St Augustine Branch helps League of Women Voters
20 Branch members addressed 300 post cards that will be sent to people who might be able to restore their voting rights. Thank you to Kim Elmore for getting us started.
Members addressing post cards for League of Women Voters.
AAUW-FL Public Policy Issue Forums 2023-2024
AAUW Public Policy Education Forums Calendar and Registration
Wouldn’t you like more in-depth information on the important issues facing Florida from a nonpartisan but equity-focused viewpoint? Would you like to be able to ask your own questions of experts regarding these issues? Then be sure to attend as many AAUW Florida Issue Forums this year as you can. All sessions will start at 6:00 PM and last for an hour. The series is open to AAUW members and guests.
Sept. 14, 2023 Reproductive Rights Moné Holder, Florida Rising Video of Reproductive Rights
Oct. 5, 2023 Title IX and Dress Codes in Schools Nancy Tray, Change the Dress Code Movement, St Johns Cty Title IX and Dress Codes video
Nov. 2 2023 Gender Studies and DEI Initiatives at Colleges
Dr Elizabeth Brown, Past President of the United Faculty of Florida, University of North Florida Video of this session
Nov.16, 2023 Florida 2024 Legislative Preview Dr Pat DeWitt, AAUW Co-Public Policy Director and Public Policy Committee Members
Video of this session
Jan. 11, 2024 Public Education and Book Bans Dr Marvin Dunn, Professor Emeritus at Florida International University and Miami Center for Racial Justice View the video of this session
March 7, 2024 Gender Pay Gap and Economic Security Dr Mary Gatta, AAUW FL Co- Public Policy Director and Director of Research and Public Policy, National Association of Colleges and Employers Register for this session
April 18, 2024 Voting Rights Debbie Chandler, Co-President, League of Women Voters, Florida Register for this session
AAUW National Public Policy Priorities – 2023-2025
To support a strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, equity, diversity and inclusivity, and to address the barriers and implicit biases that hinder the advancement of women and girls, AAUW advocates
- Strengthening and vigorous enforcement of Title IX and all other civil rights laws pertaining to education
- Adequate and equitable funding for and access to quality public education, including early childhood education, for all students
- Opposition to the use of public funds for nonpublic elementary and secondary education and to charter schools that do not adhere to the same civil rights and accountability standards as required of other public schools
- Increased support for and protection of programs that meet the needs of girls and women in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education, including strong promotion of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and comprehensive sexual health education
- Increased support for and access to affordable higher education for women, including alleviating the debt burden that disproportionately impacts borrowers of color and exacerbates the racial wealth gap
- Support for practices that halt the flow of students from schools to prisons, including reforming school disciplinary practices that disproportionately punish girls and students of color
To achieve economic security for all women, AAUW advocates
- Pay equity and fairness in compensation and benefits
- Equitable access and advancement in employment, free from systemic barriers and biases, including vigorous enforcement of employment discrimination statutes
- Closing the gender and race gaps in leadership opportunities for women of all backgrounds
- Greater availability of and access to a high standard of benefits and policies that promote work-life balance, including quality and affordable dependent care and paid family, medical, and sick leave
- Programs that provide women with education, training, and support for success in the workforce, including nontraditional occupations and women’s entrepreneurship
- Strengthening programs, including welfare and career and technical education, to improve postsecondary education access, career development, and earning potential
- Strengthening retirement benefits and programs, including pension improvements and protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from privatization
- Access for all women to the full range of health care services to ensure economic security
- Increasing the number of quality jobs that pay a living wage
To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse and inclusive society, AAUW advocates
- Vigorous enforcement of and full access to civil and constitutional rights, including affirmative action and expanding voting rights
- Complete, accurate and timely collection of data, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender identity to inform policy decisions and the apportionment of political representation
- Self-determination of one’s reproductive health decisions
- Universal access to quality, affordable health care, including insurance, and comprehensive family planning services, including expansion of patients’ rights
- Freedom from violence and fear of violence, including hate crimes, in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities
- Support for U.N. programs that address human rights and women’s and girls’ concerns
- Freedom in the definition of self and family, including protection from discrimination and a guarantee of civil rights for all family structures
- Passage and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment
More info on AAUW Public Policy
AAUW-FL 2023 Priority Legislation
Click on the above link to access information on AAUW’s position on 2023 legislative issues.
How to Meet with Elected Officials
AAUW’s Strategies and Tips
Taking a Stand on the Issues
Women’s Health and Abortion
AAUW Statement Strongly Condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s Opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
Statement from Gloria Blackwell, AAUW CEO
AAUW Quick Facts about Reproductive Rights
Where AAUW Stands on Reproductive Rights
AAUW is Rallying for Reproductive Rights. Engage with coalition partner, Bans Off Our Bodies
Know the facts. The The Guttmacher Institute’s 2022 policy analysis provides facts about each state’s abortion legislation.
Gender Pay
We support “fairness in compensation, equitable access and advancement in employment, and vigorous enforcement of employment antidiscrimination…we are fighting to end the Pay Gap … .” Get quick facts about gender pay.
Title IX
We support a strong system of public education that promotes gender fairness, equity, and diversity, and the vigorous enforcement of Title IX and all other civil rights laws pertaining to education.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was the first comprehensive federal law to prohibit sex discrimination in education. It covers women and men, girls and boys, and staff and students in any educational institution or program that receives federal funds. This includes local school districts, colleges and universities, for-profit schools, career and technical education agencies, libraries, and museums. Music classes or choirs, sex education classes, and sports involving bodily contact are exempt from Title IX, as are religious institutions if the law would violate their religious tenets. Admissions policies at private undergraduate institutions are also exempt. Read more about AAUW’s stand.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion, and it applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including federal, state, and local governments. Even with Title VII’s protections, many people across the country still face sexual harassment in their workplaces. Read more about AAUW’s stand.
Access to Health Care and Family Planning
AAUW supports the right of every woman to safe, affordable, and comprehensive family planning and reproductive health services. AAUW’s Public Policy Priorities advocate “to guarantee equality, individual rights and social justice for a diverse society, AAUW supports: choice in the determination of one’s reproductive rights life and increased access to quality affordable health care and family planning services, including expansion of patient rights.” Learn more about AAUW’s stand.
AAUW Action Alerts ~ 2 Minute Activist
TEXT AAUW to 21333 OR follow link below to join the 2 Minute Activist
Join Two Minute Activist
We provide all the tools you need to call or send messages to your members of Congress. Contact your state legislators about pressing issues and more.
Take action on issues impacting women and girls by joining AAUW’s Action Network. As a Two-Minute Activist, you will receive urgent email notices when your advocacy is needed most. We’ll provide all the tools you need to call or send messages to your members of Congress, write letters to the editor for your local newspapers, contact your state legislators about pressing issues, and more.