Fact Sheet: The Obama Administration’s Comprehensive Efforts to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Worldwide

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

“When women succeed, nations are more safe, more secure, and more prosperous.  Over the last year, we’ve seen women and girls inspiring communities and entire countries to stand up for freedom and justice, and I’m proud of my Administration’s efforts to promote gender equality worldwide.” --President Barack Obama, March 8, 2013

President Obama has made promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls central to our national security strategy and foreign policy, including by leading through example at home.  The Administration will continue to prioritize these efforts in the coming years, in collaboration with stakeholders throughout the world, recognizing that our journey is far from complete and that securing equal rights and opportunity for women and girls is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do.

Highlights of the Obama Administration’s record to empower women and girls worldwide include:

Building Capacity and Enhancing Coordination and Accountability across the U.S. Government

Strengthening our leadership and coordination to enhance our impact abroad:  On January 30, 2013, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum directing that the Secretary of State designate a Coordinator at the Ambassador at Large level, reporting directly to the Secretary of State, to lead the Office of Global Women’s Issues and to provide advice and assistance on issues related to promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls internationally.  In this Memorandum, President Obama also recognized the accomplishments and leadership of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, and established an interagency working group led by the White House National Security Staff.

Bolstering agency policies, staffing, and training:  Agencies have issued policy and operational guidance, including at the Department of State, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and USAID, to ensure a comprehensive approach on gender equality and women’s empowerment.  From the Department of Justice to the Department of Defense, the Administration has expanded training and created new positions, including on the National Security Staff, to advance these policies.

Holding ourselves accountable and monitoring our progress:  The MCC and its partners in compact countries have made significant progress in integrating gender equality into projects that support poverty reduction through growth.  In March 2011, the MCC released guidelines for gender integration that make MCC’s Gender Policy fully operational, and MCC will  continue to work to improve both global policy and practice.  The Department of State and USAID are also launching new efforts to strengthen the evidence base on the importance of promoting gender equality, including by improving data collection and strengthening metrics.

Increasing Women’s Roles in Conflict Prevention and Security Decision-making

Empowering women as equal partners in preventing conflict and building peace: On December 19, 2011, the Obama Administration released Executive Order 13595 and the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security to support women’s voices and perspectives in decision-making in countries threatened and affected by war, violence, and insecurity.  Agencies such as the Department of State, USAID, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have begun to realize the goals of the National Action Plan through the development of detailed implementation plans.  And on January 24, 2013, the Department of Defense announced its intent to remove gender-based barriers to service and fully integrate women into all occupational specialties. 

Expanding Economic Opportunity for Women  

Launching new initiatives to bolster women’s economic empowerment:  The Administration has launched several signature regional programs to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship and help spur economic growth worldwide, including the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women and the Economy initiative, and the Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Americas (WEAmericas) initiative.

Empowering women farmers to advance food security:  In 2009, the Administration launched the Feed the Future initiative to advance food security worldwide, with a priority focus on women agricultural producers as critical drivers of economic growth in developing countries.  The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, launched at the Camp David G-8 Summit, invests in smallholder farmers, particularly women, who play a critical role in transforming agriculture and building thriving economies.

Leveraging U.S. trade and investment programs to support women in emerging markets:  The United States Trade Representative is helping countries empower women to participate in the global economy, for example through the establishment of Women’s Economic Empowerment Working Groups in South and Central Asia, and along with the Departments of Commerce and State, through the African Women Entrepreneurs Program (AWEP).  The Department of Commerce is also working to support women-owned businesses in emerging markets including Iraq and Afghanistan, and in 2012 led a roundtable with women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia as part of an ongoing conversation around business growth and competitiveness.

Promoting access to financial services for women:  OPIC works to expand economic opportunities for women, including through extensive support for microfinance and by providing incentives for banks to lend to female entrepreneurs, from Cambodia to Egypt to Turkey.  The Treasury Department is also supporting the G20 Global Partnership on Financial Inclusion to document barriers faced by women entrepreneurs, and supports innovative lending models for women in Latin America and the Caribbean through the Inter-American Development Bank.

