In the News
Press Release: TEN-YEAR MONITORING PERIOD ENDS IN TITLE IX CLASS ACTION AGAINST SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
November 19, 2024FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS:Julianna Gesiotto, California Women’s Law Center(323) 951-9847, julianna.gesiotto@cwlc.org.Elizabeth Kristen, Legal Aid at Work(415) 593-0052, ekristen@legalaidatwork.org. TEN-YEAR MONITORING PERIOD ENDS IN TITLE IX CLASS ACTION AGAINST SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTConcluding a Decade of Improvements to Girls’ Athletic Facilities, Opportunities, and Distribution of Resources at Castle Park High School and Beyond. LOS ANGELES,
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Civil rights orgs show support for gymnasts in lawsuit against SF School District
February 8, 2024Click here to access article by: Dan Santella Posted: Jan 25, 2024 / 06:23 PM CST Updated: Jan 26, 2024 / 12:39 PM CST SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A Better Balance, the California Women’s Law Center, Equal Rights Advocates, Legal Aid at Work and the Women’s Sports Foundation cover similar ground. “The five organizations that we filed on
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Opinion: California’s paid parental leave’s faults exacerbate gender inequality
September 26, 2023Click here to access article By Phoebe Brous Sept. 15, 2023 12:09 p.m What if Barbie had a nine-to-five, three kids and no babysitter? Greta Gerwig’s summer blockbuster “Barbie” illustrates our cultural obsession with women’s “choice,” or the feminist promise that women can pursue any career while raising a family. But can women really become astronauts
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California Court Grants Restraining Order Based on Coercive Control
September 8, 2023California Court Grants Restraining Order Based on Coercive Control Click here for link to article 8/31/2023 by CARRIE N. BAKER “The judge essentially said, ‘A marriage license does not give a person permission to subjugate their spouse,’” said Lisa Fontes of the landmark ruling against coercive control, a type of domestic violence. In September 2020, California Gov.
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California Court Says Domestic Abuse Includes Inflicting Economic Harm
August 17, 2023State court broadens domestic abuse protections to include economic harm Updated: Aug. 16, 2023, 8:23 p.m.Bob Egelko www.sfchronicle.com/ Judges have long been able to order perpetrators of domestic violence to halt the abuse and stay away from the spouse or partner they were abusing. Now a state appeals court says the same rules can apply
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Press Release: California Supreme Court Rules in Boermeester v. Carry
August 4, 2023For Immediate ReleaseAug 3, 2023 Media ContactNazirah Ahmad704-290-6869ERA@emccommunications.com SAN FRANCISCO – The California Supreme Court ruled this week (July 31) that private higher education schools are not required to allow cross-examination of survivors of sexual and domestic violence in student misconduct hearings, distancing California from a Trump Administration practice that singled out victims of gender-based
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California holds Social Media Companies Accountable
September 16, 2022This week Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 587, a first-of-its-kind social media transparency measure. Earlier this summer, CWLC Executive Director Betsy Butler joined Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills), community leaders, and civil rights organizations at a press conference to advance the passage of this measure. AB 587 will establish greater transparency from social media
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CWLC discusses Equal Pay Day and the Gender Pay Gap
March 24, 2022March 15, 2022 marked Women’s Equal Pay Day – the day we recognize that the average woman in the United State must work into the next calendar year to earn the amount an average man made in the previous year. Women in the U.S. are paid 83 cents for every dollar paid to their male
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The Period Project with Ms. Magazine
February 24, 2022Accessible and affordable menstrual products remain out of reach for millions. California Women’s Law Center partnered with Ms. Magazine to create the #MsPeriodProject— to shed light on the states where the most work is needed to end period poverty and ensure free menstrual products for all who need them. #MsPeriodProject is a 3-part series exploring
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CWLC Speaks to NBC 7 About Abortion Rights
December 3, 2021The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument on December 1, 2021 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the first case the Court has considered on the constitutionality of a pre-viability abortion ban since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. CWLC Senior Staff Attorney, Chelsea Mutual, spoke to NBC 7 San Diego about the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s
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CWLC Responds to the U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument on Abortion
December 3, 2021“Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?” – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument yesterday in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the first case the Court has considered on the constitutionality of
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Report Shows Anti-Abortion CPCs Receive Federal and State Funding to Mislead Clients, Provide Few Services
October 28, 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 28, 2021 CONTACT: Betsy Butler, betsy.butler@cwlc.org, 323-951-1041 Los Angeles, CA – The California Women’s Law Center (CWLC) partnered with The Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (The Alliance) on a newly-released report exposing how one anti-abortion strategy has been quietly unfolding for decades in states across the country,
