Women's Rights
By Ally Karpel, 3/30/2020
On March 22, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting “non-essential” medical procedures for 30 days. State Attorney General Ken Paxton clarified the next day that the order would include a ban on nearly all abortions. Dozens of states have delayed non-urgent procedures since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak to conserve equipment and safeguard medical personnel during this crisis. While we support these difficult but necessary steps to preserve public health, the abortion ban in Gov. Abbot’s order doesn’t protect Texans – it hurts them. Abortion is safe... Read More
By Ally Karpel, 1/06/2020
Growing up in Texas, the summer of 2013 was a monumental time to be inspired by the power of women’s voices. A high school student at the time, I remember eagerly following along that June as State Senator Wendy Davis stood firm in her iconic pink running shoes as she filibustered a highly-restrictive abortion bill for 11 hours straight. The bill sought to impose some of the harshest targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP) laws in the country, including a requirement that abortion clinics meet the same standards that hospital-style surgical centers do, and a mandate that... Read More
By Ally Karpel, 12/03/2019
In the spring of 2019, an alarming surge in anti-abortion legislation took place in state legislatures across the U.S. Nine states enacted gestational age bans on abortion, many as early as 6 weeks -- before most individuals even know they are pregnant. Fortunately, all bans have been blocked by federal judges from taking effect for the time being. Four states adopted legislation that would ban abortion immediately in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, joining eight other states that already had so-called “... Read More
By Katie Wysong, 10/30/2019
Thirty years ago, Congress first officially designated October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic and sexual violence cut across lines of class, race, nationality, gender identity, and sexual orientation - and the Jewish community is not immune. We care about the issue of domestic violence not only because it effects our community, but also because our tradition teaches us to. Domestic violence violates the Jewish belief in kavod ha’briyot, the fundamental dignity of every individual, and is an abhorrent violation of the sanctity and wholeness of the body and health... Read More
By Ellen Olshansky, 7/25/2019
It is ironic that a famous cigarette commercial directed toward women decades ago touted “We’ve come a long way, baby” as it became “more acceptable” for women to smoke cigarettes! The meaning was that women were now independent and could make their own choices to smoke if that’s what they wanted. Is that really coming a long way? I think not; instead it was a pitch to encourage women to smoke. And so I pose the question: Have we truly come a long way? Why are we still questioning whether women should be able to make their own decisions about their own bodies despite the fact that they can... Read More
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