 Expanding employment opportunities for women and strengthening protections for women workers:  The Department of Transportation is working to promote opportunities for women in transportation sectors abroad, for example through an APEC Women in Transportation initiative, and in Iraq through mentoring women in the Ministry of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority.  The Department of Labor is funding efforts to expand legal protection for domestic workers, and also supports the International Labor Organization and International Finance Corporation’s Better Work program, which protects worker rights and improves working conditions in the apparel industry worldwide.

Launching a Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence

Launching an executive order and U.S. strategy to address gender-based violence:  On August 10, 2012, President Obama issued Executive Order 13623 directing departments and agencies to implement the first ever United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally.  The Department of State and USAID have led the United States’ work to prevent and respond to gender-based violence by ensuring that this issue is integrated in diplomacy and development efforts.  The Executive Order creates an interagency working group to establish a coordinated, government-wide approach to this issue.

Addressing the needs of marginalized women:  Agencies have also worked to ensure our approach to gender-based violence addresses the needs of women and girls from particularly marginalized groups, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons, refugees and other conflict and disaster-affected women and girls, and women and girls with disabilities. 

Combating Trafficking in Persons

 Taking new steps to end modern slavery:  On September 25, 2012, President Obama announced unprecedented government action to combat one of the greatest human rights abuses of our time—human trafficking — which affects more than 20 million people around the world, many of them women and children.  In response to this challenge, the President signed  Executive Order 13627 to strengthen the U.S. Government’s zero-tolerance policy on trafficking in government contracting, and launched several new initiatives to identify and assist survivors, increase resources, plan for future action, and grow public-private partnerships.    

Promoting the Health of Women and Families

Promoting gender integration across all global health efforts:  President Obama has placed women, girls, and gender equality at the heart of his global health agenda, including through the Global Health Initiative (GHI).  The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has ensured a comprehensive approach to gender issues in HIV prevention, treatment, and care.  Over the last three years, PEPFAR has provided post-exposure prophylaxis to almost 85,000 survivors of sexual violence as part of post-rape care.

Advancing women’s reproductive and maternal health:  USAID advances and supports voluntary family planning programs in more than 45 countries across the globe.  This past year, USAID's family planning programs reached more than 84 million women and averted 21 million unintended pregnancies, preventing 15,000 maternal deaths and saving the lives of more than 230,000 infants.  The U.S. Government has also restored funding to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the largest multilateral provider of family planning and reproductive health information and services with programs in 150 countries.  UNFPA’s programs support maternal health care services and gender-based violence prevention and response including for refugees, disaster victims, and those in emergency situations.  Since 2009, the U.S. Government has provided nearly $165 million in core funding to UNFPA.

Engaging men and boys as allies to promote women’s health and rights:  Agencies across the U.S. Government are focused on engaging men and boys as allies in promoting gender equality, for example through the Peace Corps’ programs working with men and boys.

Expanding the use of clean cookstoves to protect the health of women and families:  In September 2010, Secretary Clinton launched the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, a public-private partnership that will help 100 million homes adopt cleaner stoves and fuels by 2020, thereby reducing the deadly risks for women and girls associated with traditional cookstoves.

Expanding Education Opportunities and Promoting Leadership for Women and Girls

Promoting leadership of women and girls:  The Department of State and USAID have launched new efforts to promote women’s leadership and political participation, including in countries in transition.  The Department of State launched the Women in Public Service Project in 2011, and USAID has dedicated over $30 million in funding to support women’s leadership in a range of sectors.  Peace Corps Volunteers around the world organize and lead GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camps to empower young women with leadership skills.

Harnessing technology and STEM education to promote women’s empowerment:  The Department of State and USAID are expanding efforts to empower women with technology, including through the GSMA mWomen program designed to close the gender gap in mobile technology.  Agencies including the Department of Education are also supporting global efforts to advance women’s participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

Expanding training for women in law enforcement fields:  The Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice are working to provide training to women law enforcement personnel from dozens of countries, including through the International Law Enforcement Academies.

