On International Women’s Day, A Better Wisconsin Together Calls on Lawmakers to Prioritize Gender Equity

MADISON, Wis. — To commemorate International Women’s Day, A Better Wisconsin Together is demanding that our elected lawmakers enact policy that ensures Wisconsin is an equitable, free, and safe place for women across race, age, and zip code.

“To make Wisconsin a better place for all women, our elected officials have a duty to enact comprehensive policies that address critical issues facing women in our state,” said Lucy Ripp, communications director at A Better Wisconsin Together.

This year, we are calling on Wisconsin lawmakers to protect and expand abortion access, and finally address a growing list of other issues that are disproportionately impacting women, including:

Childcare access and affordability;
Comprehensive paid family and medical leave;
Postpartum Medicaid coverage;
And fair wages.

Governor Evers, the Biden Administration, and Democratic lawmakers have largely laid the groundwork for these policies to be adopted, by introducing and supporting legislation like the Reproductive Freedom Act, the Right to Contraception Act, comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave, Child Care Counts, Medicaid expansion, and more – but Republican lawmakers have blocked these efforts at every turn.

Republicans are also responsible for repealing Wisconsin’s Equal Pay Enforcement Act, a bill that allowed victims of wage discrimination – disproportionately women – to fight for fair pay in court.

“It is time that Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin get on board with gender equity and pass legislation that ensures women’s equal rights and freedoms in the Badger State,” said Ripp.

This International Women’s Day and beyond, call your elected representatives and demand they support policy that helps Wisconsin women thrive. Reach your state representatives at 1-800-362-9472, and your federal representatives at 202-224-3121.