Since its passage on June 23, 1972, there have been repeated attacks on Title IX, the civil rights law that guarantees equal educational opportunities to women and girls. After eight years of Bush administration regulations limiting the impact and effectiveness of Title IX, there is now an opportunity to reinvigorate the law and once again prohibit sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funds.
The National Organization for Women calls on President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder to withdraw the U.S. Department of Justice brief filed in support of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and to publicly renounce this discriminatory law. The brief was reportedly written by Bush administration holdovers, and if that is the case, this administration must immediately make it clear that President Obama does not support this position.
The National Organization for Women is re-launching its popular online Media Hall of Shame. With the help of NOW members and other website visitors, we will be on the look-out in the mainstream media for instances of sexism, racism, sexual exploitation, violence against women and other offenses. Frequent posts will highlight the latest offenses, giving people a chance to rate them and urging activists to write to the media outlets to express their outrage.
“The jury is in, the studies are done, and the conclusions are consistent: the gender pay gap is alive and well,” said NOW President Kim Gandy. “The disparity between what women and men are paid stubbornly persists, even after controlling for years of education, work experience and type of occupation.”
NOW President Kim Gandy said, “NOW cheers the formation of the White House Council on Women and Girls, which was created by executive order of President Barack Obama today. It was a pleasure for me to be at the White House to hear the president make this commitment to supporting women and girls in such strong and unequivocal terms. It was a heartening moment for those of us who have worked so hard for this day.”
Tell the Senate to vote No on the SAVE America Act.