Maine Women's Lobby

LD 227 will take effect on Aug. 9. At a moment when reproductive liberties and LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under attack, this achievement is a reminder that Maine remains a safe harbor and beacon of hope in the national storm.

Maine remains a safe harbor as “shield bill” takes effect amid ongoing extremist attacks This spring, Maine lawmakers endured bomb threats to the State House and their homes after a public hearing on the “shield bill” for providers of reproductive and transgender health care. Attorneys general from 16 states that have banned abortion care, health care for transgender people, or both

When asked what bill to pass first, Tim Walz said Paid Family and Medical Leave. “We’re the last nation on earth basically not to do this,” he began. “It is so foundational to just basic decency and financial well-being. And I think that would start to change both finances, attitude—strengthen the family.”

ICYMI - we celebrated the anniversary of PFML a few weeks ago!

"You don't have to choose between taking care of a loved one or keeping the lights on. This is a measure that's going to be absolutely transformational." - State Senator Mattie Daughtry

Supporters praise Maine's plan to implement paid family, medical leave Thursday marks one year since paid family and medical leave became law in Maine, though the actual impacts of the law haven't taken effect yet.

We are happy to share a special webinar highlighting Gun Safety & the Courts hosted by the Courts Matter to Maine Coalition. Part of our work as conveners of the coalition is to ensure that Maine people understand the powerful effect of state and federal courts on their daily lives and we do this through educational events like this one!

Join us on Thursday, August 22 at 5:30 PM to hear guest panelists and partners, Margaret Groban, Andrea Mancuso, and Senator Anne Carney talk about the 2024 Supreme Court decisions that impact gun safety. Register at bit.ly/CourtsMatterME-Webinar.

Thanks to Courts Matter to Maine coalition partners Maine Conservation Voters, the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence for making this event possible!

Join us for Session 2 of our Maine ERA For All Summer Lunch & Learn Webinar Series *this Wednesday, Aug 14th at 12pm*!

Session 2 will feature leaders from states across the country who have passed or are working to pass an Inclusive Equal Rights Amendment in their state’s constitution. Learn from experts and movement leaders about their work and get inspired for what an ERA movement could look like in Maine!

Learn more and register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-ugqz4iGNKlywXcJALXIJR5WB7L8C0h

Note: if you already registered for Session 1, you are also registered for Session 2!

Big news! Earlier this week the American Bar Association approved resolution 601, which reiterated the ABA's support for making the Equal Rights Amendment the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Read the full resolution here https://ow.ly/Xe2B50SSu52

Maine's 'shield bill' becomes law today! We're so proud of our work with partners at Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund , MaineTransNet , EqualityMaine, and more to move this essential bill forward.

Reproductive and gender affirming care are cornerstones of gender equity. In LD 227, Maine moved to protect health care providers from hostile out of state litigation, to ensure that all Mainers have access to accepted standards of medical care.

We're thrilled to see the caregiving agenda at the top of the ballot.

Kamala Harris Will Likely Prioritize This 1 Cause If Elected Signs point to child care, paid leave and home care as priorities she takes seriously — and personally.

In our 44 years, our organization has chosen not to make candidate endorsement a part of our election work. This year, our Board of Directors chose to consider an unusual step for us: the endorsement of a candidate for President of the United States. Our Board considered the candidates’ records, and whether their qualifications, style, and experiences are likely to help us build a more feminist future. We acknowledge that all candidates and office-holders are multifaceted humans, each with a record of successes, mistakes, and missteps. We do not seek perfection; in fact, we acknowledge the messy humanity of our allies. Instead, we seek alignment, shared goals for a feminist future, and the capacity to grow. The only other time we have made an endorsement, we did so when we felt that our values and hopes for the future faced an existential threat. We do so again in our endorsement of Kamala Harris.

Read our full endorsement on on blog at https://www.mainewomen.org/blog or at the link in our bio.

Another great quote from Professor Julie Suk during the first session of our ERA for All Lunch & Learn Webinar series! We LOVE representative and democratic governmental process that give people a voice!

Make sure to register for the next two sessions of our series-- learn more and register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-ugqz4iGNKlywXcJALXIJR5WB7L8C0h

We were so inspired by Professor Julie Suk last week during the first session of our ERA for All Lunch & Learn Webinar series. Professor Suk made a clear case for the need to amendment the constitution to add an Equal Rights Amendment.

