A judge just sentenced a Stanford University star athlete--who was caught in the act of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman--to only six months in jail. Why? Because the judge, Aaron Persky, worried that a prison sentence would have a "severe impact on him"--yes, the rapist--and said, "I think he will not be a danger to others." It's a horrifying example of rape culture: when a judge is more concerned with the well-being of a rapist than with justice or public safety. This judge has no business staying on the bench. Now the story is making headlines around the country and Judge Persky is coming under fire. If we all speak out, we can generate enough outrage to force California's judicial oversight commission to remove Judge Persky from the bench--and send a message to judges and law enforcement everywhere that rape culture has no place in our courts. Will you add your name?

The Oklahoma Legislature just passed a bill that would make a doctor who performs an abortion guilty of a felony and subject to a prison sentence of up to three years. The legislation would prevent any physician who performs abortions from securing or renewing a license to practice medicine in the state. The bill would undermine the right to abortion in Oklahoma and punish women's health care providers. It's on its way to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, who has a reputation for being an anti-abortion Republican. But the governor, who's also acknowledged to be a potential running mate for the presumed GOP nominee for president, Donald Trump, has not yet said publicly if she will sign the bill into law. This is the first such bill in the nation. We absolutely cannot allow it to become law. That's why we need to reach Gov. Fallin immediately with a clear call for her to veto this reckless and dangerous bill.

The Oklahoma state legislature just passed a bill that proposes to charge doctors who perform abortions with felonies which could come with associated prison sentences of up to three years. The bill also also denies any physician who performs abortions from securing or renewing a license to practice medicine in the state. It's on its way to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin who has a reputation of being an anti-abortion Republican. But the governor has not yet decided if she will sign the bill into law. This is the first such bill in the nation. We can't allow it to pass, which is why we need reach Governor Fallin immediately with a clear call for her to veto this reckless bill, which restricts women's rightful access to necessary health care.

HB 386 is working its way to the Governor in Louisiana. This bill would extend the mandatory waiting period for an abortion to 72 hours. Under the bill, women who live as far as 149 miles away from a clinic would be forced to drive over three hours to the clinic, take three or more days they may not have off of work, and find child care and a motel room to sit and wait out the government's intrusive clock. All for a common, safe procedure that 1 in 3 women will undergo. But some women cannot wait this long due to personal need or medical circumstance, and those who can will travel to other states. That means waiting periods for everyone. States that have passed similar laws have wasted millions defending them in court also, and Louisiana is about to do the same. Aren’t we in a budget crisis? Governor Bel Edwards and the legislature should focus on fixing the budget rather than attacking women.

Florida women can’t afford irresponsible and inconsistent representation in Congress.

The Florida State Legislature recently passed a law defunding Planned Parenthood, which Governor Rick Scott signed. This action would force Planned Parenthood clinics across the state to close later this year. As a result, millions of low income women will be left without basic reproductive health care. They will be unable to receive screening and diagnostic tests that prevent the spread of cancer, std's and other diseases, at an affordable cost. They would also be unable to access birth control, which prevents the need for abortions in the first place. How many women will die because of the actions of Governor Scott and the Florida legislature?

As the current law in Tennessee stands, expecting mothers may only receive pay at the employer’s discretion. We, a group of female students at Lipscomb University, would like to see this change. Why? The answer is simple: In today’s economy, no matter the situation, a woman cannot afford to be without pay for months at a time. The cost of living is rising. Basic needs from housing to groceries are becoming less affordable even for couples, let alone single women who by choice or by no choice conceive a child. To be expected to take a few months away without pay is frankly impossible. We are also concerned about part-time employees who receive no benefits. Many jobs only hold a handful of full-time positions within their companies. Often women in need of a job are forced to settle for part-time hours because there are no openings for a full-time position. This really hurts when it comes to pregnancy because part of the reason that corporations keep so few full-time employees is to avoid providing necessary benefits. If a woman becomes pregnant while working part-time, she has no choice but to either go straight back to work after giving birth or accept unemployment benefits which more than likely will not match her working wage. As part of the current bill, employers who do provide maternity leave to employees are only required to hold a similar job for a woman if she chooses to take leave. This means that someone else will step into her job, so when she comes back, she will essentially start over in a like-position. We would like to see progressing, career-oriented women be able to pick up where they left off exactly. Several developed countries provide paid leave for their expecting mothers with no economic consequences. Therefore, we believe that the benefits outweigh the costs of businesses providing paid leave to their employed mothers-to-be. The first few months of a newborn’s life are crucial for mental and physical health. Babies are more likely to be breast-fed, which helps protect them from serious infection. Women who are able to stay home with their newborn report fewer depressive symptoms, reducing the risk of developing depression after quickly returning to work and leaving their child with another caretaker. Let’s help all women get the benefits they deserve: to receive their living wage during leave, to be able to enjoy the first weeks of their child’s life, and to continue progressing their career once they return to the workplace. We have mailed a copy of the bill with these revisions to our state representatives. Please sign this petition to show support for these changes.

