Call for Papers!

“1977-2017: The IWY National Women’s Conference In Retrospect”November 5-7, 2017, University of Houston This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the 1977 National Women’s Conference, the domestic answer to the United Nations’ International Women’s Year initiative.  The Houston Conference, as it came to be known, was the largest federally mandated gathering of American women in history.  On this occasion, 2000 delegates elected from fifty states and six territories and roughly 16,000 observers came together to craft a twenty-six plank National Plan of Action, submitted to President Jimmy Carter in 1978.  The conference remains one of the most imaginative and wide-ranging exercises in civic engagement realized in the twentieth century, and we seek to draw attention to the diversity, ingenuity, and determination of participants who dared to dream up concrete policy goals of “what women want.”  The recent global response to the Women’s March on Washington suggests just how much the issues debated at the Houston Conference still resonate. During a three day conference, November 5-7, we aim to take stock of this momentous feat as well as consider the separate concerns articulated at a “pro-family” counter-convention held in Houston simultaneously.  A scholarly academic symposium will coincide with a delegate and observer reunion. Commemorative activities will occur simultaneous to academic sessions and begin the prior weekend. In holding two events at once, we seek a cross-pollination of ideas and action, bringing together academics and activists, current and lifetime students and teachers, and those that remember being there alongside those who seek to carry the torch forward. We would like to take the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the National Women’s Conference to engage a fresh conversation about U.S. politics and society in the last quarter of the twentieth century. Issues debated at the Houston Conference have dominated American culture since: LGBTQ and racial civil rights; family planning and reproductive health; immigration and civil justice; access to education and childcare; welfare and government spending; poverty and wealth distribution; environmentalism; foreign policy priorities; globalization and a shifting workforce; and gender neutrality and protection in law. Likewise, we seek papers that engage these broad currents. Work that interrogates the conference itself, the context from which it developed, its prominent themes, and its legacy will be considered.  Papers need not focus on the conference per se or women’s history in general.  Rather, we aim to foster a dialogue about contemporary history and society using this conference-a barometer of its times-as a jumping off point.  We seek the participation of scholars who explore institutional politics, social movements, cultural conflicts, global and transnational politics, and economic turmoil. We welcome individual paper proposals as well as complete or partial session proposals.  Format ranges from dynamic roundtable discussions to more traditional sessions with three papers and a chair/commentator.  We are especially interested in sessions that mix academic research with the experience of activists.  We envision this conference to be a forum for interdisciplinary thinking and encourage broad methodology, perspective, and disciplinary grounding (such as history, political science, public policy, English, economics, sociology, and the arts). Questions that could be considered by participants include: Why did a policy forum that emerged from bi-partisanship become a caustic ideological battleground?  What political, economic, and social changes underway manifested reaction and response at this conference and the coinciding counter-conference?  In what ways do the issues considered at the National Women’s Conference still resonate?  Is the leading question asked then-what do women want?-still relevant today? Ongoing activities include: poster/book sessions; oral history commons; film screenings; special collections tours; student-delegate issue dialogues; wikistorming edit-a-thon; self-guided walking tours. Traditional paper session and roundtable proposals: Abstracts should include a short session description and title, individual paper titles, one page proposals of approximately 300 words for each paper, and one page CVs for all participants including chair/commentator. Individual paper proposals: Abstracts should be 300 words, and should be accompanied by a one page CV. While we do not promise travel support, please indicate on your proposal if you request such support should it become available. A separate application for these funds will be issued to selected participants should we have such funds to distribute. Priority consideration for such funds will be given to graduate students and adjuncts. Submission deadline: August 10, 2017 Please submit applications as one PDF at: houstoncon17@gmail.com For questions, please contact Nancy Beck Young: nyoung@central.uh.edu, or Leandra Zarnow: lrzarnow@central.uh.edu

Contact Your Elected Officials Telephone numbers, physical and email addresses for every federal, state, and local elected leader.

