1999 National NOW Conference Resolutions
Adopt Family Law And
Custody as Priority Actions in NOW
Affirmative
Action
Further Clinical
Research on Breast Implants With Supporting Legislation in Congress
Building Bridges
For Lesbian Rights
Fighting Campus
Rapes
Opposing The Diversion
of Public Resources to Religious Organizations And Their Affiliates For
Public Health Care And Social Service
Early Childhood
Education And Child Care
Comparable Worth/Pay
Equity
1999 Delineation
of Lesbian Rights
The Economic
Implications of The Prison-Industrial Complex
Hate Crimes
Expansion of Reproductive
Freedom to Include The Midwifery Model of Care
Tapestry of Polygamy
NOW Calls For National
Day of Action to Pull The Plug
Statement of Purpose
Title IX – Standing
up to The Backlash
Ending The Vatican’s
Special United Nations Status as an Observer State
Virtual March
2000
Women-friendly
Workplace And Campus Campaign: Detroit Edison Merchant
Of Shame
World March of
Women 2000
Feminist Expo 2000
ADOPT FAMILY LAW
AND CUSTODY AS PRIORITY ACTIONS IN NOW
WHEREAS, an overwhelming number
of communications are received by the National Organization for Women (NOW)
at the chapter, state and national levels from women who complain of injustice
in family law courts, especially in cases involving domestic violence and
child custody; and
WHEREAS, women lose custody
of their children, despite being good mothers, despite a lack of involvement
of the father with the children, and regardless of a history of being the
primary caregiver; and
WHEREAS, a growing number
of women who sue for child support experience a retaliatory suit for child
custody; and
WHEREAS, many women who
try to leave abusive husbands find that divorce court is a place where
the abuse is allowed to continue, as abusers use custody to retain control
over them and their children; and
WHEREAS, the growing so-called
"fathers' rights" legal industry is using custody suits as a lever to lower
child support; custody awards are all too often distorted by anti-woman
bias, money and politics; and
WHEREAS so-called "fathers'
rights" groups are connected nationally and in many states and areas have
undue influence in the courts, political parties and the halls of legislature,
and their strategies are replicated and modeled throughout the states,
while women facing divorce and custody fights are isolated and alone and
often lack sufficient funds to afford the legal battles currently necessary
to be successful; and
WHEREAS endorsements of
judicial candidates are even more effective than for legislative races
because people have less information and NOW has such high credibility;
and
WHEREAS, taking action against
such gender bias is well-suited to the organizing and lobbying abilities,
and fighting for justice for women involved in custody suits and divorce
has been found to be a hot issue for NOW chapter organizing, membership
recruitment, and public awareness of NOW's issues;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW adopt a policy which expresses the suggestions of current feminist
research and writing, including 1) a call to fully fund and implement judicial
education regarding domestic violence, 2) a demand for meaningful judicial
accountability and performance reviews of elected and appointed judges,
3) a model for selection and pre-selection of candidates for elected and
appointed judicial posts; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that all chapter and state NOW PACs be urged to include judges and judicial
candidates in their endorsement and support process and that chapters be
encouraged to enable women and organize around this issue, using seminars
on divorce, custody, finance, domestic violence, etc, as well as public
forums, hearings and court watches; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW recognize family law and custody as crucial and urgent action
and organizing issues in the lives of women and children; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that the National Action Center assist state and local NOW chapters
to advocate for reform, in ways including, but not limited to: 1) compiling
model legislation, sample testimony, available research, etc.; 2) aggressively
speaking out about this issue to other organizations, the public, and the
press; 3) assist NOW units active on this issue to establish contact with
each other; 4) create a membership/organizing brochure on these issues;
5) collect, organize and report on relevant information from chapters;
6) work with lawyers' organizations, particularly women lawyers, to encourage
increased pro-bono representation for women who cannot afford private counsel
in custody issues; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that a Conference Implementation Committee be formed to
oversee and assist in the implementation
of this and other related resolutions.
