Top Women's Issues News Stories of 2010

From Linda Lowen, former About.com Guide

SC Governor-elect Nikki Haley, a big winner in "Year of Republican Women"

Updated December 17, 2010

What are the top women's issues news stories of 2010? Here's a month-by-month look at the top stories that made headlines.

Earthquake in Haiti - January

Life was never easy for the majority of females in Haiti. Violence against women has been an unaddressed catastrophe in that nation, with an estimated 72% of Haitian girls raped and 40% of Haitian women victims of domestic violence. But in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake, circumstances have gone from from bad to worse.

Superbowl Abortion Ad Controversy - February

When CBS decided to run a 30-second ad featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, the network broke with a tradition of keeping Super Bowl commercials free of controversial issues. The Tebow anti-abortion themed ad thrust a divisive subject in front of viewers who tuned in to have a good time -- not discuss one of the most polarizing political issues of our times.

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Kathryn Bigelow's Historic Oscar Win - March

Already shortlisted for the Academy Awards by many critics, Kathryn Bigelow's powerful film about bomb-squad soldiers in Iraq, "The Hurt Locker," earned her the first Best Director Oscar awarded to a woman in 82 years.

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Passage of the Health Care Reform Bill - March

In all of the partisan bickering over health care reform, one powerful truth has been overlooked. Passage of the reform bill ends decades of gender-based discrimination against women in the health care industry. Instead of being charged more for less coverage and being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions such as a history of breast cancer, women will find that as the various provisions for health care reform are implemented, they're the ones who'll benefit the most.

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50th Anniversary of "The Pill" - May

What most women take for granted these days -- oral contraception -- became a reality 50 years ago on May 9, 1960, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved "The Pill." Heralded as the most important scientific advancement of the 20th century and blamed for launching the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the Pill gave women a measure of control they'd never had before by enabling them to decide when they would become pregnant...if at all.

Elena Kagan's Historic Nomination - May

Solicitor General Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court by President Obama on May 11, 2010, brought the nation's highest court one step closer to gender equity. Her confirmation put three women on the bench at the same time, establishing a court that would be one-third female when it convened in October -- a historic first.

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Rise & Fall of Female Viagra - June

It was too good to be true, and it was -- a prescription drug that would increase a woman's libido much like "the little blue pill" does for men. But unlike Viagra, the proposed drug flibanserin by German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim did not trigger physiological changes in the body but instead altered a woman's brain chemistry. After going before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval, the "little pink pill" was turned down.

"Stoned to Death" Sentence for Woman in Iran - July

A collective gasp of horror reverberated around the world when news broke out that an Iranian woman accused of adultery had been sentenced to be stoned to death. Her "confession" of adultery - beaten out of her after 99 lashes with a whip - was later recanted but judges found her guilty despite a lack of evidence. In the end, public outcry led the Iranian government to rethink her punishment.

Sexism and the 2010 Elections - September

In the final weeks before any election, voters get an unwelcome dose of negative campaigning. But in 2010, gender-based attacks were commonplace in a number of hotly-contested races involving female candidates. After years of turning the other cheek, women politicians learned why responding immediately is the best defense.

Year of Republican Women & Mama Grizzlies - November

With more Republican women running in 2010 than in previous years, the media quickly embraced the label "The Year of the Republican Women" and the term "Mama Grizzlies" -- an image Sarah Palin slapped on a handful of female GOP candidates. But after election results came in, it wasn't quite the year everybody made it out to be.

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The Death of Elizabeth Edwards - December

Proof of how deeply Elizabeth Edwards touched our lives could be seen in the outpouring of emotions at the news of her death It's nearly impossible to identify another woman from the world of U.S. politics in recent years who has been so universally admired and respected. We embraced her as a friend because she taught us what is important in life.

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