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

NEVADA RATIFIES THE ERA! 

We now have tangible proof that our efforts to re-start the ratification train have been successful, and know legislators in 2017 can be convinced to take the issue of Constitutional equality for women and men seriously enough to make an effort to bring it about.

Both the Nevada Senate and House have passed ratification resolutions, and as soon as a few very minor differences between the bills (technical adjustments regarding the resolution’s transmittal, not the relevant text) are ironed out, that State will officially become the 36th to ratify.

The votes weren’t the traditional cliffhangers: It was 13 to 8 in the Senate and 28 to 14 in the House, so this was a very strong endorsement by the state with the highest proportion of women (40%) in its state legislature. Among the women in the House gallery on Monday was former Lieutenant Governor Sue Wagner, a veteran of the first ratification campaign in Nevada four decades ago. Nevada’s Governor, Brian Sandoval, is a supporter of the E.R.A., though state governors play no role in ratification and need not sign (and cannot veto) a ratification resolution.

Fortunately, Nevada is not alone in regard to states where there are active campaigns to ratify.

Other states have come close to ratification, but fell short by a few votes, with the fact that no state had ratified since Indiana did so in January, 1977, used as an excuse to pretend that the E.R.A. was no longer a viable issue. But if Nevada says it’s a 21st Century issue, there’s no reason why Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Illinois, or any other state where there’s an active campaign can’t be persuaded to ratify.

This ratification now adds momentum to our efforts, and pressure on Congress to take a stand on whether its original deadline in 1979 or the extended deadline of June 30, 1982 should still be valid. These deadlines were never a part of the E.R.A.’s text, but are in the proposing clause, so a simple majority vote in House and Senate could delete both deadlines if the Supreme Court agrees that such a move is valid. But the need for Congress to address the issue is directly proportional to how close we are to having 38 ratifications, so each new one is a major step toward that goal.

So let’s ratify nationwide once and for all!

• Find Your Representative 
• Find Your Senators

Paradise

Virginia NOW

Communications Director / Webmistress
communicationsvp@vanow.org

“We are not safe until we have equality guaranteed by the Federal Constitution.”– Alice Paul

National Woman’s Party Convention, July 21, 1923

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E.R.A. SUPPORTERS IN CONGRESS:

This is a list of Members of Congress who have endorsed at least one of the E.R.A. resolutions introduced in the present Congress. If you are one of their constituents, thank them for their support, then ask what they’re going to do to bring these E.R.A. resolutions to the floor for a vote, and assure passage in the present Congress. If your Senator or Representative is not on the list, ask why they haven’t gone on record as being in favor of Constitutional equality for women and men, something supported by 91% of the public and opposed by only 4%, according to a 2012 survey by Public Policy Polling, and is now supported by 94% of Americans in a 2016 “DB5” poll.

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S.J.R. 5: 29 Supporters
(28 Democrats, 1 Independent) (Sen. Cardin, D-MD, plus 28 co-sponsors.)  

California: Feinstein (D), Harris (D)
Connecticut: Blumenthal (D), Murphy (D) 
Hawaii: Hirono (D)
Illinois: Durbin (D)  
Maryland: Cardin (D), Van Hollen (D)  
Massachusetts: Markey (D) & Warren (D)  
Michigan: Stabenow (D)
Minnesota: Franken (D) & Klobuchar (D)
New Hampshire: Hassan (D), Shaheen (D)  
New Jersey: Booker (D), Menendez (D)  
New Mexico: Heinrich (D), Udall (D)
New York: Gillibrand (D) 
Ohio: Brown (D)
Oregon: Merkley (D), Wyden (D)
Rhode Island: Reed (D), Whitehouse (D)  
Vermont: Sanders (I)  
Virginia: Kaine (D), Warner (D)  
Wisconsin: Baldwin (D)

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H.J.R. 53: 146 supporters
(146 Democrats) Rep. Speier, D-CA, and 145 co-sponsors.
Two E.R.A. supporters are non-voting Delegates.

