Maternal Profiling

By Cooper

As moms, we need to make some noise about something very important. At the BlogHer '06 conference in July, I saw the documentary film, The Motherhood Manifesto (from the co-founders of www.MomsRising.org,). I learned that in Pennsylvania, where I live, it is legal to ask someone in a job interview if they are married or have children. As you can guess, this discrimination (yes, discrimination!) hurts mostly moms and single moms.

But - This is not just in Pennsylvania! Pennsylvania is just one of 28 states in this predicament. These states aren't covered by the federal regs either. Here is a list of states where discrimination is covered, and not covered, in employment laws (see the marital/familial status column.)

Are you mad yet? Since BlogHer, I have been working with Joan Blades (co-founder of MoveOn.org) and others at MomsRising.org, as well as women in Pennsylvania to help get legislation passed that would make this practice illegal. It has been stalled in the state house and senate - for six years.

I wrote an article about this, titled Maternal Profiling, and it ran yesterday in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Please read it if you get a chance. If Pennsylvania can make a difference here, it would mean so much to moms and families everywhere, and could create momentum for many critical issues involving moms and families, not just on this type of discrimination. Pennsylvania could start a chain reaction, and, like I said, we need to drum up some noise.

Momsrising.org has create a web page for this issue, and I have been blogging over there too: www.momsrising.org/pa. Visit the site for more information, links to PA legislators' phone and emails, and a petition. You don't have to be from PA to send a message that this is important. It is especially important to get signatures on the petition, fast. So many times I talk about this people say, "I had no idea!" and that seems to be the biggest problem, the lawmakers think since no one is talking, nobody cares. From what I know about the DotMoms, we can change that pretty quick.

Cooper is the parent of two girls and two boys, ages eight to one. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., with her husband and children.

Comments

[Kristina]

Signed. I had no idea that this was still legal in any state! Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[cooper]

In one of those, wow, small world moments, I want to tell all of you that for the last month I have been hearing about and seeing some great letter writing and other outreach on this issue by a person named Anjali from a PA chapter of Mothers and More. Guess what? That Anjali is also our Anjali!!! Another DotMom! Why am I not surprised? DotMoms rock! Thanks Anjali and Mothers & More for all your amazing work on this issue. Isn't DotMoms so cool?

[Anjali]

Great article, Cooper. Thanks for doing your part for our cause!

[Robin P]

You already know my thoughts on this. I did go sign the petition.
Is there a petition to get rid of ALL stupid people in the business world? That would be wonderful!!