Feminist Majority Foundation Applauds Overturning Proposition 8

The U.S. federal district court overturned Proposition 8 on the grounds that the ban prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying is unconstitutional under both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. The case now moves to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Feminist Majority Foundation campaigned to defeat Prop 8 and coauthored an amicus brief with NOW submitted in a case before the California Supreme Court in favor of overturning Prop 8. In response to the ruling, Katherine Spillar, Los Angeles-based executive vice president together with Eleanor Smeal, president, issued the following statement:

"We are thrilled with today's ruling upholding the right of same-sex couples to marry. As the trial showed - and Judge Walker's decision affirmed - there truly is no substance to the arguments of those who would deny full equality to lesbians and gay men. Same-sex couples will now be able to enjoy the same freedom as other Californians to marry the person they love."

"This recognition that Prop 8 is unconstitutional is an important victory for minority interests beyond those pursuing the right to enter same-sex marriages since it reminds us that fundamental rights are not up for grabs at the whim of the majority at the ballot box. The court's ruling has a direct and profound general impact on the fundamental rights of equal protection and sexual privacy, which rights are paramount to full equality for women."

"The proponents of Prop 8 will undoubtedly appeal this decision. We are prepared to support a return to the ballot box in 2012, if necessary."

Katherine Spillar also serves on the Board of Equality California.

National Equality March

Drum circles, mixers, town hall meetings, film screening and more. This weekend's National Equality March promises to be a fun and informative event! Topics covered range from homeless and depression, to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. With such a diverse repertoire this march is going to be an educational, yet thrilling experience—especially for all your Lady Gaga fans! As the new LGBT icon is scheduled to speak at the event.



Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transgender people and others are marching for equal protection under the law. Because thus far, many continue to experience discrimination in their jobs or schools. They do not have the same protection under immigration policies or with marriage law, they cannot serve in the military openly, donate blood and more. Yet, every citizen supposedly has the same equal rights. Clearly, not everyone is equal under the law as some are more equal than others… so why are we willingly turning a blind eye and becoming the sheep in George Orwell’s Animal Farm?

Come out this weekend and join me at the National Equality March!! More details can be found at http://www.nationalequalitymarch.com/ .

Image Credit: VJnet on Flickr.com

US Still Denies Majority Population Equal Rights

Ever since the Equal Rights Amendment fell three states short of ratification in 1982, it has been consistently reintroduced into Congress every subsequent year, in an attempt to finally and permanently secure basic civil rights for women.

In July, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney took up the task of introducing the ERA once again. Will this finally be the year that the majority population will be able to sleep soundly and know that their rights will no longer be subject to manipulation, regardless of shifting political tides?

A recent post at the Huffington Post takes a look at why women everywhere might be overlooking the crucial significance of the ERA.

... And don't forget to check out the awesome photo at the bottom of the blog post where FMF President Ellie Smeal and current DC intern Maggie Skelton showed their support for the reintroduction of the ERA on July 21, 2009.

Feminists Gone...ACTIVIST!

Congrats to Slippery Rock University's Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) for standing up for equality on campus - and making a HUGE difference!

When the FMLA heard that Girls Gone Wild (GGW) was planning to "film" at a local tavern, the group led the charge on campus to make the bar think twice before opening their doors last Saturday. According to The Online Rocket, Slippery Rock's campus paper, the FMLA raised questions at a campus meeting about the fact that women who are filmed on GGW are often drunk when they sign the waiver; something FMLA members consider "comparable to sexual assault or harassment."

While some students at Slippery Rock saw no problem with GGW coming so close to campus, the FMLA activists raised enough concern in the community for the tavern to cancel the event!

Three cheers to the Slippery Rock FMLA for standing up for women's rights, and equality for all!

VA Gov. Candidate's Old Thesis = Anti-Women, Anti LGBTQ!

The recently published graduate thesis of Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell, who is also the Republican candidate for Virginia Governor, demonstrates opposition to women's rights. McDonnell spent 14 years in the state legislature before becoming state Attorney General in 2006.

McDonnell has attempted to distance himself from the inflammatory views fleshed out in his thesis. However, current Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, a Democrat, told Politico that the thesis is McDonnell's "political blueprint" and that "After years of working with Bob, I believe this article is an accurate reflection of his sincere and long-standing views."

McDonnell described feminists and working women as "detrimental" to the family and feminism as among the "real enemies of the traditional family" in his thesis. In 2001, he voted against ending sex-based wage discrimination. He has also argued that the child-care tax exemption should be repealed.

McDonnell also called the 1972 Supreme Court ruling in Eisenstadt v. Baird, which legalized contraception by unmarried couples as "illogical" in the thesis and in 2004, voted against allowing student health centers on college campuses to dispense emergency contraception. He voted repeatedly for abortion restrictions and demonstrated he is opposed to abortion even in cases of rape and incest. McDonnell supported or sponsored anti-choice legislation continuously over the 14 years he served the Virginia House of Delegates.

Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal said in a statement, "It would be one thing if this thesis was a satire, but it was a policy directive to the Republican Party. McDonnell went on to enact major planks of the policy agenda developed and described in the thesis. It also revealed that he has a well-developed belief against separation of church and state. One of his defenses on his views regarding working women is that his wife and two daughters work. However, we have seen with other advocates of the religious right that personal lives often have no relationship to public policy positions. We must evaluate McDonnell's views by his actions as a public official, which have furthered an anti-women's rights record."

Media Resources: Feminist Majority Press Release 9/1/09; Politico 8/31/09
Photo Credit: flickr.com/Tony the Misfit

Equality Amendment Reintroduced

Last week, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney re-introduced the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). It is one of the simplest bills ever, stating:

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Pretty straightforward and a no brainer right?

After all, nowhere in the constitution does it state that women have the same rights as men. The ERA would affirm that the constitution also applies to and guarantees equal rights for women. These rights would then be preserved in the constitution, therefore Congress would not be able to amend them without amending the constitution. Also, the ERA would guarantee equal federal resources for women's health and education, and eliminate sex discrimination in the armed forces.

However, since its introduction more than 80 years ago, it has failed to pass.

First introduced by Alice Paul in 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment passed through Congress in 1972 but unfortunately fell just three states short of the 38 needed for ratification in 1982.

The ERA is long overdue, and now is the time to ensure it passes.

The ERA is another step that needs to be taken to assure full equality for women under the law, and confirm that the basic principles of our democracy, such as "all men are created equal" do in fact apply to women.