Leading New Global Efforts to Advance Gender Equality and Strengthening Multilateral Organizations  

Leveraging U.S. leadership in multilateral forums:  The United States is leading new efforts in a range of multilateral forums to advance women’s empowerment, from brokering new commitments from the G20 to the G-8 and NATO to our financial contributions and robust monitoring of UN agencies’ policies and programs to advance gender equality.  And as the largest shareholder at the World Bank, the United States works with the Bank to continue and strengthen its efforts to address gender issues throughout its work.  

Building a new multilateral partnership on women’s political and economic participation:  At the UN General Assembly in September 2012, the United States launched the Equal Futures Partnership, a new network of countries making national commitments to expand women’s political participation and economic opportunity, in response to President Obama’s challenge.  

President Obama hosts the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country.

President Obama speaks to the American people about the act of terror at the Boston Marathon that wounded dozens and killed three innocent people on Monday, and says that through it all, Boston’s spirit remains undaunted and Americans have proven they refuse to be terrorized.

President Obama commends the response from the state and local police and federal investigators after law enforcement makes an arrest in the Boston Marathon bombings.

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Biggest Loser Trainers Publicly Promote Diet And Exercise, Quietly Endorse Unproven Weight Loss Pills

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NBC’s Biggest Loser, which has helped 14 seasons of contestants lose enormous amounts of weight through intensive diet and exercise, will crown this season’s winner on Monday. But though the show itself advocates substance-free weight loss, its most prominent trainers are endorsing unproven — and potentially dangerous — weight-loss supplements.

Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, two of the three trainers on the show, each have their own line of diet pills, despite their firm public commitment to losing weight through diet and exercise alone. They promote and sell their supplements independently — they aren’t mentioned on NBC.com or sold in the Biggest Loser store or their own personal websites. Both trainers have created standalone sites — jillianweightloss.com and bobharpersupplements.com — to sell their supplements. By taking this under-the-radar path with their diet pills, the trainers are using the fame and trust they’ve gained from their time on the Biggest Loser to market weight loss supplements to a consumer base eager for a quick fix that “really works.”

There is little proof that either pill “really works” at all. Michaels has faced four different lawsuits from consumers claiming her supplements either didn’t work or were dangerous. All four suits were dismissed, and it wasn’t clear whether the ingredients singled out in one lawsuit — Chinese rhubarb, Irish moss powder and uva-ursi — posed a major risk to consumers. But Lynn Willis, professor emeritus of pharmacology at Indiana University, says that Michaels’ Total Body Detox and Cleanse supplement is ineffective:

“This product is an absurdity,” says Willis. “It’s completely bogus that this would detoxify the gut. Someone takes a laxative and they lose two pounds of water weight, but it will come right back.”

Adriane Fugh-Berman, associate professor at Georgetown University, agrees:

“Supplements like this are laxatives and diuretics, and they don’t have any place in a rational weight loss regimen because they can dehydrate people and leave them short of electrolytes,” [she] says. “And supplements have side effects.”

That doesn’t stop Michaels and Harper from continuing to claim their supplements are different from all the rest. Harper’s site boasts claims of two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that confirm the effectiveness of his active ingredients, but one of the studies was funded by the makers of Harper’s pill, neither is named or linked to, and only one can be found online. According to an indepedent supplement review website there are several flaws in the study: the caloric intake of the participants was not monitored or restricted, which means there is no way to tell how many calories each participant in the study consumed on a daily basis; the study wasn’t performed on Bob Harper’s supplement, but on a different product; and four out of the five co-authors have ties to the company that makes the diet pill. Despite this, Harper claims on his page that he’s “tired of good people like you getting ripped off by scam diet programs and products that just don’t work,” and that his really does.

Michaels’ marketing strategy is the similar: she claims that there are a lot of “fly by night” diet pills out there, but she wouldn’t put her name on a product “unless I truly believed in it and in its quality.” Michaels has said before that she’s “not a fan” of pharmaceutical weight-loss drugs, yet she’ll promote a product that isn’t FDA-approved and has only her word and vague claims of published studies on active ingredients (though neither the studies, publication nor the ingredients tested are named).

NBC told ThinkProgress they would not comment about the weight loss supplements endorsed by Biggest Loser trainers.

