If you are able and want to participate, I hope you will. Please use this opportunity to amplify the voices of women from marginalized groups who don’t have the ability to participate in the strike. Many women fear losing their jobs, fear reprisals from people in their lives who do not understand the purpose of this strike or live in a personal situation which simply does not and cannot allow for it. If you are in a group that is not marginalized by our society, please use that privilege to bring attention to issues affecting women of color, women from non-Christian religions or cultures, women with disabilities, LGBTQ women and any other woman who exists as part of a group that is regularly shuffled off to the side.

How you can participate:

Wear red today to show your solidarity with women. Spend no money today. If you must spend money, please try to do it at small, woman or minority owned businesses. Do not engage in any work, paid or unpaid.

If you tweet, do so using the hashtags #adaywithoutwomen or #InternationalWomensDay.

Hopefully we can impress upon our legislators that women will no longer be accepting a tut-tut and a pat on the head when we demand our rights and equality. We will no longer be accepting laws that take away our rights to manage our bodies and lives as we see fit. We need to realize the power we have and come together to use it for the good of our world. To paraphrase the words of Angela Y. Davis, it is time that we no longer accept the things we cannot change. It’s time to change the things we cannot accept.

That said, no rest for the weary!  Activism is not included in the unpaid work category. We are NOT paid protesters!

Federal:

RYAN CARE

The GOP and Paul Ryan are trying to rush a totally inadequate ACA replacement, but this bill is dead on arrival. It gives tax cuts to the wealthy while potentially leaving millions without adequate care. Conservatives hate it, calling it “Obamacare Lite”: in other words, it is just a weaker, meaner version of the law Paul Ryan claims to hate. Let’s demand to know where our representatives in Washington stand on health care. If they are so hot to get rid of ACA, make them offer an alternative that will maintain coverage for pre-existing conditions and dependents under 26, and mandated health coverage for all.

Script: 

Hello, I am a constituent in zip code _____ and I am calling to urge Rep./Senator ___________ to oppose the GOP replacement for the ACA. This plan covers fewer people by severely cutting Medicaid, costs more for everyday citizens, and needlessly targets Planned Parenthood. Please urge Sen./Rep. ____________ to oppose this bill.

STATE

NC House Bill 62
In the spirit of National Day Without Women, Planned Parenthood is inviting people to engage in a letter-writing campaign on two bills, HB 62 and HB 163, both of which are attacks on women’s health and women’s reproductive freedom. We’ll call on HB 163 soon, but let’s focus on HB 62 for now.

Script:
I am a constituent in zip code ______ I am calling to voice my opposition to House Bill 62 which requires doctors to dispense unproven medical advice to women seeking safe early term abortions using medication, adding unnecessary burdens and potentially increasing late term abortions. This bill is yet another in a series of attacks against women’s reproductive health. Please ask Sen/Rep________ to vote no on this bill. Thank you for your time.