On Tuesday, October 13th, feministgoat and starg1rl19 presented local, national, and global news stories in class. We discussed the proposed Constitutional Amendments in Virginia, the Dana Beatty case, and women’s activism in Afghanistan.
Local News
On November 3rd, 2026, Virginians will have the opportunity to vote on three questions.
The first addresses the constitutional right to a variety of reproductive care. A “yes” vote would codify the right to abortion, prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care, as well as protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions. The amendment would also allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy (except when the patient is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive). A “no” vote opposes putting the right to reproductive freedom in the Virginia Constitution.
The second amendment concerns same-sex marriage. A “yes” vote would update the current definition of marriage, which explicitly defines a valid marriage as a union between one man and one woman, to be more inclusive. A “no” vote would maintain Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage. We talked about the fact that this revision is important, even though same-sex marriage is currently legal under the federal case Obergefell v. Hodges, because precedent can be overturned and we need to ensure state laws are up to date to avoid panic, confusion, or regression if a federal case is overturned.
The final amendment addresses the right to vote for the formerly incarcerated. Virginia is one of the only states that requires people with a felony conviction to petition the governor to get their rights restored. A “yes” vote would allow their voting rights to be automatically restored once released from incarceration, while a “no” vote would maintain the current process that requires individuals to petition the governor.
P.S.: Early voting is open now through October 31st! Check your registration here.
National News
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault, Violence
On August 1st, 1989, Dana Beatty returned home from work like any other night. She was slightly alarmed that her lights were on, but she did not expect to be attacked by a masked intruder. Beatty was confronted with a knife and assaulted for hours after being restrained on a bed with her mouth taped shut. Despite getting medical help ASAP, it took over 30 years for her attacker to be identified. It was only when Beatty’s daughter reopened the cold case that law enforcement employed newer DNA technology to identify the attacker in 2023 via a coffee cup the man had thrown away.
Beatty still hasn’t gotten justice for what happened to her, even though she did the “right” thing of reporting the crime right away, simply because the statute of limitations is up for her case. The only thing her attacker has been convicted of is lying to federal agents when confronted about his relation to Dana. Many advocates for rape victims have suggested that the statute of limitations be removed for sexual assault cases so that victims can get justice, regardless of how long it takes to solve their case or how long it takes for them to feel safe reporting.
Global News
Women in Afghanistan have lived under the oppressive Taliban regime since 2021. The Taliban restricts women’s ability to work, attend school, move freely, and even leave home without a male guardian. Despite this, women are still at the forefront of human rights, stability, and peace efforts in Afghanistan. Some examples of their efforts include establishing online schools, supporting women’s access to healthcare, organizing community-based initiatives, and advocating for women’s rights. It is beyond commendable to see women engaging in activism in such an oppressive environment, especially when considering they must act in near secrecy.
By employing feminist advocacy techniques, the women of Afghanistan are giving themselves a way to learn about the language to use in relation to the basic human rights violations that are happening to them.
That’s all for our news roundup! Did any of these stories stick out to you in a particular way? Drop a comment!