Right now, millions of Iranians are risking everything to rise up and demand a real democracy, one where their votes are counted fairly. Once again the world is reminded that regardless of gender, race, religion or nationality — the yearning for self-determination is universal. After the towers came down on 911, I remember the candlelight vigils and moments of silence all over the world, ordinary people... [Read More]
Kudos to Nina Totenberg for her fantastic NPR piece this morning taking on the sexist criticisms of Judge Sotomayor’s questioning style. We’ve all heard the reports that Judge Sotomayor is a bully, aggressive, or intimidating on the bench. In her piece, “Is Sonia Sotomayor Mean?,” Totenberg compares the style and frequency of Sotomayor’s questions in recent arguments with those of her male colleagues. Not... [Read More]
Today’s decision by the California Supreme Court to uphold Proposition 8 and recognize the pre-existing legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples, while expected, was disappointing. For now, same-sex couples in California must settle for a lesser commitment and legal recognition than the 18,000 couples who quickly married while the ephemeral window of equality was open for a few months last year. Marriage is not... [Read More]
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber, and just yesterday, AT&T Corp. v. Hulteen, directly undermines efforts to eradicate the persistent discrimination that still plague women in the workplace. In the Hulteen case, the Supreme Court rejected (by a 7-2 vote) the arguments of four female AT&T workers and retirees who argued that the Company’s pension plan should give women... [Read More]