The RI NOW Political Action Committee (RI NOW PAC) announced their endorsements in anticipation of the state primary elections on September, 13 2016.
The RI NOW PAC is excited to have so many candidates committed to improving the lives of women within the state of Rhode Island. Endorsed candidates have pledged their support on the issues of reproductive freedom, economic equality, ending violence against women, constitutional equality, civil rights for all, affirmative action and moving women out of poverty through empowering, non-punitive welfare policies.
“Currently women hold only 31 out of 113 seats in the RI General Assembly. The RI NOW PAC has endorsed 18 women so far in this election and we are thrilled to throw our support behind these candidates to increase gender parity in the General Assembly,” said Amanda Clarke, Chair of the RI NOW PAC. “We are also pleased so many men are willing to stand with women and fight for policy change to improve social and economic conditions for women in Rhode Island.”
The complete list of RI NOW PAC endorsements is as follows:
Rhode Island State Senate
Rhode Island House of Representatives
Local Races
*Amanda Clarke is the RI NOW PAC Chair, Melanie Carrazzo is a member of the RI NOW PAC Board
]]>Ninety-five years ago on August 26, women fought for and won the right to vote. This victory came after decades of defending our intelligence and capacity to make informed decisions, a struggle that continued for many women long after the right was won.
2015 sure feels like déja-vu.
More than ever in recent history, a womans ability to govern her own body is under attack. We are tired of the intimidation tactics and malicious statements being made in an effort to turn back the clock on hard fought wins towards equality. We urge all of you who stand for equality to denounce the recent attacks and false claims made against Planned Parenthood. Freedom of religion provides the right to practice your faith without harm; it does not allow individuals to dictate the health decisions of others. Any effort to limit womens access to health care is a threat to womens health and their autonomy.
At Rhode Island NOW, we take action to bring women into full participation in all aspects of public and private life without experiencing barriers based on gender, and that includes any barriers to adequate health care. We are not here to address the slander against Planned Parenthood being perpetuated by political activists with feign concern for womens health. We are here to remind everyone of the facts and the value Planned Parenthood provides to the community.
The vast majority of Planned Parenthoods resources are spent on providing general health and wellness services, including: screenings for cervical, breast, and ovarian cancer, physicals and checkups, prescriptions for contraception, and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, which avoids infertility later in life and ensures healthy pregnancies. To claim federal and state dollars are being used for abortion services is completely false. Under federal and Rhode Island state law no public money can be used for such services, therefore all public dollars given to Planned Parenthood go directly to the essential preventive health services laid out above.
Its ironic. The pro-life lobby is surprisingly disinterested in these lives: millions of women, men, and (yes) children are alive and healthy because of the resources Planned Parenthood provides every day. A vote against this agency isnt a blow to the ominous, faceless threat of abortion. Its a direct hit to the health of our communities: our neighbors, families, and friends.
The war on women in America is real. The reasons behind it are about power and control, not the health or the well being of women. Rhode Island NOW trusts women, and we trust Planned Parenthood. We stand with them and applaud them for the care and counsel they provide to millions of Americans every year.
*Kate Gorton is a Rhode Island NOW member, writer, and blogger.
]]>On Thursday, August 20, we’re throwing it all the way back to the fall of 1991 and the US Senate hearings on then-Supreme Court hopeful Clarence Thomas, and the woman who stood up to sexism and male privilege in a room filled with both.
Anita: Speaking Truth to Power is a documentary that tells the story of Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual misconduct during her time as a clerk in his office. By telling the truth about her experiences, Hill was catapulted into the public eye and became a symbol for the fight against sexual harassment and the abuse of power that subjugates and silences women.
We’re excited to partner with RI’s chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women and the PVD Lady Project to bring Anita to the Cable Car Cinema in Providence, Thursday, August 20 at 6:30pm. We know it will start important conversations about how far we have come in the struggle for women’s rights, and how far we have to go.
Anita exists to show Hill’s bravery to a new generation of women. It’s inspiring to watch as she remains poised and precise throughout invasive questioning by the Senate committee and smear tactics used by the Thomas camp. We live in a time when this kind of courage is still needed in the face of male privilege and institutional sexism, be it in the workplace or on a college campus or military base.