AFFIRMATIVE
ACTION
WHEREAS, an anti-affirmative
action climate is growing nationally; and
WHEREAS, affirmative
action policies have played an important role in breaking down barriers
to equal opportunity and equal employment; and
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) has a long history of support for Affirmative Action Programs
and is against discrimination based on race and gender; and
WHEREAS, all city, county,
and state entities are required to file Title VI Assurance Plans; and
WHEREAS, the federally-required
Disparity Reports on government contracts show discrepancies disproportionately
benefitting white males; and
WHEREAS, these reports are
available to all people in all cities, counties and states;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that chapters of the National Organization for Women (NOW) be urged to
promote the creation of a commission to look at these reports and their
corresponding issues; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
as an alternative, chapters be encouraged to establish ad hoc groups to
work in coalition with other community organizations to gather and review
this data in order to judge the feasibility of filing a complaint with
the appropriate agencies (EEOC, Federal
Attorney
General) on behalf of women.
FURTHER CLINICAL
RESEARCH ON BREAST IMPLANTS WITH SUPPORTING LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS
WHEREAS, in 1996, the National
Organization for Women (NOW) passed a resolution
that stated, "Therefore Be It Resolved, that NOW work to educate women
and men about the details of the breast implant issue and the product,"
and, "Be It Further Resolved, that NOW support individuals affected by
the breast implant issue by supporting legislative intervention and avenues
of relief"; and
WHEREAS, in 1997, NOW passed
a resolution
that stated, "Therefore Be It Resolved, that NOW supports legislation funding
research on possible side effects of implantation with silicone shell breast
implants"; and
WHEREAS, in December of
1991, the House of Representatives of the 102nd Congress issued a committee
report, "The FDA's Regulation of Silicone Breast Implants", which found
that the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) had not fulfilled its responsibility of protecting and adequately
informing consumers regarding these products and that this responsibility
remains unfulfilled to this day; and
WHEREAS, the current published
failure rates of these devices are much higher than estimated in 1993,
when FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler stated that a failure rate of even
5% was “not a safety standard that the FDA can accept” in an article of
the Journal of Biomedical Material Research, and that a recently
published study by scientists at the University of Florida, Gainesville,
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, examining 8,000 explant
cases, found that rupture rates occur at 30% over 5 years and up to 70%
over 17 years; and
WHEREAS, the Institute of
Medicine (IOM), noting the deficiencies of current research findings, recently
recommended that all breast implant patients be extensively surveilled,
that all prospective breast implant patients be provided with enough information
to make an informed decision, and that more definitive research be conducted;
and
WHEREAS, much of the data
concerning breast implants is seriously flawed, and since new and important
findings possibly indicating serious health consequences for breast implant
wearers are about to be released, and additional clinical studies are being
planned by the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and
WHEREAS, silicone activists
have worked with U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer, Mary Landrieu, and Kay Bailey
Hutchison, as well as U.S. Rep. Gene Green and other members of Congress
in order to have legislation introduced known as "The Silicone Breast Implant
Research and Information Act(s)"; these bills ask NIH to conduct independent
and unbiased research, and "require more accurate and timely dissemination
of information to women who consider silicone breast implants," and conduct
other activities;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW calls upon Congress to pass such legislation, to make funding
by NIH and other government agencies a priority, to disclose the findings
of such studies to the public promptly, and to strengthen such legislation
in light of the IOM recommendations and other considerations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW encourages all chapters to make available comprehensive, unbiased
information regarding the effects of breast implants; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW support in spirit the efforts of activists to encourage the creation
of a carefully monitored system of tracking all implant patients on a long-term
basis with reports of rupture, illness or disease being presented in a
timely fashion to the FDA.
BUILDING BRIDGES
FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS
WHEREAS, the successful April
1999 National Organization for Women (NOW) Lesbian
Rights Summit brought over 800 lesbians and allies to Washington D.C.;
and
WHEREAS, the Summit enhanced
opportunities for NOW to expand our campaigns for lesbian rights and the
rights of bisexual, transgendered, and gay people; and
WHEREAS, the Summit experience
demonstrated the need for NOW to strengthen bridge building between lesbians
and allies; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people and
straight people; feminists and LGBT organizations and LGBT people; and
feminist and non-feminist lesbians, including the need for consciousness
raising; and
WHEREAS, building bridges
includes the need for ideas such as NOW New Jersey's "Ask and I’ll Tell"
campaign and similar efforts to strengthen participation of allies; and
WHEREAS, building bridges
is particularly important in light of continual anti-LGBT campaigns such
as the Knight initiative, the proposed constitutional amendment in California
which would define marriage as only between a woman and a man;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW expand efforts to work for a feminist space and
consciousness in LGBT organizations;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW encourage further bridge building between LGBT people and straight
allies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW work to expand feminist consciousness in LGBT communities, including
college campuses; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW's Lesbian Rights Conference Implementation Committee work with
the National Action Center to create a lesbian feminist consciousness raising
program to be used in lesbian communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW actively promote the "Ask and I'll Tell" campaign for the October
1999 National Coming Out Day action, including the use of buttons and photo
and video displays; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW encourage all levels of NOW to include as an active part of our
electoral strategies campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT initiatives, such as
initiatives similar to the proposed California constitutional amendment,
and other measures to legally define marriage and limit civil rights protections
in order to disadvantage and discriminate against LGBT people, wherever
and whenever they occur.
