NOW: Advocating for your rights for over 30 years

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Lesbians and gays were an integral part of the March for Women's Lives.

by Gail McWilliams

Akron-For over 30 years, the National Organization for Women has been at the forefront of the struggle for women's rights and human rights. From the onset, lesbian rights has been one of the group's core issues. As true progressive women and men, NOW advocates for women's health, reproductive freedom, constitutional equity, economic equity, and an end to racism, homophobia and violence against women and girls.

Many Ohioans attended the March for Women's Lives on April 25. Realizing that sexism, racism, classism, ageism and homophobia are all connected and are fruit from the same poisonous tree, NOW knew that it was time again to make their voices heard loudly and clearly. It was one of the four original organizers of the march. Attended by well over a million people it was the largest march in American history.

The March for Women's Lives was about many crucial issues affecting society. It was about having the right to choose one's own destiny; it was about being able to choose when, how or even if to have families. It was about marriage equity. It was about equal education opportunities guaranteed by law for all Americans. It was about freedom to work and to be equally compensated for that labor. It was about empowering social services to care for the disabled, disadvantaged and disenfranchised and empowering those same citizens to adequately care for themselves. It was about universal, affordable health-care for all Americans. It was about making the minimum wage a livable wage. It was about affordable housing. It was about ending violence against women and children.

Simply Better!

It was about clean air and water.

It was about Americans becoming citizens again instead of a nation of consumers. It was about giving peace a chance. NOW's national theme this year is the Drive for Equality. Voter registration, education and mobilization are crucial to effect change in the face of the repressive rightwing juggernaut that currently holds sway in the government. NOW urges everyone to join the fight for rights.

Women are the clear majority of the population of the United States. For too long a vocal minority has been controlling our electoral process. Get involved in local politics. Get involved with candidates and issues. Find out who your elected representatives are and what they stand for. If they take a stand that you agree with, tell them. If they take a stand that you disagree with, tell them.

Write or call them. Don't e-mail, e-mails are too easily erased. Exercise your right to vote in November. If you are not registered to vote, register now. If your family members, friends and associates are not registered, urge them to register now. Make the commitment now to talk to ten people about voting. Take the elderly to the polls. Give a ride to someone

to vote.

Advocate for what is important to you. Stand up for your rights. Vote for your very lives.

To contact Akron Area NOW, e-mail oneamazon@earthlink.net or call 330-3362578. For more information on the National Organization for Women go to www.now.org.

Gail McWilliams is the president of the Akron Area chapter of NOW.

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