Today is Women’s Equality Day – 89 years and counting since the passage of the Women’s Suffrage Amendment to the Constitution on August 26, 1920, allowing women to vote in the United States. A day to celebrate, and to take stock of what’s left to be done to get us to full equality, in the US and around the world.
Happily, while there’s plenty of work remaining, lots of people are moving on it. And talking about it. This week, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have published a new book (Half the Sky) advocating action in defense of women’s rights on a global scale, and the NY Times Magazine devoted its pages this past week to the cause (Special Issue).
The National Organization for Women launched a new blog today – called “Say It, Sister,” featuring discussion of feminist issues and calls to action.
Of course, saying don’t make it so, not on its own, and the next big steps for women could connect to direct action through legislation – starting with the Healthy Families Act (paid sick days) as well as both the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Fair Pay Act (anti-job-and-pay-discrimination).
Can we make it to 50/50 by 2020, the 100th anniversary of WED and the suffrage amendment? Only if we keep pushing for change – and speaking out. Whether or not we hold up half the sky, we are more than half the population–could get pretty noisy!
From the archive: Never Done and Under Paid
Suffrage History: August 26, 1920, and the Nineteenth Amendment