our purpose
Changing
Cultural Attitudes and Images - Charlottesville
NOW seeks to free women and men from the
oppression of pre-determined gender roles. Stereotyping
limits aspirations and opportunities for women and girls in
education and careers. Using demeaning images and language
to depict women in the media fosters attitudes of male
supremacy and acceptance of violence against women.
Passing and Ratifying the
Equal Rights Amendment - State laws to uphold
women's rights are inconsistent and often inadequate.
Therefore, Charlottesville NOW believes that only an
amendment to the United States Constitution will guarantee a
national standard for the elimination of sex discrimination.
The 1972 ERA language, that “equality of rights under the
law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or
by any State on account of sex,” would shift the burden of
proof to those who want to discriminate between women and
men.
Improving the Economic Status of Women - Charlottesville NOW is dedicated to empowering women financially and overcoming society's apathy towards the feminization of poverty. The vast majority of the poor in our country are women and children. Barriers inhibiting access to basic education, health care, and social services—and the persistence of low-income “women's work”—contribute to an ongoing cycle of poverty. We work to reduce the disparity in earnings between men and women (known as the “wage gap”); eradicate sex discrimination in employment, credit, insurance, inheritance laws, taxes, and advertising; and increase the number of women in positions of power.
Protecting and Strengthening Reproductive Freedom - Charlottesville NOW works towards a society that guarantees women the right to personal freedom in decisions concerning their own bodies, especially the right to choose childbearing. Reproductive freedom includes access to vital health care, including preventative screenings, contraception and family planning, abortion and adoption services, accurate and comprehensive sex education, and instruction in responsible decision-making.
Supporting and Protecting Families - Individuals develop best within supportive families and involved communities, so equitable and healthful family life is a primary goal of Charlottesville NOW. Families are most supportive when the adults have a mutual respect for one another and share household responsibilities fairly. Communities are most healthy when citizens have access to affordable health care, as well as child care and the enforcement of child support, foster care and adoption services, elder care, and other social services. Therefore, we encourage the development and protection of all nurturing environments—whether in the myriad non-traditional family structures, or the “traditional” families, which constitute a very small proportion of family units in this country.
Eliminating Racism
and Protecting Minority Rights - Charlottesville
NOW is committed to eliminating discrimination against
individuals, including their sex, race, color, creed,
religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital
status, or national origin. We particularly want to end the
double burden carried by women of color because of the
discrimination they experience due to their race as well as
their sex. We work to secure full human rights for all
people, including lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and
transsexuals. We seek a unified women's movement that
promotes respect for the uniqueness and dignity of every
individual. We believe fully in respect for privacy, freedom
from harassment and discrimination, and acceptance of the
right of everyone to choose a traditional or non-traditional
family structure for themselves, without government
intervention.
Eliminating
Violence against Women - Charlottesville NOW
works to eliminate violence, especially sexual violence,
against women and children. The assumption that violence is
acceptable or inevitable must be changed. We need to
strengthen public education about exploitation,
pornography—particularly violent pornography—and the
negative effects of cultural stereotypes, which promote the
acceptance of women and children as objects and victims. We
also need to ensure enforcement of laws which protect women
and children from prostitution and slavery.
Promoting Equity in
Religious Institutions - Because religion is the
framework upon which our laws and values are based, and
because many religions are permeated with sexist
assumptions, a major goal of Charlottesville NOW must be to
promote the fundamental respect for every individual through
all religious institutions and traditions. Fair-minded and
far-seeing leadership must be developed, since leadership so
often determines the rituals and practices of religious
institutions. Symbolic and practical affirmations must
replace elements of religious institutions and traditions
which discriminate against or degrade women. Efforts to
achieve NOW's purpose will not be sufficient without
including this goal.
