OnLine With Zoe

April 28 ~ Fair Pay Day

Impressive signings in these two pictures (love the 1963 pocketbooks) but are you really content with the gain of 19 cents on the dollar in 46 years?   

January 29, 2009 President Barack Obama signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and WHITE WOMEN MAKE 77.8 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR, Black women – 68.7 cents, Latinas 59 cents*.

 
June 10, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, Women make 59 cents on the dollar (I do not have the racial breakdown but you can guess). 

This marks a day that needs to disappear from our calendars entirely.  April 28th is Equal Pay Day as it marks how long into 2009 White American women have to work to earn equally what White American men earned in 2008.  You can calculate your wage gap with this calculator and be sure to notice the drop down list box asking about race. 

It is an outrage that it is less for women, lesser yet for WOC and that feminists would even allow ourselves to be divided by race.  Maybe we should begin our activism by insisting on ONE FAIR PAY DAY – which should be the day it takes for Latinas to earn equally …

None the less, lets look carefully at the additional missing element is the FAIR PAYCHECK Act.  It is the needed counter part to the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and it has not been passed.  It passed the House of Representatives in January 2009 and has not been heard in the Senate.

We need the Fair Paycheck Act to:

• Prevent Retaliation; prohibit employers from punishing employees for sharing salary information with their coworkers. This will allow women to more easily and quickly identity learns if they are being paid fairly.
• Close Loopholes; require the employer to prove that the difference in pay is truly caused by something other than sex, like job performance.
• Establish Punitive Damages; enable plaintiffs who prove sex discrimination to receive punitive and compensatory damages, just as they can for discrimination based on race or ethnicity.
• EEOC; require the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission surveys pay data and set additional regulations.
• Reinstate Collecting Gender-Based Data; The last administration stopped the collection of gender-based data.  We must collect, calculate and make available wage analyses, with out it every woman is on her own with no way to prevent and systematically deal with wage disparity.

So it is no day to celebrate – it is a day to write to your senator.  Here is a very easy form to get this done and get back to making your (average of 78, 69, 59) 68.6 cents.

* Got an interesting note fro NWLC this AM stating that White women make 81 cents on the dollar and that 77.8 cents is the average for US women.  hmmmmmmmmm    white 81, black 69, Latina 59.  That is a 22 cent disparity in women in regards to race.  That is really disturbing.  Maybe we should be all mapping to the lowest - not the hi average of 77.8. 

Adult Content I Cannot Handle

Just two weeks ago I went to see the musical Avenue Q.  When I ordered my single ticket, the seller asked if I knew there would be adult content.  I told her I knew all the words to the score and I could deal with puppets fucking.  AND, you know I can!  And I can handle the content of the musical, Rent.  Actually, we all deal with the content everyday: young people, HIV/AIDS, LGBT people and money. 

Here is what I CANNOT deal with ~ http://godhatesfags.com  Seriously.  And this is all done under the disguise of a church.  (are they Tax Exempt??)  Westboro Baptist Church organizes protests all over the US; schools, meetings, legislatures and, worst of all, funerals.  They are coming all the way from Kansas to protest a Soutnern California high school production of RENT at Corona Del Mar High School.  Don't be fooled by it being in Soutnern California ~ that does not mean that there is an enlightened point of view on gay teens.  Gay kids are harassed at CDR High - this is Orange County!    

HERE IS POST BY WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH for Friday April 24 2:15 - 3:15 
CORONA DEL MAR HIGH SCHOOL
Corona del Mar High School - Jews Killed Jesus, love fags! 2101 Eastbluff Drive WBC to picket this High School, and the goofy Jewish bastards who pretend they have a cause against the Lord and against His anointed. Check out this good verse: Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Is this what you blind Christ-rejecting Jews are protesting on behalf of? Latest news from Orange County reads: "A former Corona del Mar High School teacher has been charged with molesting two young girls and keeping hundreds of images of child pornography at his home, prosecutors said today." Stop lying to these children, putting them into the hands of child molesters, repent while you can! "Rent" is but the catalyst for this epic event. AMEN!

There is a lot of information about this on Facebook but I want to post about this so that my very diverse blog readers know about it.  And if you are in the area, you may want to come to CDR high school and make it clear that 1)god doesn't hate anyone and 2)we ain't buying what they're selling.

