NOW Launches Action-Oriented Blog on Women's Equality Day

NOW Launches Action-Oriented Blog on Women's Equality Day "These splendid people are hungry, hungry. Oh, for more power to give out the truth!" — Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1875 The National Organization for Women is proud to celebrate Women's Equality Day this year by launching Say It, Sister! — a new blog designed to inform, inspire and instigate feminist activism. Women's Equality Day marks the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote. For more than 70 years, the foremothers of feminism campaigned for women's equality at the polls, and they finally achieved victory in 1920. Nearly a century later, the ballot box remains vital to protecting and advancing women's rights, but the way we educate voters and petition our government has changed dramatically. The Internet has brought us unprecedented organizing power, and there's little doubt that suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth would have welcomed this tremendous opportunity to amplify their voices and reach out to women across the country and around the globe. In the tradition of those great feminists, Say It, Sister! will bring women's rights supporters together to motivate and strengthen each other in our mission to end all forms of sex discrimination. The blog will serve as a place where NOW leaders speak their minds, call women and men to action, encourage feedback and facilitate a lively (no doubt) dialogue. "I am thrilled to launch NOW's blog, Say It, Sister!, on Women's Equality Day," said NOW Action Vice President Erin Matson. "As Elizabeth Cady Stanton said so long ago, there are many hungry people out there. Well, now we have this incredible power to nourish them and point them in the right direction to make change, and that's just what we plan to do!" The NOW blog is located at www.now.org/blog View Online Sign Up for Emails NOW Home Support NOW's Work Unsubscribe / Edit Profile

Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
NOW – NYS Young Feminist Task Force Chair
National Organization for Women (NOW)

NOW President Terry O'Neill to Stand with Reproductive Health Care Providers, Defenders in Nebraska

	For Immediate Release Contact: Lisa Bennett, 202-628-8669, ext. 123; NOW President Terry O'Neill to Stand with Reproductive Health Care Providers, Defenders in Nebraska "Since the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in May, anti-abortion forces have set their sights on Dr. LeRoy Carhart. Operation Rescue plans to besiege Dr. Carhart's Nebraska clinic this weekend in an attempt to terrorize the clinic workers and their patients, with the ultimate goal of closing down the facility," said NOW President Terry O'Neill. "Because NOW believes that it is every woman's right to have access to the full range of reproductive health care, I will be there to stand with leaders and activists from NOW and other organizations to help defend these brave providers." What: Clinic Defense and Counter-Protest of Anti-Abortion Demonstrations Who: Dr. LeRoy Carhart, Owner and Provider, Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska Terry O'Neill, President, National Organization for Women Katherine Spillar, Executive Vice President, Feminist Majority Foundation Debra Sweet, National Director, World Can't Wait When: Press Conference: Fri, Aug. 28, 9:30 am - 10:00 am Clinic Defense and Counter-Demonstration: Fri-Sat, Aug. 28-29, 7:00 a.m. - closing Where: Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska 1002 W. Mission Avenue, Bellevue, Nebraska "Clinic violence and harassment are domestic terrorism, plain and simple. The hateful rhetoric and attacks have grown bolder this year. As we prepare to stand in peaceful support of women's rights in Nebraska, we know that every clinic in the United States is a potential target," said O'Neill. "I call on the Obama administration to respond to this threat using the strongest means possible, to prosecute the criminals, their funders and their co-conspirators, and to protect every provider, worker and patient across this nation." Learn more about NOW's efforts to defend Dr. Carhart's clinic.

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Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
NOW – NYS Young Feminist Task Force Chair
National Organization for Women (NOW)

NOW Celebrates Landmark Confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court

	For Immediate Release Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906 NOW Celebrates Landmark Confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court Statement of NOW President Terry O'Neill History was made today when the Senate confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. The National Organization for Women proudly celebrates Sotomayor's landmark achievement as the first Hispanic justice to sit on the high court and just the third woman justice. Judge Sotomayor will bring more federal judicial experience to the court than any justice in 100 years, and more overall judicial experience than anyone confirmed in the past 70 years. In addition to her exemplary qualifications, Sotomayor will bring an important viewpoint to the bench. Though it was a difficult concept for some senators to grasp, Sotomayor's experience as a member of two groups who often experience discrimination in this country can only help to broaden the court's perspective on inequity and help advance the cause of equality and justice for all. Women have every reason to be outraged about gender disparity on the Supreme Court. When Sotomayor joins Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the court this fall, women will occupy a whopping 22 percent of the bench. Sixteen years passed between the confirmations of Ginsburg and Sotomayor, and three men were elevated to the high court during that time. At that unacceptable rate, it could take decades, maybe even centuries, to achieve a gender balanced court. There's no excuse to wait for equality: NOW calls for every open seat on the Supreme Court to be filled by a woman until there are four, if not five women justices. ###
	Posted by: Jerin Alam National NOW Young Feminist Task Force National Organization for Women (NOW)

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NOW Outraged at House Vote on Abortion Coverage -- Women's Rights Traded Away

For Immediate Release Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906 NOW Outraged at House Vote on Abortion Coverage -- Women's Rights Traded Away July 31, 2009 NOW is outraged to learn that the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed an amendment excluding abortion services from the "essential" health benefits package as defined by the government. Under this amendment, subsidies used to help pay insurance premiums for low-income people could not be used for abortion services. The New York Times reports that "insurers must use money from private sources to pay for any abortions." "Reproductive health care is a fundamental right. Any health care plan that does not cover the full range of reproductive services, including abortion, discriminates against women," said NOW President Terry O'Neill. "Once again, our representatives are giving in to the right wing by trading away women's rights. Well, I have a message for them, our reproductive rights are not theirs to give away." O'Neill noted that a majority of voters support coverage for abortion services, with only about a quarter opposed to using tax dollars to pay for abortion. In addition, a recent study found that most people in the U.S. with employer-based insurance currently have coverage for abortion. "Don't low-income people deserve the same level of coverage as other people in this country?" asked O'Neill. "Our lawmakers should be ashamed of themselves for perpetuating class-based and gender-based biases as they attempt to 'reform' our broken health care system." Posted by: Jerin Alam National NOW Young Feminist Task Force National Organization for Women (NOW)

