Feature Archives

On March 3rd, Wal-Mart announced that it will stock emergency contraception (EC) in all of its pharmacies, starting on March 20th. This is seen as a concession to pressure from national women's rights organizations and their supporters. The company has stated that it will maintain its "conscientious objection" policy, which, it reports, is consistent with the tenets of the American Pharmaceutical Association. This policy, except where prohibited by law, "allows any Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB pharmacy associate who does not feel comfortable dispensing a prescription to refer customers to another pharmacist or pharmacy."

On Feb. 1st, three women filed a lawsuit against the national chain for not dispensing emergency contraception (also known as Plan B) in Massachusetts. Before the lawsuit even reached court, a state agency ruled that Wal-Mart was required by law to stock and sell emergency contraception in Massachusetts. The company is required to sell the product in Illinois, and pressure to introduce similar mandates is building in Connecticut and New York.

NOW named Wal-Mart a "Merchant of Shame" nearly four years ago, pointing to the retail giant's long list of alleged workplace abuses, including sex and race discrimination in pay, promotion and compensation, and its refusal to stock EC. "It's a step in the right direction," NOW President Kim Gandy said. "But Wal-Mart has a long way to go before it has policies that value people over the bottom line, such as paying its employees a living wage and providing healthcare benefits." NOW says that its chapters regularly picket the retail giant, demanding changes in its anti-women policies. NARAL Pro-Choice America is encouraging people to write to Wal-Mart to encourage the company to change its pharmacy refusal policy.

Planned Parenthood's Fill My Pills NOW website

On Friday, March 3rd, and every Friday until the state of emergency ends, the Gabriela Network says, it will hold Emergency Rallies in San Francisco Against the State of Emergency in the Philippines. People will gather at Sutter and Powell in San Francisco from 5pm to 7pm to demand an end to the state of emergency, the ouster of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and freedom for the six party-list congresspeople who were arrested in the last week, and all political prisoners. The Gabriela Network is an organization of women in the US and the Philippines.

There will be weekly picket lines on Mondays in Washington DC; on Tuesdays in Seattle; Wednesdays in New York; Thursdays in Chicago; Fridays in Los Angeles and San Francisco; Saturdays at Irvine; and Sundays in San Diego. The date on which President Arroyo declared a State of Emergency/Martial Law was the 20th anniversary of the "People Power" movement to oust dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Rallies that have been held since the declaration have been violently dispersed, and warrants have been issued for activists from grassroots organizations. Read more about Arroyo's actions and the San Francisco rallies

Gabriela Network | Read more on Indybay's International News Page

On February 28th, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that could add to the increasing difficulty women face in obtaining reproductive health services. NOW says that if the Court's 8-0 decision in Scheidler, et al., v. National Organization for Women (NOW), et al. and Operation Rescue v. NOW, et al. ushers in a return to clinic violence in the United States, the organization is ready to fight in every jurisdiction.

For two decades, NOW has pursued every legal strategy, including three Supreme Court cases, to stave off the violent attacks that gripped this country from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. This case was brought under the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and had been one of the organization's most successful long-term strategies. A federal jury had found unanimously that these defendants had engaged in a nationwide criminal enterprise to close women's health clinics through extortion, violence and threats of violence, and specified over a hundred acts in furtherance of their efforts.

NOW helped to draft and enact the Freedom of Access to Clinics Entrances Act in 1994, and intends to use that law to its fullest extent in pursuing those who would use violent means to prevent women from making their own reproductive decisions. Read more of NOW's statement

The filing of the Scheidler case and the resulting injunction, which protected clinics nationwide, contributed to the dramatic reduction in clinic violence that we have witnessed in recent years. Without strong protections against clinic assaults, the legal right to abortion could become meaningless. If women are too terrified to walk into clinics and healthcare providers are too terrified to keep their doors open, then the fight for reproductive freedom will be lost, even with Roe v. Wade still on the books. NARAL Pro-Choice America reports that in the past year there have been an attempted firebombing at a Louisiana clinic, and an incidence of arson in Florida. In the past decade approximately two murders, one attempted murder, two bombings, 18 incidents of arson, 298 acts of vandalism, 642 anthrax threats, 121 bomb threats, and 27 blockades have occurred at clinics. Since 1993, three doctors, two clinic employees, a clinic escort, and a security guard have been murdered. In addition to these seven murders, 17 attempted murders have also occurred since 1991. NOW has vowed to continue to use every legal tool at its disposal to protect women's right to obtain abortion services.

March 6th Update: South Dakota's governor today signed into law a ban on abortion in that state. The governor said that he expects that the law will be disputed in court and would not be allowed to take effect in July, as had been planned.

