Hi John,

It has been a hectic past year, a hectic 2021, and a hectic March—it was actually difficult for me to write a newsletter about joy. I’m angry and grieving the murders of workers in Atlanta, including six AAPI women, there’s still no justice for Breonna Taylor, 10 people were murdered by a gunman in Colorado, and we are still in this damn pandemic! Of course, I have celebratory moments in the newsletter, but I can’t be silent (or silenced) about rightful indignation, so today I’m bringing you a bit of both.

We are halfway through the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration, and we have more wins to celebrate, including:

• Restored access to SNAP benefits by withdrawing rules put in place by the Trump administration
• An executive order instructing the Department of Justice to begin coordinating full implementation of LGBTQ rights under federal civil rights laws in line with Bostock v. Clayton County
• Reversal of the Trump administration’s rollback of disparate impact under the Fair Housing Act and restoring the 2013 disparate impact rule.
• More than $50 billion in child care funding in the American Rescue Plan to save thousands of child care jobs and businesses

And so much more is currently in progress including:

• Passing the Paycheck Fairness Act
• Passing the Raise the Wage Act
• Rescinding the devastating global and domestic gag rules that have jeopardized care for millions of patients
• Passing the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act
• Passing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act

Visit our website to check out more updates—including what we’re still fighting for.

Making Equality a Reality for All of Us

The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people and would also close longstanding gaps in federal law by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in public spaces, services, and federally funded programs. Protections under the Equality Act are critical for LGBTQ women in every aspect of life—protecting against discrimination in the workplace, securing housing, education, and public accommodations. A recent report also highlights how the Equality Act is not only vital for LGBTQ people, but also for women, people of color, immigrants, and people of minority faiths.

Fatima Goss Graves submitted a statement showing NWLC’s support of the Equality Act, which passed in the House earlier this month. Read the full testimony here and urge your senators to pass the Equality Act.

Where the What? Where the Money Resides.

Are you reading this newsletter and still waiting for the stimmy? You’re not alone. The American Rescue Plan Act was a historic and much-needed intervention to bring relief to this country, but the relief that women and families need goes beyond stopgap fixes: we need to close the wage gap, too. March 24 was Equal Pay Day, the day marking how far women must work into the year to catch up to the amount men made last year. The wage gap exists in 94% of occupations and has only been amplified by the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis. Jasmine Tucker, Director of Research, recently wrote a fact sheet highlighting the impact of the wage gap and women’s inability to reach economic stability amid the pandemic.

Don’t Celebrate Black Women and Ignore Our Pain

Last month, I shared some exciting news about a narrative campaign we launched in partnership with ‘me too.’ International and TIME’S UP Foundation, We, As Ourselves. Recently, ‘me too.’ Founder and Executive Director, Tarana Burke, spoke with People Magazine and addressed the importance of supporting Black survivors of sexual violence.

“If you're going to talk about how many of us show up to vote and all the magic we have, you have to also talk about all the trauma that we hold… These are difficult conversations. It's not easy to talk about the things that happen behind closed doors or things that society has told you should cause you shame. But if we don't talk about it, nothing will change.”

The campaign challenges and reshapes the narratives around sexual violence and its impact on Black survivors. Visit the website to sign the petition for We, As Ourselves and learn more about how you can fight for a future where Black survivors are supported.

Must Reads:

• Every single blog about our rage. For Women’s History Month, we channeled our rage into words. From sports to sexual violence —we got a lot to be mad about. 
• Fatima Goss Graves, President & CEO, was quoted in Forbes on the potential impact of the pandemic on stereotypes about working mothers, “These stereotypes may impact women’s ability to get hired in the first place, get promoted, or get an opportunity that makes the difference between moving up or not, based on nothing except biases and perceptions that mothers do less. That perception already existed before the pandemic. This last year, with our care infrastructure crumbling, may make this bias all the more potent.” Read the full article here.
• It’s really important to make sure that whatever system they create is one that the students can trust,” Shiwali Patel, Director of Justice for Student Survivors, said to The Advocate. Read the full article here.
• Refinery29 quoted Gillian Branstetter, Media Manager, in an article about Elliot Page and embodying transgender joy. Transgender people existing beyond stories of trauma and struggle is, “the difference between seeing someone for what they are and seeing them for who they are.” Read the full article here.

Feminist Moment of Joy

To celebrate collectively using our voices in rage and joy, this month’s feminist moment of joy goes to Oprah Winfrey’s interviewing skills. She posed a question to Meghan Markle—the phrase heard around the world—that I’m sure resonated with many women, particularly women of color: Were you silent or silenced? While many of us weren’t surprised by racism coming from a centuries-old monarchy, I found solidarity in people’s responses to the interview and from women who know what it’s like to be silenced or have their indignation deemed unacceptable. It brought up real conversations that need to happen, including on our right to be safe and healthy. Read more on that in this blog—and all the Royal Tea that spilleth over within it—authored by my colleague, Awo Eni.

My money tree was one of the first plants I bought last year. I don’t have my usual long reflection, but thought it fit well as I reflected on wage gaps, the economic crisis, stimulus checks, and women’s safety at work. It’s my reminder to keep fighting, raging, and nurturing.

For justice, rage, and joy for her and all,
LySaundra Campbell
she/her/hers
Writer and Editor
National Women’s Law Center