There is little evidence that over-the-counter diet supplements like the ones marketed by Harper and Michaels help people lose weight. They aren’t subject to FDA approval — Alli is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss pill — and therefore companies don’t have to prove their supplements are effective or safe before they begin selling them, which leads to the inclusion of ingredients that are useless for weight loss and could be unsafe.

On Monday, in front of a live TV audience, Harper and Michaels will tout the results Biggest Loser contestants achieve through restrictive diets and extremely intense exercise — a formula that has itself drawn criticism. But the next time viewers see them, it might be on the bottle of a unproven, unregulated — and potentially unsafe — weight-loss pill. How long will they be able to have it both ways?

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Why New York City’s Effort To Shame Teens Is The Wrong Way To Promote Sexual Health

So far, New York City’s campaign to prevent unintended teen pregnancy has been extremely successful. The public schools in the city have instituted a mandatory comprehensive sex ed curriculum, as well as a program to help expand teen’s access to contraception — both of which have directly contributed to the fact that the teen pregnancy rate in New York City has plummeted by 27 percent over the past decade.

The city’s Human Resources Administration is now expanding those efforts to a broader marketing campaign, rolling out a series of advertisements that intend to communicate the “real cost of teen pregnancy.” The ads, which will appear on subways and bus shelters across the city, are an attempt to frighten teens out of having a child at a young age:

This strategy may not be totally without precedent. Wonkblog’s Sarah Kliff points out that a similar type of advertising campaign in Milwaukee helped contribute to a drop in teen pregnancies. But the huge drop that New York City has already seen over the past 10 years belies a simple fact: edgy advertising isn’t nearly as important as actually equipping young people with the resources they need to understand their bodies and mitigate their sexual risk.

In fact, a recent study demonstrates that providing young adults with the support they need can be a more effective method of preventing unwanted pregnancies than shaming teens about their sexuality. Throughout the course of the study, the teens that participated in a program tailored to help young people make good sexual choices — including providing providing personal case management, youth leadership opportunities, and specialized counseling — were much more likely to make safe sexual choices, like using condoms, than the teens who weren’t in that program. And the healthy sexual behavior extended beyond simply using protection. The teens who received support and counseling were also more likely to be able to recognize unwanted sexual attention, and refute those type of advances — in other words, they became better aware of their physical boundaries and their ability to withhold consent.

Ultimately, the United States needs a huge overhaul when it comes to society’s approach to teen sexuality. Too often, teens aren’t given accurate information about their bodies, aren’t empowered to make their own decisions, don’t know what “consent” is and how to navigate it, and are ultimately too ashamed to ask for the resources they need. Young adults need to be trusted with information about sexuality — and those who are at a higher risk for unintended pregnancy need to be supported, not stigmatized for the “failures” that result from their sexual behavior.

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Presidential Memorandum -- Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally

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For Immediate Release January 30, 2013 Presidential Memorandum -- Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally

 

