This Week in Ladybits
Every now and then, we win one. This week, the Supreme Court rejected Hobby Lobby’s attempt to block the emergency contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act. The Christian-owned chain can still produce a court case, but they don’t get to put a full stop on the mandate while the case proceeds. Thanks, Justice Sotomayor. (Word has it the owners of the chain will refuse to comply with the ACA anyway, which opens them up to a fine of $1.3 million per day. That’s right: per day. And a quick Google search will confirm that far-right wingnuts are flipping right the hell out.)
This Week in Satisfying Internet Justice
Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled that it was totes okay for dentist James Knight to fire his longtime assistant for being irresistibly attractive to him. You will never guess the gender makeup of the Iowa Supreme Court. Go on, guess.
Lest you think he was suffering in polite, restrained silence for years or something, Knight had at least once told his assistant that she would know she was wearing clothes that were too tempting if his pants were bulging.
Well, Yelp reviewers weren’t having it. This week they trashed Knight’s ratings. (via Feministe.)
And a petition to officially recognize those attention-whoring dingleberries as a hate group has become – by far – the most popular White House petition ever. (Yes, even bigger than the one to build a death star.)
This Week in Ugh
Father Piero Corsi, an Italian priest, found the true meaning of the holiday season with a Christmas flyer stating that domestic violence and sexual assault victims brought it on themselves with revealing clothes and cold dinners. Can we send the Nuns on a Bus to have a firm chat with him?
This Week in Awesome
Holland Taylor gave us a chilly little blast from the past.
Here’s a button for those of you who were voting age (which I wasn’t, thank goodness) during Nixon’s Senatorial days twitter.com/HollandTaylor/…
– Holland Taylor (@HollandTaylor) December 27, 2012
I’m late on this one, but it’s worth catching up on: check out CNN.com’s great piece on Solar Sister, a network of women in East Africa who sell affordable green energy products. The saleswomen get a source of income, and their customers get access to safe, clean lighting and phone chargers.
Stanford University is working overtime to get more women into computer science – including working on changing the culture and building a community.
The Jane Dough listed its 50 Women of the Year.
Lucy Lawless hinted on Twitter that we might soon have good reason to flip through the air while giving happy battle cries. And then you’re going to give us an interview, right, Ms. Lawless?
I hope to have news in the next few weeks. Ta. “@oaochriscollins: @reallucylawless When do we get to see you back on tv in a leading role?”
– Lucy Lawless (@RealLucyLawless) December 28, 2012
And just in case you need an extra bump of warmth to finish off the year, the New York Times ran this touching account of how Jennifer Hauseman and her partner adopted their beloved daughter. Congratulations, ladies.
Have a great weekend and an even better 2013. This year, after looking back at the many kinds of feminist news, good, bad, and revadgeulous, I’m resolving to growl less and point and laugh at the right targets more.
Do you have any resolutions for facing the New Year head-on? Let us know in the comments.
