The Obama Administration on Women
Folks are already talking about the new administration's (I love saying that) website on women's issues.
The agenda takes on reproductive rights, pay equity, health care, protecting Title IX, reducing domestic violence, among numerous other issues.
What do you think of it?
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Good news!
Yesterday, in his inauguration speech, he said "We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost."
Here's how "we" are going to do that (from The White House, Agenda, Women):
"Promoting Women in Math and Science: Women constitute 45 percent of the workforce in the U.S., but hold just 12 percent of science and engineering jobs in business and industry. Women also make up just 9 percent of the recipients of engineering-related bachelor's degrees. President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that every student should have equal access to education in math, science, and technology in order to compete on a global scale."
Mercury poisoning? Somehow, that pressing issue has evaded my feminist radar. I mean, it would be great if mercury poisoning didn't exist, or was lessened, but I could think of about a million more relevant issues to occupy that space. The page was right on point in some areas, but I got the feeling I would imagine professors get when they realize someone has turned in a paper from a previous class because its theme kind of fits with the current assignment. I don't know if reducing mercury poisoning counts as helping women in a major and necessary way. Maybe. Maybe this is an issue that is much more important than I could have ever imagined. The page isn't quite as progressive or radical as I had hoped.
Well, it's relevant to women in that mercury poisoning causes severe pregnancy complications and deformed babies.
Looks good but I didn't see maternity (even better parental) leave on there. This is the time for Americans to be paid while spending time at home with their babies. I hope feminists will fight for that.
Is this what you are looking for?
I found it under "family"
"Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave: President Barack Obama will initiate a 50 state strategy to encourage all of the states to adopt paid-leave systems. Obama and Biden will provide a $1.5 billion fund to assist states with start-up costs and to help states offset the costs for employees and employers."
"Of the 37 million Americans living below the poverty line, approximately 14.6 million are women"
This is a little misleading. You might almost think that the other half of the poor people are men. However, I'm willing to bet that most of that 37 million are women, and their children.
Just think, if the average poor women has 2 poor children, then that equals at least 37 million poor people all together.
Truth grain in it is... Really statistics strange any. In particular your theory proves to be true also what women not most protected in the plan a choice - Whom to reduce (or to dismiss?) - the man or the woman? Dismiss women more often. (((If to take in calculation, that the woman is necessary to be with the child to nurse, watch over health - all correctly - women beg... (((
Exciting stuff, but there's a lot more Obama could do for women ASAP, according to NOW, rather than letting work on gender equality sit around until "more important" matters are taken care of.
NOW submitted proposals for executive actions Obama could take right away on a range of key issues (including some he already's already planning on)... see http://www.now.org/issues/election/elections2008/122308execact.html