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September/October 2000 |
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| Tidewater NOW elects new leaders
HELENE TISDALE IS ELECTED PRESIDENT! The June 2000 chapter meeting was election night for Tidewater NOW. The nominating committee, appointed by outgoing President Laurie O’Reilly, presented a slate that was unanimously elected: President – Helene Tisdale Vice President – Maggie Sacra Records Manager - Jane Barbara Treasurer – Mary Roberson Newsletter Editor – Kelly Miller At-Large (Public Relations) Lorraine Baysek At-large (Action) – Melissa Ayres Several long-time Tidewater NOW members are returning officers, but Helene & Maggie are brand new. Be sure to show your support at the next chapter meeting – see Calendar on page 3.
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World
March of Women
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2000, WASHINGTON DC Tidewater NOW is joining with other Virginia activists to organize a delegation to the World March of Women. Carpools, vanpools and buses are filling. Be sure to complete and return the attached flyer to save your place. You won’t want to miss this chance to make history. We'll march in Washington, D.C. on October 15 to say loudly and clearly: WE WON'T GO BACK! We will show the nation and the world that supporters of women's rights are the overwhelming majority. We must mobilize against all violence against all women, against the war on the poor and against George W. Bush's so-called "compassionate conservatism." Women's civil rights are up for grabs in 2000. Never before has the need for a national, feminist march been greater. We are marching on Washington because we are not willing to return to a system that punishes women for being single mothers -- while that same system rewards deadbeat dads. We will not accept attacks on women's access to abortion and birth control. We won't let the Republicans eliminate poverty by letting the poor die of starvation, exposure and untreated diseases. We won't accept any cuts in the funding or enforcement of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). And we are not willing to let George W. Bush appoint the next justices to the US Supreme Court. Tidewater NOW will be part of the most significant feminist march in history. On October 15, the World March of Women 2000 in Washington, D.C. will be the last national mobilization before the elections -- the kick-off for the critical, final weeks of organizing. If you believe that George W. Bush and the right-wing Congress pose a real threat to our rights, then you must join us for the World March of Women 2000! We need every person in Hampton Roads who wants to end poverty and stop violence against women to come to Washington. Can we count on you to join us on October 15th? Our chapter has reserved buses to transport us to Washington. The cost is $20 per round trip. If you form a carpool we suggest that you park at a Metro stop in Virginia and take the train to the city. Please complete the attached flyer and return it as soon as possible to help us with our planning. The following Tidewater NOW members are forming delegations from these cities: Hampton: Melissa Ayres 826-1517 (airathena@yajhoo.com) Norfolk: Connie Hannah 451-0885 cjh@exis.net Portsmouth: Margie Reed 399-2322 Virginia Beach: Helene Tisdale 496-0061 queenhelene22@hotmail.com Don’t see your city? We need you to form a delegation, take names of interested Marchers who need to hook up with transportation. Call Connie Hannah (451-0855) if you can be the contact person for your city. We also need your help to organize. Call if you can make phone calls or leaflet. Call 456-1509 and leave a message, or an email to now4equality@hotmail.com. |
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| From Our New President
DEAR TIDEWATER NOW MEMBERS, Let me introduce myself. My name is Helene Tisdale and I was elected Tidewater president at the June monthly meeting. I am excited about this chance to learn more about NOW and to maintain a connection with area feminists. My road to feminism has been winding, especially considering my goals as a five year old were to be either Daisy Duke or a hair dresser; much to my mother’s chagrin and her feminist friends’ amusement. I am the oldest of three girls and a NAVY brat, but I have lived in the Tidewater area for twelve years. I graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1999 with a BA in History and a minor in Women’s Studies. As a sophomore I took my first Women’s history class and left every class amazed at all the American history I had not learned. That semester I decided I wanted to be a Women’s Studies minor. I was enthralled by all the feminist essays and literature that were available, almost everything I read were things that bothered me about being a woman in today’s society but had never put into words. I went through the typical reaction of being angry at everything from songs on the radio to movies to casual comments made about women. After awhile I started to learn how to convey what might be incorrect or oppressive about a comment or song without trying to cram it down someone’s throat. While I was still