Social Issues

The rate of parents having babies out of wedlock is growing, especially for those who don't have access to quality birth control.
The executive committee of the Boy Scouts of America has unanimously adopted a resolution that would allow gay adults to serve as scout leaders, ending a longstanding ban.
In Minneapolis' Hawthorne neighborhood, hope still stands
The north Minneapolis neighborhood has struggled with drugs, gangs, housing teardowns and, most recently, a wave of home foreclosures. A local minister, though, sees flickers of opportunity. Take the tour.
For 25 years, attorney Mary Bonauto and activist Evan Wolfson helped shape the gay marriage movement. On Fresh Air they discussed the recent Supreme Court ruling, which represented the culmination of their efforts.
Counter Stories: Formative songs, summer jams
Find some shade, a comfy chair, and a cold drink, and enjoy this musical ode to summer, courtesy of Counter Stories.
Historic moment: South Carolina removes Confederate flag
The flag was brought down from a 30-foot pole on the Statehouse grounds and moved to the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.
The flag was first flown over the state's Capitol dome in 1961, celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the Civil War. But it was kept there as a protest against the Civil Rights movement.
South Carolina governor: Confederate flag comes down Friday
"Today, I am very proud to say that it is a great day in South Carolina," Gov. Nikki Haley said.
Government extending federal benefits to all married same-sex couples
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that gays and lesbians in every state have a right to be married, programs for veterans, the elderly and disabled will also provide benefits to all married same-sex couples.