Paul Song is a sexist bully. It is not right to refer to any woman as a "whore." We do not need people practicing medicine in our country who refer any woman in public as a "whore."

Before I was elected to the Oregon Legislature, I worked in the tech sector – an industry that is dominated by men and often criticized for wage discrepancy among employees based on their gender. But unequal pay isn’t just a problem in the tech sector. In most industries women are paid less than their male coworkers. Today is Equal Pay Day, a symbol of the length of time women would have to work into the next year to make the same amount of money as their male counterparts. For women of color, the wage gap is even greater than the often quoted 79 cents on the dollar. In 2015, I took action on these discrepancies and championed legislation that would expand Oregon’s equal pay law, increase wage transparency, and protect employees from retaliation – a critical reform that empowers works to seek better pay. But we’re not done. I’m calling on Congress to do more to make it equal – and I hope you’ll join me. Sign the petition: Tell Congress that it’s time for equal pay for equal work. Let’s build momentum to take this important step for equality. Join me today.

Q: When do WORLD CHAMPS get paid far less than LOSERS? A: When they're women playing World Cup Soccer. That's right, the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team — which recently won the World Cup in a final that was the most watched soccer game in American TV history with approximately 23 million viewers — is paid far less than the men at nearly every level of competition, from playing "friendly” matches, to qualifying and playing in the World Cup. Now, several members of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team are taking action to level the playing and paying field by filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) because the U.S. Soccer Federation pays the reigning World Cup champions far less than their male counterparts. Equal pay matters on every field. Believe it or not, what happens on the sports playing field directly impacts corporate field. A new study found the correlation between women’s success on sports playing fields and success in the workplace is indisputable. "Girls who play sports have greater social and economic mobility, grow up healthy and confident, and perform better in school. In fact, 74% of executive women agreed that a background in sports can help accelerate a woman’s leadership and career potential.” - Fortune Magazine. So support the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and all women, and sign on now!

All women are affected by unequal pay. This is a striking example of inequity.

Donald Trump revealed what we have known for a long time: Anti-abortion zealots in the GOP want to punish women. Many PA State Representatives are jumping on Trump’s “Women Must be Punished” bandwagon. This ban is part of the plan by anti-choice zealots to punish women and criminalize doctors who perform abortions. Here is what you need to know about 20-week bans: 20-Week Bans Are Part of an Agenda to Ban All Abortion: The introduction of these bans doesn’t come in isolation. They’re part of a dangerous, out-of-touch, and coordinated effort to chip away at abortion access. Anti-abortion politicians in the General Assembly are pushing their agenda, bit by bit, to ultimately outlaw abortion completely. 20-Week Bans Criminalize Doctors: Politicians shouldn’t have the right to take options away from doctors in dangerous medical situations or prevent them from informing patients about all their health care options — and politicians certainly shouldn’t be allowed to force a woman to carry a pregnancy to term with no chance of survival. 20-Week Bans Are Unpopular: These bills — and the extreme agenda they are part of — are deeply unpopular with the public. When Americans understand the real-world impact of 20-week bans, a solid 60 percent of voters oppose them. In fact, 78 percent of Democrats, 62 percent of Republicans, and 71 percent of Independents — say this is the wrong issue for legislators to be spending time on. 20-Week Bans Are Unconstitutional: 20-week bans are unconstitutional and a clear attempt to erode Roe v. Wade at the expense of women’s health. In fact, 20-week ban proponents are outspoken about their goal to challenge the 1973 Supreme Court decision protecting a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion.