RightHer 

I spent the weekend at the Civil Liberties and Public Policy conference on reproductive justice at Hampshire College. This conference was the 27th, but the topic hasn’t been more relevant since the days when our mothers and grandmothers fought for and won the fundamental human right of bodily autonomy.

Many Rhode Island workers are not able to take leave-paid or unpaid-because they either do not qualify for leave or cannot afford it. Temporary caregiver insurance would allow a worker to balance family and work responsibilities without jeopardizing his or her family's economic security.

A productive workforce is the engine that drives a strong economy. But when half of that workforce isn’t paid fairly, our economy can’t move forward. Rhode Island women earn less than men, make up a majority of minimum wage earners, and are at a higher risk of poverty.

Do we still need a Women's History Month? Is the pope retired? As long as sexism exists, there will be a need to tell the stories of the people and events along the road to full equality.

This February as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of passage of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act let’s both look back at its history and move forward to further strengthen our commitment to working families.