Hi John,

I hope you and your loved ones are all doing as best as you can right now (and I know every email feels like it’s starting with that exact same expression, but I mean it!). Growing up, whenever I didn’t do as well as I wanted to on a test or project or in a soccer game, my mom would always ask: “Did you do your best?” I’d nod my head yes, and then she’d say, “Then you did everything you could.”

My mom’s reminder always helped me reset and remember that what’s important is our actions, not the results. We can’t control those. It’s my mantra for right now, too. Anyway, shoutout to my mom. (I guess now’s a good time to try to get her to sign up for these emails, huh?) Like the last time I wrote to y’all, I’m going to mark all COVID-19 content in here as such, so feel free to immerse yourself in it if that’s helpful for you, or skip if it isn’t!

Us right now.

FEATURED: We’ll Keep This Brief…

We just filed a brief (heh) before the Supreme Court defending birth control from the Trump-Pence administration! I won’t bore you with the details, but here’s the short version: the administration is trying to restrict access to birth control by creating HUGE exemptions to the ACA’s birth control benefit — the benefit that makes birth control copay-free under your insurance. The exemptions that Trump is trying to push remind me of a black hole: they’re potentially infinite in scope, and also they could destroy everything in their path (apologies to my 8th grade science teacher who taught us about black holes — I’m sure my definition is ~wholly~ wrong 🌟🌟).

The Supreme Court delayed oral arguments for this case in the wake of COVID-19, but here’s the good news: Popular opinion will be on our side no matter when this case is heard. The vast, vast majority of our country supports birth control. And a whole bunch of businesses and members of Congress do, too! One hundred eighty-six (!!) members of Congress and some of our favorite businesses (including some that may be a part of your social distancing self-care regimen — we’re looking at you, Ben and Jerry’s and Lush!) filed briefs, just like us, in support of birth control. Because they know, like we do, that you’re the only person who should be making decisions about your body.

Have You Heard? [Some COVID-19 stuff]

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and this year, it’s happening in the middle of a global pandemic (not that I needed to tell you that!). This crisis both exposes and exacerbates existing inequities and economic insecurities that put so many people at risk of harassment and violence at work, school, and at home.

Now is the time to preserve and expand civil rights, not roll them back. Survivors now more than ever need protections and resources.

Here’s what you can do:

• Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the introduction of the BE HEARD Act in Congress. This landmark federal bill that would strengthen workplace harassment protections and make sure that all working people are protected under law. Demand your representatives support it — survivors can’t wait.
• As we’ve seen during this crisis, we can’t just depend on Congress and the White House for change. We need to clamor for progress on the state level, too. Tell your state lawmakers to take our 20 states by 2020 pledge calling on elected officials at the state level to strengthen protections against sexual harassment.
• Directly tell survivors that you’ve got their backs. We’re delivering messages of support directly to the women who have come forward to share their stories of sexual assault and abuse by Russell Simmons.
• Read more: COVID-19 Shows Us We Need #MeToo Now More Than Ever.

[This is the full-on COVID-19 section, you’ve been warned] Women Need More

Let’s cut to the chase: Congress hasn’t done enough to address the real needs of people simultaneously dealing with the health and economic devastation caused by COVID-19. But Congress’ steps really fall short for women, and especially women of color. Women make up the majority of many front-line professions and are concentrated in the jobs that have and will continue to be hit hardest in this crisis. Our COVID-19 response must reflect the reality of our society, which is riddled with sexism, racism, classism, and ableism. We must proactively address the needs of women and women of color, who, if nothing changes, will be left behind.

• Tell Congress: The next COVID-19 legislation must do more to fight for women’s health and economic security, and particularly women of color, who are being hit the hardest because of structural racism.

Must-Reads:

• [COVID-19] “The coronavirus is infecting and killing Black Americans at an alarmingly high rate.” Cuz, you know, structural racism.
• [COVID-19] It’s (long past) time to talk about child care workers. “Few sectors of our economy are as neglected and undervalued as child care...This virus — an enormous test of our public health and economic infrastructure — risks bringing child care providers to a breaking point.” (by our own Vice President for Income Security and Child Care, Melissa Boteach!)
• [COVID-19] Anti-abortion Republicans are using a global pandemic to attack abortion, because of course they are.
• No-corona-zone: Check out my co-worker and my’s latest piece on our favorite reality TV shows and their feminist storylines (sponsored by my friend’s dad’s cable password, which is how I watch all these shows).

FEMINIST MOMENT OF JOY THIS WEEK

Ok, zoomer. Are you spending significant chunks of your days in Zoom meetings, whether for work or for your now-virtual book club? We created these fun ~feminist~ backdrops so you can hide that dirty laundry while metaphorically airing your dirty laundry on a virtual happy hour! All you have to do is click this link, download the image, and then in zoom click on the arrow next to “stop/start video” and choose “virtual background.”

Until next time!
Hannah Finnie (she/her/hers)
Senior Manager of Campaign and Digital Strategies
National Women’s Law Center