[NOW News] Dragging Society Out of the Dark Ages

Support NOW's Work |	May 16, 2008	| Tell a Friend

DRAGGING SOCIETY OUT OF THE DARK AGES: ELECTING WOMEN MAKES A DIFFERENCE Congresswoman Patsy Mink at NOW's 1997 Young Feminist Summit Kim Gandy writes in her Below the Belt column, "Women began serving in Congress less than 100 years ago, and throughout that brief history they have made a great impact -- a truly progressive, society-transforming impact." Read more REP. CAROLYN MALONEY'S NEW BOOK - AND MUCH MORE AT NOW'S AMAZON.COM SITE Browse our staff picks, including the great new book from Rep. Carolyn Maloney: Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: Why Women's Lives Aren't Getting Any Easier. Or shop for electronics, toys and more, and a portion of the sales goes to support NOW's action programs. Don't forget to bookmark the link and start your shopping here! HOUSE PASSES BILL TO HONOR ALICE PAUL WITH THE CONG. GOLD MEDAL Thursday the House of Representatives recognized Alice Paul for her role in winning women's suffrage by passing legislation to award her the Congressional Gold Medal. Read more 'COUNT FLORIDA'S VOTES' SAYS NOW PAC The National Organization for Women Political Action Committee (NOW PAC) joins our national and Florida allies in calling on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to count their votes now. ""It is grossly unfair for the DNC to punish Florida Democrats for the willful actions of Republicans who were intent on causing them harm," said NOW PAC Chair Kim Gandy. Read more MORE RECOMMENDED READING: Woman Gains Silver Star -- And Removal From Combat - by Ann Scott Tyson, The Washington Post Wage-gap case exiles women workers to 1964 - by Ellen Goodman, Boston Globe Quitters Never Win - by Ellen R. Malcolm, The Washington Post Women Rise in Rwanda's Economic Revival - by Anthony Faiola, The Washington Post		CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT RULES BAN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE UNCONSTITUTIONAL "The California Supreme Court did what was right, and that is to give everyone - regardless of sexual orientation - the fundamental right to civil marriage," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "This decision will allow thousands and thousands of committed couples to be legally married in the highest populated state in our country." Read more NANCY REDD, IRSHAD MANJI HEADLINE NOW CONFERENCE JULY 18-20 Speakers and honorees at this year's conference in Washington, D.C. will include: Barbara Hillary, the first African-American woman to reach the North Pole; Patricia Ireland, NOW's longest serving president; Carol Jenkins, the president of the Women's Media Center; Lilly Ledbetter, who took her employer to court over unequal pay; Dr. Yakin Ertürk, of Ankara, Turkey, the United Nations Human Rights Commission Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women; Irshad Manji, director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University; and Nancy Redd, the 26-year-old author of Body Drama. Read more PHYLLIS SCHLAFLY AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY - AN OXYMORON? Washington University has the right to bestow an honorary degree on anyone it chooses. But recipients should be people who have contributed to making the world better in a professionally acceptable way, according to at least minimal standards of intellectual honesty. Read more ABORTION AROUND THE WORLD Women's reproductive health advocates believe that -- as a fundamental human right -- all women everywhere should have access to reproductive health and family planning services, including abortion. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, women face serious and sometimes insurmountable barriers in obtaining those services. Read more SAVE THE DATE: 2008 EVENTS NOW Regional Conferences May, various locations Intrepid Awards Gala July 17, Washington, D.C. National NOW Conference July 18-20, Washington, D.C.
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