USA creeps closer to 'A Handmaid's Tale'

Democrats tore into House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R) for preventing women from testifying before a hearing examining the Obama administration’s new regulation requiring employers and insurers to provide contraception coverage to their employees. Republicans oppose the administration’s rule and have sponsored legislation that would allow employers to limit the availability of birth control to women.

Ranking committee member Elijah Cummings (D) had asked Issa to include a female witness at the hearing, but the Chairman refused, arguing that “[...] the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception but instead about the Administration’s actions as they relate to freedom of religion and conscience [the] congressman insisted that the hearing should focus on the rules’ alleged infringement on “religious liberty,” not contraception coverage, and denied the request. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Eleanor Holmes Norton walked out of the hearing in protest of his decision, citing frustration over the fact that the first panel of witnesses consisted only of male religious leaders [...]

From here:

I can see why the Republicans would bar female religious leaders from the hearing; they would bring their wombs, whose dangerous *humours* they fear.

ADDED: And. Also. This.

On February 14th the Virginia State House passed an anti-abortion measure that would mandate that a woman seeking an abortion be required to undergo what is called a trans-vaginal ultrasound. This is a type of pelvic ultrasound that is used to look at a woman’s reproductive organs. Unlike a normal ultrasound, this type of ultrasound is an invasive procedure. A woman lies on her back with her feet in stirrups, as the health care provider places a probe covered with a condom and lubrication into her vagina.

State-sanctioned rape for women needing an abortion.

Cool Site

Religious Right Alert. It seems to be newish, this-monthish.

From their About Us page:

Religious Right Alert is written and run by a volunteer group of bloggers from across Canada.

We come from different political and religious backgrounds and share a common interest in observing religious/socio/political intersections, interactions and involvements in Canada. Religious Right Alert has been set up to compile and comment on posts Canadian bloggers have published over the years, as well as traditional media articles.

There has not been a general site in Canada as yet recognizing the observations and hard work done by bloggers. While sites such as Religious Tolerance do an excellent job in explaining theology and beliefs, we are attempting to bring together a vast body of work already done by many.

We will be compiling, commenting and staying current on the movement of religious right groups and individuals across the country and their ties to the larger movement in the US and across the world.

This is a larger effort than the four bloggers who are setting up this site, and we welcome volunteers, submissions, posts and tips.

I had some fun tripping down memory lane by hitting various tags like Henry Morgentaler.

(But I confess -- I got there tracking back a referring url. DJ's deBeauxOs is linked to here.)

I hope they keep up the good work.