Equal pay for equal play, VAWA reauthorization twitter storm, and civic engagement 101 breakfast discussion: Your civic action to-do list for 7-8-19
3. Yesterday, the U.S. Women's National Soccer team clinched its second consecutive World Cup victory. We see the team’s tenacity off the field, too, as it fights the U.S. Soccer Federation's (USSF) gender discrimination. Despite the U.S. Men's National Soccer team’s inferior record, the USSF pays male players far more than female players. Equal (or better!) work – on the field, in the office, or at any place of employment – deserves equal (or better!) pay.
In a nutshell: The Paycheck Fairness Act will upend harmful patterns of pay discrimination and eliminate loopholes in the Equal Pay Act, helping women across the country and in every industry in their struggle toward pay equity. This legislation already passed the House (H.R.7), but not a single Republican senator has cosponsored the companion bill since its introduction in January 2019 by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).
Take Action: Tell your Senators that the gender pay gap is unacceptable and that they should support the Paycheck Fairness Act (S.270). All 45 Democratic senators are original cosponsors – be sure to thank them!
2. On April 4th, the House of Representatives passed H.R.1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (VAWA), with strong bipartisan support. It is time for Senate leadership to introduce a substantially similar bill that maintains protections for vulnerable survivors and contains new provisions to enhance our prevention of and response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
In a nutshell: Your Senators need to know that ending gender-based violence is meaningful to you – and that you’ve noticed their inaction.
Take Action: Join us on social media as we urge the Senate to step up to the plate on VAWA. Post one tweet a week on Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. PST until the end of August. You can utilize tweets and graphics from this list or write your own! Hashtags are #VAWA2019 and #VAWA4All. You can find your Senators’ social media handles here.
1. Abortion bans, inhumane immigration policy, civil rights rollbacks in health care, and mass shootings are ravaging communities of women nationwide – and that’s just in the last few weeks. Now more than ever, it’s essential that young women raise their voices and advocate on issues that impact them.
In a nutshell: JWI is working to expand young women’s civic engagement and teach them the skills necessary to leverage their personal experiences and galvanize their networks. Our Summer Series specifically focuses on empowering interns and young professionals to make a difference.
Take Action: Encourage your D.C. interns to join JWI tomorrow morning for breakfast and conversation with local policy, education, and lobbying organizations about how to become more politically active. Representatives from the Center for Reproductive Rights, End Rape on Campus, the Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States, and Platform will lead the discussion.