Hey John,

It’s my birthday month (Leo season is upon us!). Outside of birthday celebrations, public pool time, and relishing the last days of summer, I’m still committed to giving you all the latest in our fight for gender justice. So same newsletter, but make it birthday edition. Let’s get to it.

Paying Tribute to Jack Mowatt

I want to take a moment to recognize Jack Mowatt, a softball umpire and Title IX Advocate in Prince George’s County, Maryland who passed away last week. Jack Mowatt was an early champion for girls’ athletics and Title IX reform, working alongside NWLC and other partners many times over the years. In the mid-2000s, Jack had taken photos of the run-down and unsafe girls’ softball fields throughout the county—his work filled binders. He came to NWLC with these binders, not knowing about Title IX at the time, but his actions spurred NWLC to conduct an investigation and ultimately reach a county-wide Title IX settlement to improve the conditions of the girls’ fields and generally treat girls equally in the athletics program. But Jack’s work didn’t stop there–he continued to fight for the girls and make sure the county lived up to its promises. NWLC is so grateful to Jack for stepping up to the plate and for his advocacy until the very end. So in his memory, please take a moment to read more about Jack Mowatt and support the continued fight to strengthen Title IX.

• Read about Jack Mowatt’s and NWLC’s case and how it led to a settlement with Prince George’s County
• Read about Jack Mowatt’s decades-long fight for safe playing conditions for girls and the continued work that still needs to be done
• Watch Jack Mowatt testify before Congress as part of Title IX’s 35th anniversary
• Take action by submitting a public comment to restore Title IX civil rights protections

Women Building Power

We, along with Women’s March, Black Feminist Future, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, National Organization for Women, and Ultraviolet, are partnering up to host the Women’s Convention in Houston, Texas, from August 12–14. The 2022 Women’s Convention will not just be about building a community, it will be about building a political, social, and community-driven strategy to fight back against the wave of right-wing extremism and disinformation that has rooted itself in our country. Find out more about the Women’s Convention here.

To-do:

• The Senate is still set to vote on the Respect for Marriage Act. This legislation is important to help ensure LGBTQIA+ people are protected against discrimination. This law would require all states to recognize valid marriages without discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, or national origin. Take action now.

To-reads:

• The Wealthy Get Tax Loopholes. The Poor Get Audited.
• NWLC Leads Supreme Court Amicus Brief Supporting Race-Conscious Admissions Policies
• She survived a forced sterilization. Activists fear more could occur post-Roe.
• The State of Abortion is changing every day. Check out the latest developments on abortion, what you can do, and how to take action.

My Moment of Joy

Outside of it being my birthday month, I’m taking joy from the article Serena Williams penned announcing her retirement. Serena talks about her career, being a mother, and the complexity of her decision to take a step away from tennis. Serena Williams has had an extraordinary career and it’s great to see her take charge of her own narrative and speak her truths which speak to the difficult decisions and tradeoffs women often have to make in their lives.

Another moment of joy? It was International Cat Day on Monday. So you better believe that Mike the cat was showered with love and his absolute fave activity: catching mice in our house. It was a purrfect day. To end another newsletter, Mike the cat’s advice for you: be yourself, because that’s the best version of you.

Justice and joy,