In America Women’s Equality Day is celebrated August 26th. It marks the passage of the 19th amendment that granted women the right to vote. While it is a true day of celebration for many, it’s important to realize that the passage of this amendment only gave this right to white women. For women of color in nearly every state in the union, this right would be denied for up to 5 more decades.
Gender equity must also confront the racist past of the movement, and start to make inclusion and anti-racism part of the work. An excellent resource to get started is Martha S. Jones book Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All.
And, the work is far from over. Let’s talk about the Equal Rights Amendment first proposed in the 1970’s, but lacking ratification from enough states through the decades, the amendment still doesn’t appear in the constitution. To be clear, the ERA protects persons from unfair wages, abuse, and discrimination under the law regardless of gender.
The year is 2021 and this amendment still has not passed in the United States. To reference the multi-attributed saying, “if you aren’t outraged, you aren’t’ paying attention”, this is immoral and unacceptable. Rock What You Got is committed to the equality, rights and value of all including and not limited to, women, female identifying persons and non-binary individuals. Proud to be part of the solution, Rock What You Got events and productions focus on elevating women’s voices and closing the Gendered Pay Gap. Last Sunday, as part of the Pay Gap Summer Series, (a sample of local female comedy and music) hosted at Keg and Case in Saint Paul, the “Vote Equality” RV (the Notorious RVG) stopped by on its way to Washington D.C. They sponsored the event and people had the chance to sign the bus in support of the amendment. Local legislators in support also rallied around the cause.
If it’s surprising to you that the Equal Rights Amendment is STILL not a part of our constitution, you’re not alone, and there are ways you can get involved. ERA Explainer – Equality Now
Here is a great article with actions you can take now to make progress happen faster. 8 Powerful Ways To Celebrate Women’s Equality Day In 2021 (vantagecircle.com)
You can also have a lot of fun while closing the gendered pay gap by getting involved with our organization, Home | Rock What You Got | Elevating Women’s Voices (rockwhatyougotlive.com)
Subscribing to the RWYG podcast, Podcast | Rock What You Got (rockwhatyougotlive.com) and attending the huge music and comedy event on September 25 and 26, 2021 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Pay Gap Festival | Rock What You Got (rockwhatyougotlive.com)
Tickets are available now, and we can’t wait to see YOU there!
