Canada – B.C. newspaper wins case over refusal to run abortion ads

The Nelson Star decided not to run any abortion-related advertising due to a backlash from the community.

Jeremy Hainsworth
Oct 23, 2023

B.C.'s Human Rights Tribunal has dismissed a complaint of discrimination on religious grounds from an anti-abortion group who claimed their rights were violated by a Nelson newspaper that refused to run abortion ads on either side of the debate.

“They made their decision in order to preserve their business interests and acceptance by the local community, which is rationally connected to their function as a local medium of news and communication which relies on revenue from ad sales,” tribunal vice-chair Devyn Cousineau said in a newly released Oct. 17 decision.

Continued: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/highlights/bc-newspaper-wins-case-over-refusal-to-run-abortion-ads-7723655


America’s anti-abortion agenda is also anti-trans

As far-right organizers rack up victories on the anti-abortion front, they are zeroing in on their next target: trans communities

By Jude Ellison S. Doyle
November 3, 2021

“What was the feeling like of being in Ohio? It was like being in a pressure cooker,” says Laurel Powell, the former director of media relations for Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. “I felt like we were kind of one of the last lines of defence before it all started to go apart.” 

Powell, who now lives in Washington, D.C., spoke to me in her personal capacity. Her story, though, made it clear why the job had been terrifying. As the “the openly trans spokesperson for a red state abortion provider throughout most of the pandemic,” Powell regularly dealt with crises like violent and enraged anti-abortion protesters forcing their way into clinics. She very much doubts that violence will dissipate if and when abortion becomes illegal across the U.S.

Continued: https://xtramagazine.com/power/anti-abortion-anti-trans-america-211706


USA – HHS Moves to Curtail Abortion, Transgender Health Protections

HHS Moves to Curtail Abortion, Transgender Health Protections

June 12, 2020

The Trump administration has finalized a policy that would remove women seeking abortions and LGBT people from the Affordable Care Act’s non-discrimination protections, the HHS announced Friday.

The regulation would let health-care workers, hospitals, and insurance companies that receive federal funding refuse to provide or cover services such as abortions or transition-related care.

Continued: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/hhs-moves-to-curtail-abortion-transgender-health-protections


Trump Is Gutting Health Care Protections For Transgender People And Those Who Have Had Abortions

Trump Is Gutting Health Care Protections For Transgender People And Those Who Have Had Abortions
A draft rule released Friday would undo nondiscrimination protections in health care for those who have had abortions as well as transgender people.

Dominic Holden, BuzzFeed News Reporter
Ema O'Connor, BuzzFeed News Reporter
May 24, 2019

The Trump administration on Friday unveiled its long-expected proposal to reverse health care protections for transgender people and those who’ve had abortions, issuing a draft rule that seeks to rescind nondiscrimination policies established under the Affordable Care Act.

It’s the Trump administration’s third regulatory strike against transgender people this week. One rule, finalized Tuesday, would let health care workers recuse themselves from treating transgender patients on religious grounds, and a draft rule issued Wednesday would let homeless shelters turn away transgender people.

Continued: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/dominicholden/trump-rule-transgender-abortion-healthcare-discrimination


Trump Administration Strengthens ‘Conscience Rule’ for Health Care Workers

Trump Administration Strengthens ‘Conscience Rule’ for Health Care Workers
A shift in the balance between the rights of patient and provider, with religion in the middle.

By Margot Sanger-Katz
May 2, 2019

President Trump on Thursday announced an expanded “conscience rule” to protect health care workers who oppose abortion, sterilization, assisted suicide and other medical procedures on religious or moral grounds.

The rule establishes guidelines for punishing health care institutions with the loss of federal funds if they fail to respect the rights of such workers.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/upshot/conscience-rule-trump-religious-exemption-health-care.html


USA – New Rule Allows Religious Workers To Refuse Abortion Services

New Rule Allows Religious Workers To Refuse Abortion Services

May 2, 2019

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Mary Ziegler, law professor at Florida State University, about a new federal rule that protects religious health care workers from performing abortion-related services.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

We want to look more closely now at what this ruling means for women who may need abortions. We're joined by Mary Ziegler. She's a law professor at Florida State University and author of the book "Beyond Abortion: Roe v. Wade And The Fight For Privacy." Welcome to the program.

MARY ZIEGLER: Thanks for having me.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/2019/05/02/719737160/new-rule-allows-religious-workers-to-refuse-abortion-services


The Trump Administration Will Allow Health Workers To Refuse Abortion And Sex Reassignment Services

The Trump Administration Will Allow Health Workers To Refuse Abortion And Sex Reassignment Services
The rule will protect discrimination based on “conscience” or “religious beliefs,” but opponents argue it will greatly limit access to care.

Ema O'Connor BuzzFeed News Reporter
Dominic Holden BuzzFeed News Reporter
Posted on May 2, 2019

The Trump administration released a final rule Thursday that will allow health workers to refuse to perform or assist medical procedures — like abortion, assisted suicide, or sex reassignment surgery — if it violates their “conscience” or religion.

The rule, which will take effect in 60 days, applies to health care institutions receiving federal funding. It repeals an Obama-era discrimination protection rule that President Donald Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services said “proved inadequate.” The new rule specifically protects “providers, individuals, and other health care entities from having to provide, participate in, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for, services such as abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide.”

Continued: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emaoconnor/trump-rule-religious-doctors-refuse-abortion-sex


POLAND – The rapid degradation of the rule of law in Poland: what it means for women’s sexual and reproductive rights

POLAND – The rapid degradation of the rule of law in Poland: what it means for women’s sexual and reproductive rights

Nov 9, 2018
by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion

All downhill from here. The rapid degradation of the rule of law in Poland: what it means for women’s sexual and reproductive rights, and LGBT+ persons’ rights

by International Federation for Human Rights, November 2018

This report is the result of several months of desk-based research, combined with an international fact-finding mission conducted by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in Poland, on LGBT+ persons and women’s sexual and reproductive rights in the context of the degradation of the rule of law these past three years. FIDH was able to conduct approximately 20 interviews, all in Warsaw, of a wide range of actors: civil society organisations, members of the Polish government, members of the Parliament, the office of the Prosecutor, the office of the Polish Commissioner for Human Rights, associations of professionals – lawyers, doctors, teachers – and national experts.

Continued: http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/10992-2/


Queensland doctors accused of ‘deep disrespect’ for women seeking abortion

Queensland doctors accused of 'deep disrespect' for women seeking abortion
Ahead of legalisation debate, pro-choice GP says regional doctors ‘dictate to women’

Ben Smee
Sun 7 Oct 2018

Doctors in regional Queensland routinely treat women seeking an abortion with “deep disrespect” and dictate scripture instead of dispensing medical advice, pro-choice GPs in the state say.

“Abortion is a mortal sin and you’ll go to hell,” one doctor reportedly told a woman in Cairns, who had asked about terminating her unwanted pregnancy.
Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/08/queensland-doctors-accused-of-deep-disrespect-for-women-seeking-abortion