The Conversation - Closing the 'boyfriend loophole'

Yesterday was a pretty newsy sort of day. In fact, it was a newsy end to a newsy week in what has been, to date, a very newsy year. Most of that news has been gloomy, especially to those of a progressive mindset. The Supreme Court’s abortion ruling came on the heels of a decision by conservative justices a day earlier to strike down a New York restriction on carrying guns outside the home.

This huge disappointment for gun control advocates was offset, to a degree, at least, by a rarity on Friday: a bipartisan gun control bill passed by Congress.

Limited in nature – there is certainly still no whiff of an actual ban ever being countenanced in Congress – the agreed-upon bill does, nonetheless, have some important provisions. April Zeoli of Michigan State University explores one of the most notable: the closing of the so-called “boyfriend loophole.” It means that dating partners will now be treated no differently from spouses when it comes to bans on purchasing guns due to convictions or restraining orders tied to domestic violence. As Zeoli notes, this small change will save lives.

This week we also liked articles about the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling, abortion restrictions around the world and how painkilling drugs work.