Updated March 7, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates released a memo this week supporting the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. The memo points out the areas of impact and recommends options for effective implementation that maintains "military readiness, efficiency and unit cohesion". This report came out just days before Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) introduced "The Military Readiness Enhancement Act," which would prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and encourage university military recruitment. While there is some opposition to the repeal, many, like chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, feel it is "the right thing to do" and believe it will pass in a speedy manner.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for March 5, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates sent a letter to Congress this week, announcing the Pentagon's decision to allow women to serve on submarines. Until now, submarines were the only ship where women were banned, due to old policies preventing 'close-proximity,' co-ed service. Women are prohibited by the army from working "combat" jobs, but as their roles in the present two wars continue to grow, military leaders like Army Chief of Staff General George Casey predict changes to come.
AAUW strongly believes that access to high-wage, high-skill non-traditional jobs should be a right for all women. Fields traditionally dominated by men, like the military, offer key opportunities for women workers to close the persistent wage gap between women and men.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 26, 2010
On Tuesday, the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary, announced they would be filing suit over Proposition 209, a California law which bans affirmative action in college admissions. The group claims the law violates equal protection rights guaranteed by the Constitution and that relying solely on grades and test scores for college admission discriminates against those who attend underprivileged schools. Past affirmative action cases in California have been unsuccessful because courts are reluctant to overturn a law that was voted on by the people.
In similar news, Rep. Curtis Oda (R-Clearfield) proposed legislation to Utah's House of Representatives that would essentially allow people to vote on banning affirmative action in public college admissions. Oda's proposition has already been met with opposition from Democrats who believe the issue is being forced on the community. Utah does require that two-thirds of both the state's House and Senate pass the bill before it can be put on the ballot.
ACTION: AAUW supports affirmative action programs that establish equal opportunity for women and minorities and improve gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in educational institutions and in workplaces. AAUW's Affirmative Action Resource Kit contains step-by-step suggestions to help you plan a counter campaign and turn out voters to defeat anti-affirmative action measures.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 19, 2010
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Pentagon would begin taking steps to dismantle the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that forbids lesbians and gays from openly serving in the U.S. military. Gates confirmed that a working group of military officials was formed to "immediately begin a review of the issues associated with properly implementing a repeal."
AAUW's member-adopted 2009-2011 Public Policy Program affirms our commitment to "vigorous protection of and full access to civil and constitutional rights." AAUW believes that discrimination against any class of persons has no place in our country, and that human and civil rights should not be subject to popularity contests.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 5, 2010
The parents of a 15-year-old gay student in upstate New York are suing their school district for not providing their son protection from sex stereotyping and discrimination required by law under Title IX. After knife threats, taunts of lynching and harassment from both students and teachers, the family finally filed suit when the boy suffered a sprained ankle from being pushed down the stairs. Many are hopeful that past Title IX court decisions, combined with the Civil Rights Division's request to intervene on behalf of the family, will expand Title IX to include sexual orientation as a part of sex stereotyping.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 5, 2010.
On Monday, the Senate Armed Services Committee delayed the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy hearings because the military policy, which forbids lesbians and gays from serving if they are open about their sexuality, in anticipation of the President's State of the Union Address. In his Wednesday speech, President Obama discussed the controversial issue, emphatically stating, "I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are." Hearings on the policy are expected to happen next month.
AAUW's member-adopted 2009-2011 Public Policy Program affirms our commitment to "vigorous protection of and full access to civil and constitutional rights." AAUW believes that discrimination against any class of persons has no place in our country.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for January 29, 2010
Earlier this month President Barack Obama declared January 2010 National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, reminding Americans that "even today, the darkness and inhumanity of enslavement exists" throughout the world and in our own country.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for January 29, 2010
On Monday, a San Francisco federal court began hearing arguments on whether or not the 2008 California ballot initiative against same-sex marriage is constitutional. Two couples have asked Chief US District Judge Vaughn R. Walker to rule that the ballot initiative, known commonly as "Prop 8," violates their constitutional rights to marry as marriage is a right embedded in the US Constitution. No matter the verdict, lawyers on either side are expected to appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court.
AAUW's member-adopted 2009-11 Public Policy Program affirms our commitment to "vigorous protection of and full access to civil and constitutional rights" as well as "freedom in definition of family and guarantee of civil rights in all family structures." AAUW believes that discrimination against any class of persons has no place in our country, and that human and civil rights should not be subject to popularity contests.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for January 15, 2010
Friday marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). AAUW believes that global interdependence requires national and international policies that promote peach, justice, human rights, sustainable development, and mutual security for all people, and we affirm our commitment to CEDAW. Check out AAUW's International Corner to find out what AAUW is doing to help women and girls break through barriers on an international level.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for December 18, 2009.
The FBI recently released new data on bias-fueled crimes across the country. In total, there were 9,691 victims of hate crimes in 2008 in the United States. Crimes fueled by race bias were reported the most, followed by religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin, and disability. The FBI has been collecting statistics on hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation since 1991 and hate crime motivated by a disability since 1997, but in light of the recent enactment into law of the The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, they'll begin adding the collection of hate crimes motivated by gender and gender identity and incorporating them into their annual report. AAUW has long supported this expansion of hate crimes prevention law and led the efforts of women's organizations for enactment of the The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for December 4, 2009.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed into law landmark hate crimes prevention legislation that has been more than a decade in the making. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 conference report, will extend the federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman, AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations Lisa Maatz, and AAUW Government Relations Coordinator Anne Hedgepeth attended a White House event celebrating the law's enactment later that night. Watch the president's remarks at the event, and listen to a story NPR ran that featured many members of a hate crimes coalition in which AAUW participated. AAUW members have worked hard for many years to finally bring this legislation to passage, and we celebrate this victory with you.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 30, 2009.
