Civil Rights

WASHINGTON — In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, demand for various forms of contraceptives, including the so-called morning-after pill, and long-lasting forms of birth control, has... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration plans to reinstate Title IX regulations tossed by the Trump White House in 2020, restoring crucial protections for students who have been victims of sexual assault, sexual harassement or sex-based discrimination. In an announcement coinciding... Read More

WASHINGTON — The International Religious Freedom Summit 2022 came to a close in Washington on Thursday, but not before putting a spotlight on the global religious freedom movement and highlighting examples of religious persecution around the world. The summit purports... Read More

WASHINGTON — From the president of the United States to ordinary citizens as far away as Hawaii and Guam, nearly everyone, it seemed by Friday afternoon, was talking about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn two landmark precedents enshrining... Read More

WASHINGTON — Fifty  years ago today, 37 words changed the game for women all around America. Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which Richard Nixon signed into law on June 23, 1972.  The law states that “no person... Read More

WASHINGTON — As Title IX turns 50 this week, experts weigh in to discuss how its recent history could hint at what’s still to come for the landmark educational sexual discrimination law. When Title IX was being formulated in Congress,... Read More

WASHINGTON — For two generations, the words “you have the right to remain silent,” had been such a reliable part of American life — not to mention innumerable cop shows and movies — that they had almost become a cliche.... Read More

WASHINGTON — Title IX of the Education Amendments, the comprehensive federal law prohibiting sexual discrimination by any federally funded education program or activity, first became law on June 23, 1972, and its impact on the public education system still persists... Read More

WASHINGTON — The line originally comes from Ecclesiastes 3 in the King James version of The Bible, but is likely better known to generations of music fans due to the autumn 1965 hit “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds. “To... Read More

WASHINGTON — People flooded the streets in celebration of the Capital Pride Parade and Festival this weekend, which were held in person for the first time in two years due to the pandemic.  The theme of the Capital Pride events... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — The social media posts are of a distinct type. They hint darkly that the CIA or the FBI are behind mass shootings. They traffic in racist, sexist and homophobic tropes. They revel in the prospect of a “white... Read More

WASHINGTON — Data privacy advocates are sounding the alarm as the Supreme Court’s official opinion looms on the Mississippi lawsuit that likely could overturn the precedent for a woman’s right to an abortion set by Roe v. Wade. If the... Read More

WASHINGTON — The K-wave officially landed in the White House press room Tuesday, with an appearance by the Korean pop supergroup BTS drawing over 260,200 viewers to the live stream of the daily briefing. On a typical day, the briefing... Read More

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Legislature on Thursday passed the nation’s strictest abortion law to date, banning almost all abortions from the moment of conception. The bill itself was modeled on a law that took effect in Texas in September.... Read More

WASHINGTON — Abortion supporters and detractors made impassioned pleas before a congressional committee Wednesday while invoking constitutional rights or Biblical teachings. The House Judiciary Committee is considering one of several proposals in Congress on whether to enact a federal law... Read More

WASHINGTON — Thousands of protestors gathered on Saturday to march for abortion rights from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court building. The rally, called "Bans Off Our Bodies" was arranged by health organizations and advocates from across the country,... Read More

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Friday that the state child welfare agency can continue investigating parents and doctors who provide gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Gov. Greg Abbott’s February directive to the Texas Department of... Read More

WASHINGTON — The fact that defeat was in the bag didn’t reduce the sting for Senate Democrats who failed to pass legislation Wednesday that would have enshrined abortion rights into federal law and circumvented the Supreme Court’s anticipated overturning of... Read More

WASHINGTON — James Obergefell, who was in the nation’s capital this week to attend a fundraiser and visit with friends, wears the mantle of a civil rights icon lightly. Warm, often funny, and intelligent, the plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges,... Read More

WASHINGTON — A District of Columbia Council member wants to turn the nation’s capital into a sanctuary city for women seeking abortions who might be prosecuted or sued in their home states. A bill introduced last week by D.C. Councilmember... Read More

WASHINGTON — As talk about the possible collateral effect of the Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade continues to roil Washington, The Well News reached out to attorney Philip Hirschkop to ask what impact that might have on the... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Senate will vote next week on legislation to codify a woman’s right to seek an abortion into federal law in order to circumvent a possible Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer,... Read More

WASHINGTON — Activists of all political stripes gathered outside the Supreme Court Tuesday the day after Politico published a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would roll back Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years after the landmark decision... Read More

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the Supreme Court Tuesday morning after Politico published a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would roll back Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years after the landmark decision solidified a woman’s... Read More

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa County District Court Judge Caroline Wall ruled on Monday against a motion to dismiss a lawsuit seeking reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The lawsuit was filed by civil rights attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons in 2020... Read More

WASHINGTON — The story hit like a lightning bolt shortly after 8:30 p.m. Monday night: a draft opinion leaked to Politico indicated that in a preliminary vote on a Mississippi abortion case, the Supreme Court had voted to overturn Roe... Read More

WASHINGTON — A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday that Boston violated the free speech rights of a conservative activist by refusing to comply with his request to fly a Christian flag on a flagpole outside City Hall, while allowing other... Read More

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An extensive state investigation launched after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 found that the Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least the past decade. The Minnesota Department... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed to favor a high school coach who claimed a constitutional right to pray on the 50-yard line after football games during oral arguments Monday. His school district administrators in Bremerton, Washington, disagreed.... Read More

BOSTON — A federal judge in Boston has admonished a satanic temple for adopting legal ploys that she said are distracting from its otherwise “meaningful legal challenge” aimed at it being allowed to lead the prayer that begins every Boston... Read More