Jennifer Ludden http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100815&ft=1&f=2100815 Jennifer Ludden is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk. She covers a range of stories on family life and social issues. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Jennifer Ludden http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100815&ft=1&f=2100815 Pew Poll: Adult LGBT Americans Optimistic About Future A Pew Research Center survey finds lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults are optimistic about increasing social acceptance. Yet many still report feeling stigmatized by family, friends, employers and their place of worship. Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=191400434&ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=191400434&ft=1&f=2100815 A Pew Research Center survey finds lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults are optimistic about increasing social acceptance. Yet many still report feeling stigmatized by family, friends, employers and their place of worship.

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]]> Pushed Off The Job While Pregnant At a time when most pregnant women work, there are new efforts to keep companies from unfairly targeting employees because of a pregnancy. Allegations of pregnancy discrimination persist and have even risen in recent years despite a decades-old law against it. Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/11/189207542/pushed-off-the-job-while-pregnant?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/11/189207542/pushed-off-the-job-while-pregnant?ft=1&f=2100815 At a time when most pregnant women work, there are new efforts to keep companies from unfairly targeting employees because of a pregnancy. Allegations of pregnancy discrimination persist and have even risen in recent years despite a decades-old law against it.

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]]> Snowden Had A Fast Rise In The Intelligence World Who is Edward Snowden? The National Security Agency contractor says he leaked information on secret surveillance programs to spark public debate over the reach of government monitoring. Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=190453524&ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=190453524&ft=1&f=2100815 Who is Edward Snowden? The National Security Agency contractor says he leaked information on secret surveillance programs to spark public debate over the reach of government monitoring.

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]]> Joblessness Shortens Life Expectancy For White Women Policymakers who've relied on health initiatives to address the mortality gap may take a look at the workplace. Family-friendly policies, like paid parental leave and subsidized child care, that could help keep women employed. Thu, 30 May 2013 14:57:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/30/187314697/joblessness-shortens-life-expectancy-for-white-women?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/30/187314697/joblessness-shortens-life-expectancy-for-white-women?ft=1&f=2100815 Policymakers who've relied on health initiatives to address the mortality gap may take a look at the workplace. Family-friendly policies, like paid parental leave and subsidized child care, that could help keep women employed.

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]]> Alimony Till Death Do Us Part? Nay, Say Some Ex-Spouses A year after Massachusetts ended lifetime alimony, groups in a number of states are pushing similar legislation. They say alimony laws are outdated, based on a time when most women didn't work. But family lawyers say the proposals would punish those who've sacrificed their own career to help a spouse advance. Tue, 28 May 2013 03:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/28/186784580/alimony-till-death-do-us-part-nay-say-some-ex-spouses?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/28/186784580/alimony-till-death-do-us-part-nay-say-some-ex-spouses?ft=1&f=2100815 A year after Massachusetts ended lifetime alimony, groups in a number of states are pushing similar legislation. They say alimony laws are outdated, based on a time when most women didn't work. But family lawyers say the proposals would punish those who've sacrificed their own career to help a spouse advance.

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]]> Stay-At-Home Dads, Breadwinner Moms And Making It All Work For decades, the role of breadwinner was reserved for men, but today, more than a quarter of American working women earn more than their spouses. That means more fathers are opting to stay home with the kids. Wed, 15 May 2013 05:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/180300236/stay-at-home-dads-breadwinner-moms-and-making-it-all-work?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/180300236/stay-at-home-dads-breadwinner-moms-and-making-it-all-work?ft=1&f=2100815 For decades, the role of breadwinner was reserved for men, but today, more than a quarter of American working women earn more than their spouses. That means more fathers are opting to stay home with the kids.

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]]> Bombing Suspect's Lawyer A Quiet Defender Of The Notorious Defense attorney Judy Clarke routinely faces an enraged public, top-notch prosecutors and difficult, often disturbed clients. Now, she is soon to face those things again with another high-profile client, alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Sun, 12 May 2013 05:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183239033/attorney-for-notorious-clients-a-quiet-defender?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/12/183239033/attorney-for-notorious-clients-a-quiet-defender?ft=1&f=2100815 Defense attorney Judy Clarke routinely faces an enraged public, top-notch prosecutors and difficult, often disturbed clients. Now, she is soon to face those things again with another high-profile client, alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

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]]> Filling In The Gap On Climate Education In Classrooms Science education standards, issued in April, recommend teaching climate change for the first time. But one nonprofit says kids aren't learning enough, soon enough, about how their world will change in the coming decades. The group aims to remedy this with presentations in schools nationwide. Tue, 07 May 2013 16:35:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/07/181899846/filling-in-the-gap-on-climate-education-in-classrooms?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/07/181899846/filling-in-the-gap-on-climate-education-in-classrooms?ft=1&f=2100815 Science education standards, issued in April, recommend teaching climate change for the first time. But one nonprofit says kids aren't learning enough, soon enough, about how their world will change in the coming decades. The group aims to remedy this with presentations in schools nationwide.

