First, I have some bad news to report: Last week the Speaker of Uganda's Parliament defiantly predicted that Uganda's "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" will not be withdrawn.

If you're new to this issue, here's the important part: if passed, Uganda's "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" will make being gay a crime punishable by death. Other "crimes" -- such as working in a HIV/AIDS-focused health organization -- would be punishable by an up to three-year jail sentence.

The international community has already roundly condemned this measure. Earlier this month, the global activist organization Avaaz urged the Ugandan government to drop the bill by handing it a petition signed by 500,000 people across the globe.

In light of the continued intransigence of some key Uganda politicians, however, it's clear that we need to ramp up our pressure.

That's why we're launching StandForUganda.com today, a website focused on stopping the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" and defending the rights of Uganda's LGBT citizens.

Will you help us spread the word about this new advocacy resource? Here are three things that you can do right now:

1) Visit the site and send your message to President Obama.
2) Share StandForUganda.com on Facebook and Twitter.
3) Email the URL http://StandForUganda.com to three of your friends.

Thanks for taking action! As this new site evolves, we'll continue to post campaign and news updates here on Amplify.

FUN FACT:
Microsoft Word will ask if you want to change the spelling of “womanism” to “womanish.”

This little correction is particularly ironic. Womanism, the ideology, and Africana Womanism, the scholarly field were created to focus on the “unique experiences, struggles, needs, and desires of Africana women.” (See Clenora Hudson-Weems) This assertion of black female identity is necessary because black women in the 1960s were in a “double bind”: neither the women’s movement nor the Black Freedom movement addressed their interlocking oppressions. (See Patricia Hill Collins) More simply put, black women have faced sexism in Black Freedom movements and racism in Feminist movements. They have been defined as black-ish, woman-ish. For those interested, this was the topic of my senior thesis: how black female activists in the 1960s navigated this double bind. I examined Elaine Brown in particular, the first female chairwoman of the Black Panther Party, and how she negotiated the gendered spaces of a party mired by sexism and violence against women. I could go into more detail, but my adviser is found of asking the question, SO WHAT?

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Every year, thousands of women all over the World gather to celebrate womanhood and address various problems affecting us, such as social [gender inequality], economic [poverty], and cultural [early marriages] problems, and also issues relating to their sexual reproductive health and rights.

Focusing on Africa, and specifically Nigeria, women’s rights have been infringed upon in various ways.  Young women and girls are particularly vulnerable. For example, in some parts of Nigeria, girls are still being denied formal education because it is regarded as a waste of time and resources, while the male child is allowed to attain formal education. This singular act shows gender inequality, even though it is stated in the 2003 Child’s Rights Act (CRA) that every child has the right to education irrespective of their sex. The Nigerian constitution and the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act further buttress the right of every chid to education irrespective of gender. Furthermore, there are a lot of cases where young girls below the age of 18 are handed over for marriage, mostly against their will, and mostly to far older men. This is because they are regarded as a source of wealth or income from suitors to their family.

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Editor's Note: This post is from James Wagoner, President of Advocates for Youth

Last fall, conservatives in Congress managed to include funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in one of the health care reform bills. Currently abstinence-only funding remains in the Senate bill that will serve as the backbone of the final health care package. Without your assistance, these funds- $250 million over the next five years- will remain in the bill. We are continuing to work with colleagues on the Hill to remove this funding, but we need your help! It’s not too late for Congress to take action.

Last year, President Obama took the long-overdue step of eliminating federal funding for failed abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. But, abstinence-only supporters in Congress are determined to find new ways to funnel federal dollars to these ineffective programs.

After more than a year of debate about health care reform – and more than a decade of research – three things are clear:

1. Abstinence-only-until-marriage programs simply do not work. In fact, they leave young people at risk by denying them information about contraceptives and condoms.
2. Abstinence-only programs are not health care reform. This amendment was nothing more than an ideological give-away.
3. It’s time for Congress to stop throwing good money at bad programs. The federal government has already wasted more than $1.5 billion on failed abstinence-only programs. We don’t need to waste $250 million more.

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day.

It's a time to reflect, remember, and respond. In reading the media's many celebrations and retrospectives today, I can't help but approach the day from a personal angle. I think of International Women's Day and think of my mom, a first-generation immigrant who gave and continues to give her kids all the love and resources in the world.

As a Sudan activist, I also think of the resilient women of Darfur, more than a million of whom have completely lost their homes in a campaign of mass killing and systematic sexual violence perpetrated by the Sudanese government. Today, Darfuri rape survivors like Halima Bashir are making their voices heard in halls of power across the world. To date, they have courageously shared their stories at the White House, the UN, and on college and high school campuses -- all in the hope that their testimony will mobilize a big enough response to end the violence in Darfur and South Sudan once and for all.

And you? Who are you thinking of today?

In recognition of International Women's Day, Amplify is hosting an International Women's Week Blog-a-thon this week. We hope you'll take part by writing a blog post and sharing it with our community here.

Feel free to write about any women's issue that interests or moves you. In case you need some topic ideas, though, here are some questions that could use YOUR answers:

- What are issues that young women face in your country that affect the decisions they make about their reproductive and sexual health?
- Who are young women leaders in your community that represent the progress you envision for our future?
- How accessible are male condoms for young women? What about female condoms?
- What about family planning services and different methods of contraception?
- How can women be sustainable agents of change in your community?