Arizona: Gallego (D), Grijalva (D), Sinema (D)  
California: Barragan (D), Brownley (D), Cardenas (D), Chu (D), Davis (D),DeSaulnier (D), Eschoo (D), Garamendi (D), Huffman (D), Lee (D), Lieu (D) Lowenthal (D), Matsui (D), McNarney (D),Napolitano (D), Peters (D), Roybal-Allard (D), Ruiz (D),Sanchez, L. (D), Schiff (D), Sherman (D), Speier (D), Swalwell (D), Takano (D), Thompson (D) Torres (D), Vargas (D)  
Colorado: DeGette (D), Perlmutter (D)  
Connecticut: Courtney (D), De Lauro (D), Himes (D), Larson (D)  
District of Columbia: Holmes Norton (D) (non-voting Delegate) 
Florida: Castor (D), Crist (D), Deutch (D), Frankel (D), Hastings (D), Soto (D), Wasserman Schultz (D), Wilson (D).  
Georgia: Johnson (D) Guam: Bordallo (D) (non-voting Delegate)
Illinois : Bustos (D), Davis (D), Foster (D), Gutierrez (D), Kelly (D), Quigley (D), Rush (D), Schakowsky (D)
Indiana: Carson (D)
Iowa: Loebsack (D) 
Kentucky: Yarmuth (D)  
Louisiana: Richmond (D) 
Maine: Pingree (D)  
Maryland: Cummings (D), Delaney (D), Raskin (D), Ruppersberger (D), Sarbanes (D)  
Massachusetts: Capuano (D), Clark (D), Keating (D), Kennedy (D), Lynch (D), McGovern (D), Moulton (D), Tsongas (D) 
Michigan: Conyers (D), Dingell (D), Kildee (D), Lawrence (D), Levin (D) 
Minnesota: Ellison (D), McCollum (D), Nolan (D) Walz (D) 
Missouri: Clay (D)
Nevada: Kihuen (D), Rosen (D), Titus (D)
New Hampshire: Kuster (D), Shea-Porter (D)
New Jersey: Norcross (D), Pallone (D), Pascrell (D), Payne (D), Sires (D), Watson Coleman (D)  
New Mexico: Lujan Grisham (D) 
New York: Clarke (D), Engel (D), Espaillat (D), Higgins (D),Jeffries (D), Lowey (D), Maloney, S (D), Meeks (D), Nadler (D), Rice (D), Serrano (D), Slaughter (D), Tonko (D), Serrano (D), Velazquez (D)
North Carolina: Adams (D), Butterfield (D), Price (D)
Ohio: Beatty (D), Fudge (D), Kaptur (D), Ryan (D)
Oregon: Bonamici (D), Blumenauer (D), DeFazio (D), Schrader (D)
Pennsylvania: Boyle (D), Brady (D), Cartwright (D), Doyle (D), Evans (D)

Rhode Island : Cicilline (D), Langevin (D)
Tennessee: Cohen (D)
Texas: Gonzalez (D), Green (D), Jackson Lee (D), Johnson (D), Veasey (D)
Vermont: Welch (D) 
Virginia: Beyer (D), Connolly (D), Scott (D)
Washington: DelBene (D), Heck (D), Jayapel (D), Kilmer (D), Larsen (D), Smith (D) 
Wisconsin: Kind (D), Moore (D), Pocan (D)

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S.J.R. 6: 13 supporters, 13 Democrats).
(Sen. Menendez, D-NJ, and 11 co-sponsors)

California: Feinstein (D)
Connecticut: Murphy (D) Delaware: Carper (D), Coons (D)  
Illinois: Durbin (D)
Maryland: Cardin (D), Van Hollen (D)
Massachusetts: Markey (D), Warren (D)  
New Jersey: Booker (D) Menendez (D)
New York: Gillibrand (D)  
Ohio: Brown (D)

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H.J.R. 33: 101 supporters
(96 Democrats, 5 Republicans)
(Rep. Maloney, D-NY, and 100 co-sponsors. One supporter, Holmes-Norton of D.C., is a non-voting Delegate.)

