WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two years. That’s roughly how long it takes for Latina women to earn what White, non-Hispanic men earn in just one.  

In the time since the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963 – fifty-six years ago – Latina women have made only twenty-eight years’ worth of the wages they’ve earned. Reporting at almost half the amount of White men and at only 86 percent to that of Latino men, Latinas are the victims of the largest pay deficit between sexes.  

What does that deficit look like? It looks like Latinas being most likely to experience economic instability. It looks like one third of the households headed by Latinas living in poverty. It looks like women and nonbinary people worrying about how to care for elderly relatives. It is an unacceptable number, and a reminder of the patriarchal and racist systems put in place to hurt women. 

Today, on Latina Equal Pay Day, we not only call out employers and our nation’s leaders on their neglect and bigotry, but we remind feminists to hold ourselves accountable. It’s our mission as feminists to bring to light these inequities and advocate for pay equality for all. 

NOW stands in full solidarity with our Latina members and allies today and every day, paying special attention to their unique experiences as we advocate for changes and legislation that will ensure economic, political, and social equality.  

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ten years ago, President Obama signed the first significant pro-lesbian, pro-woman, pro-disability rights legislation, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, named for two victims of horrific hate crimes that shocked the nation. 

That legislation has made an enormous difference in the last decade, but there’s more to be done. We’re still seeing scores more reported instances of intolerance, hatred and violence against LGBTQIA+ individuals that add to the nation’s shock—and shame.  Now, our country has the chance to recommit our determination to ensure enforcement of gender-based hate crimes under federal law. We must also act decisively to protect religious minorities, immigrants and other targets of the rising tide of White Nationalism in the U.S. 

NOW calls on Congress to pass the bipartisan Jabara-Heyer National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality (NO HATE) Act of 2019, which vastly improves federal reporting of hate crimes and helps strengthen police responses to incidents of hate, among other provisions. We are also encouraging our hundreds of thousands of members and supporters to ask their representatives to co-sponsor this important legislation. 

Khalid Jabara was gunned down in a hate crime in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Heather Heyer was killed in Charlottesville when a racist drove his car into a crowd of people. 

Hate crimes are more than violent assaults on innocent individuals—they are designed to frighten, alienate and disenfranchise entire communities.   

We are all Matthew Shepard. We are all James Byrd, Jr. We are all Khalid Jabara. We are all Heather Heyer.  And we demand justice. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The NFL has once again proven where its priorities lie: with profits, not people.  

When Cleveland Brown’s defensive end Myles Garrett rips off an opposing quarterback’s helmet and hits him with it during a nationally televised game, he immediately gets suspended for the rest of the season. Fox Commentator Joe Buck called the incident “one of the worst things I’ve ever seen on a professional sports field.” 

But, what if the violent, out of control player is off the field, and the person impacted is someone not on the NFL’s payroll? If a player is charged with domestic violence or sexual assault, team owners and NFL leadership drag their feet, put up smokescreens and spend a fortune on PR campaigns to avoid dealing with the league’s endemic domestic violence problem.  

We’ve seen player after player accused of violence against women allowed to return to the playing field, while nothing is done to help survivors, or to change the NFL’s culture of domestic violence. 

NOW calls on the NFL to correct this double standard. When violence against women is treated with less concern than a player’s swing of a helmet, there’s something deeply wrong with the NFL—and women know it. 

Football was once called America’s game—but it’s rapidly become America’s shame. Enough is enough. 

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745