Table of Diversity Weekly: Women's Equality Day

August 26th is a day of significance, not only for women but for society as a whole. Women's Equality Day commemorates the hard-fought battle for women's rights and celebrates the progress made towards gender equality. It serves as a reminder of the determination and resilience of women throughout history who paved the way for a more inclusive and just world.

Women's equality was my first foray into the world of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I have always been intrigued by the various types of gender inequities and how they manifest in our day-to-day lives. I wanted to learn more about gender roles, how they were established, and how they influence work culture. I still find it interesting how society takes a few steps forward on gender equality in some ways, and takes a few steps backwards in other ways.

This edition of A Healthy Dose of DEI shares articles, podcasts, videos, book recommendations, and more to go from awareness to action on gender equality. We also flash back to our March edition of A Healthy Dose to continue the work we started then!

Read. Listen. Watch.

Women's Equality Day is a Reminder That the Fight for Women's Rights Didn't End With the 19th Amendment. -Time

"The centennial of the day the 19th Amendment took effect is not the only historic occasion to be marked this August 26, which was designated as Women's Equality Day by the U.S. Congress in 1973. It was on that day in 1970 that over 100,000 women- and some men- took to the streets across the nation in a Women's Strike for Equality, using the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage to bring renewed attention to women's rights.

This march was the biggest women's mobilization in U.S. history until the Women's March in 2017 shattered that record- and, like the more recent example, was both a significant catalyst for change and a spark that awakened the opposition. The Women's Strike for Equality caught Americans off guard in 1970, highlighting discontent about women's status in America that had been brewing since pioneering Rosie the Riveters were fired from their jobs and told to go home to make way for the boys returning after World War II. The organizers sought to draw a continuous line between their actions and those of earlier women's suffrage advocates, but they also wanted to make clear that voting rights had not led to gender equality or equal political power. Fifty years after women's suffrage was inscribed into the U.S. Constitution, the work was unfinished."

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A Century After Women Gained the Right To Vote, Majority of Americans See Work To Do on Gender Equality. -Pew Research

"A hundred years after the 19th Amendment was ratified, about half of Americans say granting women the right to vote has been the most important milestone in advancing the position of women in the country. Still, a majority of U.S. adults say the country hasn't gone far enough when it comes to giving women equal rights with men, even as a large share thinks there has been progress in the last decade, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

Among those who think the country still has work to do in achieving gender equality, 77% point to sexual harassment as a major obstacle to women having equal rights with men. Fewer, but still majorities, point to women not having the same legal rights as men (67%), different societal expectations for men and women (66%) and not enough women in positions of power (64%) as major obstacles to gender equality. Women are more likely than men to see each of these as a major obstacle.

Many of those who say it is important for men and women to have equal rights point to aspects of the workplace when asked about what gender equality would look like. Fully 45% volunteer that a society where women have equal rights with men would include equal pay. An additional 19% say there would be no discrimination in hiring, promotion or educational opportunities. About one-in-ten say women would be more equally represented in business or political leadership."

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Voting Advocates Say Women's Equality Day Has A Complicated (And Yes, Racist) History. -NPR

"Women's Equality Day is all about celebrating equal rights, but it's important to note that when women first won the right to vote more than a century ago, equal rights weren't so equal.

The basics of Women's Equality day are easy enough to understand: we celebrate it because on August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment was certified, making it illegal to deny citizens the right to vote based on sex.

Here's what you might not know: the blanket use of the word 'women' when discussing what the 19th Amendment changed is misleading.

Millions of women- those who weren't white- were effectively left out when it came to gaining the right to vote in 1920, despite Black women's involvement in the suffragette movement. Some white suffragettes also viewed it as a great injustice that they did not have the right to vote, even though Black men legally did. What appeared to be a fight for equality on the surface had more than a few racist caveats tacked on, creating a stark contradiction in what suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony were arguing was morally right.

'This history should be a reminder to all of us that selective equality that only affords benefits to a privileged few is simply another form of inequality in disguise,' Jocelyn Frye, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told NPR. 'Thus, it is critical to have an accurate understanding of the history being commemorated by Women's Equality Day- so that while we celebrate the progress achieved, we also recognize the inadequacy of this progress, especially for women of color.'

Does that mean it's problematic to observe Women's Equality Day? Speaking to numerous women of color who are voting rights advocates, the answer isn't a simple yes or no. In fact, the question itself might be the wrong one altogether."

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Feminist Factions United and Filled the Streets for This Historic March. -New York Times

"The 1970 Women's Strike for Equality was the largest women's rights demonstration since the era of suffrage- and more inclusive than anything that had been seen before. Fifty years to the day after suffragists secured the vote for American women, tens of thousands of women took to the streets of New York to commemorate this past success and to demand 'the unfinished business of our equality.'

All women were invited, and many showed up. 'Every kind of woman you ever see in New York was there,' The New York Times reported on Aug. 30, 1970. 'Limping octogenarians, braless teenagers, Black Panthers women, telephone operators, waitresses, Westchester matrons, fashion models, Puerto Rican factory workers, nurses in uniform, young mothers carrying babies on their backs.' There were even some men.