FIGHTING CAMPUS
RAPES
WHEREAS, of women 18-24 years
of age in college, statistically, one in four will be raped before graduation;
and
WHEREAS, hundreds of women
report rape to campus police to seek justice and are turned away with little
or no action taken against their assailants; and
WHEREAS, the campus police
have a vested interest in covering up rapes on campus in order to protect
the image of a "safe" campus; and
WHEREAS, women are often
blamed for our assaults and university authorities focus on how women can
stop rape (i.e., staying in groups, watching what we drink, where we go,
what we wear, etc.) while protecting men who rape us by ignoring sexual
harassment and rape on campus; and
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) is committed to winning women’s liberation in all spheres
of our lives, including violence against us; and
WHEREAS, NOW organizers
exposing and ending sexism on campuses across the nation are breaking ground
in this struggle;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW include an article on this topic in
the next issue of the National NOW Times, working with chapter leaders
working on this issue: and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW commit to fighting this injustice occurring on campuses across
the United States by organizing around this issue, including but not limited
to the following: 1) networking chapters working in this issue
area 2) including a memo in a membership mailing 3)
providing strategy and fundraising advice 4) using Internet
resources.
OPPOSING THE
DIVERSION OF PUBLIC RESOURCES TO RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR
AFFILIATES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE
WHEREAS, the 105 hospital "mergers"
since 1995, in which Catholic hospitals with bishop-directed policies displaced
public hospitals, highlight a growing takeover of public and non-sectarian
hospitals and social service agencies by religious organizations and their
affiliates; and
WHEREAS, the refusal of
Catholic hospitals to provide any reproductive health care to women, including
abortion, sterilization, emergency contraception to rape victims, birth
control, information or even referrals highlights the extent to which religious
organizations and their affiliates will act in accordance with their own
sectarian agendas and beliefs, regardless of the law or human need; and
WHEREAS, religious organizations
and their affiliates cannot be held accountable under local, state or federal
laws, including living wage laws, domestic partner ordinances, property
and income tax laws, labor and anti-discrimination laws; and
WHEREAS, a movement deceptively
called "charitable choice" is increasingly diverting public funding to
religious organizations and their affiliates in spite of their non-accountability
and sectarian agendas, which too often include a fundamental hostility
to women’s reproductive rights and equality; and
WHEREAS, women represent
a majority of the uninsured and underinsured, and are thus more likely
to seek health care and social services from public hospitals and agencies;
and
WHEREAS, women represent
a majority of the work ers in the healthcare and social service fields,
and are thus more likely to suffer from the lower wages, lesser benefits,
and discriminatory workplace practices associated with religious organizations
and their affiliates;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women (NOW) opposes any diversion of
public resources to religious organizations and their affiliates that pursue
policies and practices inimical to women's equality, rights, and lives;
or, in the alternative, be it resolved that any health-related entity which
receives any public funds must provide constitutionally protected health
services; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW joins our sisters in the National Council for Jewish Women, Catholics
for a Free Choice, Hadassah, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Unitarian
Universalist Association, the United Methodist Church, the Friends Committee,
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and many other
groups and organizations in opposing the concept, policy, and implementation
of "charitable choice."
EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE
WHEREAS, it is an accepted fact
that high quality early childhood education and child care are critical
to the development and success of young children; and
WHEREAS, high quality early
childhood education and child care educators are traditionally underpaid
and under-appreciated in their roles as mentors of our nation’s children;
and
WHEREAS, complete and comprehensive
high quality early childhood education and child care should be a right
for all children in this country;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women (NOW) call for publicly-funded,
high quality early childhood education and child care in all communities;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW encourage chapters to raise the issues of public funding and minimum
standards for high quality early childhood education and child care programs
with all elected officials and candidates in their communities to raise
both awareness and create action on the issues; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW call for the implementation of a livable minimum standard of wages
for high quality early childhood educators and child care workers, particularly
in federally-funded programs.