We look forward to reading your posts this week!

For those of you who may not know, today is International Women’s Day. As a woman, a Nicholas Kristof fan, and an advocate for women’s sexual and reproductive rights, I traveled across DC last Thursday to sit in a crowded auditorium (filled with a 95% women audience) to see the Half the Sky Live one-day event. This event was filmed at New York University, featuring celebrities who sang and spoke about their experiences in the developing world. Although some parts of it were gimmicky -- at least 3 times the celebrities repeated the same message about texting a number to join CARE, the sponsoring organization -- the one message which resonated with me was the story of Woineshet, an Ethiopian girl. Marisa Tomei, a famous actress, found Woineshet through Nicholas Kristof, and decided to make a documentary based on her story. I saw a short section of the documentary as a part of this viewing, but the presentation of this young girl’s story reminded me of why I became involved with these issues in the first place.

Woinoshet was kidnapped and raped at the age of 13. Her attacker was arrested, and released on bail. After he raped her again, she  continued refusing to marry him. She tried to go to a clinic far away from her village to get a medical examination to prove she was raped, but the doctor said she did not look like a “fresh virgin,” since her wounds were “old” and therefore, was unable to provide the medical evidence needed for her case.  In Ethiopia at that time, there was a law that stated there was no prosecution for men who raped women and later married them. She was forced to sign a paper marrying him, essentially freeing him from his jail sentence. Woineshet left the village and moved to Addis Ababa, and with strong support of her father and brother, has worked toward prosecution of her rapist, and solving the problem of rape all over Ethiopia. Her story and work has inspired women and men alike to think about the rights of women, and that women CAN stand up for their rights. Woineshet is still trying to resolve the case, as it has reached the Ethiopian high court, and is studying law, in hopes to defend women all over Ethiopia.

Woinoshet’s bravery sends a message to every woman who has ever felt as though she does not have equal power to a man. It reminds us of the global dynamic that women are still not seen as equals. However, the actions Woinoshet has taken remind us of the power we could have if we do indeed speak out against injustices.

Woinoshet’s story has been featured in The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20835-2004Jun6.html), and several other prominent news sources. I recommend that this International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to women like Woinoshet, who devote their lives to women’s rights.

Hey!  Last week I wrote about an amazing performance at my school by an activist and performer Marie Garlock.  She explores the politics of development, HIV and the body, and sex education through dance and theater.  It was an absolutely amazing performance, and I now have video!! This is an Amplify exclusive because I shot the video just for Amplify and edited together several of the highlights of the show.   Check out my post from last week and then watch:

The Pitsburgh Steelers' star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, has been accused of sexual assault. Again.

Very few details are yet known about the case. We just know that Roethlisberger and some buddies were partying at a club outside of Atlanta Thursday night, and were seen "mingling" with a particular group of women, and the next day, a woman from that group told local police that Roethlisberger had sexually assaulted her.

This column isn't about whether or not he "did it." (Though I tend to believe people who claim they're victims of sexual assault as a default position, both because so much of the culture doesn't, and because rates of false reporting are around 5-7%, which means, statistically speaking, it's at least 93% likely that an accuser is telling the truth.)

This column is about the illogical and dangerous defense his camp is already mounting against the allegations. Quoth his agent, Ryan Tollner, "Obviously, given the prior accusation against Ben, we are skeptical of motive, but we will continue to cooperate with everyone involved.”

Wha?

Let's break this stunning leap of logic down. What Tollner seems to be saying is that this new allegation was inspired by the previous one? That somehow, the woman accusing Roethlisberger in Georgia looked at the awesome time the woman from Lake Tahoe (who previously accused Roethlisberger) is having, and thought, wow. This is a golden opportunity to make some cash and have fun doing it?

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Patrick Murphy, a Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania and a veteran of the war in Iraq, is leading the effort in the House to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Last month on Huffington Post, Jason Linkins commented on an article from the New York Times on Murphy’s efforts. He shows us this quote:

"I served with great soldiers who were thrown out just because they were gay," said Mr. Murphy, who is married. "I was disheartened that the Constitution that I took an oath to support and defend was really being abused by that policy."

He then goes on to make this point:

 I'm having a hard time believing that any journalist anywhere would write  something like:
 Patrick Murphy, who is married, favors broad reform of our nation's health  care system.
 Or:
 Patrick Murphy, who is married, favors tax breaks for first responders.
 Or:
 Patrick Murphy, who is married, broke with his fellow Democrats in opposing  their proposed budget.

There's no other mention of any party's marital status in the article, save for the subject of the article -- Murphy -- who is spearheading the repeal effort. It's strange and it's creepy and it's frankly condescending in the way it suggests that Murphy's efforts are legit because it's a straight man sticking up for gay and lesbian soldiers, whose own judgments on the issue are biased, I guess? As if we can't completely trust the opinion of a Lieutenant Dan Choi or a Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach without a heterosexual co-signing it?

I want to thank Jason Linkins for pointing this out. What do you guys think it means or implies that Murphy’s marital status was thought to be relevant enough to mention in an article on DADT? Do you agree with Linkins’s assessment?

~ Samantha