Tag Archives: women’s rights

Time to exercise your right to vote

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It is less than two weeks to election day. I voted early yesterday at my city hall since I will be at the CHIME Fall Forum in San Antonio on election day, November 8. I hope my colleagues who are attending and everyone else reading this who can’t vote in person on election day has a plan to vote early in-person or will mail-in their ballot.

Voter intimidation is real. Already we hear candidates saying the election is rigged – their way of saying they won’t accept a loss. Voting is your fundamental right as a citizen. Voting rights were fought for by our ancestors. We can’t take this right for granted. And we can’t be intimidated.

It is encouraging to see long lines for early voting in swing states with tight races. And it is more encouraging to know that early voting is outpacing 2018 levels by one million. As of last night, 13.6 million people have voted compared to 12.6 million in 2018.

What is at stake in the midterm elections? A lot! I’ve commented in previous posts on reproductive care and a woman’s right to choose (A step backwards), same sex marriage (Marriage equality, it’s personal), and common-sense gun control (When is enough enough?). It should be no surprise that I voted a straight Democratic ticket up and down the ballot.

I won’t tell you how to vote. But I encourage you to exercise your right to vote and to vote your values. Your vote matters!

Resources:

I will vote – website where you can select your state, make sure you’re registered to vote, then choose how you’re going to vote this year. Also has a hotline number to call with questions.

When we all vote – is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Website has useful information on your voting rights and provides an Election Protection Hotline to report voting issues.

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Make your voice heard, your vote counts!

Vote your values

Best employers for women – is your organization on the list?

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It’s Getting Harder to be a Woman in America by Claire Suddath, senior writer at Bloomberg Businessweek, is a powerful, must-read piece for anyone concerned about what is happening to women in this country.

I have long been a champion for women and a proud feminist. Doing what I can while in leadership roles to support women, not being afraid to speak out on women’s issues, and voting for candidates who are truly pro-women’s rights. I encourage you to do the same.

It was good to see the recent Becker’s story “30 hospitals, health systems and biomedical companies on Forbes’ top 100 list of best employers for women” that listed all 30 and their rank within the top 100. According to the Forbes article, “America’s Best Employers for Women”, the survey respondents were asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as working conditions, diversity and how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to others. These responses were reviewed for potential gender gaps. Female respondents were then asked to rate their employers on factors such as parental leave, discrimination and pay equity, and to nominate organizations in industries outside their own. Representation at the executive and board levels were also factored into the final score.

If your organization didn’t make the list, ask yourself what you can do. Are you in an HR leadership position and able to directly influence employee policies and benefits? Are you an IT leader who consistently creates a supportive culture and values diversity? Regardless of your position, do you help create a supportive work environment?

We’re all in this together – at home, at work, and in our communities.

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A step backwards

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“The decision whether or not to bear a child is central to a woman’s life, to her wellbeing and dignity. It’s a decision she must make for herself”. Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I was both angry and sad last Friday when the Supreme Court ruling was announced. There is no question that we are going backwards. My granddaughters will have less rights than me.

How did we get here? The Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade should come as no surprise. I’m not just talking about the leaked opinion in May. I’m talking about the state level restrictions that have been enacted over the past decade leading to Friday’s ruling.

A piece in the New York Times on June 25, “How Did Roe Fall? Before a Decisive Ruling, a Powerful Red Wave”, by Kate Zernike laid it out clearly starting back with the 2010 elections. The fact that 1380 state level restrictions were enacted in the 50 years since Roe v Wade was decided and that 46% of them were since 2011 tells the story. It is a long article but worth reading.

Aside from understanding the recent history covered in this article, the takeaway is clear – your vote matters. It matters at every level from local elections to the national election for president. While more Americans voted in 2020 than in any other presidential election in 120 years, 80 million people didn’t vote. Local candidates and state legislators win elections oftentimes with only a small percentage of voters bothering to vote.

The health equity issues of this ruling are significant. The ruling puts the health and safety of women at risk with a disproportionate impact on women of color and the financially disadvantaged. Many leaders have recognized this in their statements of support for reproductive rights and the actions they are taking to provide services. Continue reading →