Weekly Feminist Reader

Feministing:

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco (D) signed three anti-choice measures into law banning dilation and extraction abortions and requiring providers to offer fetal anesthesia.

How Bush's war on women is also a war on science.

The pay gap is still wide in Europe.

Christian white male supremacists the Promise Keepers are regrouping.

On women and their marvelous "multitasking" abilities.

Two former sexworkers are running for seats in Parliament in Turkey.

Rumors are circulating that Don Imus might be back on the air soon, but groups are lining up to try to prevent that.

Gay veterans go on the road to oppose "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The EPA is changing its reporting requirements, which is bad news for women's health.

Local small businesses are adopting the "babe chain" approach to selling their services.

Making movies based on books with a strong woman of color as the protagonist? Awesome. Casting white women to play the lead role when the movie is actually made? Decidedly not awesome.

How to the '08 presidential candidates measure up on the issue of sex ed?

Real Women, Real Voices has ongoing coverage of the Alabama clinic protests. (Anti-choice leader Flip Benham was recently arrested.) See also Gloria Feldt on who's responsible for reining in clinic protests.

The IRS rejects a transwoman's write-off of her sex-change surgery, calling it cosmetic, not medically necessary.

On gender roles in action films, specifically Live Free or Die Hard.

Cara rounds up some inane Hillary coverage.

Bad girls, bad girls, whatcha gonna do? Increase ratings, of course.

Anti-choicers want permission to wear "Right to Life" logos while working the polls.

Nigerian human rights activist Dorothy Aken’Ova faces osctracization and intimidation.

The Washington Post botches its Plan B coverage.

On not identifying as trans.

Saudi Arabia is creating "women only" work centers.

The IWF talks about sex, baby. (Without, of course, taking a stance on the availability of contraception.)

House committees investigate abstinence funding in anti-AIDS programs.

Where curly-haired women gather to get the kinks ironed out.

Violence against women in Afghanistan is skyrocketing.

Amnesty International defines reproductive rights as human rights (YES. Finally!), and responds to critics.

On the absence of abortion in this summer's hit movies.

British police are offering a 20,000 pound reward for information about people involved with female genital mutilation.

My girl Lauren reports that some transgender kids are receiving hormones to delay the onset of puberty.

On Pakistan's "Burqa Brigade" of moral militants.

The charges against former Israeli President Minister Moshe Katsav are spurring more women to come forward about their own sexual assault experiences.

The evolution of Katie Roiphe.

Female inmates in New Hampshire speak out about overcrowding.

Ghanaian women push for more property rights.