Amazon has abused its monopoly power to hurt small businesses and women in need. Even though it's often hard to talk about, pelvic floor dysfunction is a common challenge for millions of women, especially after birth or sexual trauma. But Amazon is making it difficult to find products that help in affordable and effective ways. After giving birth to my son, my medical professional recommended I use such a product, sold by a small business in Kansas City, to accelerate recovery. What a shock to realize that Amazon has decided to classify these health care devices as "adult products"— no different than sex toys. As a result, these devices will be almost impossible to find on Amazon, while the small businesses who produce them will struggle to stay afloat. When products from one company were misclassified in the past, their sales plummeted by 80 percent. Most men don't even know about pelvic floor problems and, as with so much in women's health, it's unfortunately almost taboo to talk about. But it's Amazon that should be ashamed — not women who are recovering from childbirth or sexual trauma. Combine Amazon's unfettered market power with its corporate indifference to women's health, and what we get is disastrous results for both women in need and small businesses.

Studies demonstrated that the most vulnerable time for any victim and children, is after they escape from there abuser. Abusers are using the courtrooms to enforce 50/50 custody or sole custody of minor children to continually have direct access to victims and their minor children and adult victims. This direct victimizing allows abusers access to minor children whom have zero voices inside a court of law, and are being forced to engage directly with their abuser over and over, despite watching this same abuse, or receiving this abuse, or experiencing sexual abuse, when the family was a unit. Victims are helpless inside a court of law from not only protecting innocent children but as well themselves. Meanwhile the abuser uses the court system to maintain control of victims and the minor children. With only 24 judges being mandated in learning, on the physical side of abuse, this has subjected and forced victims to have zero support inside court rooms throughout the United States. This is a direct violation to victims and innocent children because these judges hearing these cases are forcing victims and innocent children back into the same abuse they escaped. How many more innocent children and adult victims must die before these judges are mandated in all forms of domestic violence, including sexual assault and rape? Make your voice be heard by signing this petition today. Thank you!

There exists unreasonably high luxury taxes on menstrual products. Luxury taxes are taxes placed on items that are considered non-essential. People who menstruate do not have control over their periods, and therefore pads, tampons, panty-liners, and diva cups are absolutely essential. They are not luxuries. The price increase in these products has created a phenomenon of menstrual inequity among homeless and low-income women, we call this “period poverty”. In California, women pay $20 million in taxes on menstrual products annually. USA Today estimates that women have to spend anywhere between $150 to $300 annually on period products.This is a detrimental price for low income and homeless women, who often have to choose between essentials like food and clothes, or having menstrual products. Period poverty is especially relevant to Los Angeles, where 20,671 women are currently experiencing homeless, a disproportionate amount being women of color. To put this into perspective, a box of tampons cost $7 at a common retailer; this often means homeless menstruators are forced to choose between their next meal or these products. Additionally, many homeless shelters in Los Angeles are constantly in need of sufficient menstrual products to distribute to the people there. This is due to the stigma around periods that makes people potentially uncomfortable when donating these products, which just proves the need for greater financial accessibility to period products.

Afghanistan is facing an existential economic crisis that’s shuttering banks, leaving civil servants without pay and increasing prices of basic food items like cooking oil and flour for Afghan families. UN officials are warning that food in the country could run out this month and millions could starve this winter. One million Afghan children could die of malnutrition in this man-made disaster. Doctors have not been paid for months and hospitals across the country are on the verge of total collapse. With no access to the Afghan people’s own money or financial capital, more Afghans are on the brink of a devastating economic crisis that will only further increase an already deepening humanitarian crisis.

Texas recently enacted the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the country, outlawing all abortions after 6 weeks with no exceptions. Mississippi is taking their own anti-abortion law to the Supreme Court — a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade and put dozens of new anti-reproductive healthcare laws on the map. And while it may not surprise you that racism and misogyny have run rampant within the United States for decades, you might not realize we’ve been exporting it too. For nearly 50 years, the Helms Amendment has blocked people around the world from having control over their own reproductive healthcare. It’s the worst of a paternalistic U.S. foreign policy at work: spreading harmful ideology under the guise of humanitarian assistance. But that could change soon. For the first time since 1973, the House passed an appropriations bill that DOESN’T include the Helms Amendment. And IF it passes the Senate, we can make 2021 the year we finally wipe this outdated, imperialist policy from our books and build a world where people can create their families — and build their futures — in the ways that work for them. Add your name to tell the Senate: It’s time to #RepealHelms

We all deserve the basic right of being able to survive with our wage, of being able to afford to feed our families, pay the roof over our heads, and be able to eat, like every other working professional. We are professionals who should be compensated fairly.

