Women Challenging the HHS Mandate

When the GOP-run House Oversight Committee held a hearing on religious freedom and the HHS Mandate, consisting of five male religious leaders, Congressional Democrats and Planned Parenthood quickly cried sexism, with two Democrats walking out in protest.  This struck me at the time as both clever and dishonest.

The second panel

Two facts are conveniently overlooked in the phony outrage  First, the hearing wasn't about whether contraception was a social good, or a boon for women.  The hearing was about the implications of forcing religious and conscientious employers to foot the bill for contraception.  So it is really that shocking or sexist to solicit testimony from members of the clergy (which, in many denominations, including Catholicism, are all male)?  Second, the walkout was over the fact that the first panel was all-male.  But the second panel consisted of medical doctors, and was composed of three men and two women.

In any case, the CIC is hosting a panel discussion this Monday that's exclusively highly-competent women who oppose the HHS Mandate.  I've met the moderator, Ashley McGuire, and have been impressed with her, and with her husband, Brian.  I don't think that I'll be able to attend, but it looks well worth the time.  The discussion will focus on “continued challenges the HHS mandate poses for women and the Church.”  More details on the panelists here, and I suspect that the video of the panel will be uploaded here early next week.

Looks like it's not just male chauvinists who like religious liberty more than free contraception:

The Catholic Information Center and  Altcatholicah  cordially invite you to join us at the CIC Next Monday, February 27 at 6 PM for a panel discussion on  Women Challenging the HHS Mandatefeaturing Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network, Dr. Marie Anderson M.D., OB-GYN, from the Tepeyac Family Center, Gloria Purvis, board member of the Northwest Center,  Maria Montserrat Alvarado from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, with Ashley McGuire, editor in chief of Altcatholicah, moderating.    On  January 20, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services approved a mandate that will force Catholic institutions to provide contraception, sterilization procedures, and abortifacients in their health care plans, effectively forcing Catholic employers to  violate their consciences and fund practices that are morally offensive.  On February 8, the Catholic Information Center hosted a panel discussion "Contesting the HHS Mandate." On February 10, President Obama announced a modification to the mandate in an attempt to accomodate religious liberty, by making the insurance company pay for contraception, sterilization procedures, and abortifacients in the health care plans of religious institutions. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops responded that the mandate remains problematic because it maintains that all insurers must include coverage for the objectionable services. Since the continuing debate has been framed as a conflict between women's health and religion, the Catholic Information Center is pleased to join the Catholic women's web-magazine Altcatholicah in hosting this all-women panel to discuss continued challenges the HHS mandate poses for women and the Church. This event is free and open to the public. The Catholic Information Center 1501 K St. NW Washington, DC 20005 202-783-2062 www.cicdc.org