and Christian. That act itself, in my opinion, is offensive as it’s a reflection of an organization appropriating the marginalization of people of color to further its cause.

(More…)

Posted in appropriation, atheism, racism, slavery, white privilege | 2 Comments

Bill would require men to get affidavit from sex partner before obtaining Viagra

Posted on March 12, 2012 by New Black Woman

I’ve always said it’s high time for legislators to start turning the tables on these politicians who believe its their God-given right to legislate a woman’s room. From the Dayton Daily News:

Before getting a prescription for Viagra or other erectile dysfunction drugs, men would have to see a sex therapist, receive a cardiac stress test and get a notarized affidavit signed by a sexual partner affirming impotency, if state Sen. Nina Turner has her way.

The Cleveland Democrat introduced Senate Bill 307 this week.

A critic of efforts to restrict abortion and contraception for women, Turner says she is concerned about men’s reproductive health. Turner’s bill joins a trend of female lawmakers submitting bills regulating men’s health. Turner said if state policymakers want to legislate women’s health choices through measures such as House Bill 125, known as the “Heartbeat bill,” they should also be able to legislate men’s reproductive health. Ohio anti-abortion advocates say the two can’t be compared.

Heartbeat bill sponsor Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon, said comparing his bill to Turner’s would be like comparing apples to bananas. The Heartbeat bill would prohibit abortion once a heartbeat is detected, as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

“I understand some women think my bill is a personal affront,” Wachtmann said. “Protecting the unborn — to compare this to Viagra is not even related.”

Under Senate Bill 307, men taking the drugs would continue to be tested for heart problems, receive counseling about possible side effects and receive information about “pursuing celibacy as a viable lifestyle choice.”

“Even the FDA recommends that doctors make sure that assessments are taken that target the nature of the symptoms, whether it’s physical or psychological,” Turner said. “I certainly want to stand up for men’s health and take this seriously and legislate it the same way mostly men say they want to legislate a woman’s womb.”

The Cleveland Democratic lawmaker has a point–you can’t turn the other cheek on men’s reproductive health while passing legislation to place the government between a woman’s uterus and her doctor. This isn’t anything new. A Virginia state senator proposed a bill to require men to undergo a rectal exam and cardiac stress test before receiving Viagra. An Illinois legislator introduced a bill to require men to watch a graphic video on the side effects with taking Viagra before they can be cleared to obtain the erectile dysfunction drug.

Of course, these bills don’t have a chance in hell with passing ~~because many of these lawmakers–many of whom most likely use Viagra–don’t feel they deserve to abide by the same unnecessary loopholes they force women to do~~ as they don’t have enough support in their respective legislatures. If anything, these measures should sound the alarm on the blatant double standard these majority-male politicians feel they have the right to implement in the name of protecting clusters of cells they like to refer to as life.

Posted in abortion rights, government in your uterus, Ohio, women's rights | 1 Comment

Egyptian court acquits army doctor accused of performing virginity tests

Posted on March 11, 2012 by New Black Woman

Not a good day for the hundreds of women who had this blatant violation of their bodies performed on them:

An Egyptian court has acquitted an army doctor accused of forcibly administering virginity tests on female detainees, state-run Nile TV said Sunday. The court acquitted the doctor because of contradictory testimony from witnesses, the government-run website EgyNews reported.

The issue came to light last year after several women alleged they were subjected to such examinations following a March 2011 protest in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

Samira Ibrahim took Egypt’s military-led government to court in August, alleging she was among those subjected to the test after her arrest during the March 9, 2011, protest. She said she faced death threats after bringing the case.

On Sunday, the 25-year-old marketing manager said the ruling devastated her.

“This is rape, and I fainted when I heard the verdict in court,” she said. “God knows the truth, and it will always be a black spot in Egypt’s history.”

Adel Ramadan, an attorney represented Ibrahim, said he planned to take the case to authorities outside Egypt, such as the International Criminal Court.

“Internal judiciary options have let us down, and we don’t think there is judicial independence,” he said. “The Supreme Council ruling the country has been denying everything from torture, killing protesters, and now this atrocious crime of forcedvirginity tests of young innocent females. We will not accept this verdict.”

EgyNews reported that during the hearing, the judge said he was not pressured to make his ruling. But Ibrahim accused the court of bias.

He should have been tried in a civilian court, not in a military court, where they protect their own. The judge said that there were contradictions and he was not pressured at all. I highly doubt that,” she said.

Presidential candidate Abdullah Shalaan said the ruling showed the military government’s flaws.

“They will never indict one of their own. In all the cases of killing protesters, no real investigations were done, just fact-finding committees that submit their findings,” he said. “No real justice has been served, and this is another example. I congratulate this brave woman for standing against them regardless of the final verdict.” (SOURCE)

It should be noted that while the government has denied these cases ever happened, an Egyptian general did admit to these tests being done.

Once again, it appears the one step forward, two steps back meme is becoming a reality to women who put their lives on the line to make history and participate in the Arab Spring.

Posted in Egypt, rape, violence against women, virginity tests | Leave a comment

Texas high school team chants “USA!” after win over majority Hispanic team

Posted on March 10, 2012 by New Black Woman

Having been born and raised in the American south, I have never been surprised by the overt racism and xenophobia that often comes out to play every couple of years. It’s to be expected living in the land of Dixie and the Old South.

Case in point:

The San Antonio Independent School District filed a complaint with the UIL on Tuesday regarding a chant by Alamo Heights students after a boys basketball game against Edison High School on Saturday.

Heights students chanted “USA! USA!” after the Mules won the Region IV-4A championship against Edison at Littleton Gym on Saturday.

Edison’s roster is predominantly Hispanic.

The chant lasted for about five seconds. Alamo Heights head coach Andrew Brewer silenced the students as soon as he heard them.

SAISD athletic director Gil Garza filed the complaint with the University Interscholastic League, the governing body for Texas public schools. It was the second year in a row that a complaint about racially motivated chants was filed after the Region IV-4A basketball tournament.

A similar incident occurred last year in a game between Cedar Park and Lanier high schools.

“A bunch of kids made a poor decision, but we can’t ignore it,” Garza said. “Our community is fed up.”

A bunch of kids “made a poor decision.” Is that what we’re calling acts of racism and xenophobia nowadays?

Apparently, this isn’t anything new in Texas:

In last year’s incident, Cedar Park students chanted “USA, USA,” and “Arizona, Arizona,” the latter being a reference to the controversial immigration bill passed by that state. Leander ISD officials formally apologized.

“What’s different is that Cedar Park’s chants were throughout the game, and Alamo Heights took immediate action,” Garza said. “But it’s really frustrating that kids work so hard to get to this level and there’s another group of kids degrading them.”

What makes this so glaring is these kids were playing another American high school basketball team, which further makes this racist, xenophobic act quite bizarre.

This type of behavior by kids frustrates me because this obviously isn’t something they spontaneously started doing in jest. This type of racist, xenophobic behavior is learned early on in the home and somehow taught to children that it’s perfectly acceptable to lampoon other racial and ethnic minorities that whiteness continues to demonize on a regular basis.

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