Posts Tagged Lilly Ledbetter

image via http://www.mikulski.senate.gov/

Longest-serving woman in Congress retires to “raise hell” instead of “money”

Senator Barbara Mikulski made history as being the longest-serving woman in Congress, the first woman Democrat elected in her own right, and the first woman to wear pants on the Senate floor. On Monday, she announced her plans to retire in an appropriately badass fashion. 

Senator Barbara Mikulski made history as being the longest-serving woman in Congress, the first woman Democrat elected in her own right, and the first woman to wear pants on the Senate floor. On Monday, she announced ...

GOP candidate claims she can’t be fighting a war on women because she’s…a woman

In a hilarious painfully awkward campaign ad, Michigan senate candidate Terri Lynn Land argues that her simultaneous female and Republican identities disprove the claim that she’s engaged in a “war on women.” But her whole opposition to the equal pay thing reveals that she is definitely a soldier and she’s definitely not fighting for equality.

In a hilarious painfully awkward campaign ad, Michigan senate candidate Terri Lynn Land argues that her simultaneous female and Republican identities disprove the claim that she’s engaged in a “war on women.” But her whole ...

Mind the gap: Latinas and unequal pay

On June 10, 1963, the U.S. government passed an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act making it illegal to pay women less than men for the same work.

That was 50 years ago, and women are still paid less than men at all education levels, in almost every field. On average, women make 77 cents to every dollar a man makes per hour, translating to about $11,084 per year less than a man.

These are statistics that many of us know like the back of our hand. Since the implementation of this amendment, we have progressed 18 cents towards closing the wage gap, however that progress ended a decade ago. In the past ten years, women have earned a ...

On June 10, 1963, the U.S. government passed an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act making it illegal to pay women less than men for the same work.

That was 50 years ago, and women are still ...

The Feministing Five: Lilly Ledbetter

Lilly Ledbetter, a woman whose story affects us all, recently came out with her autobiography, “Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond.” Her story is more important than ever today. Especially since women still only make 77 cents to every dollar that men make, even as we surpass them in institutions of higher learning. Especially since Gov. Walker (R-WI) recently repealed his state’s 2009 Equal Pay Enforcement Act and state Sen. Grothman backed him, saying “Money is more important for men.” And especially since this week, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney replied, “We’ll get back to you on that,” on whether women should be paid ...

Lilly Ledbetter, a woman whose story affects us all, recently came out with her autobiography, “Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond.” Her story is more important than ...

Romney campaign on whether women should be paid fairly: “We’ll get back to you on that”

Remember that whole women problem that the Republicans definitely don’t have?

I think it just got a whole lot worse.

On a media call this morning, when asked if he supports the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which helps ensure women get paid fairly, the Romney camp refused to answer. Audio of Romney campaign aides saying “we’ll get back to you on that” after being asked about the bill can be found here.

The ridiculous and dodgy comment inspired the hashtag #WellGetBackToYouOnThat on Twitter.

As you all know, the Lilly Ledbetter Act is an important piece of feminist history. It was signed just three years ago, when it became the first bill Obama signed as President in January 2009. It would be pretty ...

Remember that whole women problem that the Republicans definitely don’t have?

I think it just got a whole lot worse.

On a media call this morning, when asked if he supports the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which helps ensure ...

Today Yesterday in Feminist History: The Lilly Ledbetter Act

Three years ago yesterday, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act — the first legislation he signed as president (which you have to admit is kinda awesome).

What really inspired me about this legislation and Ledbetter’s fight was that it reminds us of the importance of storytelling and putting real stories to a cause — because that often best exposes the outrageousness of policies that hinder our rights. The legislation wasn’t named after a Congressmember, it wasn’t created around crappy talking points, but was named after a woman whose story resonated with so many other people because, well, they lived it too (and continue to). Ledbetter said in an interview back then:

It really gives ...

Three years ago yesterday, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act — the first legislation he signed as president (which you have to admit is kinda awesome).

What really inspired me about this ...