Women's Rights

04.24.18

Modernizing Paid Leave Policies

By James Kosmatka

One of the recurring lessons of working in the social justice universe is how often doing what is right is also what is best for a corporation, government, or organization. Paid family leave is one of those lessons. The New York Times recently celebrated Walmart, Starbucks and others offering more comprehensive family and medical leave policies.

04.09.18

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A Hero. An Icon. A Dissenter

By Dan Rogan

“I dissent” is the legal battle cry tearing apart majority opinions and explaining why the court should have ruled differently. Numerous Supreme Court Justices have written these words, but few have done so as movingly as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, popularly known as the “Notorious RBG.” Her resonating, dissenting opinions identify key aspects where the majority of the Justices “got it wrong,” using calculated, precise language that is every bit as quotable as it is influential.

03.16.18

A Dedication to Our Dear Departed Friend and Colleague, Adrienne Gavula

By Dan Rogan

On Saturday, February 24, friends and family of Adrienne Gavula gathered in our Columbus office for the dedication of the “Adrienne Gavula Community Room.”

The event began with people sharing their stories to celebrate the legacy of our former Development Director who passed away unexpectedly on September 2, 2017.

03.08.18

Happy International Women’s Day!

By Celina Coming

International Women’s Day is Thursday, March 8^th and it is celebrated by people all over the world. It is a day with a global focus on equality and celebration. The history of this day dates back to the early 1900’s when women in New York City protested against long hours, low wages, and fought for the right to vote.

01.22.18

Roe v. Wade Decision Celebrates 45th Anniversary!

By Lisa Wurm

Although today marks the 45^th anniversary of the monumental Roe v. Wade decision, a woman’s right to choose when, or if, to become a mother continues to be challenged and restricted. In fact, exactly one month before the 45^th anniversary of Roe v.

06.16.17

Authors D.A. Dirks and Patricia A. Relf on Reproductive Rights, Then and Now

By James Kosmatka

In anticipation of the ACLU of Ohio’s spring event series, I sat down with authors D. A. Dirks and Patricia A. Relf to discuss their latest work, To Offer Compassion: A History of the Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion. The authors deconstruct one of the deepest misunderstandings within the pro-life versus pro-choice debate—that it is synonymous with religious belief versus secular humanism.

12.09.16

After Two Unconstitutional Anti-Abortion Bills Pass, We Have to Ask: What’s the Matter With Ohio’s Lame Duck Legislature?

By Lisa Wurm

It’s lame duck season in the state of Ohio and this year seems like the “super special” version. During the lame duck session, the legislature has just a few short weeks to pass laws before all bills have to start over from scratch in the new year.

12.02.16

When Legislators Play Doctor, Women Pay the Price: Sheva’s Story

By Katrice Williams

On December 13, Governor John Kasich signed the 20-week abortion ban into law. SB127 is Ohio’s most recent attempt to close all clinics and make abortion care completely inaccessible for women who need it. This ban will impact women such as Sheva Guy, who, after receiving heartbreaking news about her pregnancy, was forced to travel 300 miles for the medical care she required.

01.15.16

Discrimination Shouldn’t Be Part of the Dress Code

By Cassie Chenoweth

Cassie Chenoweth is a high school intern with the ACLU of Ohio.

While many people around the world are rightly taking a stand against discrimination based on race, gender, or sexual orientation, among others, we sometimes miss how discrimination works through cultural elements like vernacular or clothing style.

11.06.15

A Call for Justice: Piper Kerman at the 2015 Ed Likover Memorial Lecture

By Dan Rogan

“We must talk seriously about criminal justice reform because of how close it is connected to racial justice,” said Piper Kerman, discussing the intrinsic relationship between the two issues. Piper’s words struck a chord over 300 attendees at this year’s Ed Likover Memorial Lecture.

10.16.15

The Harsh Realities of Prison, Through the Lens of Piper Kerman, Author of Orange is the New Black

By Dan Rogan

Prison is not the easiest topic to make entertaining, but The Washington Post called “Orange is the New Black” “the best TV show about prison ever made.” Of course “Orange is the New Black” is not all entertainment, and not entirely fiction.

09.18.15

Ohio Women’s Reproductive Rights Are in Jeopardy

By Steve David

Legislation introduced in the Ohio Statehouse will tighten the regulations on abortion in an attempt to circumvent the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision Roe v. Wade (1973) that the outright banning of abortion is unconstitutional. If passed, these laws would make Ohio second only to Texas in abortion regulation.

08.07.15

Fired for Being Pregnant

By Steve David

It’s hard to believe that in this day and age women can be fired for becoming pregnant. A quick Google search for “pregnant and fired” brings up multiple headlines in the news documenting stories of women fired once their bosses learned of their pregnancy.

07.03.15

Abortion: People Versus Politicians

By Steve David

According to a recent Gallup poll, half of Americans now call themselves pro-choice. Looking at gender, 54 percent of women and 46 percent of men identify as that way.

The current numbers are the result of a trend of increasing identification with being pro-choice since 2012.

