A courageous whistleblower has reported that immigrant and migrant women at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia have been sterilized without their knowledge or consent. The whistleblower’s allegations assert that this facility, a private prison contracted with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), engaged a medical provider to perform unnecessary hysterectomies on women without their
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Today is the inaugural International Equal Pay Day, recognized by the United Nations to bring attention to the gender wage discrimination women experience worldwide. Globally, the pay gap is estimated to be at twenty-three cents. This compares similarly to the average pay gap in the U.S., which has been at least twenty cents for several years. Pay
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Twenty-six years ago, in 1994, Congress officially recognized violence against women as a national crisis and took steps to combat gender violence on a national level by passing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA allocated resources to train and educate law enforcement, investigate and prosecute violent crimes against women, and support survivors and their families. Since
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One hundred years ago, on August 26th, 1920, the 19th Amendment was incorporated into the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing women’s legal right to vote. Today, this date is celebrated as Women’s Equality Day and it is an opportunity to reflect upon the progress we have made, as well as the work that remains. Shortly after the 19th Amendment was
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Today marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the constitutional amendment that legally guaranteed women’s ability to vote and participate in the democratic process. Eight days later, on August 26th, 1920, the amendment was incorporated into the U.S. Constitution, and since then the nation has celebrated August 26th as Women’s Equality Day in recognition
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Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day which marks how far into the year a Black woman in the United States must work to earn the same amount as the average white man made last year. Falling on August 13, 2020, Black women must work more than eight extra months to be compensated the same amount as their white
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Women face discrimination throughout the course of their lives. And, in the wake of the pandemic, several recent studies have illustrated how the impacts of gender inequity have been amplified during COVID-19. According to the Center for American Progress, women face higher rates of poverty than men. While this is true across all races and
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The California Women’s Law Center served as amicus in two important cases involving student survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. In Boermeester v. Carry, CWLC and Equal Rights Advocates filed an amicus letter urging the California Supreme Court to grant review of the Court of Appeal’s decision. Our amicus letter argues that this decision,
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As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow and impact people of all ages, the health consequences have been devastating for older adults. Individuals over the age of 65 account for more than 77% of the lives lost statewide and a stunning 40% of the state’s total deaths have occurred in skilled nursing facilities.
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For the past several months, the federal government has been conducting the 2020 census to gather data on the number of people living in the U.S. This information is used to determine the amount of federal funding state and local communities receive for programs like childcare, medical services, and more. To date, nearly 62% of
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This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that strikes down Louisiana’s dangerous abortion restriction. This is a tremendous victory for women’s legal rights The case, June Medical Services vs. Russo, addressed a 2014 Louisiana law that required all doctors who perform abortion in that state to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. This is
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This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that strikesdown Louisiana’s dangerous abortion restriction. This is a tremendous victory for women’s legal rights. The case, June Medical Services vs. Russo, addressed a 2014 Louisiana law that required all doctors who perform abortion in that state to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. This is a
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Tomorrow is Juneteenth, marking the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, enslaved people in Texas finally learned that slavery had ended– a full two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. A few years after the original event, a group of Black community leaders, all former slaves, gathered
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Today, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that Title VII of the United States Civil Rights Act protects the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Employers may not terminate employees on the basis of sexuality, gender or gender expression. This is a monumental decision that refutes the Trump administration’s assertion that Title VII, which protects people from discrimination based
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Like millions of people around the country, the team at CWLC is experiencing grief and rage at the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many other Black women and men. Today is Mom’s Equal Pay Day. In the United States, Black mothers earn just 50 cents for every dollar the average white
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This is National Women’s Health Week, an opportunity to recognize the ongoing need to make the health of women and girls a priority. Now more than ever, we must acknowledge the deep inequalities that have been illuminated by the coronavirus. Around the country, Black and Latinx people are contracting and dying of COVID-19 at a
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Happy Mother’s Day! Many moms are juggling more roles than ever now as they work from home, support their children’s online learning efforts, and seek new ways to meet their families’ needs during quarantine. Moms deserve enormous thanks this year and every year. At CWLC, we are grateful to have amazing partners in our work to
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Today is Teacher Appreciation Day. As COVID-19 continues to keep schools closed across the country, many of us have a renewed appreciation for teachers and the critical work they do to educate our youth. California’s more than 306,000 teachers are now serving our communities online. Seventy-four percent of all public-school teachers in the United States are
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April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the COVID-19 emergency has underscored and exacerbated many of the challenges victims face when seeking justice and coping with trauma. Social distancing measures can mean women feel further isolated from support systems. Stay-at-home measures can limit access to confidentiality. And, navigating the court system can be even
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Every 10 years, as mandated by the U.S. constitution, the federal government conducts a census to gather data on the number of people living in the United States. This is tremendously important and ensures California families receive the resources they need and deserve. As the economic impacts of COVID-19 escalate, it is more critical than ever
