Short Takes: News From All Over: October 28, 2004

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Candidates Vehemently Disagree on Women's Wage Issues
By Robin Hindary, Women's eNews
While critics can, and have lamented that President George Bush's and Sen. John Kerry's stance on foreign policy issues such as Iraq seem disturbingly similar, their take on a number of key domestic topics, including the issue of women's wages, are decidedly different. In late 2001, Bush eliminated the Equal Pay Matters Initiative, designed to expand federal enforcement of anti-discriminatory legislation affecting the pay of women and minorities. In addition, the administration reclassified a number of workers as 'managers,' thus eliminating their ability to earn overtime pay. Some 6 million people were affected, including those performing jobs predominantly filled by females, such as nursing and retail supervision. Kerry and 42 other senators opposed the policy change. If elected, Kerry says he will lobby to raise the national minimum wage from $5.15 to $7 an hour -- a measure that would disproportionately effect women, since they make up 61% of the minimum wage workforce. Bush supports a $1 increase, but only if individual states are allowed to opt out. -- Elizabeth Dwoskin
http://www.womense-news.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2037

Survival of Genetic Homosexual Traits Explained
By Andy Coghlan, New Scientist
Scientists have long been puzzled as to why Mother Nature would allow genes engineered for homosexuality to survive. Gay men seldom have children, after all, which could be interpreted as a genetic dead-end. A scientific study conducted at the University of Padua in Italy, however, has provided an answer that would make Darwin proud. Research shows that heterosexual women who share genetic factors linked to homosexuality in men tend to have more children than those who do not have the 'gay gene.' This fertility boost more than compensates for the lack of offspring fathered by gay men, and keeps the 'gay' genetic factors in circulation. -- Elizabeth Dwoskin
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996519

Don't Hate the Soldja, Hate the Game
By Nicole Makris, Alternet
Today's peaceniks know better than to greet soldiers coming home from Iraq with contemptuous taunts such as 'Baby Killer!' Politically savvy bumper stickers with phrases like 'Support our Troops! Bring Them Home!' demonstrate that activists finally understand you can stand against the war without taking rhetorical swipes at 'the soldja.' Most young activists are also aware that recruiters from the 'all voluntary army' often exploit the promise of health benefits, a free education to seduce their often less-privileged peers -- immigrants are even promised a speedy naturalization process if they'll just sign on Uncle Sam's dotted line.-- Elizabeth Dwoskin
http://www.alternet.org/wiretap/20252/

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