Dr. Erik Keroack (pro-abstinence Bush appointee who famously asserted that pre-marital sex would lower Oxycontin levels in the brain, and then you'll never be able to love anyone ever) will no longer oversee the program to provide birth control to low-income women. Someone qualified will replace him immediately, and Keroack will no doubt go back to telling minors lies about condoms and sex.

The United Kingdom branch of Amnesty International, once neutral on abortion issues, now supports safe, legal abortions around the world. "In response to current repressive abortion laws, however, AIUK has changed its position in order to continue protecting women's freedom, reproductive and sexual health, and human rights." 
Pro-lifers don't want to hear that crap about rights: "Abortion can never be described as a 'right…' [It] is a needless act of violence that kills babies and hurts women." Evidence shows that lack of clean water, war crimes, unsanitary and unsafe deliveries, and fistuals hurt women more. But who wants to protect those already living?

North Dakota is showing more and more that it's about abortion obsession is not about protecting the unborn or anyone else. Otherwise, anti-abortionists would want teenage girls to have prenatal care for their precious unborn, no matter what. But they don't. Underage girls need their parents' consent for that, too — or they go without, putting their own health and the health of their unborn babies in jeopardy. This is not about the unborn — this is about state control over your body and what you choose to do with it.

The same goes for Missouri. Governor Matt Blunt has cut all funding to Planned Parenthood centers — including the majority which do not even provide abortions but provide cancer screenings for women who otherwise would not have access. So, even if you're not seeking birth control, are not pregnant, or don't want an abortion, you will not be screened for a deadly disease as early as possible. Pro-life indeed.

"Researchers in Sweden…have found that equality could be associated with poorer health for both men and women." But the Harvard School of Public Health says: "We conclude that women experience higher mortality and morbidity in states where they have lower levels of political and economic autonomy. Living in such states has detrimental consequences for the health of men as well."

Another Harvard study: "…women who resided in states with high reproductive rights scored…lower [for depression]…compared with women who lived in states with lower reproductive rights. Gender inequality appears to contribute to depressive symptoms in women."

Well, I don't know about the rest of you ladies, but these results trump all others for me: "More Orgasms for Single Women."

For more studies on gender equality and happiness levels, see the Google search results.

Jennifer Leblanc