Single-Payer Health Care Would Benefit Women, Promote Equality and Justice for All

	For Immediate Release Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906 Single-Payer Health Care Would Benefit Women Promote Equality and Justice for All Statement of NOW President Terry O'Neill July 30, 2009 Health care is a fundamental human right, and ensuring access to quality, affordable and comprehensive health care within the United States is a moral imperative confronting our legislators today. Since 1993, the National Organization for Women has been a leader in the campaign for single-payer health care in the U.S. It is, as President Obama noted last week, the only way to ensure coverage for everyone. Single-payer health care is particularly important for women. Women bear the brunt of this nation's broken health care system, and it's coming at us from multiple directions. Women are disproportionately under-insured in the U.S. because we tend to be clustered in part-time, non-union and other jobs that do not provide health care. When we do seek coverage on the open market, we are often charged more than men, even while many of us are denied maternity care. And because statistics show that women remain paid between 78 and 58 cents on the dollar compared to men, even those of us who are fortunate enough to receive employer-sponsored insurance are less likely to be able to pay premiums. Moreover, the burden of caring for the sick has increasingly shifted from health care professionals to family caregivers. As insurance companies force hospitals to turn out patients shortly after major surgery, patients are sent home to be cared for by unpaid family members, predominantly women. The best way to correct these problems is to enact single-payer health care, covering all women regardless of their employment status, immigration status or ability to pay. And while covering everyone, single-payer health care would also be significantly more cost-effective than the system we have now, because removing the profit-seeking insurance companies from the equation eliminates a huge portion of health care costs. Despite what some of our elected officials might think, any public plan must cover all reproductive health services. Women have a right to full access to the complete range of reproductive health care services. This includes HIV/STD testing, maternity care, pre- and post-natal care, contraception and abortion. The greed and dominance of the private health insurance industry is both a symptom of and a major contributor to the massive inequality that is entrenched in our society. Single-payer health care promotes health and economic justice for all.

NOW.org | Press Room | View Online | Subscribe | Unsubscribe, Edit Profile Posted by: Jerin Alam National NOW Young Feminist Task Force National Organization for Women (NOW)

Judiciary Committee Sees the Wisdom in Voting for Sotomayor

	For Immediate Release Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906 Judiciary Committee Sees the Wisdom in Voting for Sotomayor NOW applauds the Senate Judiciary Committee's 13 to 6 vote recommending confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. "At the risk of upsetting Senator Sessions, I am pleased that this 'wise Latina' is one step closer to joining Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the high court," said NOW President Terry O'Neill. "As the first Hispanic justice and only the third woman, Judge Sotomayor will add a much needed perspective to a bench dominated by white males." The full Senate is expected to vote on Sotomayor's confirmation by the end of next week. NOW will be watching the vote closely. "Racism and sexism have driven far too much of the public discourse about the superbly qualified Sotomayor, and all the fiery temperaments on display last week during her Senate confirmation hearing -- those outrageous questions and comments -- seemed to belong to privileged white men," said O'Neill. "Sotomayor's impressive experience should guarantee her a strong vote on the floor, and her notable rise to the high court should serve as inspiration to women and girls across the country and around the world."

NOW.org | Press Room | View Online | Subscribe | Unsubscribe, Edit Profile Posted by: Jerin Alam National NOW Young Feminist Task Force National Organization for Women (NOW)

Shortsighted NYS Dems Give Power & Money Back to Indicted Senator in Backroom Deal

Press Release: Shortsighted Democrats Give Power & Money Back to Indicted Senator in Backroom Deal Press Release Contact: Marcia Pappas, President 518-452-3944 National Organization for Women-NYS Denounces Shortsighted Democrats Dems Give Power & Money Back to Indicted Senator in Backroom Deal ALBANY, NY (07/15/2009) This week, National Organization for Women-NYS learned that Senator Monserrate (the alleged abuser who was indicted for injuring his girlfriend to the tune of twenty facial stitches) was returned to his seat, and rather lucrative stipend, as NYS Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee. Of this reinstatement NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas remarked: "Given the fact that Monserrate was indicted for such a heinous crime, one would think the Democratic leadership in NY would be wise enough to withhold such a decision, at least until Monserrate's court appearance is completed." Pappas said this move was suspicious, especially since Monseratte recently sided with Republicans and his long-time friend Senator Espada to tip the Senate scales to a Republican majority. Pappas continued: "Now suddenly Monserrate is holding hands and singing Kumbaya with the Democrats again. Could it be that the Democrats, in exchange for Monserrate's loyalty, promised the biggest carrot of all; his job and money?" All appearances would indicate that this back-room deal was negotiated on the backs of NY women. Women are angry and several from the NYS Legislature called the NOW office to say they are working in a mine field and that their work environment has become increasingly hostile. Pappas concluded: "The NYS Democratic leadership, in its infinite but short-sighted wisdom, has not only slapped the face of every woman in NY and in the NYS Legislature, but they have basically said 'Your safety does not matter.' I wonder how those same women will feel come Election Day?" -end- Posted by: Jerin Alam National NOW Young Feminist Task Force National Organization for Women (NOW)