Staley and VanDerVeer Ask Congress to Investigate NCAA

South Carolina's Dawn Staley and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer on Tuesday called for Congressional involvement regarding the NCAA's treatment of its tournaments for women's sports, including basketball, in the wake of allegations of gender inequity.

"The NCAA tournament is the tip of the discrimination iceberg. Through lack of vision and pure sexism, women's basketball has been systematically held back. Our players and coaches have been harmed. After 49 years of Title IX, we still have work to do," said VanDerveer.

https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/31735617/in-call-dawn-staley-tara-vanderveer-ask-congress-help-equity-fight-ncaa-sports

Stonewall Inn to Ban Anheuser-Bush Beers

The Stonewall Inn's owners say they won't serve certain beers at the famous LGBTQ bar during Pride weekend to protest manufacturer Anheuser-Busch's political contributions to some politicians who have supported anti-LGBTQ legislation.

The campaign, a project of Corporate Accountability Action, used data compiled from the National Institute on Money in Politics to show that Anheuser-Busch contributed more than $35,000 to 29 legislators it described as anti-LGBTQ between 2015 and 2020. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/political-donations-lead-stonewall-inn-ban-some-beers-n1271595

Women's Tour De France Next Summer

Even though it will be shorter, this is a good step.

In 2022, there will be a women's Tour de France bike race. 

Women have been riding the men's route in recent years in an attempt to draw attention to the sexism involved in only holding a men's race. The women's race will be shorter (8 days) than the men's race (3 weeks), however.

"At the end of the day, a Women's Tour de France is so much bigger than a bike race. It's a beacon of progress for society that men & women are valued equally at the top," Kathryn Bertine says. "So yes, I applaud the eight days coming in 2022. I'll be cheering the loudest! And behind the scenes, I'll still keep pushing for two more weeks to be added in the coming years.

"Or, perhaps we can cut the men's race from three weeks to eight days."

 https://www.npr.org/2021/06/17/1007770257/women-tour-de-france-next-summer-2022?utm_campaign=npr&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=nprnews&fbclid=IwAR3WkxZLsYVU0PPi_LlinIJ5eV3ksOrxcHTqnFRN1WUcGdXECRQV_Vu9D_s

Congratulations USA - Juneteenth is a Celebration!!!

Time to Celebrate in the USA! Juneteenth is a holiday. 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-juneteenth-holiday-bill-sign/

Catholic Bishops Discuss Stopping Communion for Women's Rights Advocates

In an organization that is as hierarchical as the Roman Catholic Church, it is no surprise that bishops are discussing not allowing pro-choice advocates to partake in communion. In an organization where 100% of the decision makers can not get pregnant, but feel they can decide issues of pregnancy and birth control, are we not surprised they would advocate further for controlling women. They think, obviously, that they have absolute right to control women in their religion.

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/18/1007794929/catholic-bishops-abortion-biden-communion 

Record Number of Abortions in England and Wales

In 2020, a record number of women in Wales and England had an abortion last year. The rise was particularly marked with women aged 30 and over.

A total of 209,917 abortions were reported in 2020, with the numbers rising year on year and up from 207,384 in 2019. The largest increases in abortion rates by age were among women aged 30 to 34 with a rise from 16.5 per 1,000 in 2010 to 21.9 in 2020.

Causes are women being able to seek abortion treatment at home during the pandemic and also financial uncertainty where women have had to make “tough decisions”.

Women have a right to control their own bodies, their lives, and their futures, without interference from hierarchies dominated by anyone else.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/10/record-number-of-women-in-england-and-wales-had-abortions-in-2020

Fresno State Female Athletes Sue School After Team Cut

In an interview on NPR, Title IX equality, requiring schools to give women and men equal opportunities, equal financial aid, and equal treatment, is discussed as relates to cutting out women's sports. 

But when their team was cut, Abbigayle, Megan and a handful of their teammates did something they never imagined doing when they came to Fresno State. They sued their school.

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/10/1005263824/schools-that-cut-womens-sports-teams-during-the-pandemic-face-lawsuits-over-equa

Defense Secretary Austin Proud of LGBTQ Service Members

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he is proud to call the LGBTQ members of the Armed forces his “teammates” every month.

“I know that you’re especially proud this month and rightfully so. I’m proud too, proud every month and every day to call you my teammates and to serve alongside you,” said Austin.

“Your lives and your careers and your service and your stories are living proof that we are stronger and more effective together.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-transgender-rights-are-human-rights-defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-says