COMPARABLE
WORTH/PAY EQUITY
WHEREAS, many of the jobs traditionally
held by women are paid less than jobs traditionally held by men; and
WHEREAS, many of the jobs
traditionally held by women require skills and training equivalent to the
skills and training for jobs traditionally held by men; for example, bookkeeping
compared with truck driving, or data entry compared with welding; and
WHEREAS, the AFL-CIO
is launching a major campaign to pass federal and state pay equity bills;
and
WHEREAS, there have been
some attempts in state legislatures to equalize pay with no success;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women (NOW) undertake a campaign to
bring comparable worth/pay equity to the forefront as an economic issue;
and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that the National NOW Action Center review pending legislation and enter
into educational and lobbying efforts to bring an end to this economically
unfair situation.
1999 DELINEATION
OF LESBIAN RIGHTS
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women demonstrates a strong commitment to lesbian
rights; and
WHEREAS, NOW's agenda embraces
the rich diversity of issues and experiences that impact women’s lives;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW re-affirms its commitment to a lesbian rights agenda that uses
a grassroots strategy to fight bigotry and discrimination based on real
or perceived sexual orientation; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that this resolution replace the 1980 Delineation of Lesbian Rights.
THE ECONOMIC
IMPLICATIONS OF THE PRISON-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
WHEREAS, the ongoing "war on
drugs and crime" legacy of the Reagan/Bush era has severely and adversely
impacted the lives of women and children; and
WHEREAS, the continuing
expansion of law enforcement, correctional, and prison systems has proliferated
into exploitative employment and capital ventures, hence, creating a viable
“industrial complex” similar to the military-industrial complex; and
WHEREAS, the increase of
public resources allocated to the expansion of this complex in the name
of public safety, estimated at a cost of over $40 billion annually by the
year 2000, occurs at the expense of other vital social priorities, including
education, health care, and violence prevention; and
WHEREAS, current statistics
indicate: 1) over 70% of those in prison are non-violent offenders; 2)
people of color, in particular African-Americans, are nearly 10 times as
likely to live under some form of criminal justice system control and authority;
3) in the last decade, the female prison population has increased 276%;
4) 78% of women in prison are mothers; 5) the rate of African-American
women under criminal justice control is over twice as much as the increase
of white women under criminal justice control or authority; and
WHEREAS, "tough on crime"
public debate concerning the issues of safety, law and order, and crime
and punishment continues to be largely dominated by patriarchal and capitalist
interests invested in expensive, draconian, and divisive policies versus
"smart on crime" policies that are humane, cost-effective and demonstrated
measures that account for the larger social, economic, and racial factors
which exist in society; and
WHEREAS, it is crucial that
NOW act to prevent the broader victims' rights movement from being co-opted
by similar right-wing based interests that perpetuate a focus on increased
sanctions for offenders at the expense of needed support for the victims
of crime, safe alternatives to incarceration, and viable rehabilitative
programs;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women (NOW) recognizes that the expansion
and privatization of this "prison industrial complex" disproportionately
consumes public resources that could be allocated to other social, education,
and health needs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW include partners in the prison industrial complex as candidates
for the Merchants of Shame initiative; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW identify interested NOW members to compile relevant research and
findings related to the impact of prison privatization, "tough on crime"
policies, and the budgetary impact of the expanding prison-industrial complex
on women and children which identifies opportunities for building coalitions,
and promotes "smart on crime" debate and solutions.
HATE CRIMES
WHEREAS, hate crimes based on
race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion and ethnicity not
only harm individual victims but also serve to isolate and control all
of the members of the targeted groups by restricting their freedom; and
WHEREAS, law enforcement
officers charged with upholding the law themselves sometimes commit hate
crimes;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women launch a campaign to pass the
Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that Valentine's Day be targeted for chapter actions on this issue.
