UNITING FOR THE FIGHT

Here are some ways to make the most of the current women’s movement to unite mothers and create real change.

Healthy anger: “Mothers need to have a healthy relationship with their anger and a safe place to express it, such as writing or meditation,” says Molly May, author of Body Full of Stars: Female Rage and My Passage Into Motherhood.

Mothers united: “There’s a perception that while black mothers have shown up for the bullying rally, white women did not lock arms with black mothers when the blood of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Aiyanna Jones or Tamir Rice was still on the ground,” says educator Dionne Grayman.

“If white mothers stood side by side with black mothers around equity … then all of our children would rise.”

Self-examination: Avoid falling into discourses that misdirect maternal anger. If a media outlet, corporation or organization is clearly seeking to pit mothers against mothers, reject the emotional impulse.

Health care: The number of uninsured Americans rose by about 3.2 million people in the past year, according to MomsRising.org. Losing health care, including protections against pre-existing conditions, is something all families should care about.

Paid leave: Only 13 percent of Americans have access to paid family leave through their employer, and only 37 percent have personal paid medical leave, according to MomsRising.org.

The Family Act is a comprehensive federal leave program that is accessible to all working people and is affordable and costeffective.

Get involved to help get this bill passed in the U.S. Senate.

Equal pay: The Paycheck Fairness Act is a much-needed update to the 5-decades-old Equal Pay Act. The bill has stronger incentives to deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties for equal pay violations, provides greater protections against retaliation against workers and empowers women to negotiate for equal pay.

Affordable child care: Access to high-quality affordable child care should be a right for all families. Many are forced out of the workforce because of the high cost of care. Learn about campaigns to improve affordable child care options.