Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

GOP Governor Blocks Measure To Keep Menstrual Data From Being Searched By Law Enforcement

Glenn Youngkin
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin blocked a Democratic measure that would have kept law enforcement from accessing menstrual data in search warrants.

Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin came under fire after blocking a Democratic measure to keep law enforcement from accessing menstrual data in search warrants.

Youngkin's move came after the state's Democratic-led Senate passed a measure that "would have banned search warrants for menstrual data stored in tracking apps on mobile phones or other electronic devices" according to The Guardian, which noted the measure was supported by half of the chamber's Republicans.


Despite the bill's clear bipartisan support, Youngkin employed a procedural move in a subcommittee of the Republican-controlled House to kill the legislation.

State Senator Barbara Favola—a Democrat who represents the 31st district—introduced the bill.

The legislation was drafted over concerns about personal privacy after last summer's Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Favola said apps used to store menstrual data are not covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA stipulates how personally identifiable information maintained by the healthcare and healthcare insurance industries should be protected from fraud and theft. It generally prohibits healthcare providers and healthcare businesses from disclosing protected information to anyone other than a patient and the patient's authorized representatives without their consent.

But Maggie Cleary—Youngkin’s deputy secretary of public safety—said it was not the responsibility of the legislature to restrict the scope of search warrants. She said currently "any health information or any app information is available via search warrant" and it should remain that way.

However, Favola said the only time search warrants would be used "would be in a criminal case," adding she doesn't "want to have menstrual health data to be used to criminalize women if they may have had an abortion."

Many reacted angrily to Youngkin's move.

They criticized him and Republicans at large for supporting similar measures elsewhere.



Youngkin's move came just a week after the Florida High School Athletic Association's board of directors voted 14-2 to remove questions about the menstrual cycles of high school athletes from a health form required for them to participate in school sports.

Controversy erupted over the questions on the medical forms, which are typically filled out by physicians and submitted to schools.

NPR reported the board approved a recommendation to remove questions "for details including the onset of an athlete's period and the date of that person's last menstrual cycle."

More from Trending

Offset and Cardi B
Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTV

Rapper Offset Is Getting Dragged Hard After Blaming His Divorce On Cardi B Not Cooking For Him

Rapper Offset is facing public pushback after trying to shade his ex, Cardi B, with lyrics about her not cooking for him—like it's 1925 instead of 2025.

Leading up to the release of the song "Move On," Offset told the Associated Press:

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

'The Daily Show' Epically Drags MAGA's American Flag Obsession With Hilariously NSFW Parody Ad

The Daily Show had people cackling after it skewered President Donald Trump and his MAGA followers over their obsession with the American flag with a parody ad for the "Trump Love Flag" that calls for people to not "desecrate, just fornicate."

Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing federal prosecutors to pursue criminal charges against people who burn American flags during protests.

Keep ReadingShow less
Karoline Leavitt
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Gets Brutal Reminder After Making Brazen Claim About Trump's 'Transparency'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had people rolling their eyes after she took to X to claim that President Donald Trump is the "most transparent and accessible" president in history.

Leavitt made the claim in response to a tweet from White House correspondent Philip Wegmann, who writes for the conservative news site RealClearPolitics, one of the right-wing news outlets accredited by the White House as part of a larger shake-up intended to counter "liberal news narratives."

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

Trump Had A Shockingly Normal Reaction To Travis And Taylor's Engagement—And He's Getting Roasted Alive For It

President Donald Trump was widely mocked for his surprisingly supportive reaction to the news that Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and musician Taylor Swift are engaged to be married.

In a post on Instagram, Swift announced that “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” sharing photos of Kelce kneeling on one knee before her in a flower-filled garden.

Keep ReadingShow less
Two women resting their heads on a man's shoulders
a group of people posing for the camera

People Who've Had A Threesome Reveal What Surprised Them Most

From time to time, a couple might look for ways to spice up their relationship, fearing they may have lost some of their spark.

Conversely, some people look for ways to break free of their sexual comfort zone and be more adventurous.

Keep ReadingShow less