California NOW

Victory For Mother Who Fought to Protect Her Children From Abuse

The story of Holly Collins has become a rallying point for the movement to expose the deeply flawed family law system and its failure to protect women and children from family violence. Collins just returned to the U.S. after 14 years in hiding with her children. She went into hiding with her children following a custody battle that put the children in the custody of an abusive father. Despite warnings from doctors, social workers and psychologists that the children were at risk in their father’s care, the family court judge ordered the children be placed in the father’s custody. After a year, and continued reports of abuse, Holly Collins-- desperate to protect her children--took the children and fled with them, ending up eventually in the Netherlands. There they were provided with asylum after an international court found it would be too dangerous for the children to return, and Holly was declared a human rights refugee. When the FBI located the Collins in 2006 to pursue federal kidnapping charges against Holly, the Netherlands refused to extradite her, and the charges were later dropped. But, the local authorities in Minnesota refused to drop the charges. Then, after constant pressure from politicians, organizations and Jennifer Collins' own efforts, Alan Rosenfeld, Collins' attorney was informed just weeks ago that if Collins came and turned herself in, the charges would be dropped.

More Sexist Images of Sarah Palin

Thanks to reader nimh, who sent us some additional images for our post on sexism directed at Sarah Palin.

We'll continue updating that post as more images turn up, because sexism is wrong no matter who it targets.

Women in Politics Bigger Than Just One Woman

Part of the problem with the hyper-focus on Sarah Palin is that it is all just about her, not the issues. It's a focus on Sarah Palin as a woman going into politics, without being about women in politics. The broader focus (no pun intended) on women in general has not happened, like it seemed to be around the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.

Since her initial words to the world after her selection, I've not heard much from her about the importance of having more women in politics, breaking the glass ceiling or the contributions women have made to get us to this point in history. This seems like a much more useful dialogue. Because, despite the fact that this presidential election has been marked by the presence of women, the United States still ranks 68th for the number of women in national political office.

Getting women in politics has to be more than about tokens; it has to be about equal representation and it has to be women who will protect and ensure the rights of other women once they are there. Otherwise, what's the point?

Webinars for Women in the Workplace

How many women have put away money for a child's college fund -- but have put off saving for retirement? And how many women think they could be earning more -- but aren't sure how to negotiate for that much-needed raise or promotion?

If you've fallen into one of those traps, don't worry. You're not alone.

The National Women's Law Center can help women get back on track and prepare for their financial futures through their free Lunchtime Learning webinars in the Citi Education Series on Family Economic Security

Planning for the Future: What Working Women Need to Know About Social Security and Retirement Savings.
1:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 (you can register the same day)
Register Now

When Retirement's Approaching: What Women Over 50 Need to Know About Social Security and Retirement Income.
1:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008.
Register Now

WORK$MART: Pay Negotiation for Women (Two-Part Series).
1:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, and 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008.
Register Now

Listing of events is done as a community service, and does not indicate CA NOW support or sponsorship

LPGA Rescinds Discriminatory Policy!

CA NOW joined over 50 organizations expressing opposition to a discriminatory policy by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) that would have suspended players who could not efficiently speak English and our voices were heard! The LPGA announced that they will rescind the policy!

From a press release from State Senator Yee:

“The LPGA has received valuable feedback from a variety of constituents regarding the recently announced penalties attached to our effective communications policy,” said LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens. “We have decided to rescind those penalty provisions. After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every Tour player. In that spirit, we will continue communicating with our diverse Tour players to develop a better alternative. The LPGA will announce a revised approach, absent playing penalties, by the end of 2008.”

Golf Discriminates (Again)

The Ladies Professional Golf Association, starting next year, will require its athletes to speak English, therefor effectively eliminating international players, and presumably any deaf players. Golf already has such an ugly legacy of discrimination, you'd think they'd be trying to climb out of that hole, instead of digging in deeper. Especially because their reasoning for English fluency is so players can better speak with media (English-speaking media, that is), to, uh, better represent the sport. Their sport with such a great reputation.

This blatant discrimination has not gone unnoticed by California State Senator Leland Yee, a regular champion of justice and equal rights, who is leading an effort to oppose the policy. He's also got the rest of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate to send a letter to LPGA Chief Executive Carolyn Bivens blasting the policy.

Yee said, “English fluency has no bearing on an athlete’s ability to compete. Denying access based on language capability or country of origin is unfair, unreasonable, and discriminatory.” Yee also pointed out that no other professional sports league in the United States requires such a mandate.