at Wesleyan I went to a NOW Roe v Wade ceremony, but that was my only exposure to NOW actions. After graduation I started working at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum and quickly realized why my Women’s Studies classes sometimes turned into support groups for women in the workplace. As sexist as college can be I was still around somewhat enlightened people and I was disappointed with the way women are treated at work, even by other women. It was a real adjustment and I knew I needed to be around other people who understood what patriarchy meant. I went to my first NOW meeting in November of 1999 and I immediately felt welcomed. I was honored and overwhelmed to be elected President at the June meeting. I tried to convince the members that I didn’t know enough but apparently I did. Soon after, I was given the opportunity to attend the National Conference in Miami. That experience demonstrated more of the nuts and bolts of NOW and also gave me a chance to see activism at work. It is different than the academic world of feminist essays and literature. I am still adjusting to the quickness and urgency needed to address some of NOW’s issues. I look forward to working with more feminists this year and welcome any suggestions or ideas from people with more experience. Hope to see you at the March! - Helene Tisdale |
NOW Sponsors
Voter Registration, Education & GOTV
HAMPTON ROADS UNITED COALITION FOR VOTER PARTICIPATION FORMS Mello Johnson, Roz Hill, Mary Roberson, Marilyn Summerford, Maggie Sacra and other Tidewater NOW members are actively involved with the "Hampton Roads United Coalition for Voter Participation". The mission statement is being fine-tuned, and the focus is "Registration, Education and Participation of the Community in the Voting Process". The Coalition employs a three pronged approach. First, the Coalition will work to mobilize a group of citizen registrars that will register as many people as possible before the deadline, October 10. To meet this goal, Coalition members are contacting citizens at churches, festivals, clubs, civic leagues, grocery stores, eating establishments and more. As a Coalition member, NOW will mobilize voter registration in the LGBT community. NOW members staffed the registration booth at the Reggae Festival on September 9-10 and will staff the booth at the Blues Festival in Town Point Park on September 29 from 5-10 PM and September 30 from 12-10 PM. Contact Maggie Sacra (MASACRA@aol.com, 417-0197) to help at the Festival. Second, the Coalition will push for voter education. After voters are registered, we must educate them about the candidates and the choices that need to be made to continue the work that is important for equality for all people. Third, the Coalition will work to get out the vote on election day. We need volunteers to help get people to the polls. Contact Mello (757-627-3640 weareone@exis.net) to get involved in any of these three areas. Currently, the coalition includes these groups/organizations: NAACP, Urban League of Hampton Roads, 200+ Men, Concerned Citizens for Political Education of Norfolk, Local Organizing Committee for the Million Family March, Tidewater NOW, Blacks in Government, New Journal and Guide, WFOG, Public Interest Coalition, Asian Indian of Hampton Roads, Norfolk State University and local Civic Leagues. The list grows daily. Won’t you help? |
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WOMEN IN THE LABOR FORCE, Title VII Lorraine Baysek The first Monday of every September is Labor Day. Labor Day is not merely a holiday established to allow one last fling at summer. Labor Day is a holiday instituted by Congress in 1894 to honor the working men and women of this country. So it is fitting that we as feminists take the time to acknowledge women in the work force. Labor Day is a day off. A holiday from work in the nineteenth century was anathema to corporate America. People were compelled to work 60 hours a week. There was no minimum wage. There was no overtime pay. There was no health coverage. There was no pension. There was no Social Security. There was no Occupational Health and Safety Administration. Worker rights were minimal and for women, so were jobs in skilled occupations. In the early part of the 20th Century, most of the unions in this country and elsewhere excluded women. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal for employers and Labor Unions to discriminate based on sex or race. The prohibition against discrimination based on sex was merely added to the Civil Rights Bill as a southern strategy to prevent passage of the bill. Nevertheless, the law was passed and subsequently, federal law in their struggle for equity in employment enabled more and more women. In 1978, the federal government by executive order would set numerical goals for participation of women in the labor market. The policy became known as affirmative action. |
During the 80's the Bush and
Reagan administrations did their best to cripple these employment
programs. The common mantra of the 80's and 90’s was reverse
discrimination, reverse discrimination, reverse discrimination. Minorities
and women were characterized as threats to full employment for white
males.
