As 2025 begins, there will be a record number of women serving in state legislatures nationwide. More than 2,400 women will hold state legislative offices, representing more than 33%. Maine ranks ninth in the nation for statehouse gender parity with women holding 43% of seats. Jean Sinzdak, associate director of the Center for American Women…
This week on the podcast, Esther Pew is joined by an impressive array of Maine LGBTQ and reproductive rights experts to discuss the implementation of the state’s new shield law, protecting health care providers and patients from investigation and prosecution by authorities in other states. The panel includes Mary Bonauto with GLBTQ Legal Advocates &…
This spring, Maine lawmakers endured bomb threats to the State House and their homes after a public hearing on the “shield bill” for providers of reproductive and transgender health care. Attorneys general from 16 states that have banned abortion care, health care for transgender people, or both, threatened our lawmakers for even considering the bill.…
Advocates for women veterans, who’ve experienced sexual trauma while serving in the military, are asking state lawmakers for much-needed funding. Previous legislation backed the creation of two sexual trauma liaisons at community-based organizations in the state, but funding never came to fruition. Executive Director of the Augusta-based Sisters-in-Arms Center, Rebecca Cornell du Houx, said lawmakers have a chance to…
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who has long claimed to support reproductive rights, voted against confirming a judge who has previously defended abortion rights, LGBTQ people and workers as a litigator. Nicole Berner, nominated by Pres. Joe Biden, was confirmed 50-47 on Tuesday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She will be…
This week, Ben and Esther are joined by the Beacon’s Dan Neumann to talk about gender affirming care in Maine and a bill to protect Maine medical practitioners from prosecution by other states. The bill, LD 227, is at the center of a right-wing misinformation panic that has drawn in local neo-Nazis and resulted in…
A Maine bill that would provide protection to out-of-state patients seeking reproductive health services and gender-affirming healthcare here is at the center of a right-wing misinformation panic that has drawn in local neo-Nazis and resulted in a bomb threat against lawmakers last week. Medical professionals, LGBTQ advocates and reproductive rights activists say the far right…
The Maine Legislature’s Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted down a bill that would have compelled Maine not to cooperate with law enforcement from states that have banned gender-affirming care who are investigating people who have sought such treatment here. LD 1735, a bill sponsored by Democratic Rep. Laurie Osher of Orono, was a top priority…
On the Beacon Podcast this week, Esther and Cate reflect on the hearing of LD 780, a proposed amendment to the Maine state constitution which would further protect abortion access and reproductive healthcare in Maine. They also discuss what the process for implementation of the new paid family and medical leave law looks like and…
This week on the podcast, we revisit a panel discussion Maine People’s Alliance Senior Organizer Esther Pew hosted one year ago featuring Senior Vice President of Public Affairs of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Nicole Clegg, Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney and Maine Women’s Lobby Executive Director Destie Hohman Sprague. They discuss what full…