issue: NOW In The News

ACTION ALERT: Urge Your Senators and Representative to Support the Equality Act!

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TAKE ACTION – NOW has campaigned for many years for passage of a comprehensive bill prohibiting unequal treatment and we are excited to be supporting recently introduced legislation aimed at ensuring equal treatment for LGBTQIA people and women. The Equality Act — which was introduced in both the House (H.R.3185) and ) and Senate (S.1858) in late July – is a ground-breaking advance of civil rights protections not only for LGBTQIA persons, but also fills many loopholes in civil rights and other laws to better protect women from discriminatory treatment.

ISSUE ADVISORY – Happy 50th Birthday Medicare and Medicaid…and Let’s Not Forget the Americans with Disabilities Act at 25 Years!

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To celebrate the 50th anniversaries of Medicare and Medicaid and all great things that these vital programs do for women’s health and economic security, NOW urged activists earlier this week to hold or join a local birthday celebration. Supporters in more than 60 cities were planning to hold parties, flash mobs and discussions, such as in Oakland where they held a rally and march hosted by the Campaign for a Healthy California and, in Boston, MassCARE organized a party with cake, music, and speakers.

ISSUE ADVISORY: Equality Act Would Ensure Equal Treatment for LGBTQIA Persons and Women

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Now that marriage equality is the law of the land, the National Organization for Women and allies are re-directing our attention to a persistent and troublesome problem: widespread discrimination against LGBTQIA persons. Unfortunately, 31 states do not have fully-inclusive non-discrimination laws that address the many forms of discrimination encountered by LGBTQIA persons; 28 states permit employers to fire someone because they are gay or bisexual. NOW has campaigned for many years for passage of a comprehensive bill that would prohibit such unequal treatment

Oppose Vicious Attacks and Stand With Planned Parenthood

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NOW and 92 other organizations recently signed a letter (LINK) reaffirming Planned Parenthood’s reputation as a leading health care provider for 2.7 million men and women. NOW condemns the actions of the politically-motivated organization that released a heavily edited video that attempted to manipulate public opinion, vilify trusted health care providers, and advance efforts to take away women’s access to legal and safe abortions and other important health services.

ACTION ALERT: Urge Your Representative to Co-Sponsor the EACH Woman Act!

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Too often low-income women, and disproportionately women of color, as well as immigrant women and young women do not have access to safe and legal abortions because of their reduced ability to pay. Since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has had a harmful impact on women by prohibiting the use of federal funds under Medicaid to pay for abortion care, except in cases of rape, incest or a severe life or health endangerment. Some states do permit use of state Medicaid matching funds to pay for abortion care, but at least 32 states do not