California NOW

If a law firm can do it...

As a working mom, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work from home and care for my child at the same time. California NOW has worked to stay at the front of the pack on worker-friendly policies, but we just got passed by a law firm, and I couldn’t be happier!

The law firm Morrison & Foerster has extended its parental leave benefits for attorneys to 18 weeks for maternity leave and adoption, and 10 weeks for paternity leave. They also allow employees to have a reduced-time schedule for the first year after they return from leave. No wonder they’ve been honored 13 times by Working Mother magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies.”

Now we need to work on encouraging other companies to follow suit, and on expanding these kinds of policies to cover everyone and not just those who choose to be parents! More companies need internal groups like Morrison & Foerster’s Women’s Initiative Committee. I’d also like to see maternity and paternity leave benefits equalized; fathers are full-time parents too!

Mothers in France get 10 weeks and mothers in Germany get 14 weeks of fully paid leave. American parents are left to cobble together some sort of paid leave using sick days, vacation days, disability leave, and employer-provided leave. A full 51% of new mothers lack any paid leave at all.

Whether it’s used to care for a new child, aging parent, or sick relative, paid family leave is needed by most workers at some point in their lives. MomsRising is working on bringing this issue to the attention of the Presidential candidates, and here’s somewhere that Hillary can really shine, since she was a working mother herself. Tell the candidates that American workers need paid family leave!

What Women's Issues Would You Ask the Candidates About?

Have a probing, burning question for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton about their stance on women's issues? Send your question to Women's eNews with the subject line "Campaign Question" and they'll pick out the best and publish them before the next major primary election in Pennsylvania. Their list will comprise the questions they'd ask the candidates if they were hosting a women's policy debate (imagine!) and could hold their feet to the fire. Here's your chance to throw out a question that hasn't been asked anywhere else. Deadline: March 21.

Celebrate Women's History Month: Honor Women Changing History!

Send Hillary Clinton a Women's History Month card thanking her for having the guts to run, for standing up to the media, for being a role model for women and girls everywhere, and for CHANGING history!

She is not the first woman to run for the White House--her way was paved by Victorial Woodhull, Margaret Chase Smith, Shirley Chisholm, Patricia Schroeder, Carol Moseley-Braun, and others--and now Hillary is paving the way for countless more women to run.

Let's honor Hillary, and all the women who have changed history to make history, this month and every month!

Another primary update: Hillary Clinton takes Texas!

Just in: the pundits are declaring a Clinton win in the Texas primary.  It's an amazing night.

I Heart Hillary

She's still in the game.  The significance of Clinton taking Ohio cannot be underestimated.

As Hillary Clinton said just minutes ago in Ohio, "anything is possible."  As Susan B. Anthony said many, many years ago, "failure is impossible." 

I'm misty-eyed from listening to her speak, hoping with all of my heart that we only have to wait 8 more months to elect the first female president of our country. Eagerly awaiting results from Texas...

This One's for Ann

Hillary for President!

From Lindsey Horvath, CA NOW VP Young Feminist & President Hollywood NOW ~

I want a President who is effective on Day One and can personally relate to the people she's leading.   I want a President who has my best interest at heart and who will effectively empower women in the country.  I want a President who values the concerns and well-being of my parents as much as those of my children.  I want a President who is going to make history...ahem... HERstory.

Check out Hillary on SNL this weekend: 

Gloria Speaks in Austin, TX

From the New York Observer, Gloria Steinem's speech Sunday at a rally ~ One Million for Hillary. 

“Suppose John McCain had been Joan McCain and Joan McCain had got captured, shot down and been a POW for eight years. [The media would ask], ‘What did you do wrong to get captured? What terrible things did you do while you were there as a captive for eight years?’” Steinem said, to laughter from the audience.

McCain was, in fact, a prisoner of war for around five and a half years, during which time he was tortured repeatedly. Referring to his time in captivity, Steinem said with bewilderment, “I mean, hello? This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don’t think so.”  read it all

CA Gets First African American Woman as Speaker

Assemblymember Karen Bass has the votes to become the next speaker of the California Assembly, elevating an African American woman to the post for the first time in California history!

Assemblymember Bass, a Los Angeles Democrat, is now second only to the governor in power and prestige in California government.

Bass, 54, has been a top lieutenant to the current speaker, fellow Los Angeles Democrat Fabian Núñez who has served as leader since 2004.

Go, Karen! Read the full story here.

Calling all Daughters of Illinois

It seems that on a monthly basis someone tells me to let this ERA thing go.  Well, I am glad to say that ain't gonna happen.  As a matter of fact, the Speaker of the House in Illinois has moved HJRCA0002 (ERA Amendment bill) out of committee by a vote of 8 to 5 to the House and it may be voted on as early as next week.   

You can guess that Phyllis is packing her bags right now.  Don't forget all the red suits!  And if you forgot all of your ridiculous arguments you can read them in the South Town Star in a piece by Fran Eaton is a south suburban resident and conservative activist in state and national politics and an online journalist.   She reminds us all about same sex toilets, the draft and marriage for two people of the same gender!! 

If you know ANYONE in Illinois ~ the time is NOW to make the call and ask them to press their representatives and state senators.  Or give a jingle to Clinton or Obama, see if they have any traction in their home state.  Women in the Constitution is way past due.