President Obama announced his intent to nominate Susan B. Carbon as the director of the Office on Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice. An accomplished judge, Carbon is a member of the Governor's Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence, and she chaired New Hampshire's Domestic Violence and Fatality Review Committee. She has also served as president and faculty member for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and as faculty for the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence. Judge Carbon also chaired the project which produced the Effective Issuance and Enforcement of Orders of Protection in Domestic Violence Cases (The Burgundy Book), a document used throughout the country to guide professionals in their work around civil protection orders. The Office on Violence Against Women was created in 1995 to administer financial and technical assistance for communities across the country that have or are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence stalking, and sexual assault.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 2, 2009.
On Thursday, the House passed AAUW-supported legislation that would strengthen the federal response to hate crimes, the Associated Press reported. While current law only allows federal involvement in the prosecution of non-federal hate crimes when the victim was targeted because of race, color, religion, or national origin, this legislation would allow the Department of Justice to take on cases motivated by the victim's actual or perceived gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability as well. It would also provide federal grants to assist local authorities in the prosecution of such hate crimes and would allow the federal government to prosecute hate crimes where the state is unwilling or unable to do so. The hate crimes measure was added to the Department of Defense appropriations bill conference report, which passed (281-146) with bipartisan support.
Similar legislation passed both the House and Senate during the 110th Congress, but a presidential veto threat kept it from being enacted. The Senate is expected to take up the bill as early as next week, and President Obama is expected to sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.
AAUW has a long-standing commitment to stopping discrimination and violence in all forms and has been working with a broad coalition for more than a decade to expand hate crimes law. For more information, see AAUW's position paper on hate crimes prevention.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 2, 2009.
AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman attended an event at Number One Observatory Circle, the residence of the vice president, on Tuesday to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. Vice President Biden wrote the act, which provides funding for victim services and stronger enforcement efforts, while serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1994, and AAUW's advocacy was instrumental in the enactment of the law. Although much progress has been made, AAUW and our coalition partners are working to support the International Violence Against Women Act, as well as the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2011.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 2, 2009.
On Monday, the House passed (voice vote) H.Res. 738, a resolution recognizing the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act. VAWA programs include the National Domestic Violence Hotline, battered women's shelters, increased resources for law enforcement, improved prosecution of child abuse cases, and rape prevention and education programs. AAUW was instrumental in the enactment of VAWA, which was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. The law was reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.
During the course of their college careers, between 20 and 25 percent of women will be sexually assaulted or experience attempted sexual assault. A significant part of the mission of the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund is to raise awareness of the issues facing women in higher education.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for Sept. 18, 2009.
The U.S. Department of Labor launched Disability.gov on July 28 to better serve the 50 million Americans with disabilities, their family members, employers, veterans, caregivers, and others. The new site provides information on government programs, news, grant opportunities, links to other government and nonprofit sites, and more. Disability.gov also makes use of social media, including Twitter, RSS feeds, and a blog to encourage interaction and to receive feedback from visitors. For more information, read AAUW's issue page and position paper on women and girls with disabilities.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for August 7, 2009.
The Equal Rights Amendment was reintroduced in the 111th Congress on Tuesday and commemorated with a press conference on Capitol Hill held by lead cosponsors Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Judy Biggert (R-IL). The ERA, now also called the Women's Equality Amendment, states plainly that, "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the Unites States or by any state on the account of sex and that Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of the article."
The ERA was first introduced in 1923 and reintroduced in every Congress until 1972, when it was passed and sent to the states to ratify. However, when the amendment reached the end of its congressionally imposed time limit in 1982, only 35 of the required 38 states had ratified. The legality of assigning a time limit to ratification is often challenged. The reintroduced House bill does not impose a deadline of the ratification process; however, if passed, the state ratification process will have to start over.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for July 24, 2009.
The AAUW Educational Foundation will release Drawing the Line: Sexual Harassment on Campus at a press conference in Washington, DC on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The report is the most comprehensive research to date on sexual harassment on college campuses. It analyzes findings from a nationally representative survey of undergraduate college students and documents that the majority of college students report being sexually harassed. Nearly one-third of students report some type of physical harassment such as being touched, grabbed or forced to do something sexual. Additional resources on this issue will be available on AAUW’s website beginning on Jan. 24 to coincide with the press conference.
On a related subject, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a report, Sexual Assault on Campus: What Colleges and Universities Are Doing About It that reports that many colleges and universities are under reporting crimes on their campuses
- from AAUW's Washington Update for January 20, 2006
As a part of AAUW’s new programmatic theme, “Education as the Gateway to Women’s Economic Security,” AAUW has developed a new campus initiative: Building a Harassment-Free Campus. Information regarding this initiative and the Campus Action Project focused on Building a Harassment-Free Campus is available online.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 6, 2005