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]]> Moving Out And Buying In: Single Ladies Emerge As Homeowners Even though it's tough to purchase your own home in this economy, single women are making it work. After married couples, they're the largest demographic group of homebuyers. In fact, their share of the market is twice that of single men. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:24:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/176837073/moving-out-and-buying-in-single-ladies-emerge-as-homeowners?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/176837073/moving-out-and-buying-in-single-ladies-emerge-as-homeowners?ft=1&f=2100815 Even though it's tough to purchase your own home in this economy, single women are making it work. After married couples, they're the largest demographic group of homebuyers. In fact, their share of the market is twice that of single men.

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]]> A Hot Topic: Climate Change Coming To Classrooms For the first time, new nationwide science standards due out soon will recommend teaching K-12 students about climate change. Educators say many teachers have shied away from the polarizing topic, and an organized campaign to promote it as "controversial" leaves many students confused. Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:31:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/27/174141194/a-hot-topic-climate-change-coming-to-classrooms?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/27/174141194/a-hot-topic-climate-change-coming-to-classrooms?ft=1&f=2100815 For the first time, new nationwide science standards due out soon will recommend teaching K-12 students about climate change. Educators say many teachers have shied away from the polarizing topic, and an organized campaign to promote it as "controversial" leaves many students confused.

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]]> Kids' Voices Key On Both Sides Of Gay-Marriage Debate Opponents of gay marriage have long argued that children's best interests require both a mom and a dad. Recently, however, the children of same-sex couples have started speaking for themselves, advocating for gay marriage. Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/22/175014380/children-of-gay-parents-support-same-sex-marriage?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/22/175014380/children-of-gay-parents-support-same-sex-marriage?ft=1&f=2100815 Opponents of gay marriage have long argued that children's best interests require both a mom and a dad. Recently, however, the children of same-sex couples have started speaking for themselves, advocating for gay marriage.

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]]> Modern Parenthood: More Equal, More Stressed A new Pew survey finds that an equal number of working moms and dads — 48 percent — wish they could quit their jobs to raise their kids. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/14/174306213/modern-parenthood-more-equal-more-stressed?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/14/174306213/modern-parenthood-more-equal-more-stressed?ft=1&f=2100815 A new Pew survey finds that an equal number of working moms and dads — 48 percent — wish they could quit their jobs to raise their kids.

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]]> Stay-At-Home Workers Defend Choice After Yahoo Ban Yahoo's telecommuting ban may be just what that company needs in a time of crisis. But some stay-at-home workers resent the implication that they are slacking off when the boss can't see them. Should society resurrect all the barriers between work and home? Fri, 01 Mar 2013 02:59:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/01/173186526/stay-at-home-workers-defend-choice-after-yahoo-ban?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/01/173186526/stay-at-home-workers-defend-choice-after-yahoo-ban?ft=1&f=2100815 Yahoo's telecommuting ban may be just what that company needs in a time of crisis. But some stay-at-home workers resent the implication that they are slacking off when the boss can't see them. Should society resurrect all the barriers between work and home?

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]]> Forecasting Climate With A Chance Of Backlash A surprising number of TV weather presenters are vocal deniers of climate change, while others fear audience backlash if they talk about such a polarizing topic. But one meteorologist in South Carolina is waging a climate education campaign, and says it's going over well. Tue, 19 Feb 2013 03:14:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/19/171832641/forecasting-climate-with-a-chance-of-backlash?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/19/171832641/forecasting-climate-with-a-chance-of-backlash?ft=1&f=2100815 A surprising number of TV weather presenters are vocal deniers of climate change, while others fear audience backlash if they talk about such a polarizing topic. But one meteorologist in South Carolina is waging a climate education campaign, and says it's going over well.

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]]> FMLA Not Really Working For Many Employees Labor organizations say the Family and Medical Leave Act is too restrictive and that workers often have to choose between their family and their livelihood. Now, there are calls for Congress to expand the law and provide paid leave. Tue, 05 Feb 2013 03:24:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171078451/fmla-not-really-working-for-many-employees?ft=1&f=2100815 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/05/171078451/fmla-not-really-working-for-many-employees?ft=1&f=2100815 Labor organizations say the Family and Medical Leave Act is too restrictive and that workers often have to choose between their family and their livelihood. Now, there are calls for Congress to expand the law and provide paid leave.

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