Well, You Asked What I Think About the ERA Movement.

I got an email today from a friend who lives in an eastern state.  She had read Frank Riches' op-ed piece, The Bigots' Last Hurrah and asked what the ERA Movement could learn from the Marriage Equality burgeoning success.  Here is my answer ~

I am spending most of my activist time these days on marriage equality – as it has reached the tipping point and cannot be stopped – the lever has been sprung in all of the Western world.  Backlash is ugly but they are desperate.

You may find it interesting that on April 4 I gave an ERA presentation at an Equality organization to celebrate ( a bit late) women’s history month.  I expanded my talk to include the movie, Milk and its drastic exclusion of Milk’s work with women which, in fact, was extensive.  Several men walked out – they were perturbed that the monthly meeting was being wasted on a “women’s issue.”  Of course they were the minority but LGBTQQAI are on the march, on the run, seeing their life-long issue reaching the fulcrum.  I don’t think they were anti-me or anything but, rather, anti-letting the traction slip.  (No, I am not naïve on this – I know men rarely take on issues perceived and labeled as women’s issues.)

I am 60 years old and with a MA in religion, went to professional computer school in 1985.  I mention that to illustrate that I have a foot in each of the waves.  My white hair gives away that I worked in the Second Wave (1963-1875) and my knowledge of electronic social networking, viral marketing and the E-Highway lets me travel freely in the Third Wave. 

Yes, the gay movement has busted through the backlash majority.  I caution you to know that many high school kids are still being harassed and commit suicide.  But all the Mormons cannot get the anti-gay movement back on track.  Four states, many countries, and, what cannot be denied, the next generation thinks the whole issue is ridiculous.  Teenagers tell their parents that once they die – it will all be moot.

So look closely at that perfect collection of facts and see exactly what the ERA movement does not have.
1) National attention.
2) The pro-states coalescing and casting a shadow on their lagging neighbors.
3) The new generation thinks it is simple justice.
4) Total use of the E-Highway (texting, facebook, youtube, twitter, ning, etc.)  as utilized by Obama’s campaign.
5) Undeniable visibility.

I am happy for the African American community and the great advances that an African American President means.  I am happy for the Queer community as they deserve full Marriage Equality.  These two real successes show us that the majority can come together, become involved and advance social justice.  They did not do it legislator by legislator.  They did it by making the cause attractive, available and obvious to the common, simple hard-working American.

The benefits of the ERA are obvious but not part of the national conversation.  I do not understand why 35 states and the clear majority of Americans should not be rallied but, rather, leave it to the 15 non-ratified states to be lobbied, yet again.  To me, it would be like the Queer movement trying to get Utah on board – what an ineffective and exhausting  effort.

I hear that the ERA is not sexy, it not exciting.  That is so not true.  NOT TRUE.  Just tell college women that they have to pay off their loans, credit debt and mortgages while making 78 cents on the dollar.  Tell them that insurance pays for viagra and not for the pill.  Just tell them that they are still considered 3/4s of a citizen.  Actually all you have to do is tell them it did not pass.

Obama Whiplash Got Me Down

I can’t be the only person on the left who is experiencing whiplash in my relationship with President Obama.  It isn’t love/hate.  It is more relief/caution.  When I voice this, people tell me to consider the alternative.  They mean McCain.  I mean SOS Clinton.  I was privileged to see Obama at the Costa Mesa Town Hall a few weeks ago.  He was clearly met with a crowd who believe he is their rock star.  I haven’t seen that kind of crowd since Ground Control talked to Major Tom at the Palladium.  But a president is not Bowie ~ it is not time for pedestals or rarefied air.  It will serve no one. 

My remedy has been to assign meaning to Obama’s leadership practice, a la Margaret Wheatley or Juanita Brown.  He calls on everyone in the room, listens to all opinions, takes the pulse of the group; demonstrating the principle that “all of us knows more than one of us.”  However as the weeks pour by I am increasingly concerned that the group in the room is not a wide enough net for a consensus that includes women and girls, lesbians and gays, progressives and, for the most part, a lot of people who put him in office.  If you practice the principles of organic leadership, but not invite all sides with an eye on balance, you will not find out what “all of us” know.  (frankly it appears to me that there is more outreach to the right and they exercised the right to decline.)  Starting with the most obvious ~ what room are the pacifists speaking?  Or even a legislated Department of  Peace?  Escalating the war in Afghanistan was not on my TO DO list and eliminating the word war does not make the blood less red. 

