Tag Archives: women’s rights

The Women’s March on Washington Needs to be the Beginning

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything in this wee blog. But it’s no secret that I’m a feminist and one that will not allow the most powerful public office or anyone for that matter, stifle my rights. Because as I saw on hundreds of signs yesterday in the thick of the Women’s March on Washington, women’s rights are human rights.

IMG_2650 I’m no stranger to participating in a rally, march or protest. In fact, I grew up in a union household where public demonstrations and standing up for what you believed in was common place. And I knew that no matter what I was planning to do January 21, 2017, I had to be there to witness history…errr Herstory… alongside some of my greatest girlfriends.

Of course there were challenges, the metro stop we arrived at around 8:30 a.m. had to off load two jammed packed trains full of proud “pussy hat” wearing women and men. Naturally in this day of technology we proceeded to tweet our concerns and fare check how much an Uber ride would be to Old Ebbitt Grill where the group of us were to fuel up before stepping out. Needless to say, an Uber was starting at around $42 (and that didn’t include traffic) so we used our ability to walk and hoofed it about four or so miles from Arlington to the restaurant that is just steps from The White House.

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By 11 a.m. I already had over 15,000 steps logged on my FitBit and was in dire need of some food fuel (that might have included a grapefruit mimosa, because provisions). During the lengthy walk, we talked about why we were marching, politics and how we couldn’t wait to share the historical day with our future children.

After grubbing, we ignored our already barking feet, and trekked to where all the action was.

IT. WAS. PACKED.

While bobbing and weaving through the crowd, I began to notice how my initial fears of safety subsided. In a crowd of 500,000+ people, I felt safe, I felt that everyone there was fired up and ready to go for what they deemed to be their “why” of being present that surrounded a commonality of human rights.

IMG_2655And that’s what I think needs to be addressed — the why. There were two sides of the “why” coin I witnessed during the march, those that were protesting Trump and his hateful campaign rhetoric and those who were marching for women’s rights. And true, sometimes the two did overlap.

For me (as you’ll see in the quick synopsis brought to you by my Snapchat story below) I was there to protect my rights as a woman, rights that have been fought for by those “dope ass females” who have come before me. I marched for my fundamental rights to own my body and not have the government tell me what I can and cannot to do with it. My body, my choice on all accounts. Period. The fact that the government would rather regulate women’s bodies than guns is a reality that I won’t be able to understand (and is a whole ‘nother topic for a whole ‘nother blog).IMG_2668

Other folks in attendance were marching against Trump’s hateful rhetoric and unqualified Cabinet picks especially regarding education, climate change and energy. While others I believe were just there to peacefully protest Trump and everything he stands for. Respect to those folks as well.

We heard from a passerby the logistics of the march route, so we relocated to the corner of 14th and Jefferson St. right in front of the Washington Monument and lined the curb awaiting the tidal wave of pink to break over the hill. The five of us linked arms and spilled into the street with many others who flooded the sidewalk to join this monumental movement and become a part of history. Chants immediately began, “tell me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like” and probably my favorite chant of the entire day, “we need a leader, not a creepy tweeter.” How true that is.

I was proud to march shoulder-to-shoulder with my girlfriends who, for the first time, took to the streets to be a part of a public demonstration. We cheered for the solidarity, chanted for change and giggled at the creativity that existed on many signs held high during our time downtown.


Though I can’t quite imbue what it was like to actually be there —  an absolute surreal feeling — the video shows my slice of the experience in a more zoomed in, woman on the ground approach. This wasn’t just a march that was happening in D.C., this was a worldwide march that will continue to be a GLOBAL movement. Though the numbers are unclear, all seven continents — yes, including Antartica — participated in the march.

As reported by the New York Times, attendance in NYC was more than 400,000, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office. The St. Paul police issued official crowd count of 50,000-60,000. Boston was around 175,000 according to a Mayor spokeswoman. The Atlanta Police Department estimated about 60,000. Phoenix estimated 20,000 and the small town of Key West, population 25,000 of that 2,000 people marched. Chicago estimated 250,000 while the Associated Press reported that D.C.’s homeland security director said there was more than 500,000 that organizers told city officials to expect. But based on how it felt down there, I’m thinking it was way more!

But what’s more important than the magnitude of January 21, 2017 is where do we go from here? What can we do to continue our efforts to ensure women’s rights are indeed human rights?! I think Jen Psaki, former White House Communications Director, said it best, ” The march shouldn’t be a moment to rest and celebrate. It should be a warm up.”

It’s time to call your Congressmen and Congresswomen today and everyday forward.

Google Doodle Honors Journalist Nellie Bly For Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

The Google Doodle once again pays homage to women by showcasing a lesser known historic woman, who should have totally been in the running to have her face on the $20 bill.

But who is Nellie Bly? What was her claim to historic fame?

Nellie Bly was a go-getter, continuously curious and never took no for an answer. Ever. She was a pioneer journalist who spoke out for justice, she’s also remembered for embarking on a world record-breaking journey around the globe in 1889. And this year she would have been 150 years old.

Throughout her career she focused mainly on covering the beats of those who were struggling the most and in that era it was when and sweatshop workers. In essence, she gave a voice to the voiceless.

However, the one accomplishment you might have heard of was her trek across the globe, a trip that according to the Huffington Post was inspired by the fictional novel, “Around the World in 80 days.” And she did it all in 72 days—a new world record.

 

We Should Speak Up For Equal Pay!

I wrote a piece over on Tagroom.com today to not just raise awareness about equal pay for equal work — because duh, it totally does — but that we as women in the workplace should speak up and demand more, to inquire more. If wages were made public — not via a Sony hack — would you speak up for a pay increase? Why or why not? Lemme know in the comments! Oh, and be a doll and read the full story here!

from Bloomberg

source: Bloomberg

Happy International Women’s Day—Let’s Make Change!

