This year marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment granting some, but not all, women the right to vote. On this milestone, we reflect upon how far women have come and how far we’ve yet to go. We must elect candidates who will champion basic equal rights for women and girls. Montana National Organization of Women (NOW) endorses two such candidates:
Mike Cooney for governor and Raph Graybill for attorney general.
As lieutenant governor, Cooney played an integral role in the Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force, which advocates for policies and programs to help close the wage gap in Montana, including wage negotiation training, employer best practices, and helping draft legislation like the Paycheck Transparency Act.
“The Equal Rights Amendment should now be the law of the land,” says Graybill. “Montanans have long fought for equality for women, and voted to ratify the federal amendment in 1974. As a candidate, a feminist, and a Montanan, I am strongly committed to advancing equal rights regardless of gender, sexuality, or gender identity.”
It’s hard to believe we are still striving for equal rights for women and girls. But we are. Elect Graybill and Cooney!
Kelly Simmons
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 9/15/20