Gainesville Area NOW (National Organization for Women): Oppose Amendment 1

March 20th, 2009

Letter to the Editor, Gainesville Sun, March 20, 2009 - (Find this letter and more online at http://www.gainesville.com/section/opinion)

OPPOSE AMENDMENT 1

Since its founding in 1966, the National Organization for Women’s (NOW) goal has been “to take action” to bring about equality for all women. Gainesville Area NOW opposes Charter Amendment 1 because it would allow discrimination against women because of our sexual orientation or gender identity.

In a perfect world, we would not need laws that protect women or anyone else from discrimination. However, the reality is that women are discriminated against for a number of reasons; our sex, our race, our sexual orientation, our disability and our status as mothers, just to name a few. And we are discriminated against in all areas of our life from firings and domestic violence to cat calls and unequal pay.

We want to be judged by our abilities and not preconceived notions or stereotypes about what it means to be a woman, regardless of whether we are transgendered, women of color or women with disabilities. The Gainesville anti-discrimination law is an attempt to make sure that all women are treated equally and provides more protection than the current Florida state law. The Gainesville law currently prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit extension practices because of a person’s race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation or gender identity. There are 8 cities and counties in Florida, 108 cities and counties nationwide, and 13 states and the District of Columbia that have anti-discrimination laws that are similar to Gainesville’s human rights ordinance.

If Charter Amendment 1 passes, employers, housing providers, and businesses will be able to discriminate against women because of our sexual orientation or gender identity. This Women’s History Month, we encourage supporters of women’s rights to vote for all women to be free from discrimination.

Natalie Maxwell,
President
Gainesville Area NOW
March 20, 2009

Re-published with permission. All Rights Reserved - The Gainesville Sun - http://www.gainesville.com/section/opinion

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