The LPGA is scheduled to hold the Samsung World Championship at Half Moon Bay Golf Links (which is in Yee’s Senate district) from October 2 – October 5. If the policy is not rescinded before the event, Yee plans to join protestors in picketing the event. Consider joining him, and write a letter to the LPGA and let them know what you think. Carolyn Bivens, Chief Executive, Ladies Professional Golf Association, 100 International Golf Drive, Daytona Beach, Florida 32124-1092.

Where's Our Equality?

Today is the 88th Anniversary of Women's Equality Day commemorating the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote.

We've come a long way since then, but we still have a lot of work to do.

Women only make $.77 to a man's dollar. Could you use the extra 23 cents?
The US has no guaranteed medical leave for childbirth; we're trailing 168 countries in the company of only
Lesotho, Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland.
The US is near the bottom of the list -- again -- in our public support for quality childcare for children of working parents.
Our access to affordable birth control is now under attack.
And our right to safe, accessible, legal abortion is threatened as never before.
And finally, women still only make up 16 percent of our representatives in Congress.

You can start by taking action with us every Monday, and reading up on legislation that impacts you every Friday.

If you are not registered to vote - visit the Secretary of State's office and register today!

Make Equality Happen Day

It's Women's Equality Day! And although I am all for the commemoration of the movement for women's suffrage, 88 years it's been since women won the long, hard fight for the right to vote. And since the year I was born, Women's Equality Day has been recognized in one form or another. And that's great too. Like today I am swept up in the nostalgia about the suffrage movement, Bella Abzug's effort to have this day recognized, Hillary Clinton speaking tonight at the DNC, all of that. It tugs on my feminist heartstrings. But, then, something else tugs at me and I think how much longer and harder will we have to fight to achieve true equality with men in this society? There are still so many struggles, so many inequalities and I'm surrounded by them in knowledge or experience that I can't not think about them, even today. Then I realized that today can't be a day to stop and bask in past accomplishments, token commemorations and revised history. Especially this day, with important elections ahead of us wherein some women won't even exercise their basic right to vote. We're not close enough to done yet to hang our Mission Accomplished sign. We have to recognize and appreciate where we've come, have to bring the attention of the world to our movement, yes, but then we have to work even harder to keep moving. Like Alix Olsen says, "if this is a movement, then we gotta keep moving." So, Happy Equality Day! Now get out there and make it a reality!

Sacramento NOW Turns Fear Into Action

Upon hearing about a series of sexual assaults in the hip and sassy part of Sacramento known fondly to locals as “midtown,” the Sacramento chapter of the National Organization for Women took matters into their own hands…or fists, as it were.  The chapter decided to take a pro-active approach to the terrible news and host a self-defense workshop taught by well-known self-defense instructor Midge Marino.  The chapter blocked off the street at 24th and E, one of the sites where an attack took place, to teach women in the community to fight back and to symbolically reclaim the space as safe.

The class was offered at a sliding scale donation basis and was attended by a number of women in the community, women of all ages and backgrounds.  Even Mayor Heather Fargo was there showing her support (as always!) for women in the Sacramento community and being a positive, present resource for safety in Sacramento.  Their efforts earned them a spot on the nightly news on all four local stations.

Misogyny? Yee-haw!

By now, I would hope that everyone reading this knows that John McCain is anti-woman, but since the McCain campaign has been desperately trying to woo Hillary voters, let's just use this space to do a little rodeo round-up of McCain's record. (Sorry folks, this is too important for a jump-cut.)

John McCain is against birth control.
John McCain supports a constitutional amendment to ban abortion.
John McCain tells rape "jokes".
John McCain called his wife a c-nt. (edited so that everyone's pr0n filters don't block our site)
John McCain opposes women getting equal pay.
John McCain wants his wife to enter a topless (and sometimes bottomless) beauty pageant.
John McCain uses racist language.
John McCain divorced his first wife because she became disabled.
John McCain has consistently voted against health care coverage for needly families.
John McCain can't answer a simple question about women's health coverage.
John McCain has never cosponsored or supported legislation to prevent unintended pregnancy or reduce the need for abortion.
John McCain no longer supports the campaign finance reform that made him famous.

Now I don't know about you, but that sure doesn't sound like my best vote for President.

For those PUMAs out there wanting to cast a dissenting vote, let me remind you that there are progressive women still in this race (although they're getting no media attention).