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| At The United State of Women Summit |
Yesterday marked “Women's Equality Day”
when we celebrate when women gained the right to vote in America. Voting is a fundamental right of citizenship.
So, it is appropriate that we celebrate this day. It is also a reminder that
the founders did not include women as full participating members in society.
So, in a word, we have come a long way baby!
However, we still have a long way
to go. And true equality involves more than voting.
Inequality for American women
remains a reality, even though we do have a female candidate for our highest
office. Women have yet to achieve pay
equity. (And for African-American women the pay inequity is even larger. Just
this week we commemorated the Equal Pay Day for African-American Women, which
is the day it takes them to make what white men make. It occurred months after
the general equal pay day.) Women still fight for reproductive freedom, even
after Roe v. Wade. Every election season there is public discussion about what should
be private medical decisions between a woman, her God and her physician.
Presidential elections are
painful reminders that certain rights are not absolute...
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| President Obama at the United State of Women Summit |
Still, there is cause to be optimistic. In June, I attended the
United State of Women conference where we discussed these issues and more. When the topic of personal safety is the longest discussion of the day, you know that lots of work needs to be done. Still, the fact that there was an entire summit convened by the White House focused on the state of women where the Vice-President, President Obama and the First Lady spoke was inspiring.
Also, Hillary Clinton is within reach of shattering the highest and hardest glass ceiling. So, there will be a generation of young women, like my daughter, who will grow up assuming that they have equal opportunity and I believe that they will make it so.
Here's to equality!
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