Arizona: Gallego (D), Grijalva (D)  
California: Aguilar (D), Brownley (D), Capps (D), Cardenas (D), Chu (D), Davis (D), DeSaulnier (D), Eshoo (D), Huffman (D), Lee (D), Lieu (D) Lofgren (D), Matsui (D), Sanchez (D), Schiff (D), Speier (D), Sherman (D), Swalwell (D), Takano (D), Thompson (D)  
Colorado: DeGette (D), Polis (D) 
Connecticut: Courtney (D), Larson (D)
Delaware: Rochester (D)  
District of Columbia: Holmes Norton (D) (non-voting Delegate) 
Florida: Castor (D), Crist (D), Demings (D), Deutch (D), Hastings (D), Lawson (D), Wilson (D)  
Georgia: Bishop (D), Johnson (D), Scott (D)  
Hawaii: Hanabusa (D) 
Illinois: Davis (D), Gutierrez (D), Kelly (D), Schakowsky (D)
Iowa: Loebsack (D)
Maine: Pingree (D)  
Maryland: Cummings (D), Delaney (D), Hoyer (D), Raskin (D), Sarbanes (D)
Massachusetts: Keating (D), Kennedy (D), Lynch (D), McGovern (D), Moulton (D), Tsongas (D)  
Michigan: Conyers (D), Dingell (D), Kildee (D), Lawrence (D) 
Minnesota: Walz (D)  
Mississippi: Thompson (D) 
Missouri: Clay (D) 
New Hampshire: Kuster (D), Shea-Porter (D)
New Jersey: Frelinghuysen (R), Gotheimer (D), Lance (R), LoBiando (R), Norcross (D), Pallone (D), Sires (D), Watson Coleman (D)
New Mexico: Lujan Grisham (D)  
New York: Clarke (D), Crowley (D), Engel (D), Espaillat (D), Higgins (D), Jeffries (D), Lowey (D), Maloney, C. (D), Meng (D), Nadler (D), Reed (R), Rice (D), Serrano (D), Velazquez (D).  
North Carolina: Adams (D)  
Ohio: Fudge (D)  
Oregon: Bonamici (D)
Pennsylvania: Boyle (D), Cartwright (D) Dent (R)
Rhode Island: Cicilline (D)  
Tennessee: Cohen (D), Cooper (D)  
Texas: Jackson Lee (D)  
Virginia: Beyer (D), Connolly (D), McEachin (D)
Washington: Larsen (D)
Wisconsin: Kind (D), Pocan (D)

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SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE:
CHAIR: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
MEMBERS: Blumenthal (D-CT). Coons (D-DE) Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID) Cruz (R-TX), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Flake (R-AZ), Franken (D-MN), Graham (R-SC), Hatch (R-UT), Hirono (D-HI) Kennedy (R-LA) Klobuchar (D-MN), Leahy (D-VT), Lee (R-UT), Sasse (R-NE) Tillis (R-NC), Whitehouse (D-RI)

Contact:
Sen. Chuck Grassley (202) 224-3744 grassley.senate.gov @ChuckGrassley
Sen. Patrick Leahy (202) 224-4242 leahy.senate.gov @SenatorLeahy

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HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
MEMBERS: Bass (D-CA), Chabot (R-OH), Chaffetz (R-UT), Chu (D-CA), Cicilline (D-RI), Cohen (D-TN), Conyers (D-MI), DeSantis (R-FL), Deutsch (D-FL) Farenthold (R-TX), Franks (R-AZ), Gohmert (R-TX), Goodlatte (R-VA) Gowdy (R-SC), Gutierrez (D-IL), Issa (R-CA), Jackson Lee (D-TX), Jeffries (D-NY) Johnson (D-GA), Jordan (R-OH), King (R-IA), Labrador (R-ID), Lieu (D-CA) Lofgren (D-CA), Marino (R-PA), Nadler (D-NY), Poe (R-TX), Richmond (D-LA) Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Smith (R-TX), Swalwell (D-CA)