05.20.15

Cuts to Medicaid Are Costly to Women’s Health…and to Taxpayers

By Shakyra Diaz

Every now and then politicians get it right, and so it was with Ohio’s Medicaid expansion.

Following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2013, Governor Kasich expanded Medicaid coverage to families earning up to about $40,000 a year for the typical family of three.

03.20.15

Acknowledging Activism for Women’s History Month

By Shakyra Diaz

“Remember the ladies.”

In March of 1776, before the laws of the land were finalized, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, John Adams, to remind him the Constitution should not limit freedom to men. She cautioned if women were not included, “we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” Her warning was ignored, birthing the fight for equality.

03.13.15

“Heartbeat Bill” Returns, Along With Our Promise to Sue

By Ellen Kubit

Last December, Ohio’s so-called “Heartbeat Bill” ultimately expired when a majority of members in the Ohio House of Representatives voted against it as the legislative session wound down.

However, Statehouse watchers knew to expect it back some time after the new session started in January.

01.21.15

An Era of Reproductive Freedom, Thanks to Roe v. Wade

By Ellen Kubit

It has been 42 years since the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which ruled that a woman’s decision to have an abortion is protected by the constitution.

Almost 20 years later, Roe was upheld but modified. Planned Parenthood v.

01.12.15

Black Lives Matter: Policing, Indifference, and Women of Color

By Shakyra Diaz

Photograph courtesy of Rachel Woods

How much do we as a society value the lives and experiences of black women and girls?

On November 13, 2014, Tanisha Anderson was experiencing a medical crisis. Her family did what any caring family would do—they called 911 for help.

01.06.15

Is 15 Cents High Enough?

By Kim Schuette

A new year and a new minimum wage.

On January 1, Ohio increased its hourly minimum wage from $7.95 to $8.10—85 cents higher than the federal minimum wage. The tipped wage also increased to $4.05—7 cents higher. This modest increase benefits about 277,000 working Ohioans and is estimated to put more than $36 million back into our economy reports The Columbus Dispatch.

12.03.14

What Are Ohio Legislators Cooking Up Now?

By Shakyra Diaz

If you are a member of the ACLU of Ohio, you are no doubt used to hearing from us about our work. Perhaps it is no surprise an organization known for protecting the First Amendment often exercises its own right to free speech.

11.26.14

The So-Called “Heartbeat Bill” Gets Revived

By Ellen Kubit

Another day, another attempt to promote government intrusion into the lives of thousands of women and their doctors.

Last week, the Ohio House Health and Aging Committee snuck onto its agenda House Bill 248 (HB 248), often called the “Heartbeat Bill,” which restricts reproductive freedom and promotes poor health care practices and overreaching governance.

10.31.14

A New Prisoners Report: How Does Ohio Compare?

By Shakyra Diaz

The United States is the world’s largest jailer. With only 5 percent of the population, it has 25 percent of the world’s prison population.

In 1926, following a mandate from Congress, the National Prisoners Statistics Program began collecting demographic data voluntarily provided by states about people detained in jails, state, federal, and private prisons in the United States.

10.17.14

Domestic Violence: A Matter of Civil Liberties

By Ellen Kubit

“…Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, which, among many other things, should prompt us to reflect upon whether or not we take these “unalienable rights” memorialized in the Declaration of Independence seriously.

Acts of domestic violence are ultimately crimes of power that involve perpetrators who seek total control over their victims.

08.18.14

Civil Liberties Field Notes: What’s Rational About Wage Discrimination?

By Steve David

I was unpacking my literature bag at the sign-in table when a man approached me and shook my hand.

“You know,” he said, picking up a bust card, “the first check I ever wrote was to the ACLU. Check number 101.

06.19.14

Reproductive Rights – Beyond the “A” Word

By Adrienne Gavula

This is the seventh in a series of posts focusing on issues we will be tackling at the 2014 ACLU of Ohio biennial conference, Resist. Reclaim. Restore Your Rights!

Reproductive rights do not begin and end at abortion.

Rather, abortion is just one of many rights that run the full gamut of a woman’s life.

01.27.14

Demand More From Your Legislators

By Kimberly Millhoan

Most lawmakers are smart, passionate people who must focus on a multitude of issues on our behalf. But what happens when that passion becomes an obsession with one issue?

The current avalanche of abortion-related legislation is a perfect example of what happens when our leaders become fixated on one controversial topic.

10.10.13

Media Roundup: ACLU Files Lawsuit Over Abortion Restrictions in Ohio Budget

By Nick Worner

On October 9, 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio announced a lawsuit challenging three of the controversial abortion-related amendments passed in June as part of the state’s massive budget bill (HB 59).

Below, you’ll find video footage of this press conference, and some highlights from the subsequent media coverage.

10.09.13

New ACLU Litigation is About Good Government and Reproductive Freedom

By Chris Link

On October 9, 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio announced a lawsuit challenging three of the controversial abortion-related amendments passed in June as part of the state’s massive budget bill (HB 59).

Read the October 9, 2013 press release

Watch a video of the October 9, 2013 press conference

The suit was filed on behalf of Preterm, a Cleveland women’s health clinic that provides contraception, birth control, pregnancy counseling, and abortion services.