Women on the left are aware that the Global Gaga Order has been rescinded, Ledbetter Act has been signed, Ok, Ok.  Today we are waiting to see how far the Bush midnight HHS Conscience Rule will reach into our lives as it went live at midnight last night.  But the commission that was finalized this last week may be a significant indication of what is a foot, the source of wicked whiplash and did you notice?  (not your fault as media has not said anything about it.)

This quote by Frances Kissling alerted me to another very disturbing room full of appointees informing our president, "The 10 remaining picks did little to rectify the anti-reform, anti-woman, anti-gay tilt of Obama’s Faith-Based Advisory Council. Not to mention the conspicuous absence of a single academic theologian."

W. Bush installed the Faith Based Advisory Board.  Before I voted, I assumed that Obama would close it.  The fact is he expanded it.  He appointed 25 people to address four priorities: economic recovery, reducing abortions, encouraging responsible fatherhood and improving interfaith relations.  This sounds very important in the hall of social justice, gender liberty and family support.  

Here is just some of the information I have been able to cobble together about the 25 members:

• 19 represent religious organizations (none involved in reform, all belong to religions that are conservative on choice, women and family.  PLEASE note this means conservative male clergy advising on women and reproduction)
• 6 representative non-religious, community based organizations.
• One Hindu (woman)
• Two Muslims (1 woman)
• 2  religious men are known supporters of women’s rights; Rabbi David Saperstein and Reverend Harry Knox

We submitted many names of religious and community leaders who would balance out the over-representation of male evangelicals that dominated the first religious appointments. We were largely ignored. The final list makes clear that other groups lobbied as well. The Catholic bishops got a seat at the table. Orthodox Judaism, the National Council of Churches.           Frances Kissling

Here is a bit of information about the women who are going take on this council of mostly conservative men and will have to manage a significant imbalance.

• Nancy Ratzen President of National Council of Jewish Women, advocate of women’s rights and reproductive choice
• Reverend Sharon Watkins the first woman president of the Disciples of Christ
• Bishop Vashti MacKenzie, African Methodist Episcopal Church which opposed to abortion rights.
• Anju Bhargava, founder of Asian Indian Women of America.  Hindu priest
• Reverend.Peg Chemberlin, president-elect of the National Council of Churches USA.
• Dalia Mogahed, Executive Director, Gallup Center for Muslim Studies Washington, DC
• Melissa Rogers, Director, Wake Forest School of Divinity Center for Religion and Public Affairs Winston-Salem, NC
• Diane Baillargeon, President & CEO, Seedco New York, NY

For more information about the members – see this piece by Frances Kissling.  The majority are described as anti-gay, anti-abortion, pro-family, pro-life, etc. 

If you are asking – what the hell does she want?  First I wanted the whole office shut.  That would be a great sign of the separation of church and state.  Second choice is a group of diverse people that demonstrates a diversity of opinion; how about an atheist? A Buddhist? 51% women?  People of color?  In particular, a Native American?  Have you seen all the different icons that Vets have on their graves? 

I want a room, that when canvassed, represents the CHANGE WE (even me) HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

New Favorite Book - The Means of Reproduction

I first read about The Means of Reproduction at RHRealityCHeck.org in an interview of Michelle Goldberg by Mandy Van Deven. I ordered it immediately and had to wait for it to arrive on April 4. This book is landing in our march toward reproductive intelligence, liberty and health at precisely the right moment. While social justice is unfolding; the backlash is mounting, gasping its last breaths, this book is rich with vision and understanding.

American women need to understand the reach of their influence, their dollars and their personal religion. There are places in the world where pregnancy and childbirth can be punishment, torture and deadly, US policies are contributing through policies and funding certain programs, unfunding others, gag orders and relinquishing responsibility to religious organizations.
Michelle explains all of this and more, making it clear how decisions in Washington DC or a neighborhood clinic end up practiced in Africa or India with no understanding of the cultural consequences.

The Means of Reproduction is brilliant, responsible and approachable. I highly recommend it. Finally a book that makes it clear that American women, with all our freedom, need to commit to provide women world-wide with comprehensive birth control information and methods.  
 
You can find Michelle on Facebook too.