Contact:
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (202) 225-5431 goodlatte.house.gov @RepGoodlatte
Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (202) 225-5126 conyers.house.gov @RepJohnConyers

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION AND CIVIL JUSTICE: 

Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) Rep. Steve King (R-IA), Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC). Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD)

Special thanks to David Dismore for compiling all of this info!

Giving to Virginia NOW supports our mission for women’s economic, legal, social, and personal equality in all areas of life.

Donate | Join

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PWC NOW Annual Meeting!

In-Person Absentee Voting Tomorrow in NOVA

Saturday, October 1st, 2016 

The following locations will be open for In-Person Absentee Voting tomorrow Saturday, October 1st, 9:00am until 5:00pm.

• Fairfax County Government Center, Conference Room 2/3, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
• Providence Community Center, 3001Vaden Dr., Fairfax
• Franconia Government Center, 6121 Franconia Rd., Alexandria, 
• McLean Governmental Center, 1437 Balls Hill Rd., Community Room, McLean
• North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Dr., Community Rooms, Reston
• West Springfield Governmental Center, 6140 Rolling Rd., Springfield
• Mason Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale
• Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria
• Sully Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly 
• Lorton Library, 9520 Richmond Hwy., Lorton 

For more information on Absentee Voting, visit www.elections.virginia.gov
 

If you can’t attend, donate to Virginia NOW.

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Virginia NOW For Hillary,

Katie Regan
Virginia NOW
webeditor@vanow.org

Charlottesville NOW’s Winter Potluck!

It’s time for a Winter Potluck Dinner

 

Wednesday, December 14

6:30 p.m.

 At the home of Kobby Hoffman

 

Bring a dish and gift for The Shelter 

(Wish List below)

 

R.S.V.P. to cnowcville@yahoo.com

 

Charlottesville National Organization for Women and Blue Ridge Abortion Assistance Fund

 

Shelter Wish List

Non-perishable food items, paper towels, toilet paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, air freshener, plastic baggies, kitchen sponges, trash bags, tissues, laundry pods–high efficiency, green cleaning supplies, dish soap, dishwasher liquid/pods

White sheet sets–full, mattress pads–full & twin, comforters–full & twin, washcloths, towels

Feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, deodorant, women’s razors, women’s shaving cream, hairbrushes/combs, hand soap, hand sanitizer, hair dryers, lotion, ethnic hair products

Pajamas, lounge wear, women’s underwear

Baby wipes, baby monitors, tear-free shampoo

Grocery store gift cards, bus passes (all day), telephone calling cards, alarm clocks, umbrellas, flashlights, batteries, journals

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Happy Holidays To All and To All Equal Rights ⛄️🎄

The Virginia NOW Staff 

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Making Women’s History in VA

Randolph Macon College in Partnership with the Women’s Monument Commission:

Making Women’s History in Virginia Conference

Friday, September 23, 2016 from 1PM until 5 PM

Birdsong Hall Dalton Dining Room 106 East Patrick Street, 2nd Floor

Ashland, VA 23005

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Registration is Free

Click Here to Register: http://www.pingg.com/rsvp/yt5ryzic3njx8t3s2

Agenda Starting Promptly at 1PM

1:00 Welcome

1:10 Introductions

1:25 Virginia’s Women’s Monument Commission Panel Plans for the first Monument to Women’s Achievements on the grounds of a State Capitol in the United States 

• Sandra Treadway, Virginia State Librarian
• Honorable Nancy Rodrigues, Secretary of Administration
• Jonas Courey, Consultant to the Women’s Commission
• Samantha Bentley, Intern to the Women’s Commission

2:30 Break

2:45 The 2019 Commemoration

• The 2019 Commemoration will recognize the impact of women over the past 400 years through a series of events culminating with a major Women’s Leadership Conference in 2019.
• Kathy J. Spangler, Executive Director, 2019 Commemoration

3:00 “Development of a Virginia Network of Women’s/Gender Studies Program”

• Debra Rodman of Randolph Macon College
• Open Discussion with Women’s/Gender Chairs, Directors and Faculty
  

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PWC NOW Voter Registration!

