The Minnesota Independent

Women’s Issues - Latest Stories

Women of color face wealth and wage gaps

By Megan Carpentier | 03.09.10 | 2:55 pm

woman symbol iStockA new report from the Insight Center for Community Economic Development highlights one big reason that just addressing wage gaps — be they gender- or race-based — won’t necessarily change the disproportionate number of African-Americans who find…

Anti-porn bill would reduce sexual assault, advocates say

By Andy Birkey | 03.08.10 | 2:32 pm

Five Minnesota lawmakers — four Democrats and a Republican — are proposing legislation they hope will reduce sexual assault in Minnesota. The bill, introduced Feb. 25, would give preference when planning taxpayer-funded events to hotels and meeting facilities that do not show violent or exploitative pornography.

Abortion enters GAMC funding debate

By Andy Birkey | 02.22.10 | 11:04 am

abortionAbortion politics got injected into the process of passing GAMC, a health care program for childless adults in Minnesota living below the poverty line. As the Minnesota House was set to pass the a bill to extend the program…

As Speaker and guv candidate, Kelliher’s twin tasks are ‘tough, risky’

By Chris Steller | 01.25.10 | 12:08 pm

Margaret Anderson Kelliher is about to attempt a rarely tried feat: serving as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives during a contentious legislative session while at the same time running for governor in a competitive DFL field.

Pawlenty, Bachmann, Paulsen rally against abortion

By Andy Birkey | 01.25.10 | 9:31 am

Anti-abortion activists marched at a rally on the Capitol steps on Friday at an event featuring prayers, hymns, and speeches by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Reps. Erik Paulsen and Michele Bachmann. Capitol police said that the rally, sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, brought about 5,000 people to the Capitol steps. The annual event coincides with the anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade.

From Minnesota prison, anti-abortion activist praises Tiller’s killing

By Andy Birkey | 01.21.10 | 2:31 pm

shelleyshannonAs the trial against Scott Roeder, an anti-abortion activist who gunned down Dr. George Tiller last year, gets under way, another anti-abortion activist who attempted to murder Tiller is praising Roeder’s actions from her prison cell in Minnesota.

Pawlenty to headline anti-abortion gala

By Andy Birkey | 01.13.10 | 4:46 pm

PawlentyGov. Tim Pawlenty will be traveling to Washington in March to beef up his cred among anti-abortion activists at the Susan B. Anthony List’s third annual Campaign for Life Gala. The SBA List funds anti-abortion candidates around the…

State pays for ‘misinformation’ about reproductive health

By Andy Birkey | 01.13.10 | 9:50 am

Through the Positive Alternatives program, the state of Minnesota is paying for programs that encourage women who are pregnant or think they may be pregnant to forgo abortion. But according to experts, some of these taxpayer-funded programs are intentionally misleading women in crisis by spreading inaccurate information about reproductive health options. And a large amount of money in the program goes to overtly religious organizations, some that include Bible study among their grant-funded activities.

GOP bill could bring ‘Choose Life’ license plates to Minnesota

By Andy Birkey | 01.13.10 | 8:45 am

mntag-150x71Anti-abortion license plates could appear on vehicles in Minnesota if a new bill passes the legislature this year. Legislators submitted a flurry of new bills on Monday well ahead of the start of the session in February. One submitted…

Franken bill to give servicewomen access to emergency contraception

By Paul Schmelzer | 01.11.10 | 3:56 pm

Sens. Al Franken and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) have sponsored a bipartisan bill that would require military medical facilities to include emergency contraceptives among medications available to servicewomen.