We all deserve the basic right of being able to survive with our wage, of being able to afford to feed our families, pay the roof over our heads, and be able to eat, like every other working professional. We are professionals who should be compensated fairly.

Morgan made some atrocious comments about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, on Good Morning Britain. He stormed off stage after questioning Meghan's honesty in an interview with Oprah Winfrey regarding life as a royal and her treatment. Morgan's remarks underplayed Meghan's mental health, which was hurtful to her and everyone with mental illness. The situation cannot be ignored. Morgan's comments about Meghan on-air and in his tweets are merely attacks disguised as journalism. Since Morgan was suspended from Good Morning Britain, the controversy surrounding his return to News Corp has been met with significant backlash from all corners of the literary and media worlds. His history of bigotry and harassment lead to him being fired from The Daily Mirror back in 2004 after writing defamatory and transphobic comments about transgender reporter Zoey Tur during an appearance on the showbiz show Extra. Ofcom, the media regulator in the U.K., received 57,793 complaints about his remarks toward Meghan. Despite this, Morgan was recently deemed not to be in violation of the British broadcasting standards. We cannot, however, enable anyone who encourages harassment towards women of color, fatphobia and body shaming, sexual harassment, misogyny, and transphobia. Cis white men rarely take responsibility for their harm and are rewarded instead. Piers Morgan's book deal with HarperCollins must be terminated. Piers Morgan has an extensive history of bias against women of color, fatphobia and body shaming, sexual harassment, misogyny, and transphobia. These are violent and incite hate, and should not be further amplified. Jennifer Wood, PhD, MSW

Equity is something we have fought long and hard for. She has found a family in this rugby league and stopping her from continuing to play based solely on the level of discomfort experienced by the men who have had to play against her is absolutely bizarre. She is more than capable of letting them know if it is too much for her physically. She is allowed full autonomy without sexism being a guiding principle.

All child care workers are among our communities’ most valuable assets. They should, and must, be recognized equally for the herculean task of caring for children during the pandemic. Every child care slot has equal value in moving our economy forward. Larger providers should not be penalized because they are meeting the charge to open their doors to more children and families. The DCYF draft literature makes it clear that funds are available are for stabilizing child care businesses. An equitable distribution of all funds available will stabilize both small and large sites.

After this story published, Gaetz sent a letter to the Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan requesting a meeting with him to discuss Novak’s communications with Adams. The allegation that a foreign official may be involved in a shakedown scheme of a U.S. congressman — a highly unusual development in its own right — could help provide a fuller picture of a scandal that has captivated the nation’s capital but where many pieces are still unknown. The allegations have been largely overlooked by most media outlets. The Novak incident is one of the many twists and turns in the Gaetz case, replete with reports of drug-fueled orgies organized by a former local tax collector in Florida, Joel Greenberg, who pleaded guilty to a host of crimes, including sex-trafficking a minor who later became a porn star. He’s cooperating with federal authorities to bring a case against Gaetz in return for leniency. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18. The Gaetz case has jumped from straight news headlines to entertainment. A Gaetz-like congressman is to be featured Thursday in a Law & Order season-premier. And Gaetz was also invoked in a lawsuit against the online “sugar daddy”website not to be mentioned. OK IT’S CALLED Seeking Arrangements.com or something. This is a Representative of the United States of America & he has a fiancée he is a cad, a two faced, flip flopping, silver tongue devil. I myself believe he isn’t acting like a Christian.

Women and anyone with a uterus deserve the right over their own bodies as much as any man. Human Equality doesn’t stop at equal pay, equal voting and equal treatment, but extends into our homes, doctor’s offices and our own minds. * * * Mujeres y cualquier persona con un útero merece el derecho sobre su propio cuerpo al igual que cualquier hombre. La igualdad humana no se limita a la igualdad de remuneración, la igualdad de voto y la igualdad de trato, sino que se extiende a nuestros hogares, consultorios médicos y nuestras propias mentes.