From Thomas Jefferson, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump to Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly, men like Harvey Weinstein are in every professional. While the recent focus has been on prominent men in the media and politics, the truth of the matter is powerful men who seek to use women as sexual objects for their own power perks have existed since the beginning of time. And the crime of rape has also existed since the before the beginning of this country. As a lawyer, I have encountered my own Harvey Weinstein. There are powerful men who view women as toys for their own sexual satisfaction. And in many professions, the practice is pervasive, in all areas. While the encounter may last only a few minutes, in some instances, for women, the stigma and emotional trauma may last a lifetime. While women seek to advance in their careers on their professional merits, often times, some powerful men have other misogynist ideas in mind which may make or break a woman’s career or her … [Read more...] about Harvey Weinstein is Everywhere
women
I Marched the DC Women’s March in Honor of My Mother
I was one of the more than 500,000 persons attending the DC Women’s March. For me, the March was personal in honor of my mother, Naomi. My mom was born in Mt. Gilead, NC, a small town of less than 1500 persons in rural North Carolina. Growing up in the Jim Crow South, she longed for a better life as discrimination was rampant and the way of life there. Like so many Blacks living in the south during that era, she, as a young woman, migrated north, first to Buffalo, NY and later to Baltimore. During her lifetime, she experienced various forms of discrimination such as not being able to shop in stores due to the color of her skin, sit and eat in at many restaurants, live in many areas of Baltimore City, purchase homes in certain areas due to restrictive covenants preventing Blacks from living and buying homes in some areas. And this was after she moved to Baltimore. My mother fought for many health care reforms as an employee and later as a retiree of the … [Read more...] about I Marched the DC Women’s March in Honor of My Mother
Hillary Clinton Owes a Debt to Shirley Chisholm
Hillary Clinton made history on June 7, 2016 in becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee for President. Since the passage of the 19th amendment legally giving women the right to vote, we’ve seen the first woman run for democratic nomination as president of the U.S. No, it was not Hillary Clinton. It was Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm (D. NY) in 1972. It has taken another 44 years for a woman to accomplish the goal that Shirley Chisholm set out to accomplish. History often erases the accomplishments of women and particularly African American and other minority women. And that's why I want Hillary Clinton to unequivocally and repeatedly acknowledge her debt owed to Shirley Chisholm. Congresswoman Chisholm (D. NY) was the first woman to run for the democratic nomination as President of the US. She was also the first African American woman elected to Congress. In 1972, Chisholm became the first African American candidate for president. In doing so, she blazed … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton Owes a Debt to Shirley Chisholm
Equal Pay Day – Revisiting Again in 2016
Equal Pay Day is Tuesday, April 12, the symbolic day on which a woman must work in 2016 to catch up to what a man earned in 2015. Nearly all women in almost every line of work are paid less than a man including women who have attended universities and colleges, attained advanced degrees and acquired excellent job experience, according to recent research analyzed by the Association of American University Women (“AAUW”). And in some cases, the gender pay gap is larger at higher levels of education. Many times, women do not know they are paid less than their male counterparts. Since taking office, President Obama has made equal pay a top priority and has taken a number of steps to fight for pay equity. On Equal Pay Day 2016, President Obama will mark the day by granting national monument status to the house that served as the National Women's Party headquarters since 1929. In addition to signing his first piece of legislation as President, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, President … [Read more...] about Equal Pay Day – Revisiting Again in 2016
Renisha McBride was Black, a Woman and a Human
While Trayvon Martin’s murder was viewed through the lens of race, the murder of McBride is seen more through the eyes of gender---the killing of a black woman. And in our patriarchal and sexist society where women still rank lower than men in most instances, black women rank at the very bottom. The undisputed facts of her case are even more disturbing that those involving the murder of Trayvon Martin. She was shot to death while seeking help from Theodore Wafer, her accused murderer, who was locked inside his house. Yet the media and public appear indifferent to her case. Some argue on social media that we are becoming numb due to the number of murder cases of young black life from Trayvon Martin, Jonathan Ferrell, Hadiya Pendleton, Jordan Davis and now Renisha McBride. There is another reason and that one is rooted in gender and how black women are treated in the media. Black women are mostly marginalized in the media and seen in limited roles. In the media, black … [Read more...] about Renisha McBride was Black, a Woman and a Human
Why Women Make Less Than Men in 2014
Nearly all women in almost every line of work are paid less than a man including women who have attended universities and colleges, attained advanced degrees and acquired excellent job experience, according to recent research analyzed by the Association of American University Women (“AAUW”). And in some cases, the gender pay gap is larger at higher levels of education. Often times, women do not know they are paid less than their male counterparts. That’s why the Paycheck Fairness Act 2014 needs to pass to close loopholes in existing laws and make it easier for all women to know and inquire about salary information without retaliation. The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a full hearing on it on April 1, 2014. And the Paycheck Fairness Act is not being pushed for a show vote by Democratic Senate leaders. Equal pay for women should not be a political issue. It should be a reality for all women. Yet, in 2014 on average, women earn 77 … [Read more...] about Why Women Make Less Than Men in 2014