Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Altruistic, non-commercial surrogacy is often utilized to help LGBTQIA+ couples and women struggling with fertility to build their families. While this practice has the support of NOW, we caution against legalization of commercialized surrogacy, which is currently being considered in New York State Assembly.

Commercial surrogacy does not depend on the willing choice of friends or family to help loved ones, instead it relies on the commodification of women’s bodies. History has shown us that the buying, selling and renting of their bodies does great harm to women.

Altruistic surrogacy agreements rely fully on consent. Women choose to become surrogates solely on the condition that they want to help someone build their family and they are not forced to continue with surrogacy plans in order to make a living. But commercial surrogacy changes the reality of consent. Once for-profit agencies and large sums of money are involved, women may be drawn into surrogacy due to financial desperation, a choice made when there are no other choices.

Commercialized surrogacy industries in other countries have a reputation for coercing poor and vulnerable women into contracts. Even when protections exist, they are incredibly difficult to enforce. A steady supply of women’s bodies is needed in order to meet the demands of rich couples who can afford to pay extravagant fees to agencies.

Surrogacy is a complicated issue. Altruistic surrogacy should be legal and accessible in every state, but commercial surrogacy will do great harm to women, especially those in vulnerable populations.

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Judge Michael F. Stelzer of the Missouri Circuit Court in St. Louis issued a preliminary injunction allowing the only remaining clinic providing abortion care in the state to continue operating through June 21st. NOW celebrates this victory for abortion rights, which, at least temporarily,  prevents Missouri from becoming the first state in the nation without an abortion clinic since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Yet this ruling also exposes the constant threat that reproductive rights face in America today as abortion opponents attempt to strip away women’s constitutional right to safe, legal, affordable and accessible abortion care. Including Missouri, six states in the U.S. only have one abortion clinic, and they are all in danger of the kind of underhanded, bureaucratic tactics that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Gov. Mike Parson are trying to use to render Roe meaningless. This case serves as a reminder that legislative bans on abortion are only one of the anti-abortion ploys that NOW and other reproductive rights advocates contend with every day. We will remain vigilant in protecting the reproductive freedom of women in Missouri and around the country.

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745

Statement from NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This June 10th, NOW recognizes both the 56th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act as well as Mom’s Equal Pay Day. While the Equal Pay Act helped to narrow the wage gap, the data still demonstrates that women face pay discrimination, especially if they are mothers.  

Mom’s Equal Pay Day recognizes that being a mother is a greater indicator than gender when it comes to wage disparities. Even as more and more mothers become the breadwinners for their family, mothers are still only paid 69¢ for every dollar a father is paid.  

Closing this wage gap would mean that women’s poverty rate is cut in half, On average, women employed full time in the U.S. are losing an astonishing combined total of almost $900 billion every year due to the wage gap. This vital additional income could be used towards childcare, healthcare, and education ー all important aspects to raising a happy, healthy family.  

The wage gap widens for Black, Latino, and Native American moms who are paid 54¢, 46¢, and 48¢ respectively, for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic dads. Additionally, data on undocumented immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, and women with disabilities is not known.  

On this Mom’s Equal Pay Day, NOW strongly advocates for the Paycheck Fairness Act which updates the Equal Pay Act and was recently passed by the House of Representatives. We urge legislation which requires equal pay for “substantially similar” work be adopted. NOW is also committed to achieving work equity by supporting movements to gain access to paid leave, paid sick days, affordable childcare, affordable healthcare and other important protections needed by working parents.  

It is time that women stop being punished for being mothers. We must end disparities in wage equity now.  

Contact

Kimberly Hayes, Press Secretary, press@now.org, 202-570-4745