January 30, 2013 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Coordination of Policies and Programs to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women and Girls Globally  Promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world remains one of the greatest unmet challenges of our time, and one that is vital to achieving our overall foreign policy objectives. Ensuring that women and girls, including those most marginalized, are able to participate fully in public life, are free from violence, and have equal access to education, economic opportunity, and health care increases broader economic prosperity, as well as political stability and security. During my Administration, the United States has made promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls a central element of our foreign policy, including by leading through example at home. Executive Order 13506 of March 11, 2009, established the White House Council on Women and Girls to coordinate Federal policy on issues, both domestic and international, that particularly impact the lives of women and girls. This commitment to promoting gender equality is also reflected in the National Security Strategy of the United States, the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development, and the 2010 U.S. Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. To elevate and integrate this strategic focus on the promotion of gender equality and the advancement of women and girls around the world, executive departments and agencies (agencies) have issued policy and operational guidance. For example, in March 2012, the Secretary of State issued Policy Guidance on Promoting Gender Equality to Achieve our National Security and Foreign Policy Objectives, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator released Gender Equality and Female Empowerment Policy. The Millennium Challenge Corporation issued Gender Integration Guidelines in March 2011 to ensure its existing gender policy is fully realized. My Administration has also developed a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, created pursuant to Executive Order 13595 of December 19, 2011, to strengthen conflict resolution and peace processes through the inclusion of women, and a Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally, implemented pursuant to Executive Order 13623 of August 10, 2012, to combat gender-based violence around the world. Improving interagency coordination and information sharing, and strengthening agency capacity and accountability will help ensure the effective implementation of these and other Government efforts to promote gender equality and advance the status of women and girls globally. By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to further strengthen the capacity of the Federal Government to ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote gender equality and advance the status of women and girls worldwide, I hereby direct the following: Section 1. Strengthening Capacity and Coordination to Promote Gender Equality and Advance the Status of Women and Girls Internationally. (a) Enhancing U.S. global leadership on gender equality requires dedicated resources, personnel with appropriate expertise in advancing the status of women and girls worldwide, and commitment from senior leadership, as exemplified by the critical and historic role played by the Office of Global Women's Issues at the Department of State. To assure maximum coordination of efforts to promote gender equality and advance the status of women and girls, the Secretary of State (Secretary) shall designate a coordinator (Coordinator), who will normally also be appointed by the President as an Ambassador at Large (Ambassador at Large) subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. The Ambassador at Large, who shall report directly to the Secretary of State, shall lead the Office of Global Women's Issues at the Department of State and provide advice and assistance on issues related to promoting gender equality and advancing the status of women and girls internationally. (b) The Ambassador at Large shall, to the extent the Secretary may direct and consistent with applicable law, provide guidance and coordination with respect to global policies and programs for women and girls, and shall lead efforts to promote an international focus on gender equality more broadly, including through diplomatic initiatives with other countries and partnerships and enhanced coordination with international and nongovernmental organizations and the private sector. To this end, the Ambassador at Large shall also, to the extent the Secretary may direct, assist in: (i) implementing existing and developing new policies, strategies, and action plans for the promotion of gender equality and advancement of the status of women and girls internationally, and coordinating such actions with USAID and other agencies carrying out related international activities, as appropriate; and (ii) coordinating such initiatives with other countries and international organizations, as well as with nongovernmental organizations. (c) Recognizing the vital link between diplomacy and development, and the importance of gender equality as both a goal in itself and as a vital means to achieving the broader aims of U.S. development assistance, the Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment at USAID shall provide guidance to the USAID Administrator in identifying, developing, and advancing key priorities for U.S. development assistance, coordinating, as appropriate, with other agencies. (d) The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (or designee), in close collaboration with the Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls (or designee) and the Ambassador at Large (or designee), shall chair an interagency working group to develop and coordinate Government-wide implementation of policies to promote gender equality and advance the status of women and girls internationally. The Working Group shall consist of senior representatives from the Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Homeland Security; the Intelligence Community, as determined by the Director of National Intelligence; the United States Agency for International Development; the Millennium Challenge Corporation; the Peace Corps; the U.S. Mission to the United Nations; the Office of the United States Trade Representative; the Office of Management and Budget; the Office of the Vice President; the National Economic Council; and such other agencies and offices as the President may designate. Sec. 2. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law or Executive Order to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) Upon designation as such by the Secretary, the Coordinator shall exercise the functions of the Ambassador at Large set forth in this memorandum. (d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (e) The Secretary of State is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. BARACK OBAMA

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Ravens Player Hopes To Use Super Bowl To Promote Equality

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was an outspoken advocate for marriage equality during the campaign in Maryland last year, but his support has not waned since that victorious conclusion. Now that the Ravens are bound for the Super Bowl, he wants to use that visibility to promote equality on a bigger scale:

He tapped out an email to Brian Ellner, a leading marriage-equality advocate with whom he had worked before, and Michael Skolnik, the political director for Russell Simmons, a hip-hop mogul who has become involved in many issues, including same-sex marriage.

Ayanbadejo wrote: “Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti- bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?” The time stamp on the email was 3:40:35 A.M.

Ayanbadejo joked that this was his “Jerry Maguire email,” and told Frank Bruni at the New York Times that he’s really excited about the opportunity to do more:

“It’s one of those times when you’re really passionate and in your zone,” Ayanbadejo told me, referring to Maguire’s movie moment and to his own real-life one, in the wee hours of Monday morning. “And I got to thinking about all kinds of things, and I thought: how can we get our message out there?”

