19 Powerful Women On Why Voting Is So Important
On November 3, millions of Americans will exercise their right to vote. Over the years, I have interviewed many high profile public figures about the importance of voting, and civic engagement overall, which is more important today than ever. I have curated this collection of quotes to inspire us all to vote in all elections, from presidential to down the ballot for our local races—as well as a reminder that our civic participation should extend beyond election day.
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‘We Should Be Very Alarmed’: Interview with Sheryl Sandberg on the Shocking New Stats About Women Leaving the Workforce Due to COVID-19
Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and cofounder of Lean In, discusses the alarming statistics revealed in Lean In’s recent study on women in the workplace during COVID and why companies need to take swift, bold action. She says, “We shouldn’t waste this crisis. We can rethink work for everyone, including women.”
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Will the Pandemic Spur Progress at Home and at Work?
Men and women are experiencing different impacts of the pandemic in the workplace and at home. For men, the stresses they are now under are complicated by the reality that men are taught by our culture not to admit weakness or talk about their emotions. Women are also feeling stressed, overburdened and facing conditions that are beginning to force them to drop out of the workforce at an alarming rate.
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News, Resources, and Actions
The 2020 Election Reveals the US at a Crossroad
By Cristina Escobar
With the election days away, the US is at a crossroad. The Coronavirus has affected us all but not affected us equally. Women are dropping out of the workforce at rates never seen before. Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Filipino communities have been hit the hardest. Meanwhile, militia members plotted to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, in what some are calling a misogynistic plot. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly continues to intersect with gender in ways we never could have imagined.
Our Gendered Workforce
The economic news is not good from a gender perspective. The September Jobs Report revealed more than 860,000 women dropped out of the economy last month, marking an unprecedented decline. While certainly the fact that women-dominated industries have been hit particularly hard (schools, care, hospitality), there’s also the fact that women are the ones stepping in to care for children home from school. Analysts worry the consequences will be long-reaching with the entire economy suffering.
DC is a Mess
Meanwhile, the country awaits another stimulus bill to keep running. Childcare should be included (see above), especially because the US’s already fractured system faces more uncertainty with sites closing due to the pandemic. AND that’s before we get to the matter of the President’s COVID diagnosis, which, not surprisingly considering the lack of precautions, came with a lot of other White House officials also testing positive—a stark reminder of how important it is for people (particularly men) to be good about wearing masks, washing hands, and practicing social distancing. Thank you–it could literally save lives.
Vote Safely
So how do we get out of this mess? Start by voting. There are lots of resources out there about how to vote more safely, whether you’re worried about the Coronavirus, hate crimes, or both. Voter suppression is real and that makes it even more important to do for those of us who can. Big things like the future of our country, women’s right to choose, and climate change are at stake. Let’s build a better country together.
Featured Authors
Karl Agne, Allana Akhtar, Allison Aubrey, Callum Borchers, Ali Breland, Ben Casselman, Steve Crabtree, Courtney Connley, Jeff Cox, Gillian Friedman, Cardiff Garcia, Teresa Ghilarducci, Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Errin Haines, John Halpin, Alisha Haridasani Gupta, Katie Hunt, Justin Ho, Nisha Jain, Nancy Kaffer, Sarah Kaplan, Ezra Klein, Mekala Krishnan, Nicholas Kristof, Bruce Y. Lee, Michal Lev-Ram, Clare Lombardo, Eric Lutz, Anu Madgavkar, Deepa Mahajan, Derek Major, Robin Marantz Henig, Scott Medintz, Marissa Nelson, Alicia Nieves, Anna North, Cammy Pedroja, Kristen Rogers, Catarina Saraiva, William E. Spriggs, Jeanna Smialek, Rachel Swan, William Tickle, Stacey Vanek Smith, Abby Vesoullis, Dennis Wagner, Olivia White, and Aylin Woodward
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