Whenever we see stories about the “plight” of women in developing nations, it’s critically important to step back and ask whether the journalistic framing is rooted in condescending colonialism, painting a picture of a problem as affecting women in the … Continue reading
It’s not only in Afghanistan or the Middle East that dress codes are used to reinforce traditional gender roles and the subjugation of women and girls. This recent article in the Washington Post reports on the successful suit of three … Continue reading
In the last few days, allegations of terrible ethical violations have hit the news. These primarily concern Congolese women who are being recruited for the Ebola vaccine trials, and who are seeking vaccination under the “compassionate use” exemptions that allow … Continue reading
As you may know, the US has recently been in the throes of an impassioned debate over abortion. There has recently been a great deal of discussion of New York’s new abortion law, and on Virginia politicians’ claims about late … Continue reading
The UN World Health Organization’s Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is today, February 6, 2019. As the WHO says “#FGM violates women’s and girls’ rights. It must stop now.” If the user will not abuse it, purchase … Continue reading
Initiated in 1970, Title X is the only federal grant that is solely dedicated to providing family-planning funding, with a focus on serving low-income populations. The Title X program historically allowed all women, regardless of economic circumstances, access to birth … Continue reading
Yesterday, The Guardian reported on the dire straits afflicting Debora Diniz in Brazil. Diniz, a founding member of the Feminist Approaches to Bioethics Network (FABnet) which birthed IJFAB and consequently this blog, has gone into hiding. Diniz has long experienced harassment in … Continue reading
I have long been concerned with how our nosologies–the way in which we classify diseases, and decide which human conditions count as diseases–exemplify a mix of science and social values. In my work, I’ve touched on this with obesity, and … Continue reading
