Entries for June 2006
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Geez, those abortion-rights folks just won't give it up. Even though EvangelAmerica (sic) is close to overturning Roe v. Wade and seems determined to outlaw abortion, those pesky pro-choicers keep finding "ways around."
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Equal-opportunity adultery coverage?
Do the media give equal time to Democrat and Republican recreants seeking the nation's highest office? That's the question posed in the latest issue of the liberal Washington Monthly magazine and making the rounds on liberal blogs such as Alternet.org.
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Title IX and single-sex education
Other Title IX changes: When you think "Title IX," you think women's sports. But the imbroglio over changes to the law involves much more.
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Title IX politics
Friday, June 23, marked the 34th anniversary of Title IX. OK, so it's not a bellwether number like 25 or even 35. But it's still worth noting on this particular anniversary, Title IX is a shadow of its former selfa landmark law that, like an athlete going into retirement, has lost a lot of muscle. And I'm not just talking about its power to promote women in sports.
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The "manny" revolution
What's a "manny"? you might ask. Remember nannies? Now it's mannies. Celebrity mom Britney Spears is making headlines with her new male nanny, Perry Taylor. But she's not alone.
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Pre-pregnant, pregnant, or retired
By 2010, the Bush administration's Department of Health and Human Services wants all new mothers to be breast-feeding for at least the first six months. Six months of breast-feeding is a tough proposition for the majority of working new moms because fewer than one third of companies have a private area for mothers to breast-feed, and fewer than 10 percent offer child care.
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"Born to be Breast-fed"
The federal government's "Born to be Breast-fed" campaign is sparking controversy even as it winds down. Click here and prepare to be reviled. You'll see one of several public service television announcements prepared under the auspices of the Bush administration's Department of Health and Human Services. It shows a floridly pregnant woman bouncing and flailing about on a mechanical bull (a second ad shows two late-term preggers log-rolling). As the bull rider buffets wildly, belly and all, the message to women is, this type of risky behavior during pregnancy is as bad for fetuses as NOT breast-feeding is for newborns.
The ads are winding down a two-year run, but they are now sparking renewed criticism from women's groups who believe the administration isn't doing enough to promote breast-feeding, is caving into baby formula company censorship, or, at the other extreme, is portraying women as walking wombs.
In and of itself, promotion of breast-feeding is a good thing. Whether it's the province of the federal government is quite another matter. Promotion of breast-feeding is also not a new thing. Children's health experts have long touted breast-feeding as a major health benefit because breast-fed babies are less likely to develop ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and diarrhea.
But critics say this campaign goes too far because it actually guilt-trips new mothers. It could make mothers who cannot or choose not to breast-feed feel guilty. Considering that 60 percent of new mothers work, breast-feeding is simply not feasible for all of them.
UP NEXT: Why all new mothers can't breast-feed, and Bush's HSS is strapped with a problematic message.
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About Bonnie Erbe
Bonnie Erbe has covered Washington politics since God was a baby. Because of that, and the fact that she's a native New Yorker, nothing much surprises her anymore. She has covered Congress, the Supreme Court, the Justice Department, and occasionally the White House for radio and television networks. She also hosts PBS's weekly news analysis program, To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbe, and writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column for Scripps Howard News Service. To the Contrary will allow you to lift the curtain of partisanship for a refreshingly non-partisan perspective on politics, the environment, religion, and issues that affect the lives of women, families, and communities of color.advertisement
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