EXPANSION OF
REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM TO INCLUDE THE MIDWIFERY MODEL OF CARE
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) has long supported reproductive freedom as a priority issue;
and
WHEREAS, NOW believes that
women should have complete authority over their reproductive lives; and
WHEREAS, reproductive freedom
not only includes the ability to decide whether or when to bear children,
but also the right to devise a birth plan with a medical provider of their
choice in either a hospital or an alternative setting such as a freestanding
birth center or private residence; and
WHEREAS, women have historically
given birth with midwives; and
WHEREAS, the practice of
midwifery has many benefits including lower costs, lower rates of premature
births, higher rates of breastfeeding; and greater satisfaction with the
birthing experience; and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization;
and
WHEREAS, midwifery has a
lower incidence of medical interventions during the birthing process, including
the routine use of episiotomies and Caesarean sections; and
WHEREAS, women’s access
to midwifery and traditional birthing practices many times is limited by
restrictive laws and non-coverage by private insurance companies and state-subsidized
funding;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW's policy statements, brochures, and fact sheets concerning reproductive
freedom include references to birthing choices, safe childbearing practices,
midwifery; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW work in cooperation with state and national midwifery organizations
to increase women's access to midwifery and community awareness of childbirth,
pregnancy, and early parenting choices.
TAPESTRY OF
POLYGAMY
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) as the world leader in fighting for the rights of women
and their children for over 30 years; and
WHEREAS, the "Tapestry
of Polygamy" is pioneering in the effort to disseminate the information
and the realities of the practice of polygamy; and
WHEREAS, the "Tapestry of
Polygamy" focuses on assisting those wishing to flee from the bondage of
polygamy;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW in alliance with the "Tapestry of Polygamy" disseminate information
on the abuses of polygamy to the general public and legislators; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW advocate to end the human rights violations due to polygamy; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW recognizes and supports the "Tapestry of Polygamy" in its ongoing
effort to educate the public and government officials on the needs of families
exiting this lifestyle.
NOW CALLS FOR
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO PULL THE PLUG
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) is committed to creating a world in which all women and
girls are valued, respected and have a public voice; and
WHEREAS, most TV and radio
(commercial, public and cable) programs, films, the World Wide Web and
other electronic media continually reinforces the inequalities of women
and girls;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW call for a National Day of Action to PULL THE PLUG by not tuning
in to any form of sexist, exploitative or oppressive media for one day.
We will contact stations and advertisers to let them know what programming
we object to. We will also voice our support for programming that
positively portrays the broad range of diversity of women and includes
the involvement of women in all aspects of the media. The National
Action Center will direct national actions on this day, and will provide
information to chapters, states, and regions to encourage them to participate.
STATEMENT OF
PURPOSE
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) has a statement
of purpose which reflects the overall aims of the organization; and
WHEREAS, the original
statement of purpose was adopted in 1966; and
WHEREAS, the organization,
as a body, has expressed a need and desire to revisit our statement of
purpose to reflect the changes in society in accordance with the 1998 Vision
statement;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the following proposed language alternatives for a revised statement
of purpose be considered by all levels and units of NOW between 1999 and
voted on as a by-law amendment at the 2000 National Conference in Miami,
Florida:
A) NOW's purpose
is to take action toward women's equality, to empower women to determine
their own destinies, and to have equal representation in all decision-making
structures of our societies. NOW is committed to the power of grassroots
activism, to multi-issue strategies using a variety of tactics to achieve
social and economic justice where there is recognition and respect for
each person's intrinsic worth as well as the rich diversity of the various
groups among us.
B) The purpose of NOW is
to take action to assure a world where all women have political, social,
and economic equality, sharing all opportunities, rights, privileges and
responsibilities in a fair and just society.
C) The purpose of NOW is
to actively and tirelessly pursue the full inclusion of all women and girls
in all political, social, and economic institutions of society, creating
a feminist society wherein every individual is free from coercion and subjugation.
We organize to initiate, support, implement and maintain all actions necessary
toward a free and equal society believing that human beings are born free,
equal in dignity and rights, entitling each to all rights and freedoms
without distinction of any kind, such as sex, race, class, sexual orientation,
religion or other arbitrary status.
