The first state to eliminate the death penalty.  How about that?

posted by Anne

So a group of nine intrepid feminists under the banner of the National Org for Women strode valiantly into the halls of the New Jersey legislature today to convince lawmakers that they had better post the gol-darned bill or there'd be heck to pay. Some NOW members had babes in arms, others just arms (kidding!!!) All told there were around a hundred activists present from several organizations who make up the NJ Time To Care Coalition, all lobbying for family leave insurance S2249/A3812.

Let's say a little prayer to whatever deity you personally subscribe to that today's effort had the desired effect; on Thursday of this week 12/13, the NJ Assembly Democrats will be holding a caucus to decide whether or not they have enough votes to post the bill. More info as we get it. We want the bill posted, voted on and passed onto Gov. Corzine without a small business carve-out and with the ten weeks leave intact.

(Nina Suraci, a dear Sister and former Secretary of Morris County NOW passed away this past Friday 12/7 after battling a long illness. She had sparkling eyes, she was a builder of common ground between diferent communities and she had a great sense of humor. In her memory, "¡Cada madre es una mujer trabajadora!. Nina, you will be with us always.)

Posted by Laurie

 

This month the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SEICUS) released a scary report entitled Legalized Discrimination:  The Rise of the Marriage-Promotion Industry and How Federally Funded Programs Discriminate Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth and Families.  The report is about the billions of taxpayer dollars being used under the guise of public health and social welfare to push the conservative agenda promoting heterosexual marriage(not that there is anything wrong with that) above all else - above real public health, medical opinion, scientific evidence and just plan honesty. The entire report can be found at http://www.siecus.org/policy/SpecialReports/index.html.  (You may have to click on the blue Policy & Advocacy box).  The report examines "the marriage-promotion programs and the federally subsidized industry they have created by looking at the history of the programs, the money, the messages they give both adults and young people, the under-the-radar convergence of both programs and funding, and the conservative social agenda behind these programs." (pg. 1)   To avoid any accusations of plagiarism, anything I put in quotes comes from SEICUS's report and I will indicate the page number.  Now, let me brighten your day with just some highlights:

- $50 million in federal funds  is allocated to provide grants to states for abstinence-only-until marriage programs (which even the feds acknowledge does not reduce sexual activity among teens). While these programs have very strict parameters for operation, conservatives lawmakers were not happy SO...

- In 2000 they created another funding stream for marriage promotion, the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) grant program and in order to have more control,  the states are completely bypassed in allocating these grants.  The allocation is done by Administration for Children & Families (ACF).  In 2006,  ACF  showing a "total disregard for the diversity of America's families and for responsible spending, shifted from promoting abstinence among teens as a way to reduce 'risky behavior' to promoting abstinence because it 'improves preparation for a stable marriage.'" (p.6).  The guidelines for these programs mandate the marriage must be defined  as a "legal union between one man and one women as a husband and wife."  (Hey, maybe gay and lesbian students can opt out of the programs - oh, that would mean they would have to be in an environment where they feel SAFE to be out).

- These programs tell young people "marriage is more important than college or a career," "those who have sex outside of marriage lack character and are no longer marriage material," (pg.9), sexual activity will lead to guilt, anger, fear, low self-esteem, children in single parent households are at greater risk for drug abuse, suicide, depression, arrest and pregnancy. (p.19).

- These programs do not provide information concerning STD's, contraception, gender stereotypes, HIV-prevention and provide misinformation about condom failure, pregnancy options, sexual orientation and family structure.

The report by SEICUS is quite comprehensive and I could go on and on but I think you get the point.  Tax dollars (in the billions! The House recently approved an increase in CBAE funding from $113 million to $141 million) have been and are being spent by private companies promoting a conservative agenda that not only leaves LGBT students or those with LGBT parents feeling inferior and ostracized but also fails to adequately educate our youth and give them the information and tools needed to make informed choices in their lives.  The good news is that 14 states refuse these federal funds because the programs don't meet the states own strict guidelines for comprehensive sex education.  The bad news is that 36 states do accept the funds.

posted by Heather