He may have his sights on winning the Super Bowl, but he’s looking past that too:

“That’s my ultimate goal after the Super Bowl,” Ayanbadejo told me. “To go on Ellen’s show, to be dancing with her, to bust a move with her.”

In addition to Ellner and Skolnik, he has reached out to Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally, to explore opportunities to do more to combat bullying and homophobia in athletics.

Ayanbadejo is the model of a straight ally: a football star who just found out he was going to the Super Bowl and reacted by asking what he could do to support the LGBT community. Plenty of individuals will step up when asked, but it’s the ones who take their own initiative who make the biggest difference.

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EXCLUSIVE: 51 Upcoming Gun Shows Ban Loaded Weapons To Promote ‘A Safe Environment’

If “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” as the NRA proclaimed in its post-Newtown press conference, why do so many gun shows prohibit attendees from carrying loaded firearms?

According to a ThinkProgress analysis, 51 gun shows in January ban attendees from bringing loaded guns onto the premises. In addition, ThinkProgress was unable to identify a single gun show this month that explicitly allowed people, even those with concealed-carry permits, to bring a loaded weapon with them.

For every event, their stated rationale for not permitting loaded weapons in the gun show was simple: safety. Crossroads Gun Show, a touring event across the western United States, explained on their website:

Q: Can I carry a loaded gun in the gun show? I have a Concealed Carry Permit.

A: We respectfully request that you do not bring any loaded firearm into the gun show. Safety is our Number One Priority, and a safe environment in the show can only be maintained if there are no loaded guns in the show.

At most shows, if an attendee brings a personal firearm, he or she must check it at the door and use a tie “so that they cannot be operated, be breached or loaded.”

Some events, like Bill Goodman’s Gun & Knife Shows across Ohio and Tennessee, even threaten prosecution for those who try to enter with a loaded weapon. “Patrons who bring loaded magazines or weapons into the show will be refused entry and may be subject to prosecution,” their website reads.

The widespread prohibition undermines the backbone of the NRA’s case against stronger gun safety laws. The powerful gun lobby argues that the best way to prevent more gun violence is for more people to have guns, supposedly deterring would-be criminals. The organization has succeeded in convincing every state but Illinois to enact laws allowing people to carry concealed weapons and conservative lawmakers are passing legislation to eliminate gun-free zones around schools and hospitals.

A full list of the 51 gun shows that explicitly ban people from carrying loaded firearms is below:

1. Oklahoma City Gun Show (January 11-12)
2. ABBA Shriners Gun & Knife Show (January 12-13)
3. Gibraltar Taylor Gun & Knife Show (January 11-13)
4. Akron Gun Show (January 12-13)
5. Binghamton Gun & Knife Show (January 12-13)
6. Dalton Gun Show (January 12-13)
7. Dayton (Vandalia) Airport Expo (January 12-13)
8. Farmington Gun Show* (January 12-13)
9. Ft. Lauderdale Gun Show (January 12-13)
10. Germantown Gun & Knife Show* (January 12-13)
11. Kansas City Gun Show* (January 12-13)
12. Maitland Gun Show (January 12-13)
13. Mesa Gun Show (January 12-13)
14. Morehead Gun Show* (January 12-13)
15. Nashville Gun Show (January 12-13)
16. San Angelo Gun & Blade Show (January 12-13)
17. San Francisco Gun Show (January 12-13)
18. Wichita Cessna Gun Show* (January 12-13)
19. Las Vegas Shot Show (January 15-18)
20. Ft. Pierce Gun Show (January 19-20)
21. Gonzales Gun Show (January 19-20)
22. Hendersonville Gun Show* (January 19-20)
23. Jackson Gun & Knife Show* (January 19-20)
24. Jacksonville Florida Gun Show (January 19-20)
25. Jefferson Gun Show (January 19-20)
26. Marietta Jim Miller Park Gun Show* (January 19-20)
27. Miami Florida Gun Show (January 19-20)
28. Paducah Gun Show* (January 19-20)
29. Phoenix Gun Show (January 19-20)
30. Springfield Gun Show* (January 19-20)
31. Topeka Gun Show* (January 19-20)
32. Venice Gun and Knife Show (January 19-20)
33. Des Moines Gun Show (January 25-27)
34. Canandaigua Gun Show (January 26-27)
35. Carlsbad Gun & Blade Show (January 26-27)
36. Costa Mesa Gun Show (January 26-27)
37. Fort Myers Gun, Knife, Civil War & Militaria Show (January 26-27)
38. Goodman Dayton Gun & Knife Show (January 26-27)
39. Gun Show in the Smokies* (January 26-27)
40. Kingman Gun, Knife, Coin & Collectibles Show & Sale (January 26-27)
41. Lawrenceville Gun Show* (January 26-27)
42. Macon Gun Show (January 26-27)
43. New Orleans Area Gun & Knife Show (January 26-27)
44. Oklahoma City Gun and Knife Show* (January 26-27)
45. Palmetto Gun Show (January 26-27)
46. Pensacola Florida Gun Show (January 26-27)
47. Sedalia Gun Show* (January 26-27)
48. Tulsa Gun Show* (January 26-27)
49. Watkins Glen Gun & Knife Show (January 26-27)
50. Wichita Coliseum Gun Show* (January 26-27)
51. Wichita Falls Gun & Knife Show (January 26-27)