TITLE IX – STANDING
UP TO THE BACKLASH
WHEREAS, Title IX was passed
by Congress in 1972 prohibiting sex discrimination in any educational program
or activity at any educational institution that is a recipient of federal
funds; and
WHEREAS, Title IX prohibits
all forms of sex discrimination including sexual harassment, discrimination
in admissions and counseling, discrimination against married or pregnant
students, etc.; and
WHEREAS, in 1971, only 1
in 27 girls participated in high school sports and, as a result of Title
IX in 1998, 1 in 3 girls participated in high school sports (boys' participation
has remained constant at 1 in 2); and
WHEREAS, there is a direct
connection between Title IX and the gold medal success of the USA women’s
teams at the most recent Olympic games, the success of the Women's National
Basketball Association (WNBA) and Women's World Cup Soccer; and
WHEREAS, California NOW
filed suit against the 19-campus California State University system in
1993, resulting in a five year consent decree increasing athletic opportunities
for women, and filed Title IX complaints against the University of Southern
California and the University of California at Los Angeles in December
1998: and
WHEREAS, a few schools have
decided to drop a small number of men's teams instead of examining the
inflated budgets of the men's basketball and football teams (including
such expenses as hotel rooms the night before home games); and
WHEREAS, there is now an
organized effort to challenge the implementation of Title IX, including
the Stephen Neal, et al. v California State University lawsuit brought
because the university put a cap on the men’s wrestling team, eliminating
the opportunity of seven male participants. This lawsuit seeks to remove
prong one, "proportionality", from the three-prong test used by the Office
for Civil Rights (OCR) to measure effective accommodation of interests
and abilities, the "exclusion of revenue-generating sports from a calculus
of comparative gender opportunities," and the allowing of private donations
earmarked for a particular sport;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women (NOW) sign on to an amicus brief
prepared by the National Women's Law Center opposing the preliminary injunction
granted on February 22, 1999; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW challenges this backlash against Title IX with:
1) INFORMATION: such as an
article in the National NOW Times and briefing materials in a chapter
mailing; and
2) ACTION: such as the Title
IX project approved by the NOW Board in February 1999; and
3) ACTION: such as Title
IX projects by local chapters and state reviewing Title IX compliance at
the high school and community college level; and
4) ACTION: such as commending
Allstate Insurance for its ads run before and during Women’s
World Cup Soccer showing a multi-cultural group of girls joyfully competing
in the sport – affirming that girls' sports participation is important;
and
5) ACTION: such as challenging
the unequal pay that will be received by the U.S. women's soccer team.
If the U.S. wins, each woman will get a $12,500 bonus from the United States
Soccer Federation (USSF) – as compared to $380,000 that would have gone
to the men, had they won last summer. USSF Secretary General Hank
Steinbrecher blames the FIFA – soccer's world governing body – for passing
through bonus money for men but not for women.
ENDING THE VATICAN’S
SPECIAL UNITED NATIONS STATUS AS AN OBSERVER STATE
WHEREAS, the United Nations
has bestowed the special status of "observer state" on the Vatican; and
WHEREAS, this special status
allows the Vatican to take full part in all United Nations conferences,
addressing the body at will; and
WHEREAS, this special status
artificially raises the Vatican's profile in world affairs, serving as
a bully pulpit from which they are able to manipulate the media as well
as United Nations policies in order to disseminate its sectarian agenda
and beliefs; and
WHEREAS, the Vatican is
an all-male hierarchy that opposes the ordination of women, as part of
their fundamental belief and policy that men should dominate and control
women in every area; and
WHEREAS, the Roman Catholic
Church promotes discrimination based on sexual orientation, as well as
discrimination against women; and
WHEREAS, Catholics for a
Free Choice has called upon the United Nations to rescind the special "observer
state" status conferred upon the Vatican; and
WHEREAS, the Vatican has
repeatedly and persistently used its privilege as an "observer state" to
block reproductive healthcare for women worldwide: in particular
any and all access to family planning information, birth control, sterilization,
abortion and access to medical care for women suffering complications from
unsafe, illegal abortion; and
WHEREAS, women's rights
and lives worldwide depend on access to a full range of quality, affordable
reproductive health services, including family planning information, birth
control access, sterilization, abortion, and access to medical care after
the unsafe and illegal abortions to which women are driven when all other
family planning alternatives are consistently blocked; and
WHEREAS, its fights against
the provision of emergency contraception and information to the women raped
in Kosovo, Bosnia, and elsewhere, shows the Vatican's contempt for women’s
personal integrity, moral agency, rights and lives on even the most basic
humanitarian level;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the National Organization for Women (NOW) supports Catholics for a
Free Choice in its efforts to cause the Vatican’s United Nations "observer
state" status to be rescinded.