YOU ARE INVITED:  Come hear from  NARAL VA, the LINKS, INC., JACK ‘N JILL, HOLA, and NEW VIRGINIA MAJORITY  who will come talk about their organization and discuss our collaboration.  The topic will focus on voter registration!!!  This is a great opportunity to hear what these Prince William powerhouse organizations have been doing and will be doing collaboratively!

Date:  September 10th

Time: 12pm-2pm

Where: Montclair Library

5049 Waterway Dr.

Dumfries, VA 22025

Light refreshments will be provided

More info can be found on Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1427799557233879/#

Charlottesville NOW Invites You:

An Event for Reproductive Rights WHY: The Supreme Court just ruled again that states aren’t allowed to pass medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion. When we fight, we win. Now it’s time to make sure that everyone has access to abortion when needed.

John D’earth and Dahlia Lithwick to Headline Charlottesville All Access Event On Reproductive Rights Cultural event to shine a light on abortion access with music, art, and family-friendly festivities Charlottesville, VA – Charlottesville will play host to one of 30 All Access events September 10th, a nationwide day of cultural and arts events bringing attention to abortion access. Nonprofit organizations Progress Virginia Education Fund, Blue Ridge Abortion Assistance Fund and Shift. will host the family-friendly celebration at Blue Moon Diner on Main Street. The program includes a performance from local music sensation John D’earth, a presentation from Dahlia Lithwick, a nationally noted author and commentator, and surprise video appearances. All Access is a powerful cultural event featuring simultaneous concerts in five cities and dozens of other events taking place in cities across the country. More information about the All Access events is available at allaccess2016.com. Seven in ten Americans support abortion rights but it’s clear that we have an access problem. Eighty eight percent of U.S. counties have no abortion provider. Here in Virginia, 92% of localities have no abortion provider. We cannot exercise our right to abortion if we don’t have access. All Access will give each of us the opportunity to speak up in support of abortion access and the women who need it. WHO: Author and commentator Dahlia Lithwick, musician John D’earth, Blue Ridge Abortion Assistance Fund, Shift., Progress Virginia Education Fund, and more. WHAT: All Access Charlottesville WHEN: Saturday, September 10th 6pm-8pm WHERE: Blue Moon Diner, 512 W. Main Street, Charlottesville, VA WHY: The Supreme Court just ruled again that states aren’t allowed to pass medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion. When we fight, we win. Now it’s time to make sure that everyone has access to abortion when needed.

Our Contact Information: Blue Ridge AAF PO BOX 5082 Charlottesville, VA 22905 434­963­0669 blueridgeaaf.com

Women’s Equality Day Reception

You’re invited to come celebrate Women’s Equality Day with the Charlottesville chapter of NOW!

Come celebrate the hard-fought right to vote!

 

Right to Choose Rally

Come CELEBRATE the U.S. Supreme Court Decision Supporting a ‘Woman’s Right to Choice’ Rally 

This Thursday, July 7th from 11:20 am to 1:30 pm

At the Federal Court House – 255 W. Main St.

At the corner of Main St., Water St., and Ridge McIntire Rd.

We are gathering to show out support to end all TRAP laws and for abortion to remain legal, safe, and accessible to all. We invite other supporters to join us on Thursday to stand up for women’s rights.

We also want to take this opportunity to all the women and men who work to provide care and important health services to women. 

Organized by Charlottesville NOW and Blue Ridge Abortion Assistance Fund (BRAAF)