Rep. Barbara Lee: Women Are Walking Out to Demand Equal Justice & Equal Opportunity
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement marking International Women’s Day and the ‘Day Without A Woman’ strike:
“Across the country and around the world, women are walking out to demand equal justice, equal rights and equal opportunity. Women make up more than half of the US population, yet still face discrimination in nearly every facet of our lives. From the doctor’s office to the college campus to the board room, women deserve to be heard and respected.
“On a ‘Day Without A Woman,’ I encourage everyone in our country to reflect on the roles – both paid and unpaid – that women play in the workplace, the classroom and the home. As a black woman, I am aware of the compounded challenges women of color face in our country. It is unconscionable that women of color continue to be at the bottom of the economic ladder in America.
We simply must do more to uplift women of color and demand that our constitutional rights are respected. We must also recognize many women cannot afford to join the strike, because they are living paycheck to paycheck or cannot risk retaliation from work. On the steps of the Capitol today, House Democratic women will be a voice for them as well.
“It is particularly fitting that this strike is happening just as Republicans begin debate on their shameful bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Make no mistake: this legislation, which would defund Planned Parenthood, is an all-out assault on women’s health. As we walk out today, we will continue to demand that Republicans abandon their crusade against women’s health care, reproductive freedoms and economic security.”
###