As we continue the fight for women’s rights, we need to embrace what that phrase means to women from all walks of life. Anita is an important intersection of gender, race, and class/power. In a 2010 lecture, bell hooks called these three constructs “interlocking systems.” This kind of intersectionality has always been at the heart of the struggle for equal rights. It’s a fact we can’t afford to overlook, and the film is an important reminder of that.
Anita: Speaking Truth to Power
Presented by RI NOW, The National Coalition of 100 Black Women –RI Chapter, and the PVD Lady Project
Thursday, August 20
6:30pm (Doors at 6:00pm)
Cable Car Cinema & Café, Providence, RI
Suggested donation of $5 – $10
]]>Here are what we see as critical takeaways from her research:
We can help combat the harmful effects of media sexism by speaking up and speaking out. Whos we? All of us, voters, advocates, and the candidates themselveswe must speak up when we see sexism and redirect the conversation back to the issues.
What is sexist media? Here are a few examples from She Should Run:
Jean Stothert, Mayor of Omaha
As the only woman in the race, Stothert experienced severe sexism, most notably from a fellow City Council member. The Councilman was photographed wearing a shirt that featured an illustration of Stothert in a bikini, on a stripper pole, with the words Jean, quit stripping…off our tax dollars and sponsored by: suck my private sector. Classy. She fought back, stating, Its not only demeaning to me, its demeaning to women. She is now the first woman Mayor of Omaha and proof that addressing sexism head-on can turn out positive results.
Jenifer Rajkumar, 2013 Candidate for New York City Council
In an article critiquing Rajkumars nonprofit experience, the New York Post ran the headline, This over-achieving beauty is running for City Council as head of non-profit thats only skin deep. This subtle form of sexism focuses on her appearance, specifically her beauty, which diminishes her credibility as a candidate by evoking unfavorable gender stereotypes instead of focusing on substantive issues. Even subtle forms of sexism must be addressed.
Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
Since February 2012, Warren has been battling sexist coverage by the Boston Herald. Name It. Change It. declared, No other mainstream media outlet has shown Warren such disrespect as a woman running for office. Whether the editorial page of this paper is mocking her age by calling her granny or belittling her by calling her Liz or Lizzie, it has become clear that The Boston Herald cannot stray from utilizing sexist vocabulary when writing about Elizabeth Warren even after being called out for it.
For more examples of sexist media coverage check out NameItChangeIt.org, a nonpartisan joint project of the Womens Media Center and She Should Run.
Looking Ahead
One has to consider whether sexist media coverage contributes to the low participation of women in Rhode Island politics, stated GoLocalProv reporter Kate Nagle at a recent forum on sexism and the media.
Women still only make up make 27 percent of the General Assembly, and few women have run and achieved statewide office. But the picture is not completely bleak. We are making strides. Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed broke the glass ceiling in 2008 when she became the first female Senate President in Rhode Island history. Several women have already thrown their hats into the ring for statewide office; Gina Raimondo is hoping to become Rhode Islands first female Governor and Nellie Gorbea is seeking the office of Secretary of State.
There are also many women who will be seeking election and reelection in city council and school board races across the state as well as the General Assembly. Several female General Assembly members already know they will be facing challengers to win back their seats. Whether youre undecided, opposed or supportive of these candidates it is on all of us to defend these women should issues of sexism arise. If they are brave enough to seek elected office, then we should be brave enough to speak up when they are unjustly attacked based on gender.
As the 2014 election cycle heats up in Rhode Island, it is important to remember that the media is a reflection of society. Collectivelywith forcewe can influence the conversation. Celindas research found that even mild forms of sexism can hurt female candidates. She also found that sexism hurts all candidates, not just the women they may be targeting. So it is on all of us, men and women, to be third party validators against sexism in the media and return the conversation to the issues. After all, isnt our economic future and education system too important to be derailed by sexist bylines?
I hope you will join Womens Fund of Rhode Island and the members of Rhode Island NOW in becoming third party validators, because the cost of being a bystander is just too high. Be sure to join the conversation on Twitter, check out @WomensFundRI @RhodeIsland_NOW #shesaidhesaidri. We look forward to engaging with you!
Amanda Clarke, the author of this post, is Chair of Education and Outreach for the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Women.
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