Author: Takirah Woods

Takirah Woods is a community advocate at A Better Balance, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization and a leader in the push for the PWFA.

From Pregnancy Discrimination to Advocacy: My Journey to Capitol Hill

Denied accommodations during my pregnancy, I fought back. Now, thanks to the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, fewer women will have to face the same struggle.

(This essay is a part of Ms. and A Better Balance’s Women & Democracy installment, all about the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act—a groundbreaking civil rights law ensuring pregnant and postpartum workers have the right to reasonable workplace accommodations. Bipartisan, pro-family and boldly feminist, the PWFA is both a lesson in democracy and a battleground for its defense against antidemocratic attacks.)

Accommodating Pregnant Workers is a Matter of Reproductive, Economic and Racial Justice

Accommodating Pregnant Workers is a Matter of Reproductive, Economic and Racial Justice

It’s still the case that too many women of color are fired or
forced out when they request a modest workplace accommodation to protect their health. Longer term, pregnancy discrimination pushes women deeper into poverty, jeopardizing the health and economic well-being of our families.

Last month, the House passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. Now, we must call on the Senate to take up this bill without delay.