(WOMENSENEWS)–
Cheers
President Barack Obama signed the landmark law to allow homosexuals to serve openly for the first time in America’s armed forces, ending the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy, reported the Guardian Dec. 22. Obama said he was proud to sign a law that "will strengthen our national security and uphold the ideals that our fighting men and women risk their lives to defend." He added, "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie." Women in the military experienced the harsh consequences of the former policy than men.
More News to Cheer This Week:
- The birth rate for teenagers fell 6 percent between 2008 and 2009, to 39 births per 1,000 teens from 41.5 the previous year, the lowest rate in 70 years, the Centers for Disease Control said in a study, the Washington Post reported Dec. 22.
- Craigslist has confirmed that it removed its controversial adult services section from its international sites, reported National Public Radio Dec. 22.
- Women’s earnings will recover more quickly than those of men as the U.S. economy rebounds due to lighter job loss, reported Bloomberg Dec. 21.
- Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, breast-feeding will find better accommodation in the workplace, reported the Los Angeles Times Dec. 17.
Jeers
The Senate and House approved the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 but not the Burris Amendment, which would have repealed the law forbidding servicewomen and female military dependents from using their own money for abortion services at military hospitals, reported the National Women’s Law Center Dec. 22.
More News to Jeer This Week:
- The head of the Catholic Church in Phoenix has stripped Arizona’s largest hospital of its Catholic affiliation after he ruled that a decision to save the life of a mother by terminating her 11-week pregnancy was morally wrong, reported the Guardian Dec. 22.
- The stress of military service in a war zone may later contribute to an increased risk of mental health problems if a female veteran becomes pregnant, reported Sify News Dec. 22.
- The Vatican issued a statement saying condoms may only be used for disease prevention but never to prevent pregnancy, reported the New York Times Dec. 21.
- The Congressional Joint Economic Committee released a new wage gap report showing the gap persisting at women making 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, reported Ms. Magazine Dec. 17.
Would you like to Comment but not sure how? Visit our help page at https://womensenews.org/help-making-comments-womens-enews-stories.
Would you like to Send Along a Link of This Story?
https://womensenews.org/story/cheers-and-jeers/101224/military-ends-dont-ask-keeps-abortion-ban