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Coronavirus continues to expose deep injustices in our society, including our health care system, where inequalities are being compounded by ideological interference. Unfortunately, many states are using COVID-19 as an excuse to limit access to abortion by including it among other “elective surgeries” that have temporarily been banned during the pandemic. While many courts have blocked
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April is National Fair Housing Month, and the need for affordable housing has been made even more urgent by the COVID-19 crisis. Prior to the pandemic, nearly half of all Californians were rent-burdened, spending more than one third of their income on rent and adding strain and anxiety to lives already impacted by economic insecurity. Women are
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As families across California face the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, CWLC recognizes the importance of today’s National Equal Pay Day. The 31st of March represents how far into 2020 women on average must work to earn what men did in 2019. Women must work a full three months longer than men to earn the same
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We hope this email finds you safe and healthy. As we contend with the known and unknown challenges of COVID-19, we recognize that life is dramatically more difficult for many people today than it was a few weeks ago. Because women have faced discrimination on a daily basis throughout their lives, a crisis like COVID-19
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Today is International Women’s Day, a global celebration calling for gender parity. International Women’s Day recognizes the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while highlighting the gender inequality that persists in nearly every corner of the world. The 2020 International Women’s Day theme is #EachforEqual. CWLC is dedicated to fighting for equality through education,
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Today, CWLC is recognizing National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which celebrates the achievements girls and women have made in sports. Girls who play sports are more likely to graduate high school, obtain college degrees, and earn higher wages. Just five decades ago, girls had little chance to play sports. That changed with the passage
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This month, CWLC joins others in shining a national spotlight on teen dating violence, and we remain committed to supporting safe and healthy relationships. People of all ages experience abusive relationships, including young people. One in three teens are the victim of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse from a dating partner. Early intervention and education
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I am proud to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, an Act named after a courageous advocate, and my dear friend, Lilly. When Lilly discovered in 1998 that she had experienced 19 years of gender-based pay discrimination, she took action and sued her employer. While she won that lawsuit in court
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Today is the 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. While abortion may feel like a partisan political issue today, this 7-2 decision was decided by a Supreme Court comprised of a majority of Justices appointed by Republican presidents. In fact, five of
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In 2019, CWLC authored or joined 29 amicus briefs. Some of the briefs were filed at the federal level, pushing back against harmful rules and regulations proposed by the current administration. Others related to cases spanning the country which ended up in appellate courts. Most, however, were filed here in California, reflecting the ongoing need to advocate
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Today CWLC celebrates Human Rights Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. This Declaration was one of the first major achievements of the UN, outlining rights that recognize the “inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family.”
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Today is Latina Equal Pay Day, which marks the day in 2019 when the average wages paid to Latinas in the United States in 2018 finally catch up to what white, non-Hispanic men were paid in 2018. In 2019, the average Latina makes just 54 cents for every dollar paid to the average white, non-Hispanic man. This
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On this Veterans Day, it is with deep gratitude that CWLC recognizes those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. American women have volunteered to serve on the frontlines of battle for centuries. Some, like Deborah Sampson who was later recognized at the White House by President George Washington for her service, disguised themselves
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Read CWLC’s piece in Ms. Magazine, Wondering How to Support Women and Girls? Fill Out Your Census. The federally-mandated census will guide $1.5 trillion dollars in government spending involving more than 300 programs, and it will be used to inform electoral districts across the country. An accurate count is especially important for women, as disproportionately
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Today, our Op-Ed appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune about the dangerous role politics has been playing in women’s health care. You can read it here. For nearly three years, many states across the country have joined the White House in attacking women’s rights and passed legislation to limit reproductive health care options. In a bit of good and
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Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a victory to working women across the country by protecting employer-based coverage for birth control under the Affordable Care Act. The ACA requires employers to provide insurance that covers contraception. The Trump administration issued new rules which would have made it easier for employers with religious or moral
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In 2003, the U.S. Senate designated October as National Work and Family Month so that we, as a nation, would recognize the importance of flexible work environments and the benefits of a healthy work-life balance. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) identified a good work-life balance as one of five main factors that improve employee productivity. Managers who support
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The California Women’s Law Center is observing Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October by sharing resources such as our guide to obtaining restraining orders, and supporting survivors through an upcoming event called Handbags of Hope. Domestic violence affects people of all income levels, races, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and religions. While domestic violence can affect anyone, women are 2.5 times more likely to
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Dear First Name, Today is the 43rd anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funding to pay for abortion services. By denying women who rely on Medicaid from having equal access to health care and reproductive options, the Hyde Amendment punishes women who are already economically vulnerable. At CWLC, we continue
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As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we invite you to tune in tomorrow, Sept. 28th, at 5:30pm to hear CWLC Executive Director Betsy Butler discuss violence against women on The Deciders with Renee Fraser on KABC 790 AM. As you’ll hear, CWLC is teaming up with Handbags of Hope to collect new and gently used handbags filled with personal care
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