In the ebb and flow of the fight for equality – Women win lots of Grammys! Women continue to experience violence and repression! – I see the need to note International Women’s Day 2024. From the website:
“Imagine a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together, we can forge women’s equality. Collectively, we can all #InspireInclusion.
“Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity.”
From Amnesty International: “We are all entitled to human rights. These include the right to live free from violence and discrimination, enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, be educated, own property, vote, and earn an equal wage.
“But across the globe, many women and girls still face discrimination based on sex and gender. Gender inequality underpins many problems that disproportionately affect women and girls, such as domestic and sexual violence, lower pay, lack of access to education, and inadequate healthcare.”
Health care
ITEM: From Center for Reproductive Rights: The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) is pending federal legislation that would create “a new legal protection for the right to provide and access abortion care, free from medically unnecessary restrictions and bans on abortion. The need for WHPA is more urgent than ever.
From Wolters Kluwer: How abortion bans prevent clinicians from providing essential women’s health care.
“Some states have exceptions for abortions in ‘medical emergencies’ but, as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) explains in Understanding and Navigating Medical Emergency Exceptions in Abortion Bans and Restrictions, since clinicians often ‘make medical decisions in gray areas [with] unique medical considerations,’ many are confused about what constitutes an ’emergency.'”
Census
ITEM: National Women’s History Month honors the successes and sacrifices of U.S. women. It dates to March 8, 1857, when hundreds of women from New York City garment and textile factories rallied to protest harsh working conditions. In 1909, New York City became the site of the nation’s first Women’s Day celebration, a year after 15,000 women there marched to demand shorter working hours, better pay, an end to child labor and the right to vote. More than seven decades later in 1981, Congress set aside the second week of March as National Women’s History Week. Six years later, Congress expanded the week to a month. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we reflect upon the advances women have made, including increased earnings, educational attainment, and job opportunities. Lots of stats.
ITEM: From the US Census Bureau: Is the Gender Wage Gap the Same at Different Education Levels?
“The gap in average earnings from 2005 to 2019 was consistent across all education levels… Women with a certificate degree earned 71.2 cents for every dollar earned by men with a certificate degree. In other words, the gap was 28.8%. For graduates of the most selective bachelor’s institutions, as defined by Barron’s Admissions Competitiveness Index, the gap was 28.4%.”
Replacing Diane Feinstein
ITEM: From the Los Angeles Times. “At least one woman has represented California in the U.S. Senate for the last three decades, a historic feat given that men account for 97% of the members who have served there since the birth of the nation. That streak [will] come to an end after the 2024 Senate election.” Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D) of Burbank and former MLB first baseman Steve Garvey (R) were the top two candidates to run in November’s general election. Reps. Katie Porter (D-Irvine), who would have been my pick, and Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) lagged in the March 5 primary.