Today females hold 80% of clerical jobs and 66% of retail jobs. The average woman’s median earning is a little more than 75% of a man’s. If economic empowerment is commensurate with employment options and opportunities, feminists on Labor Day should pause to rededicate themselves to seeing women in non-traditional jobs of choice. Hopefully, we will be seeing more female truckers, steelworkers, electricians, plumbers, architects, merchant mariners and others in the new millenniums. How we vote in November, may serve to enhance our choices and the choices of young girls in this century.
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| Elections 2000 • A
Feminist Perspective
Is Ralph Nader a Viable Alternative for Feminist Voters? Frustrated with the two main political parties, many feminists and other progressives are considering voting for Ralph Nader. His platform is appealing to those alarmed by the increasing imbalance of wealth in the U.S. Nader addresses issues other candidates are afraid to touch—like the need for a living wage, the "democracy gap," growing media consolidation, labor laws and the death penalty. But is Nader in touch with issues that specifically relate to women? Is it possible for a candidate to be concerned with the widening void between rich and poor, but not gender inequality? Ralph Nader . . . …Is Not Interested in "Gonadal" Politics: In 1996, when asked his position on abortion and lesbian/gay rights, Nader said he wasn't interested in "gonadal politics." When a reporter reminded Nader of that statement during an interview this year, Nader revised the phrase to "sexual politics," and reiterated that these issues are not a main focus of his campaign. (The Progressive, 4/00) . . . Does Not Address Women's Rights Issues: In Nader's 10 page statement announcing his candidacy (2/21/00), he did not mention any explicitly feminist issues, such as violence against women or reproductive freedom, nor did he once address lesbian/gay rights. Comments on these issues on Nader’s web site are brief. . . . Has Not Worked on Feminist Issues: On reproductive rights and lesbian/gay issues, Nader stated: "[The Green Party has] people who are far more experienced in these areas than I am, and they will be speaking out on these issues as well. I feel most comfortable speaking out specifically on issues I’ve worked on." George W. Bush was criticized for a similar statement about looking elsewhere for knowledge of foreign policy issues. (The Progressive, 4/00) . . . Is Ill-Informed About Abortion Rights: In an April interview, Nader claimed that "I don't think that Roe v. Wade will ever be overturned." (The Progressive, 4/00) Subsequently, he stated that "Even in the unlikely event of the Supreme Court repealing Roe v. Wade, there isn’t a chance in hell that a state would...[pass] restrictions on the pro-life side," demonstrating his ignorance of the numerous federal and state restrictions passed every year curbing reproductive rights. (Rolling Stone 9/14/00) . . . Has Reaped Millions Attacking Corporations: Although Nader positions himself as the ally of everyday working class folks, when he recently disclosed his personal finances, it was revealed that he is worth $3.8 million. When questioned on his fortune, Nader told the media, "The question should almost be, 'Why is it so little?’ If it was in any way comparable to what these corporate executives are getting, we could've done a lot more." (The Business Journal, 7/3/00) . . . Doesn't Care if He Helps Elect Bush: When asked if he would mind providing the margin for Bush to defeat Gore, Nader replied, "I would not — not at all." Nader went on to promote his belief that there are no differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. (Rolling Stone, 9/14/00) (Article reprinted from www.now.org) National NOW PAC Announces Support for Virginia Candidates Linda Berg, NOW Political Director announces PAC decisions Connie Hannah, Virginia NOW President received information about recent National NOW PAC decisions. NOW PAC voted to "support" Senator Chuck Robb and to "endorse" Congressman Bobby Scott. Robb is running against Allen, former Governor of Virginia and Bobby Scott is unopposed in the November elections. Melissa Ayres, Kelly Miller, and other Tidewater NOW members are sponsoring a benefit for Senator Robb on September 23. Contact Melissa at 826-1517 or airathena@yahoo.com for more information |
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