Cheryl Wetzstein
Articles by Cheryl Wetzstein
Abortions went on at shuttered clinic
An Alabama judge ruled Thursday that a doctor who has been providing abortions in a closed Birmingham clinic is himself operating without a proper license and must stop immediately. Published August 8, 2013
Pro-choice hero Davis weighs Texas gov. run
Wendy Davis, Texas' famous filibustering lawmaker who literally stood against a pro-life law for nearly 13 hours on the floor of the state Senate in June, said Monday she is weighing a run for governor next year in the wake of her newfound celebrity. Published August 5, 2013
Viewers express outrage as FCC considers easing TV indecency standards
A proposal to change federal policy on broadcast indecency is denounced by tens of thousands of American viewers, but it is supported by industry leaders who want to see the "zero-tolerance" policy jettisoned. Published August 4, 2013
Pa. agency moves to halt licenses for gay marriage
The battle over gay marriage in Pennsylvania, one of the last Northeast states where same-sex unions are illegal, heated up Tuesday as a state agency went to court to order a county clerk to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Published July 30, 2013
Gay-marriage campaign heads to state courts
The Supreme Court's rulings on same-sex marriage are barely a month old, but they have generated a wave of lawsuits and political battles as gay-rights supporters continue their quest to hoist the rainbow flag in every state. Published July 25, 2013
Judge blocks fetal heartbeat abortion ban
A first-in-the-nation law to outlaw most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is heard — possibly around six weeks gestation — has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in North Dakota. Published July 22, 2013
Court fight nearing end over ‘Baby Veronica’
A preschooler at the heart of a custody battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court has been ordered to be placed with the adoptive parents who cared for her early in her life. Published July 19, 2013
Gay ‘conversion’ treatment faces novel court challenge
A New Jersey consumer fraud case has opened a new front in the battle over so-called "conversion" therapies that offer counseling to gay patients looking to become straight. Published July 18, 2013
Texas abortion law fracas not over
The tough new abortion restrictions signed into law Thursday by Texas Gov. Rick Perry will almost certainly be challenged in court, the American Civil Liberties Union promised, and are already fueling a movement to unseat the lawmakers who supported the measure, angry pro-choice leaders said. Published July 18, 2013
Proposition 8 backers can’t halt gay marriage licenses
A lawsuit that claims that California's Proposition 8, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, is still in effect will go forward — but county clerks can continue to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, the California Supreme Court said Monday. Published July 15, 2013
Drug-resistant gonorrhea cured in new drug trial
A clinical trial has found two treatment options to cure increasingly drug-resistant modern strains of gonorrhea, but they often have side effects, and federal officials called for more research Monday. Published July 15, 2013
Prop 8 backers’ new effort to stop same-sex marriage called ‘baseless’
Supporters of California's Proposition 8 have filed legal papers seeking to have the marriage law upheld in court, but opponents who support gay marriage denounced the tactic as "baseless" and "desperate." Published July 12, 2013
Gay men mobilize to lift ban on donating blood; activists cite more awareness of HIV
Ramping up their fight to overturn a ban dating back to 1985 and the emergence of the AIDS crisis, gay-rights organizers are preparing an unprecedented "national gay blood drive" Friday to urge the federal government to change its donation policy and allow some openly gay and bisexual men to give blood. Published July 11, 2013
Pennsylvania AG refuses to defend state marriage law
A lawsuit filed this week by gay couples against Pennsylvania's marriage law got a major boost Thursday when the state's top law officer said she would not defend the law. Published July 11, 2013
Boy Scouts alternative program will ask youths to be sexually pure
Organizers said Tuesday that they were putting the final touches on a "character-development" national program for boys, in the most direct challenge to date to the decision by the Boy Scouts of America to allow openly gay boys to participate in Scouting. Published July 9, 2013
Abortion clinics becoming endangered species: new state rules make business tough
While much of the national abortion debate has focused on late-term abortions, pro-life forces are scoring major victories with new laws and regulations that in effect would force many — if not all — abortion clinics in a state to shut down. Published July 8, 2013
California gay couples revel in marriage rights
As more than a million supporters of same-sex marriage gathered in San Francisco for a gay pride parade Sunday, California county clerks continued issuing marriage licenses to gay couples, while opponents suffered another defeat at the U.S. Supreme Court. Published June 30, 2013
Appellate court’s decision to immediately permit gay marriages is challenged
While California county clerks process marriage applications for gay couples Sunday, attorneys for supporters of Proposition 8 are waiting for a response to the emergency appeal they filed Saturday evening with the U.S. Supreme Court, saying the rule of law has not been followed. Published June 30, 2013
Birthrate continues to decline in the U.S.
American women are delaying having children and having fewer of them, setting new record lows in birthrate data, the federal government said Friday. Published June 28, 2013
N.J. moves to end gay ‘change’ therapies for youths
New Jersey legislators on Thursday approved a bill to ban "change" therapy for children and youths who are struggling with same-sex attractions, only the second such measure in the country. Published June 27, 2013
