All of the new Oklahoma laws aimed at limiting abortion and contraception are great for the Republican family that lives in a gingerbread house with a two-car garage, two planned kids and a dog. In the real world, they are less than perfect…yet I cannot convince my Republican colleagues that one of the best ways to eliminate abortions is to ensure access to contraception.Doug Cox, a Republican state legislator and practicing physician, in an op-ed today. “Denying access to [the morning-after pill] is a sure way to increase legal and back-alley abortions,” Cox wrote. “Moreover, such a law would discriminate against low-income women who depend on Medicaid for their health care.” Oklahoma Republicans have proposed several draconian restrictions on abortion and contraception; while Cox opposes abortion, he’s been honored by Planned Parenthood for defending a woman’s right to contraception and “effectively argu[ing] against more than 160 anti-women’s health measures.” source
Abstinence-only education is now illegal in Illinois. A bill passed two days ago by the state senate will require that schools with sex education classes include units on birth control. Schools can opt out of sex education altogether if they so desire (as they can now), and they’ll still have to teach that abstinence is the only absolute, surefire way to prevent pregnancy and STIs, but now they’ll have to provide information on contraceptives as well. The governor is expected to sign the bill. source
After Australian cyclist Caroline Buchanan attached the image above to a tweet reading “Haha, the rumours are true. Olympic village,” IOC officials descended on the Olympic Village to determine how the unauthorized prophylactics got past security. Once spotted, officials promptly pulled the condoms out of the village, and have asked that athletes not share unsponsored products with one another. Admittedly, prior to this story, we weren’t aware that the Olympics even had an official condom; however, after doing a bit of digging, we think we may have figured out what the real problem is here. We figure the Kangaroo condoms probably didn’t pass Boris’ rigorous inspection. (context here) source
“This is definitely a milestone in this long battle for safety in adult films, but we still have a long way to go,” said AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein, whose group has fought for the measure for years. The industry has long had trouble with the spread of AIDS.
redkeg asks: I'd argue that the selected cover is the right decision. The article isn't about the stuff that goes behind voters' bedroom doors, sexy naked flesh, whether or not Republicans view masturbation as a sin or prying into the sex lives of the candidates (or Romney's fertilized egg, gross). It is strictly about the political football of contraception—specifically who pays for the most expensive version of it, birth control. The other designers missed the point. Completely.
» SFB says: (In reference to this.) Totally feel you for the story-related reasons, but one thing to keep in mind is that if Andrew Sullivan had written the story a bit more broadly, not focusing on the current controversy and angling towards a broader rise of the culture wars, some of those other covers might have worked out a little better. Newsweek’s note itself said that the illustrators work on these before they get the full story. Visually, I’m a huge fan of the condom one, but in this case, you’re right. Newsweek picked the right option for the story. — Ernie @ SFB
Headway in the fight against HIV: A drug called Truvada is effective in preventing AIDS contraction up to 73% of the time, according to two new studies carried out in Africa. The drug has been tested before with less stellar results, but researchers now suspect the earlier study may have been flawed. The catch with preventative drugs, of course, is that you have to remember to take them before the risk presents itself, but still, this is great news. source
We’re going to pretend we saw this one coming. (h/t Daily Caller) source
I can’t add much to what’s already been (and will be) ...
One of the perks of being an early employee...
Over the last 90 days, the Digg...
#FMMDI (at 30 Rockefeller Plaza)
Thanks. I guess my thoughts are as follows:
1. I think...
Two Months Ago I set out to interview the principal cast...
» Meanwhile … The rest of the world is ignoring him because nobody cares what the Pope thinks about condoms. Logic dictates that condoms work.
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