More Than A Magazine, A Movement
The third Thursday of each November is set aside as National Rural Health Day, an acknowledgement of the contribution rural communities and workers among these communities make to society and their pressing health needs.
We honor the millions of workers that keep America running the best way we can—continuing the drum beat for paid leave for all. No one should have to choose between their jobs and being there for those they love.
It goes without question that farm workers are among the most essential workers, not only in California but in the United States as a whole. Because of their continued labor during this time, Americans have not gone without the groceries they’re accustomed to. Crops have still been planted, tended, and harvested so that all can enjoy their daily meals. But at what—or whose—cost?
Crushed by the load of caregiving, women are leaving workplaces in droves, and the wage gap is an important motivator.
“A more accurate description of ‘opting out’ is in fact women being forced out of work—forced out by companies that never really wanted us there anyway, forced out by managers who are not amenable to being flexible, forced out by partners who are not willing to pick up their part of the load at home, and forced out by constantly being ground down through silencing, erasure and plain old everyday sexism in our paid work.”
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order authorizing leave for city employees to serve as poll workers for the November election and runoff election. The executive order comes amidst growing concern regarding the safety of in-person voting, especially as people over age 60—who are at highest risk for complications from COVID-19—have historically constituted the majority of volunteers.
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.
Women’s labor force participation rate has dropped during the pandemic, driven both by disproportionate layoffs and quits. Many women are foregoing career advancement opportunities because there are no childcare options.
We have to start planning now to help women reenter the workforce and pickup their careers when the pandemic ends.
The US House of Representatives passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act which ensures pregnant workers are not denied reasonable accommodations.
Dr. Jamila Perritt of Physicians for Reproductive Health said the bill—if approved by the Senate and president—would “ensure that those who are most likely to work in some of the most challenging settings, like immigrants and those with low incomes, have the humane protections they deserve.”
Are things any better for women than they were in 2017? A recent report from Women Who Tech breaks it down.
From unwanted comments about our appearances to being sexually assaulted to inappropriate questions about our sex lives—still, women aren’t being treated with respect and professionalism.
As part of an inaugural Scholar Strike, U.S. professors are withdrawing from classrooms to engage in accessible, digital education surrounding anti-Blackness and police brutality on Sept. 8 and 9.
Unemployment rates for Black women between the ages of 20 and 24 rose to 26.8 percent in August—up from 25.4 percent in July.
“It’s just bananas,” says Jasmine Tucker, director of research for the National Women’s Law Center. “Other than racism and sexism, I really don’t get it.”
