Is she or isn't she? Panda edition

FMF is watching the Obama budget, and we want the White House to end federal funding for abstinence-only education and crisis pregnancy centers.

The campus team is also observing the attention around the pandas at DC's National Zoo. Mei Xiang has been non-cooperative when zookeepers attempt to monitor her for signs of pregnancy. Once zoo staff noticed she was in heat, their breeding program kicked into high gear. Artificial insemination, 24 hour panda cams, you name it.

We're all for panda proliferation, since there are only 1,600 pandas in the wild, according to the Washington Post. But we regret Mei Xiang appears most coveted for her reproductive capabilities, and little else. We have yet to see coverage on her skills or her charming persona.

FMF's Tania Stewart reminds us Mei Xiang may not want to be a mother, or may have other aspirations in addition to pandarearing. We hope the zoo and the Post will remember to focus on the health and well-being of Mei Xiang first, and will view her as a terrific panda in her own right, not just as a potential mother.

To learn more about Mei Xiang and the pandas at the National Zoo, click here. We will continue to fully support Mei Xiang in all her endeavors and wish her and her family the best.