On June 7th the Democrats Abroad Global Convention adopted the Democrats Abroad Platform. Please have a look here to read the platform: Our Platform - Democrats Abroad, which one of our DA leaders called “a page turner” platform. As one of the drafters (amongst many ,many others), I am proud of our platform, as it is both realistic and progressive.
Importantly, our platform reflects all of the work being done by the Women’s Caucus. The two planks that most affect our Caucus are “Children and Families” and “Gender and Sexual Identity Equality.
Here are a few excerpts to inspire you.
From the Children and Families Plank:
“All parents deserve an opportunity to support and bond with their children after birth, and all children deserve quality childcare. We advocate to extend policies to all American workers that provide both parents with six months paid parental leave which can be shared between the two parents.”
From Gender and Sexual Identity Equality Plank:
“True gender equality means that all people should have equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities regardless of their gender and requires that the interests, needs and priorities of all people are taken into consideration and treated equally – while recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men, as well as all trans, intersex, and non-binary persons.
Democrats Abroad underlines the fact that women – their interests, needs, and priorities --be given equal consideration. Women are more frequently affected by gender discrimination than men, and women of color, lesbians, trans women, poor women, teenage girls, and women with disabilities are most affected by policies and practices that discriminate based on gender.
Democrats Abroad are committed to protecting and advancing sexual and reproductive-health rights and justice in the United States. We believe unequivocally that every human being living in the United States should have access to quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care services, including birth control methods and safe and legal abortions regardless of where they live, their economic status or their insurance coverage. We will continue to fight against efforts to defund and otherwise restrict sexual and reproductive health services which provide critical health services to millions of poor people.
Individuals as well as families have the right to make the decision to have a child or not. Such rights should include the right to a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth, the right to adopt a child and the right to health and support services during pregnancy and after the birth of a child. They should also include adoption and social support services without discrimination including parental leave for both parents. We oppose efforts to defund and restrict sexual and reproductive-health services.
Pregnancy discrimination must stop. Policymakers must fully ensure pregnant individuals are not penalized in their work and careers because of their pregnancy. Pregnancy should not be a legally permissible excuse not to hire, to justify firing, or to deny merited promotions.
Democrats Abroad recognizes that unequal provisions in childcare negatively affect gender equality in both the workplace and in the home. We support concrete comprehensive actions to permit both parents to be equally involved in all aspects of their child's life, including providing six months shareable parental leave.
Sexual violence and harassment and other sexual, physical, emotional or psychological (including verbal) abuse, threats or coercion, and even economic or educational deprivation based on an individual’s sex or gender identity or expression is deeply rooted in harmful gender norms and inequality and exists in epidemic proportions in the United States, impacting mental and reproductive health and violating rights, including in some cases, the right to choose if, when, how, and with whom to engage in sexual activity.
So, I encourage all of our Action Teams to get busy to make our platform work for us and transform our aspirations into reality. To volunteer for one of our action teams, send an email to us at the DA Women’s Caucus at [email protected].