VIRTUAL
MARCH 2000
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) is entering the new millennium and wants to be on the cutting
edge of activism; and
WHEREAS, we must continue
to use new innovative technologies to reach diverse communities throughout
the country and the world; and
WHEREAS, with the change
of the century we will change the way we communicate with the introduction
of the new digital technologies;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW organize the Virtual March for Women's Rights --an online action
-- in the year 2000; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that the Virtual March planning include work to make the Internet accessible
to those who do not have access to the information highway.
WOMEN-FRIENDLY
WORKPLACE AND CAMPUS CAMPAIGN: DETROIT EDISON MERCHANT OF SHAME
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) abhors and refuses to tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination
of any kind; and
WHEREAS, NOW has created
a Women-Friendly Workplace and Campus Campaign
to identify corporations who do not have policies and procedures in place
to protect and eliminate workplace abuses; and
WHEREAS, a class action
suit against Detroit Edison,
Michigan, has been pending since December, 1998; and
WHEREAS, NOW has attempted
to address workplace abuses with Detroit Edison to no avail;
WHEREAS, with the deregulation
of the industry, the people of Detroit and across the nation now have the
opportunity to raise their voices against discrimination.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that in keeping with the Women-Friendly Workplace and Campus Campaign,
NOW immediately adds Detroit Edison to the Merchants of Shame list; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
the designation of Detroit Edison as a MERCHANT OF SHAME be strategically
announced to take full advantage of media coverage and publicity and that
this announcement be used to continue to build the overall Women-Friendly
Workplace and Campus Campaign.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that NOW encourages the National Action Center and all chapters to take
direct action in addressing workplace abuses to resolve this pending class
action suit, and to further develop and implement women-friendly workplace
policies that will protect all employees at Detroit Edison and all other
corporations; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that NOW monitor Detroit Edison to insure there is no retaliation against
those who act on pending complaints or bring forward actions.
WORLD MARCH
OF WOMEN 2000
WHEREAS, the World
March of Women in the year 2000 is a huge education and action project
involving women's movements around the world; and
WHEREAS, 70% of the 1.3
billion people who live in abject poverty are women and children; and
WHEREAS, we live in a world
where violence against women is a global reality; and
WHEREAS, the World March
of Women 2000 is marching for the elimination of poverty and violence against
women around the world; and
WHEREAS, there is a call
for worldwide actions to demand the global end of poverty and violence;
and
WHEREAS, each country is
asked to organize national actions that will reflect their national realities
and priorities as well; and
WHEREAS, over 1,633 groups
from 120 countries have committed to be involved in the World March of
Women 2000; and
WHEREAS, the National Organization
for Women (NOW) is the largest grassroots feminist organization in the
United States;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that NOW commit to organizing a national action in Washington DC in fall
of the year 2000 as part of the World March of Women 2000; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED,
that information kits and action packets concerning the World March of
Women 2000 be distributed to NOW chapters.
FEMINIST
EXPO 2000
WHEREAS, Feminist Expo '96, the first-ever national feminist exposition
was co-sponsored by over 300 organizations, including the National Organization
for Women (NOW), featured over 250 speakers and drew over 3,000 feminists
to Washington, D.C. in February 1996; and
WHEREAS, Expo 2000 will usher in the new millennium by bringing
together women’s groups from every sector of society to show the strength
and depth of the feminist movement in the United States and throughout
the world; and
WHEREAS, at Expo 2000 we want to showcase the power of the feminist
movement, its ideas and vision for the 21st Century, as well as the diversity
of its works, constituencies and accomplishments; and
WHEREAS, the need for a strong national and global feminist
movement has never been greater; and
WHEREAS, the Feminist Expo 2000 will take place March 31-April
2, 2000, in Baltimore, Maryland, and will precede the Beijing
Plus 5 (the United Nations Fourth World Conference plus five years)
to be held in New York City; this will enable women in the United States
of America and worldwide to prepare for Beijing Plus 5 with global feminist
plenary sessions and workshops; and
WHEREAS, Expo 2000 will include a special Equal Rights Amendment
(ERA) CampaignReunion for all of the activists who were part of the historic
1972-1982 ERA Campaign, as well as those who wish they had been;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NOW co-sponsor the Feminist
Expo 2000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW publicize it in the National
NOW Times and on the National NOW web site; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NOW encourage delegations from
chapters, states, and regions to organize to go to the Feminist Expo 2000;
and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NOW spread the word and recruit
ERA veterans for the ERA Reunion that will take place during Expo 2000.
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