The evening of Aug. 26 was warm and windy, and Manhattan's streets were filled. Crowds surged along Fifth Avenue, with people toting signs and chanting. Marchers had a permit but disregarded the city's order to stay in a single traffic lane. They spilled over barricades, tangling up traffic and disrupting business as usual. Too many of them had been trapped indoors for too long. It was time to be outside, together, in public.

Betty Friedan, the author of 'The Feminine Mystique' and a co-founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW), was unusually open to a younger, often angrier generation. Her book might have narrowly focused on white housewives, but as an organizer, she was eager to build coalitions with working-class women and women of color. She collaborated closely withe the lawyer and activist Pauli Murray, the first Black student to earn a juris doctorate degree from Yale Law School; together, they developed the idea for NOW. When NOW elected its first slate of officers, the Black union organizer Aileen Hernandez was elected executive vice president, and she later served as president of the organization"

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Women's Equality Day: Remembering Those Who Fought For Voting Rights. -Forbes

"Today is Women's Equality Day, the anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that gave some women, but not all women, the right to vote on August 26, 1920.

The truth is that barriers such as literacy tests and poll taxes blocked many Black women and other marginalized groups from being able to cast their ballot. Laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act blocked some Asian American women from citizenship, and therefore, the right to vote. The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 allowed more Native Americans to vote, but states such as Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah didn't grant that right until decades later.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was intended to remove barriers that prevented many Black women and other women of color from being able to cast their ballot. Just two days ago the House passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to strengthen the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, but it still needs approval from Congress.

As modern-day barriers to voting remain, here are words of wisdom from suffragists from history who fought for the right to vote."

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Women's Equality Day: What Women's Fight For Voting Rights Can Teach Us Today. -Forbes

"Women's Equality Day happens on August 26th in remembrance of the anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920 that gave some women, but not all women, the right to vote. Now more than 100 years later, Women's Equality Day is still so important because many of the issues the suffragists fought for- such as equal pay and reproductive justice- are still being fought for today.

'Look at the direction we've come from and the repression of women in the 19th century when women were considered dead in the law once they married; they had no legal existence,' says Sally Roesch Wagner, a major historian of the suffrage movement and founder of the Matilda Joslyn Gage Center for Social Justice Dialogue. 'This meant husbands could will away children, unborn children. The had the right to beat their wives, as long as they didn't inflict permanent injury. Women had no control over their bodies. Once they married, all their property and possessions became their husband's. So if we look at the trajectory of 150 years or 200 years, that's how far we've come from that tradition. Yet we have not begun to reach any semblance of equality and equity, and we don't have the guarantee of equal rights in the Constitution.'

On this historic day honoring the fight for women's right to cast their ballots, it's important to also acknowledge the many other converging issues involved- such as racial equity- as well as the untold stories of women from this movement who weren't included in our history books. There are many women who didn't get the recognition they deserved; this article will focus on one in particular. Here are some lessons that the first women's rights movement can teach us about continuing to push for equality today."

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Stuff Mom Never Told You: The Untold History of Women's Equality Day

"Women's Equality is one of those bittersweet holidays. It marks the incredible effort that led to US women gaining the right to vote, while reminding us of another critical constitutional amendment that would have established true equality- but failed"

Listen Now

The Pleasure Positive Podcast: Women's Equality Day

"Happy Women's Equality Day! Coincidentally enough in 1973 women were guaranteed federal and constitutional protection of abortion rights, therefore our right to bodily autonomy. Which we all know is at risk and in the hands of our 2022 Supreme Court Justices. So it's a little bittersweet today so we are focusing on actionable steps we can take as a community to celebrate this holiday. Today, it's just 3 Clits gettin down and dirty! Empowered Women Empower Everyone: What Women's Equality Day is All About.

In this episode you will learn:

• How to celebrate women's equality day

• A tool to cultivate compassion so you can be a BETTER LISTENER

• Actionable steps we can take as a community"

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Why Gender Equality Is Good for Everyone- Men Included, Michael Kimmel, TED Talks

"Yes, we all know it's the right thing to do. But Michael Kimmel makes the surprising, funny, practical case for treating men and women equally in the workplace and at home. It's not a zero-sum game, but a win-win that will result in more opportunity and more happiness for everybody."

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Weekly Activities

Activity 1: Back in March for Equal Pay Day, we challenged you to conduct a pay equity analysis. What did you find?

Let's dig deeper! If you found pay disparities, what is the root cause of those disparities and what can you do to close the gap?

Conduct a Root Cause Assessment. If you find disparities, where do they originate? Here are some things to consider:

• Did your organization recently acquire another company with significant pay disparities?

• Is a candidate's pay based on their last job's pay? Many organizations pay based on previous experience AKA what the last job paid them. Since women are traditionally paid less, it could perpetuate a disparity. Many no longer ask about their last job's pay to avoid potentially paying less than one deserves.

• Are pay disparities originating from a particular person or department?

• Is there a disparity in additional benefits outside of base pay, such as bonuses, stock options, paid time off, etc.?

