This week's civic action to-do list: Abortion Access, Paid Family Leave, and Discrimination Against Girls of Color
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Follow JWI this month for more information and resources on the intersection of domestic violence and economic security.
Keep survivors of domestic violence at the forefront during Domestic Violence Awareness Month!
Reproductive coercion - interfering with birth control, coercing a partner to have unprotected sex, and/or controlling pregnancy outcomes - is a common tactic in the intimate partner abuse toolbox. Survivors of domestic violence must have control over their own reproductive choices, no matter where in the U.S. they live. The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) will protect pregnant people’s access safe abortions nationwide, and the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act of 2021 (EACH) will ensure that this access is affordable.
Join JWI and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz for the launch of JWI's National Center on October 29th. Join the launch of the 73Forward abortion access movement on October 27th. Tell your senators to pass WHPA, and tell your members of Congress to support EACH.
Paid family leave – an essential safety net that allows people to care for their families without sacrificing their economic security - is in jeopardy in the Build Back Better (BBB) Plan. Women, particularly women of color, are most often their families’ primary caregivers – but they are also most likely to work in jobs that do not provide any paid leave.
It is crucial that the BBB Plan include 12 weeks of paid family leave for all workers. Email your members of Congress and tell them to pass an act that includes this now.
Students of color, particularly Black and brown girls, are systemically criminalized through the use of exclusionary disciplinary practices in schools, such as out-of-school suspension and expulsion. These practices lead to negative outcomes later in life, including an increased likelihood of confinement through juvenile detention or prison. The Ending PUSHOUT Act of 2021 reduces the use of these practices and trains school personnel on implicit bias.
Tell your house representatives to support this act, and participate in the “Principal Demands” campaign.
Curated Resources:
Paid Leave to Save Your Life (Ms. Magazine, October 2021) - A provision is proposed for the Build Back Better Plan which would enable survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault to take paid leave to find safety. This article discusses the far-reaching impact that this provision would have.
For Women and Workers of Color in Every State, Paid Leave Is a Lifeline (National Partnership for Women and Families, October 2021) - This report shows that universal paid family and medical leave are critical for the economic security of women, particularly women of color.
California Law Bans “Condom Stealthing”: Removing a Condom Without Consent Is “A Grave Violation of Dignity and Autonomy” (Ms. Magazine, October 2021) - California is the first state in the nation to make it against the law to remove a condom without consent; it is hoped that this will become a model for laws in other states.
Happening at JWI
National Alliance Membership Sale!
Did you know the National Alliance membership sale has been extended through the end of this month? Through October 31st, save $30 on 2021-2022 memberships: That's just $220 for organizations (up to 20 members, full price $250) or $120 for individuals (full price $150) for ten incredible monthly webinars.
U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality - read the full strategy here and see JWI's statement: