International Women's Day
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International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a great day to tell the women in your life how important they are to you. Well, every day is a good day to do that.
The first Women’s day was on 28 February 1909, in commemoration of the 15,000 women who protested in New York against harsh working conditions and lesser wages.
In 1910 it was proposed as a national holiday in Germany. On 19 March 1911, the first International Women’s Day was held, with more than 1 million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland taking part.
The day’s purpose varies by country. In some, it's a day of protest, while in others, it's a means to promote gender equality. In some countries, International Women's Day is observed as a national holiday.
In the US it is barely recognized. But it is a good day to recognize that women are less than equal and do something about it
Women and Equality - Not Close
Women are more likely to be in low-wage jobs, experience sexual harassment, and be responsible for caregiving. They also have higher poverty rates, earn less than men, and are underrepresented in political office.
Gender-based violence has long-term health and economic effects on survivors and their families. It also has costs related to health care, criminal justice, and lost productivity.
Gender bias continues to create barriers for women, including ensuring equal economic opportunities, educational equity, and an end to gender-based violence.
While there is federal legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in federal programs, sending the right to an abortion to the States severely damaged women’s right to bodily autonomy. If fact, 40% of women of child bearing age live in states with bans or strict time limits. Some even impose criminal penalties. This inequality was mentioned in last night’s State of the Union message.
There are people who want to strip VOTING rights away from women. The Republican candidate for governor of North Carolina is one of those. (Rolling Stone) PS DON’T VOTE FOR HIM, Mark Robinson.
Inequality in Healthcare
There is a good book on how women are treated differently called Sex Matters, by Dr. Alyson McGregor. It isn’t just lack of awareness of symptoms, or not listening or the bias built into the medical profession. She highlights the lack of fundamental research into how women’s bodies work and how to account for those differences in diagnosis and treatment.
Reproductive Health
Women are less than full citizens with bodily autonomy in almost half of the United States and subject to prosecution when seeking an abortion in many states. This is not just healthcare this is subjugation by those that seek to create an authoritarian theocracy in the US.
What’s the Norm?
Research has also shown that men are treated as the norm in medical education texts, while women are underrepresented. For example, a study of 17 anatomy textbooks found that men are represented more frequently than women. Another study found that men are more likely to be depicted as the "normal body" even when there is no reason to show one sex over another.
Disparity in Pain
It's widely known that although women experience more chronic pain conditions than men — whether it's fibromyalgia, endometriosis, or migraine — their pain is treated less seriously. 45% of women in a recent study said their healthcare providers did not take their pain seriously. Women experiencing pain are more likely than men to receive a sedative prescription instead of a pain medication prescription. Here is a Harvard Reference on that topic
Cardiac Issues
Women present cardiac issues, like heart attack, differently from men and suffer for it because not everyone is familiar with the different symptoms.
The results of a study, published online, Dec. 10, 2018, in the Journal of the American Heart Association, adds to evidence that physicians who care for women may be less conscious of and attentive to these risk factors in their female patients, and that women sense that their concerns are not taken as seriously as they should be.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, women are more likely to report disparities in care and treatment for heart disease than men. These disparities include: communication problems with providers, doctors not listening and overall dissatisfaction with their healthcare experience
Health Insurance Disparities
According to the WHO, the average employed woman on single coverage spends 18% – more out-of-pocket spending on healthcare per year than a man, excluding pregnancy-related expenses. Employers in the US are required to provide healthcare insurance premiums at an equal cost to women and men. Many products and services that women require are just not covered.
Summary
There is such a long way to go. Reproductive healthcare needs to be restored. Additional research into women’s healthcare needs to get into high gear. Insurance plans need to step up and cover the follow up care and medicines that are not covered for women. The medical profession needs to listen and be aware that women are not men and treat them appropriately.
The Biden administration investment in Women’s Health issues of $100 million is a start, but just a start. So let’s take the action below to help improve the lives of more than half of us.
ACTION
Let’s remind our members of Congress and Senators know that we want equality for women in the US. That means pass
The Equal Rights Amendment
H.R. 12/S. 701 - The Women’s Health Protection Act - that restores abortion rights
H.R. 767/S.4467 - Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act
H.R. 4121/S. 1999 - Right to Contraception Act
Their contact info is in the Resources section. While we are at it we should ask them to approve additional funding for fundamental research into women’s health to level the playing field.
Or use RESISTBOT on your cell phone by texting SIGN PVZSLA to 50409 to send the email below:
“I am your constituent. First, happy International Women’s Day. This is a good day for you to start making sure that women are treated equally. I strongly encourage you to pass
The Equal Rights Amendment
H.R. 12/S. 701 - The Women’s Health Protection Act - that restores abortion rights
H.R. 767/S.4467 - Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act
H.R. 4121/S. 1999 - Right to Contraception Act
I also want you to make sure you know that according to the WHO women have more out of pocket medical costs than men and please address that. This does not include pregnancy related items. Thank you. Remember that my vote is based on these issues.”
RESOURCES
Healthcare Advocacy (Us)
Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare
Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Find My Elected Officials
Contact the White House https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Contact State and Federal Representatives
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All
Physicians for a National Health Program
One Payer States
Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
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