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Pro Bono Amicus Brief by CWLC and Troutman Pepper Contributes to Major Appellate Win for Survivors of Domestic Violence
October 28, 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 27, 2021 CONTACT:Chelsea Mutual, chelsea.mutual@cwlc.org 323-951-1041 ORANGE COUNTY, CA. – A June 2021 amicus curiae brief co-authored by the California Women’s Law Center—together with a team of Troutman Pepper attorneys working pro bono—has contributed to a powerful appellate win for survivors of domestic violence in California. The appeal sought to challenge
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Civil Rights Nonprofit Organizations and City of Santee Work to Ensure Gender-Based Athletic Equity in Community Sports
August 17, 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 5, 2021 CONTACT:Kim Turner – 415-593-0054kturner@legalaidatwork.orgBill Maertz – 619-258-4100bmaertz@cityofsanteeca.govBetsy Butler – 323-951-1041betsy.butler@cwlc.org Civil Rights Nonprofit Organizations and City of Santee Work to Ensure Gender-Based Athletic Equity in Community Sports Agreement to Help Instill a Level Playing Field for City’s Girls Santee (August 5, 2021) – The City of Santee, California (“Santee” or “City”), Legal Aid At Work’s Fair Play
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CWLC and ERA advocate for the rights of victims before California Supreme Court
July 16, 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 16, 2021 CONTACT: Amy Poyer, amy.poyer@cwlc.org, 323-951-1041 LOS ANGELES, CA — California Women’s Law Center and Equal Rights Advocates, represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, earlier this month filed an important amicus brief in support of the University of Southern California before the California Supreme Court in Boermeester v. Carry. The issue before
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Troutman Pepper Pro Bono Team Files Amicus Brief on Behalf of California Women’s Law Center and 24 Nationwide Co-Signatories
June 23, 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2021 CONTACT:Amy Poyer, amy.poyer@cwlc.org, 323-951-1041 ORANGE COUNTY, CA—On June 17, 2021, a Troutman Pepper pro bono team filed an amicus curiae brief in California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three, on behalf of the California Women’s Law Center and 24 supporting co-signatories from around the country, including the Battered
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CWLC settles with Vista Unified School District over Title IX dispute
June 2, 2021Amy Poyer, Senior Staff Attorney for the California Women’s Law Center, was recently interviewed by ABC 10 San Diego about the Vista Unified School District Title IX athletics settlement involving female athletes at Vista High School. The girls’ softball team had inferior facilities, equipment, scheduling, promotion, and participation gap in comparison to the boys’ baseball team and other boys’ sports
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California Women’s Law Center Reaches Agreement to Level the Playing Field at Vista High School
May 25, 2021FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 25, 2021 CONTACT:Amy Poyer, amy.poyer@cwlc.org, 323-951-1041Kim Turner, kturner@legalaidatwork.org, 415-593-0054 California Women’s Law Center Reaches Agreement to Level the Playing Field at Vista High SchoolAgreement to Create a Level Playing Field for Girls Vista, CA: The Vista Unified School District is focused on their commitment to equity as a district value. To that
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CWLC Executive Director Speaks at SAGE’s Southern California Virtual Town Hall
May 5, 2021On April 22, 2021 CWLC Executive Director Betsy Butler spoke with SAGE for their Southern California Virtual Town Hall about California’s aging LGBT population and the policy changes taking place to help ensure older residents live with dignity and respect. Watch the discussion with the panelists here.
CWLC comments on the importance of collecting pay data in California
December 24, 2020Amy Poyer, Senior Staff Attorney for the California Women’s Law Center, talked with Law360 about the importance of Senate Bill 973 which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September. The bill seeks to address wage disparities in California by requiring large employers to submit annual pay data sorted by gender, race, ethnicity and job category to the Department of Fair Employment
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CWLC Speaker Series with Congressman Adam Schiff
December 17, 2020On December 16, 2020, The California Women’s Law Center was delighted to host a Speaker Series with Congressman Adam Schiff which was moderated by Brad Sears of UCLA Law School. The conversation underscored a number of pressing issues impacting women, families and the LGBTQ community as well as a discussion about the economic challenges we are experiencing due to COVID-19. To
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CWLC teams up with LA Sparks for Pay Equity Panel
December 14, 2020California Women’s Law Center is expanding a number of partnerships to be more effective advocates for women and girls. We are particularly proud of our strengthened relationship with WNBA Champions the Los Angeles Sparks. We are grateful the LA Sparks are using their platform to strengthen our communities via their #WeAreGirls Workshop, which seeks to
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CWLC Represents Plaintiff in Title IX Case Featured by Law 360
October 19, 2020The California Women’s Law Center and The Zalkin Law Firm are representing a plaintiff who has accused the University of Southern California of acting negligently and with discrimination in a Title IX sexual assault case. Read Law 360’s piece featuring this case: “USC Law Grad Says School Rigged Rape Investigation”
Law.com Features CWLC Title IX Campus Sexual Assault Case
October 19, 2020The California Women’s Law Center and The Zalkin Law Firm are representing a plaintiff who has accused the University of Southern California of acting negligently and with discrimination in a Title IX sexual assault case. Read Law.com’s piece featuring this case: “‘Replete With Sexual Misconduct’: Former USC Law Student Accuses Officials of Rigging Rape Investigation”