Make sure to register for the next two sessions of our series-- learn more and register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-ugqz4iGNKlywXcJALXIJR5WB7L8C0h

On Tuesday, the Senate confirmed Stacey Neumann, a Maine attorney, to serve as a United States District Court Judge for the District of Maine. Senator Collins and Senator King both expressed their bipartisan support of Neumann before the vote.

US District Courts are the trial courts of the federal court system, hearing most federal civil and criminal cases, and judges have lifetime appointments.

We’re less then 100 days away from Election Day!! We need all hands on deck to Get Out the Feminist Vote! Sign up to write GOTV postcards through the link in our bio. It’s easy, fun and makes a big impact— Join us!!

Reminder! Join us for our 3 part Lunch & Learn webinar series to explore the need for an “Inclusive Equal Right Amendment” in Maine’s constitution to achieve true equality for all!

Our first session is TOMORROW, Wednesday July 24th, 12-1pm ET. We will be joined by feminist legal expert, scholar and writer Professor Julie Suk about how the constitution can be a tool for achieving gender equality, learnings from the historical Equal Right Amendment movement, and the opportunities the ERA can provide in the modern day.

Learn more and register for the series here https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-ugqz4iGNKlywXcJALXIJR5WB7L8C0h #/registration

“I’m a millennial, you’re Gen Z. I think we’re the first generation [of U.S. women] to have rights stripped away from us, constitutional rights taken away instead of added. It’s an alarming time to be in this country where you see democracy under threat and to see an activist Court that is trying to eliminate our fundamental rights. So Gen Z should absolutely care about this.” - Naomi Mo Chee Young, policy associate at the ERA Project

Millennial, Gen Z, Gen X, Boomer - it doesn't matter what generation you are in, it's time to put us in the Constitution!

Don't forget to sign up for the Maine ERA for All webinar series! https://www.facebook.com/share/p/jAXWNtYmCDr1TJJC/

Gen Z's Fight to Secure the ERA in the Constitution - Ms. Magazine Women are still fighting for the ERA and constitutional gender equality. It's astonishing that in 2024, women are not legally considered equal to their male counterparts. For Gen Z, a generation that prides itself on embracing diversity, inclusion and equality, this discrimination cannot stand. We a...

If you're wondering who on our team:
✅ Keep the Paid Family & Medical Leave Coalition train on the tracks
✅ Makes sure all the partners have the right information at the right time
✅ Plans programs that run as smooth as silk, where folks feel at home
✅ Probably saw that show
🔥 Keeps us on our toes with spicy feminist observations - always said in an undertone
..IT'S CATIE! And she's been at it for TWO years! Congratulations, Catie- thanks for your service! Feel free to drop your gratitude in the comments! 💚

"The program won't come together overnight -- nothing so worthwhile and valuable does."

Last week we celebrated the one year anniversary of PFML being signed into law. This week our Executive Director reflects on the advocacy efforts that got us there and envisions a future where paid leave is not only a benefit for Maine people, but a right for everyone!

Opinion: Maine’s paid family program testament to the power of advocacy The program won't come together overnight – nothing so worthwhile and valuable does.

Everyone should be equal under the law. Still, many of our systems were built without many of our community members in mind. An “Inclusive Equal Rights Amendment” can enshrine protections into our founding documents, and reaffirm our State’s commitment to the equality of all people.

Join us for a 3 part Lunch & Learn webinar series to explore the need for an “Inclusive Equal Right Amendment” in Maine’s constitution to achieve true equality for all!

Join us for our first session "The History & Future of Constitutional Equality" on Wednesday July 24th, 12-1pm ET for a conversation with feminist legal expert, scholar and writer Professor Julie Suk about how the constitution can be a tool for achieving gender equality, learnings from the historical Equal Right Amendment movement, and the opportunities the ERA can provide in the modern day.

Learn more and register for the series here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-ugqz4iGNKlywXcJALXIJR5WB7L8C0h #/registration

THANK YOU to all of our 2024 Gender Justice Champions who voted for gender justice 100% of the time this session! We are so grateful for our gender justice champions in the State House!

Check out our 2024 Legislative Report which features our priority gender equity bills this year and how your legislator voted. https://www.mainewomen.org/mwl-report-cards

You're invited to participate in an anonymous survey for a research project at the University of Maine School of Social Work.

Who? Participants must be 18 years of age or older, any gender, have female reproductive organs, and reside in Maine.

Why? The purpose of this research is to understand the knowledge and use of relationship-centered care and the impacts it has on services for reproductive care for birthing people.