*- Events sponsored by R.K. Shows Inc confirmed to ThinkProgress by phone that loaded weapons, even for those with concealed carry permits, are prohibited.

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Neocons Promote Iranian Propaganda In Anti-Hagel Campaign

The neocon smear machine failed to prevent Chuck Hagel’s nomination as the next Secretary of Defense as President Obama announced on Monday that the former GOP senator is his choice to succeed Leon Panetta at the Pentagon. Fresh off their defeat, it seems like the neocons are getting desperate in their efforts to derail Hagel’s bid.

The Iranians today responded to the Hagel nomination and used it to take a backhanded slap at the United States: “We hope there will be practical changes in American foreign policy and that Washington becomes respectful of the rights of nations,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said.

“Hagel nomination cheers Iran, worries Israel” a CBS headline to the story read, and with that, the neocons gleefully promoted Iran’s participation:

CBS: ‘Hagel Nomination Cheers Iran, Worries Israel’: CBS reports: bit.ly/WsZLIn

— weeklystandard (@weeklystandard) January 8, 2013

Hagel nomination cheers Iran, worries Israel cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-5… via @cbsnews

— Keep America Safe (@KeepAmericaSafe) January 8, 2013

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who was previously Hagel’s best friend in the Senate but now has concerns about his nomination, tweeted out the the story as well, which AEI’s Danielle Pletka retweeted.

And if that CBS headline sounds a bit misleading, it is. The one worried Israeli the story quoted was a right-wing Likud Party member. In another piece on what Israelis think of the Hagel pick, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said of the Nebraska Republican: “I have met him many times, and he certainly regards Israel as a true and natural U.S. ally.”

The first question we have is: who cares what Iran thinks about Chuck Hagel? But it’s sad the neocons have become so desperate in their anti-Hagel smear campaign that they’re now promoting anti-American propaganda from Iran’s foreign ministry to make their case.

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NBC Seizes on New Study to Promote ObamaCare Contraception Mandate

At the top of the 9 a.m. et hour on Friday's NBC Today, news anchor Natalie Morales eagerly touted a study released by Washington University in St. Louis on contraception: "A new study suggests that free birth control can dramatically lower rates of abortion and teen births."

Morales then quickly used the findings to promoted ObamaCare: "The report comes as millions of women are about to gain access to free contraception under most workplace insurance plans as part of President Obama's health care law."

Morales avoided labeling the mandate as controversial or any mention of the 43 Catholic institutions suing the Obama administration over the issue.

Here is a transcript of the October 5 news brief:

9:04AM ET

NATALIE MORALES: A new study suggests that free birth control can dramatically lower rates of abortion and teen births. Researchers tracked more than 9,000 women in St. Louis. Many of them poor and uninsured. The report comes as millions of women are about to gain access to free contraception under most workplace insurance plans as part of President Obama's health care law.

Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.

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