CWLC Talks to NBC7 About the Legacy of Justice Ginsburg
September 25, 2020Like millions of women and men across the country, CWLC was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg’s sharp legal mind and staunch support of the rights of women and girls made her a fierce champion for equality. CWLC Senior Staff Attorney, Amy Poyer, spoke to NBC7-San Diego
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OpEd in Ms. Magazine: Black Women Paid Far Less than White Men
August 26, 2020Read CWLC’s piece in Ms. Magazine: Black Women Must Work 8 Extra Months to Be Paid Like White Men This year’s Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year a Black woman in the United States must work to earn the same amount as the average white man made last year,
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Op-Ed in Ms. Magazine: What the 2020 Census Means for Women
May 9, 2020Read CWLC’s piece in Ms. Magazine, Wondering How to Support Women and Girls? Fill Out Your Census. The federally-mandated census will guide $1.5 trillion dollars in government spending involving more than 300 programs, and it will be used to inform electoral districts across the country. An accurate count is especially important for women, as disproportionately
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CWLC Featured in Sacramento News and Report
January 16, 2020Read the Sacramento News and Report piece, Women Protect Their Rights, Pursue Equality, and Fight Trump. Women all over California are finding ways to assert their rights and fight for equality. The California Women’s Law Center’s Executive Director, Betsy Butler, was interviewed about CWLC’s legal and advocacy efforts to protect and advance the rights of
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CWLC on The Deciders: The Challenges Faced by Aging Women
December 21, 2019Listen to CWLC Executive Director, Betsy Butler, discuss the challenges of aging with Renee Fraser on KABC’s The Deciders. Aging women face unique challenges. Enduring life-long pay inequity means a woman has less financial stability in her later years, and this and many other forms of discrimination compound to present unique challenges for aging women.
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Op-Ed in San Diego Union-Tribune: The Politics of Women’s Health
October 30, 2019Read our full Op-Ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune: Political agendas are threatening your health care if you have a uterus. Relentless attacks on abortion access and family planning funding have opened the door for public funding to flow to ideologically-driven organizations that oppose contraception, teach abstinence-until-marriage, and only offer national family planning options like
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CWLC on The Deciders: Supporting Survivors and Spreading Awareness
September 27, 2019As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we invite you to tune in tomorrow, Sept. 28th, at 5:30pm to hear CWLC Executive Director Betsy Butler discuss violence against women on The Deciders with Renee Fraser on KABC 790 AM. As you’ll hear, CWLC is teaming up with Handbags of Hope to collect new and gently used handbags filled with personal care
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CWLC Featured in Easy Reader News
September 25, 2019Read the full Easy Reader News piece Betsy Butler in the Service of Equality The California Women’s Law Center’s Executive Director, Betsy Butler, has a long history of fighting for justice, including the rights of women and girls. Her story was featured in the El Segundo Easy Reader News, a publication covering the local region
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Ms. Magazine Op-Ed: Hazing case could mean safer campuses for women
August 15, 2019Read our featured Op-Ed in Ms. Magazine, What This Title IX Case About Hazing Means for Women on Campus. Title IX is most known for the impact it has had on girl’s access to sports– but athletic opportunity is just one way this law enforces gender equality. A recent court case demonstrates that Title IX’s
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Op-Ed in Ms. Magazine: Title IX, Women’s Soccer, and Equal Pay
July 22, 2019Read our piece featured in Ms. Magazine, Title IX Made the USWNT Win– and Their Fight for Equal Pay– Possible. Even with a massive platform, an outpouring of public support, and Nike’s highest-selling soccer jersey, the players on the U.S. Women’s National Team are still battling against pay discrimination. In more ways that one, these
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The Argonaut Op-Ed: Closing the pay gap after USWNT soccer victory
July 18, 2019Read our Op-Ed published in The Argonaut, Title IX Helped America Win the World Cup; Now It’s Time to Close the Pay Gap. Equality wins championships and access to sports can change girls’ lives. When 20 million people tuned in to watch the U.S. Women’s National Team win their fourth World Cup title, most weren’t
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Op-Ed in LA Times: Thank Title IX for World Cup Win
July 10, 2019Read our Op-Ed published in the LA Times, Captivated by U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Victory? Thank Title IX. The U.S. Women’s National Team is fierce, and underscores the success of Title IX as well as the persistence of gender discrimination. Their 2019 World Cup victory was entirely due to the hard work and talent of
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CWLC on KPBS Radio: What Aging Means for Women
May 22, 2019Watch the KPBS “Midday Edition” live radio broadcast, Graying California: Profiles of Aging in the Golden State. Older Californians are the fastest growing age group in our state, and many are finding it challenging to age with dignity. Aging women have unique needs, as CWLC’s Executive Director, Betsy Butler, highlights in this panel discussion hosted
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