When? Now! Participation is voluntary and will only take 15-20 minutes. You may skip or end the survey at any time.

Visit bit.ly/ReproResearch for more information and to take the survey. If you have any questions please reach out to the principal investigator at [email protected].

**Thank you for your time and willingness to participate in this study on reproductive health!**

From protecting access to reproductive and gender-affirming care to strengthening gender-just systems and infrastructure, legislation has real impacts on the lives of Mainers.

Check out our hot-off-the-presses 2024 Legislative Report which features our priority gender equity bills this year and how your legislator voted!!

And stay turned over the next few weeks for features on all the recently passed gender justice laws and our 2024 gender justice champions!

One year ago today, Governor Mills signed Maine's Paid Family and Medical Leave bill into law. Since then, the Maine Dept. of Labor has hired staff, identified a technology vendor, released draft rules, and recieved over 300 comments on those rules. What a year it's been! Next steps:
-- Final rules will be complete in the fall
-- Contributions begin in January of 2025
-- Benefits are available in May 2026

TODAY IS THE DAY! Unpaid care work is a major cause of gender inequity, and PFML can help that. Your comments can make sure we build a PFML program that works for all workers.

Check out .ly/PFMLRules for a comprehensive guide to answer your questions about what’s in the draft rule and how to share your comments with the Dept. of Labor!

Paid Family and Medical Leave is one of the most important ways to increase the gender pay gap. Take 15 minutes TODAY to submit comments and make sure Maine builds the strongest PFML program we can!

Check out .ly/PFMLRules for a guide to answer your questions about what’s in the draft rule and how to share your comments with the Dept. of Labor!

Maine now stands on the cusp of realizing these health and economic benefits for all working families. Ensuring the rules associated with this law provide prompt and efficient receipt of these benefits will be key to supporting working families and investing in the health and wellbeing of Maine.

We need to raise our voices to get the protections workers need and deserve. Can you take 10 minutes now to submit a brief comment on the draft rules? Check out .ly/PFMLRules for a guide to answer your questions about what’s in the draft rule and how to share your comments with the Dept. of Labor!

Opinion: Investing in Maine families through the paid family and medical leave will pay off "Investing in families’ health is an important cause in itself, but these investments are also beneficial to our state as a whole."

82% of U.S. voters believe that making it easier to care for loved ones should be an important or top priority for political candidates and policymakers.

The Data-driven Case for Care | Pivotal Ventures When the government, employers, and entrepreneurs help people care for their loved ones, everyone benefits. That’s why Americans overwhelmingly support policies and innovations that meet the needs of caregivers.

In the words of Howard Zinn: "It would be naïve to depend on the Supreme Court to defend the rights of poor people, women, people of color, dissenters of all kinds. Those rights only come alive when citizens organize, protest, demonstrate, strike, boycott, rebel, and violate the law in order to uphold justice."

Together, we can rally, organize, fight and win to build the institutions of democracy that we deserve.

Last week we celebrated 28 years of Girls' Day at the Blaine House with our recent participants and alumni. We are so inspired and energized by the power of our young leaders in Maine from all over - and grateful for the community of mentors and supporters of this community. Thanks April Fournier for Portland, Mary Turowski, and alumni Amelia Rice for taking the time to speak!

We knew that passing the new Paid Leave for All Law last summer was just the beginning of the path to ensuring all workers have the protections they need and deserve!

The Department of Labor released the draft rules (the detailed guidelines for how the program will be rolled out, and how it will work going forward) and we have until July 8th to submit comments on the proposal.

We need to raise our voices to ensure the law is equitable and works for all workers. Can you take 10 minutes now to submit a brief comment on the draft rules?

Check out .ly/PFMLRules for a comprehensive guide to answer your questions about what’s in the draft rule and how to share your comments with the Dept. of Labor!

“Policy is rarely a panacea. [There’s almost no demographic]that does not need to deal with maintaining your income while dealing with a person or family crisis,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, executive director of the Maine Women’s Lobby.

The DOL is accepting public comment on the PFML draft rules until July 8. Use our toolkit /PFMLRules to submit your comments today!

Maine Dept. of Labor says public is ‘definitely engaging’ in paid leave rulemaking • Maine Morning Star “Policy is rarely a panacea,” said Destie Hohman Sprague, executive director of the Maine Women’s Lobby. But paid family and medical leave may come as close as it gets for anyone who juggles family life and work. As Hohman Sprague pointed out, there’s almost no demographic “that does not n...