In case you didn’t know International Women’s Day is today, Sunday March 8, 2015 where the world celebrates females and brings global awareness to women issues.

I wrote about this day two years ago in a positive light and though I still view it as favorable, I want to know what’s being DONE about finding solutions to these issues. How are we preventing the kidnapping of women and selling them like objects into sex trafficking? How are we leveling the financial playing field on the field and in the boardroom? How are we going to make sure our girls grow up to understand that they belong in the engineering, science, government careers just as much as the boys, if not more? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE EQUALITY A REALITY? And not something that’s just talked about, donated to or rallied upon?

According to the International Women’s Day website, each year 1,000+ International Women’s Day events are uploaded by corporations, women’s groups, schools, governments, charities and individuals from around the world. Only 1,000 recorded? And only about 175 for the U.S. — I find this a bit disappointing.

There are events all over the world that are raising money and growing awareness, but are they lobbying the governments? I’ve been beating myself over the head for several years because I’m not understanding if all this money is being raised and all this awareness is being amplified, why is there little to no change? Maybe one solution: have more women run and become elected officials in government so they can look out for our uteruses’ well being, our pocketbooks stability and our overall safety.

Donating money and heightening awareness is all fine and well, but if corporations, for example, took money they were donating to these women’s rights organizations and instead gave their female employees a raise to catch up to the men in the company, would result in a greater and more instantaneous impact on equality. Just a thought, though I do encourage donating to some of these organizations. And I realize there’s not one solution to answer my eleventy-hundred questions.

However, what I do know is we have to stop attacking those who are using their public clout or “celebrity,” to bring about awareness. We have to stop making it a race issue or religious issue, instead we have to make it about coming together for the sake of equality in all its forms. If we keep attacking the millions who are speaking up, soon enough they’ll get tired of dodging the darts and start shutting up. No thank you, I quite like that people in the public eye are finally speaking out for the betterment of today’s society. We must empower each other and stand together in order to make change.

 

 

Private Parts are Private for a Reason

STOP putting chastity belts onI believe every one is entitled to his/her opinion, moral stances, religious beliefs, the works, but I also believe every one (man and woman) should have full authority of their body and being.

My body has no room for government, employers, or anyone else for that matter putting their nose (or anything else) where it doesn’t belong. After all…my privates — my privacy.

As Roe v. Wade marks its 42nd Anniversary today with hundreds of wonderful activists celebrating at the Supreme court this afternoon, these women and men of the feminism movement are standing strong as the House of Representatives votes on the HR7 bill, or the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act”—a bill that would make it nearly impossible for women to access insurance coverage that includes abortion. I’m proud to be apart of this movement and the steadfast approach to protecting what is rightfully mine, which includes, but is not limited to, whether or not I want to birth and raise a child.
Objections to Roe v. Wade are nothing new. Even 42 years later, states have been putting figurative chastity belts on laws allowing a woman’s right to choose. Some of these overly complex mandates include a mandatory “waiting period” that force women to make regular clinic visits (and spend more money), unnecessary regulations on the facilities that often force those clinics to close their doors, and bans on insurance coverage which increase the out-of-pocket cost of the procedure—many of them, an average women cannot fulfill (because of the ever-present wage gap, another conversation for another day.)

Take action to protect our private parts, they’re private for a reason!  

Now, I know this is a rather radical post here on the Shattered Slipper, but an important one nonetheless. Let’s continue this conversation in the comments.

 

Just when you think we’re moving two steps forward…this happens

from feministing.com

from feministing.com

I’m sure most of you are aware, that today the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that private companies can refuse to provide contraception medication to their employees based on the company’s religious beliefs. Seriously.  First, I didn’t know companies could have religious beliefs, thought only people could. You know, like women, they’re people. Next, do these religious companies only hire people that mirror those beliefs? If so, isn’t that called employment discrimination? Problemo, numero dos, señor.

To be clear it’s not just about the refusal of the medication, it’s that the government and bosses (which, ew) have rummaged their way into how a woman is going to protect her body, again, HER body. Frankly, it’s none of their damn business to know why a woman takes certain medication, just like it’s none of an employers business to know that a man over 60 requires Viagra to, ahem, keep his wife happy. IT’S AN INVASION OF PRIVACY, hellur.

Also, I don’t think on a job interview a woman should have to ask a health benefit question like, “Do you provide birth control because it’s a medical necessity for my Endometriosis.” Many forget that women don’t just take the pill to protect themselves from becoming pregnant or subsiding a heavy flow, but also for medical necessity. (Dysmenorrhea, Endometriosis, etc.). Through this ruling, women are being punished for being women and that sex has been framed as a crime punishable with pregnancy.

The red lining gets thicker, those Supreme Court Justices who ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood’s mandate were all men. Which you know, infuriates me because just when you think women are taking two steps forward in society, five men wearing robes move us 10 steps back. It’s another example of how our cultural history of having a lack of female representation still creates further shockwaves of inequality.

This one ruling will send a spiral of random “religious beliefs” leaching out of the woodwork of greedy corporations like, “I (because companies are now people, remember) don’t believe in paying people money for their work, I’d rather pay them in banana chips.” But on a more serious note, could corporations stop providing healthcare coverage for LGBTQ people, women who have children out of wedlock, people who have STDs? This one ruling could open up a slew of issues where people’s health and wellness are jeopardized in favor a companies keeping more money in their pockets. Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, can’t say she didn’t warn us in her dissent statement today, “the court I fear, has ventured into a minefield.” They better come up with a Plan B.