Elimination Violence Against Women
In Recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, The Women Safe Abroad Project of the GWC Violence Against Women Team will conduct a very special interview with the leaders of Pathways to Safety, the only organization created specifically to support US victims of violence while living, traveling or working abroad. Violence against women and girls is a persistent pandemic that often remains silenced and in the shadows. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is a day of awareness and action. We urge you to participate in the 16 days of activism developed by UN WOmen and join the GWC and Pathways to Safety event.
Sign the Petition
When Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA on January 27, 2020, all constitutional requirements for the ERA to become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution were satisfied. Yet, the ERA has not been published by the Archivist, who is deferring to the opinion issued by the previous Administration’s Office of Legal Counsel. The GWC is urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to take the immediate action of directing his newly confirmed Director of the Office of Legal Counsel, Christopher Schroeder, to withdraw the January 6, 2020 opinion memo from the Attorney General Barr Department of Justice. Please sign the ERA Coalition's public petition to the Attorney General, asking him to correct this error and let history be made.
Our LeadersDA Global Women's Caucus Leadership:
News
GWC November 2021 Newsletter
Letter from the Editor
There is not a day that goes by that the Global Women’s Caucus is not aware of the immense threats to the rights of women and girls all over the world, however the ability to act on every development, or appreciate every advance, is difficult to do. Awareness doesn’t always involve an act, per se, but rather also a clear intention to be well informed. By gathering information from reputable sources and understanding how to express that information, we can all be warriors against mis and disinformation. As we celebrate holidays, once again in person with our loved ones, the GWC invites you to practice awareness as we both recognize the threats to women all over the world and discuss ways to alleviate these threats.
This GWC newsletter is taking on a different look to accommodate our growing caucus, but some elements still remain. Check out our Artist’s Corner and read ERA excerpts written by our members.
We hope you enjoy this edition, and we look forward to seeing you at our events!
Stayce Camparo, Communications Co-director, Global Women’s Caucus
Over 10,000 members and growing! Join us
Fighting Fire With Facts Won’t Put Out the Flames
Mike Lindell’s highly criticized symposium in August failed to validate his belief that Biden did not win the election, but it did showcase attendees’ reluctance to engage with facts. One speaker began his remarks with, “…the CNNs of this world, you guys need to stop fact checking this and start reporting it.” Journalists and news organizations have a professional obligation to fact check and it is right that they do so, but facts alone don’t necessarily help to refute conspiracy theories and lies. Using facts as the main tool to convince someone that Covid vaccinations protect rather than harm, for example, can push conspiracists further into their own belief.
This is because human beings have a built-in confirmation bias; we tune out facts that don’t confirm our existing beliefs. Even when we present a climate change denier with geological evidence that today’s climate change is driven by humans and not part of a natural cycle, it’s highly unlikely to change their minds. It’s not because deniers are too dumb to understand the science; rather, a fact that doesn’t confirm what someone already believes tends to be either disregarded or rationalized away. Often it is the more intelligent who are the best at rationalizing a fact to fit their belief. Our brains resist evidence that goes against an opinion we’ve already formed.
It’s not just our minds that resist belief-opposing-facts, our hearts do too. Peer pressure isn’t just powerful on the playground or behind the gym, it has a big influence as adults on which opinions matter to us, and the opinions that matter determine the facts that matter. Political bodies have even used social media, enabled by bots (automated software) to successfully persuade voters in elections. The good news is that who we see as the “cool kids” can be influenced and can change.
Storytelling, centered around facts and truth, based on deep commonalities is a very effective way to help people want to hang out with the science nerds rather than the kid with the biggest car. You can show your uncle the figures proving cats kill more birds than windmills, or you can concede that windmills do kill some birds. Good, truthfulf storytelling can affect who we feel close to, and in turn whose opinions and what facts matter to us. It can dampen the flames of conspiracy theories and help seeds of consensus sprout in fresh ground.
Upcoming Events
Monday, January 17, 2022 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada) · 11 rsvps
Call for Volunteers
We are currently looking for motivated team players to join our Violence Against Women research project. Our project provides tactical, practical information to American women overseas who find themselves in violent situations. Our efforts also go towards advocating for legislation stateside.
We’re looking for a minimum 3 month commitment, a passion for this cause, and people who are team players.RSVP to join one of our upcoming Zoom calls and learn more.
Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US & Canada) · 38 rsvps
Framing Political Discourse
Join us to hear Dr. Dustie Spencer guide us through how to use the tool of “framing” to bridge Democratic messaging to a larger and often sceptical constituency of voters. Dr. Spencer has pointed out that “Republican framing is very efficient, but framing an issue doesn’t need to be a lie.” It can be highlighting a less important aspect of an issue, as Republicans do with citing “national security” as threatened by a more humane policy that offers a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.
Dr. Spencer teaches Global Studies as a visiting Assistant Professor at Pusan National University, South Korea. She earned her PhD from the University of Edinburgh where her studies focused on transnational activism and social movements framing.
During her talk, Dr. Spencer will offer an overview of how frames work to impact our opinions and thus voting habits. She will suggest ways that Democrats can effectively listen to the narratives of those around us and structure an effective response. Dr. Spencer notes that listening to the grievances of our friends and families can help us identify which frames they are using. Once their frames of reference are clear, we can use them to connect on their key issues so Democratic policies can resonate with them. Spencer cites human rights as an issue where campaigns in this field have become excellent at stressing the universal human rights of all humans as an important and critical frame to the success of global social movements today.
After Dr. Spencer’s presentation, there will be time for questions, so do email you questions in advance to [email protected]