• Now what? How do you make it right? What are you willing to do to make it right?

This activity will probably take a few months and requires you to be curious and not tied to the results. If you go into this activity with a mindset of not finding a pay gap, you will easily explain away any gaps you find. The goal is not to go in with a desired outcome but to be open to whatever you find and know that you have the power to facilitate change.

It may be helpful to partner with someone else in the organization who knows nothing about the hiring/pay process but can be curious enough to ask questions to quickly learn. Sometimes we need someone who truly doesn't know to help us see what we are too close to the process to see.

Activity 2: Overcoming gender inequalities involves the improvement of processes and outcomes, as well as, the perception of fairness. For this week's conversation starter with your team, take a moment with your team to determine what perceptions around gender inequality may exist. This is a quick way for you to find a solution. For example, if there is a perception of pay inequity, sharing the results of the pay analysis may help with the perception. Or, it may prompt you to conduct a pay analysis if you haven't already.

Either way, these conversations can help you grow closer to your team and better understand what may be preventing them from fully showing up to do the amazing work you hired them to do.

Here's an example of how to start the conversation: "We are approaching Women's Equality Day, here are a few resources from A Healthy Dose of DEI to learn more about this observation. As a leader on the team, I'd like to know if you feel that the culture of our team creates an environment that is unfair to you, regardless of your gender. Can you share your thoughts or concerns related to gender equality on our team?"

Activity 3: The journey towards Women's Equality is one of the best examples of the importance of Intersectionality. This week's book recommendation The Woman's Hour beautifully describes the timeline from multiple perspectives.

For this week's activity, explore the intersections of your gender identity:

• Gender Identity + Race

• Gender Identity + Sexual Orientation

• Gender Identity + Religion

• Gender Identity + Education

• Gender Identity + Political Beliefs

• And so on!

Consider these questions: How has society's perception and expectations of the intersection you have chosen align or clash with who you really are? What forms of self-expression to you exhibit that affirms the full you? What are other perspectives you can seek to better understand the experience of others at the intersection?

Book Recommendation

The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss

"Both a page-turning drama and an inspiration for every reader" -Hillary Rodham Clinton

'The nail-biting climax of one of the greatest political battles in American history: the ratification of the constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote.

Nashville, August 1920. Thirty-five states have ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, twelve have rejected or refused to vote, and one last state is needed. It all comes down to Tennessee, the moment of truth for the suffragists, after a seven-decade crusade. The opposing forces include politicians with careers at stake, liquor companies, railroad magnates, and a lot of racists who don't want black women voting. And then there are the 'Antis'--women who oppose their own enfranchisement, fearing suffrage will bring about the moral collapse of the nation. They all converge in a boiling hot summer for a vicious face-off replete with dirty tricks, betrayals and bribes, bigotry, Jack Daniel's, and the Bible.

Following a handful of remarkable women who led their respective forces into battle, along with appearances by Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Frederick Douglass, and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Woman's Hour is an inspiring story of activists winning their own freedom in one of the last campaigns forged in the shadow of the Civil War, and the beginning of the great twentieth-century battles for civil rights.'

People You Should Know!

Ida B. Wells

"Ida B. Wells is an African American civil rights advocate, journalist, and feminist. She is an American Hero.

Wells was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862. She was the oldest daughter of James and Lizzie Wells. During Reconstruction, her parents were active in the Republican Party. Mr. Wells was involved with the Freedman's Aid Society and helped start Rust College. Rust is an historically black liberal arts college. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and was one of the 10 Historic Black Colleges and Universities founded before 1869 that are still operating.

Wells attended Rust College to receive her early education, but was forced to drop out. At 16, Wells lost both parents and one of her siblings in a yellow fever outbreaks. She convinced a nearby school administrator that she was 18, and landed a job as a teacher to take care of her siblings.

In 1882, Wells moved with her sisters to Memphis, Tennessee to live with their aunt. Her brothers found work as carpentry apprentices, and for a time Wells continued her education at Fisk University in Nashville. While on a train ride from Memphis to Nashville in May 1884, Wells reached a turning point. She had bought a first-class ticket, but the train crew forced her to move to the car for African Americans. Wells refused on principle, before being forcibly removed from the train. As she was being removed, she bit one of the crew members. Wells sued the railroad, and won a $500 settlement in a circuit case court. The decision was overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Wells was an active fighter for woman suffrage, particularly for Black women. On January 30, 1913 Wells founded the Alpha Suffrage Club in Chicago. The club organized women in the city to elect candidates who would best serve the Black community. As president of the club, Wells was invited to march in the 1913 Suffrage Parade in Washington, DC along with dozens of other club members. Organizers, afraid of offending Southern white suffragists, asked women of color to march at the back of the parade. Wells refused, and stood on the parade sidelines until the Chicago contingent of white women passed, at which point she joined the march. The rest of the Suffrage Club contingent marched at the back of the parade. Work done by Wells and the Alpha Suffrage Club played a crucial role in the victory of woman suffrage in Illinois on June 25, 1913 with the passage of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Act."