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Women
Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
12:23pm
Tue May 14

Abercrombie & Fitch's 'Exclusionary' Size Policy Draws Criticism, Triggers Protest (VIDEO)

The Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s “exclusionary” policies are perpetuating a culture that over-emphasizes the importance of thinness and acceptance, according to a group of approximately 20 protesters who took their message to Chicago’s Water Tower Place Monday afternoon.

“Abercrombie & Fitch represents what’s wrong with our society because they are emphasizing ‘you have to look this way or you can’t wear this; you have to have washboard abs’ and many people end up feeling inferior and bad about themselves,” said Dr. Maria Rago, a clinical psychologist and vice president of the Naperville-based National Association of Anorexia Nervosa (ANAD).

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PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
6:22pm
Fri May 10

Women Speak Out On CPS School Closings & Immigration Reform As Mother's Day Weekend Begins (VIDEO)

Politics

Including the voice of women, and particularly mothers, in pending issues across the city, state, and country is increasingly important, according to several organizations which saw the start of Mother’s Day weekend as an opportunity to advocate for their causes.

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
2:50pm
Thu May 9

Lisa Madigan, Female Leaders Discuss The Political 'Year of the Woman'

Hemlines, husbands and hairdos.

Despite this year being coined the "Year of the Woman" by some political pundits, those characteristics continue to define women seeking a run for public office or who are already in power, said Bev Perdue, former Democratic governor of North Carolina.

But as America's demographic profile continues to shift, and as today's young women enter the workforce, bias against female politicians will eventually dissipate, Perdue added.

"I think you're going to bring about all this change we've been fighting about," Purdue said at a Women In Politics panel discussion at the University of Chicago (U of C) Wednesday evening. "I'd like to live long enough to see a real year of the woman, and actually a year of the gay man and a year of people not worrying about sex or race."  Read more »

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
7:46pm
Tue May 7
1 comment

Advocates For Women’s, Workers' Rights Say Congress Must Reject The Working Families Flexibility Act

More than 150 women’s, worker and civil rights organizations sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives Monday urging them to reject the Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013.

The measure, H.R. 1406, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Martha Roby (R, AL-2), is expected to go up for a full House vote Wednesday.

Opponents of the bill, which has 168 Republican cosponsors, say it is an empty promise that would do more harm than good for working families.

“The very fact that this is entitled the Working Families Flexibility Act is a joke,” U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards, a Democrat from Maryland, said on a conference call with reporters Monday. “It’s a lot of flexibility for employers and zero flexibility for working families. In fact, you could call it the ‘working families to death act,’ because that’s what would result.”

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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
3:58pm
Wed Apr 24

Domestic Workers' Bill Of Rights Expected To Go Up For Vote In Illinois Senate Thursday

A measure that would recognize the legal rights of domestic workers in Illinois is expected to go up for a vote in the state Senate Thursday.

The Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights Act, SB 1708, sponsored by State Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), would require that employers of nannies, house cleaners and caregivers pay their workers no less than the  minimum wage and allow for a least one day off a week.

The measure, which has 13 co-sponsors in the Senate, would also require written contracts and guarantee the right to paid time off, pay for all work hours, meal and rest periods, and an environment free from sexual harassment.

“It’s basically time to really cut some of the last remaining, obvious cords connected to slavery that we still have,” said Eric Rodriguez, executive director of the Latino Union of Chicago, one of the lead organizations pushing for the bill.

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PI Original
by Ellyn Fortino
5:03pm
Tue Apr 9

Equal Pay Advocates, Lawmakers Rally To Close The Gender Wage Gap (VIDEO)

Gender Inequality

Equal pay advocates gathered at the Daley Center today and said it’s time to end the gender wage gap, which could be closed in part by passage of the federal Paycheck Fairness Act. Progress Illinois was there for the rally.

Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
4:30pm
Fri Apr 5

Parent Mentor Program Celebrates Statewide Expansion, Urges Legislators To Continue Funding (VIDEO)

The Parent Mentor Program that started in Chicago’s Northwest side neighborhood of Logan Square more than 17 years ago celebrated its statewide expansion today with an approximately 500-person conference at Richard J. Daley College.

In one year’s time the Parent Mentor Program more than doubled its presence in schools across the state, increasing from 28 schools last year, to 57 today. Participants gathered at today’s conference came from cities ranging from Moline to Niles.

They shared stories from their classrooms, discussed challenges and successes, made a plan for where they’d like to see the program in 10 years and also wrote letters to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), asking him to support additional funding for the program.

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Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
4:38pm
Thu Mar 28

Nuclear Reactor Shutdowns Could Likely Decrease Community Cancer Rates, New Study Finds

The first ever long-term study examining the health impact idled U.S. nuclear reactors have on people living near the facilities found a significant drop in cancer incidents since the plant's closing, prompting researchers to call for further study of other populations near shuttered plants — including two in Illinois.  

In a 20-year period since the California Rancho Seco nuclear reactor closed, there were 4,319 fewer cases of cancer reported in Sacramento County, which has a population of about 1.4 million. The shuttered plant is located about 25 miles from the center of Sacramento city.

The cancer drops were most notable in women, Hispanics and children, according to Joseph Mangano, executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project, and co-author of the report published today in the Biomedicine International journal.

“The need here for more knowledge is great given how many reactors are near major population centers,” Mangano said on a conference call with reporters today. “The bottom line is clear. We need more information about the long-term impact of low level radiation from both idled and currently operating reactors.”

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