Marcus Brandon has crossed the line. In today’s Charlotte Observer, Marcus is quoted calling me “a cheerleader instead of a legislator.” Comments like Marcus’ are paramount to the sexist culture I’ve dedicated my life to beating back. We cannot let this slide by unnoticed.

Right now, politicians at the West Virginia statehouse are attempting to ban abortion before the point in a pregnancy where a woman may discover serious health complications. Every pregnancy is different, and a woman and her doctor -- not politicians on the House Judiciary Committee -- should have the ability to make the best decision for her personal circumstances. Politicians should not endanger West Virginia women by blocking access to safe and legal medical procedures. Tell our representatives to keep their hands off our reproductive health care! Act now against House Bill 4588.

Judy Cox, a mother in Utah, walked with her teenage son past a PacSun store in the mall that displayed in the front window T-shirts with near naked young women in hypersexualized poses. When the manager wouldn't remove them, Judy bought out the entire stock. I support that action, but Judy shouldn't have to pay $600 to keep pornography out of the mall. PacSun has signed on to a social responsibility statement that says they don't support human rights violations or practice gender discrimination. But marketing products at teenaged boys that portray young women as primarily sexual playthings contributes to an unsafe environment for women and a climate of discrimination.

Rape culture is a significant problem in America, affecting the lives of every woman living here. In the news recently, you can read of the problems the DOJ is having with Missoula County in Montana. Women in every state should feel safe. It is blatant that a rape or sexual assault is a criminal offense motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against women. If our local and state prosecutors refuse to protect us, we should at least have the security that the federal government will step in when these offenders are given a slap on the wrist. The 1994 Violence Against Women Act recognized gender-motivated violence as a hate crime and provided a new federal civil rights remedy, enabling rape victims and battered women to sue their attackers for compensation and punitive damages. But in 2000 the Supreme Court called that provision unconstitutional due to the lack of a "distinction between what is truly national and what is truly local." Twenty-four of 50 states currently include gender as a protected category under hate crime statutes, but few cases have ever been prosecuted. It is time to give women this protection again at the federal level.

It is time to recognize American women not only as citizens but also as equal partners with inalienable and legal rights in the creation of this great democracy. It is time to pay tribute to all the women’s rights activists who suffered, were imprisoned, and died fighting for equal rights. It is time for women to appreciate not only the fundamental laws they enacted which liberated females from the dismal life of subordination but also gave ladies a voice: the right to speak in public; the right to an education; the right to employment, personal income, property and possessions; the right to divorce and custody; the right to enter into contract; the right to sue, or be sued; the right to serve on juries; and most importantly the right to participate in governing by securing the ballot. It is time to pay homage to these heroines, it is time for a Susan B. Anthony Day!

A new investigation shows that TED – the very same organization dedicated to changing attitudes by sharing ideas – doesn’t allow talks that cover abortion rights. Why? Because TED doesn’t consider abortion rights to be an issue “of justice, inequality and human rights.” It’s shocking. There’s a wide range of feelings and opinions on the issue of abortion, but the fact that TED is silencing all conversation around abortion does not help us move forward on this critical human rights issue and runs counter to their own policy. We’ve sent a letter to TED content curator Chris Anderson encouraging him to do the right thing and allow speakers to talk about abortion rights.

President Obama has asked the Senate to confirm a judicial nominee who tried to channel funds to anti-choice crisis pregnancy centers and make a parental consent law even more extreme. Judges hold an incredible responsibility when they take the bench. Americans need to trust them to take an objective view of the law and not use their position to advance their personal agenda. Michael Boggs showed us his true personal agenda as a state lawmaker, and we can’t trust him with our rights. Fortunately, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, recognized that Boggs "does not have the votes in committee" and "His nomination should be withdrawn." We agree with Sen. Leahy - support for Boggs' nomination has become a political liability for any senator who hopes to maintain their constituents' support. We’re disappointed that pro-choice President Obama nominated someone who doesn’t share our pro-choice values. We agree with the president on a lot of things, but not this pick. We can't rest until Boggs' nomination is withdrawn or he's defeated. Speak out now and call on your senators to oppose this out-of-touch nominee.

House Bill 1388 will ensure that rape kit evidence is submitted to a TBI authorized lab within 10 days of collection by law enforcement. House Bill 1388 will require that all sexual assault evidence to be analyzed within 6 months after being submitted to TBI labs. Furthermore House Bill 1388 will require that the TBI submit to the governor, attorney general, the Tennessee district attorney general conference, and both houses of the general assembly a plan for clearing the backlog of rape kits.

For a woman excited to welcome a beautiful, healthy child into the world, there is nothing as devastating as learning the pregnancy is high-risk -- or worse, enduring a miscarriage. Pregnancy complications can threaten a woman's health and future fertility. Unfortunately, in Alabama, it could become legal for any medical staffer at a hospital to deny care and put pregnant women at risk. This week, the Alabama Senate will have a hearing on HB 31, a cruel bill that would allow health professionals to refuse to give urgent assistance to pregnant women who need to end the pregnancy to prevent serious harm. And in most cases, they would not even have to provide a referral elsewhere. The bill would also protect health care professionals and hospitals from liability for refusing to provide necessary medical care. Most doctors and nurses want to help women live healthy lives - not leave them in dangerous predicaments. The Alabama House has already passed this bill and this is a crucial moment to stop it in its tracks before the Senate votes on it. Stand with Alabama women and demand lawmakers oppose HB 31.

We began a petition to ask Bada Bing to stop advertising certain themes that come across as objectifying and sexually degrading. These themes would promote an environment that would be uncomfortable and possibly dangerous for patrons due to the themes’ aggressive nature. We are simply asking that these themes are to be disbanded or changed to more socially acceptable and comfortable themes for all patrons. Geneseo is a reputable school full of intelligent women and men. Let’s go out and have fun without being stereotyped by Bada Bing.

Introduced in November, the WHPA currently has 98 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 33 co-sponsors in the Senate. My goal is to get every Democrat, and enough Republicans to guarantee passage, to sign on as cosponsors, with your help. ps. you may contact me directly via the link (my name in red text) under the title of this petition.

Five years ago this month, I stood next to President Barack Obama while he signed his first bill into law--my law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. And now, I'm in Washington, D.C., again--not only to celebrate the law's passage, but also to remind the President that his work is not done. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was an important first step in our fight for pay equity, but it was just that--a first step. While the Ledbetter law righted the wrong-headed decision the Supreme Court made in my case, we need an executive order from the President to give employees and employers the concrete tools they need to make real progress in closing the gender pay gap. Please join me in urging President Obama to make 2014 the year for progress on equal pay by signing an executive order banning federal contractors from retaliating against workers who ask about pay discrepancies--a critical first step.