Dangerous bills that harm women’s health, ridiculous legislation that tramples on women’s rights — in the fight for reproductive freedom, it can feel like every headline is so absurd and that we have to label it #NotTheOnion. But it’s not all bad news. In fact, when it comes to winning when it counts, women are crushing it. Just take these recent wins for women in this roundup of last month’s good news.
Supreme Court Sides With Pregnant Workers in Young v. UPS
On March 25 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a worker who sued UPS for discriminating against her for being pregnant, the Huffington Post reports. While Peggy Young was pregnant, UPS put her on unpaid leave rather than allow her to work light duty — which left Young without health insurance and months of wages. The Supreme Court sent her lawsuit back to a lower court. Our takeaway: It’s a WIN for everyone who believes that it’s unjust to allow employers to deny pregnant women the same kind of accommodations other workers get. We’ll take it!
Laying the Foundation: Work begins on New Orleans Planned Parenthood Facility
On March 23 concrete was poured at the much-anticipated Planned Parenthood health center in New Orleans, the Times-Picayune reports. Planned Parenthood has been fighting doggedly to open this center, which would give New Orleans women access to sorely needed preventive health care.
Re-Opening of Grand Rapids Planned Parenthood
With news of health center closings across the country over the last several years, Planned Parenthood Mid and South Michigan was so happy to open a newly renovated health center in Grand Rapids, MI, reports WZZM-13. The building now includes an education center. Here’s to helping Michigan women access the care they need!
Wisconsin Rules Anti-Abortion Law Unconstitutional
On March 20, a Wisconsin court struck down a law requiring doctors who perform abortions to get admitting privileges at local hospitals, the Chicago Tribune reports. The law was ruled unconstitutional by District Judge William Conley, who wrote: "the State has failed to meet its burden of demonstrating through credible evidence a link between the admitting privileges requirement and a legitimate health interest." The law was a type of targeted restriction on abortion providers, or “TRAP” law, which are often passed under the guise of protecting women’s health in order to impose medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion. Take that, TRAP!
Pittsburgh Judge Upholds Buffer Zones Around Planned Parenthood
On March 6 a federal judge upheld a 15-foot buffer zone around abortion providers in Pittsburgh, PA, which has a history of anti-abortion violence, RH Reality Check reports. This 15-foot zone allows patients to enter health centers at a distance from protesters’ harassment. The judge concluded that the ordinance does not violate anti-abortion protesters’ First Amendment rights.
Tags: TRAP, Abortion restrictions, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Peggy Young
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