Both houses of the South Dakota legislature passed HB 1215 on February 22nd, agreeing to ban abortion. The law does not make exceptions for women who seek abortions due to rape, incest, or threats to their health. The Senate decided after debate that the only abortions that would be allowed in South Dakota would be those that are needed to save a woman's life. Also rejected was an effort to allow South Dakotans to decide the question in a referendum, and an effort to prevent state tax dollars from financing what is certain to be a long and expensive court battle.

The bill now goes to anti-choice Governor Mike Rounds, who will have 15 days to make his decision about signing. Although he has not indicated whether he will sign the bill, Rounds has said, “[a]bortion . . . should always be illegal.” However, he also said that he was uncertain if now was the right time for a "full frontal attack" on Roe v. Wade, as opposed to pressing for more laws that restrict abortions — limiting timing, methods, or the requirements for parental notification. The president of NARAL Pro-Choice America said, “South Dakotans who cherish the fundamental American values of freedom and personal responsibility must call on Gov. Rounds to veto this egregious legislation. We should work to reduce the need for abortion, not continue to battle about Roe v. Wade.”

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and Planned Parenthood Minnesota North Dakota South Dakota (PPMNS) denounced the South Dakota Senate's vote to ban abortion, and announced that they will fight the ban in court to protect Planned Parenthood patients. Tennessee faces similar legislation this week: Tennessee IMC coverage

Statements from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America | NY Times article and Indybay readers' comments

Women in Oakland and Fresno, California, New York City, Rochester and Albany New York, Tucson, Arizona, Lake Worth and Sarasota, Florida, and Montpelier, Vermont headed to their local recruiting offices to try to enlist as a Valentine gift.

Over 200 people went to an Oakland army recruitment station on Tuesday, February 14th to offer to trade places with young soldiers in Iraq. The crowd, which was made up of mostly elder women, called out that they were there to enlist, so that the young people could come home from the war. This noon-time demonstration was organized by the Bay Area Chapter of Grandmothers for Peace. Passersby were handed small leaflets explaining the women’s mission. The Oakland recruiting office was dark and the doors locked during the action. A soldier who was guarding the building from down the block said, "The pink ladies come every Wednesday. They hold up signs of dead people and stay for about a half an hour." Report and photos

In Fresno, some 25 Raging Grannies handed out Valentines Cards and sang songs as they tried to enlist in the military. After singing for a while, the Grannies entered the military recruiters' offices. The marines, air force, and army recruiters seemed so afraid of the Raging Grannies that they closed and locked their doors. The women put their Valentine's cards through mail slots. Then many of the Grannies entered the navy's office and spoke with two recruiters. After about 5 minutes of discussion, the recruiters asked the Grannies to leave; when they exited, the Grannies saw several Fresno police officers outside of the building. Apparently the marines, air force, and army had to call in re-enforcements to protect them from the Grannies, some of whom were using canes and walkers to get around. Report and photos

Read more about the Raging Grannies and Grandmothers for Peace

On March 8th, International Women's Day, a delegation of Iraqi mothers planned to go to Washington DC, where they were joined by grieving U.S. mothers like Cindy Sheehan. Together they planned to deliver "Women Say No to War" signatures to the White House, meet with members of Congress, release a report on the impact of this war on Iraqi women, and call for the U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

CODEPINK is looking for people to help fund the visit of the Iraqi women, and to support Codepink's Iraqi women fund.

CODEPINK collected thousands of signaturesfor a Urgent Call for Peace by March 8th.

The Women Say No to War website says, "The larger picture in organizing for March 8 is to create a connected, sustained way for women to stand against war everywhere. If we can halt the largest military empire in human history, we will know we can stop wars in many places." List of events There were two events in Oakland and one in San Luis Obispo on that day. Ideas for organizing local events

On March 8th, International Women's Day, a delegation of Iraqi mothers will go to Washington DC, where they will be joined by grieving U.S. mothers like Cindy Sheehan. Together they will deliver "Women Say No to War" signatures to the White House, meet with members of Congress, release a report on the impact of this war on Iraqi women, and call for the U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

CODEPINK is looking for people to help fund the visit of the Iraqi women, and to support Codepink's Iraqi women fund.

CODEPINK has a goal of collecting 100,000 signatures on the Urgent Call for Peace by March 8th. One-third of the signatures have been collected.

The Women Say No to War website says, "The larger picture in organizing for March 8 is to create a connected, sustained way for women to stand against war everywhere. If we can halt the largest military empire in human history, we will know we can stop wars in many places." List of events Ideas for organizing local events. There will be two events in Oakland and one in San Luis Obispo on that day.