Quote of the day...

"Women of America: Put your lipstick on, square your shoulders, suit up...the revolution starts tonight."
~Senator Barbara Mikulski, moments after Senate Republicans blocked the effort to move forward on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

Can we really handle another four years of an administration that puts issues of parity (ALL issues of equality, not just those concerning women) on the back burner? If we continue to accept the status quo, I'll be a few years away from retirement age before the wage gap is closed (current estimates put this at 27 years, considering the rate of change over the past 30 years). The fact that passing this bill may create liability for corporations and open them up to ongoing lawsuits is NOT a good reason to dismiss this issue. These companies should be held liable for not paying female employees an equal wage.

In the interim, we'll see more and more women dealing with issues like this one. Because every time the fair pay issue is knocked down in the Senate, it sends a message to employers that it is OK to treat women as second-class citizens, to pay them less, to fire them on the off chance they might become pregnant, and to dismiss serious allegations of discrimination as "hysteria."

This morning's Huffington Post...

Has a piece by Martha Burk about Equal Pay Day - the day we "celebrate" (and I'm using that term loosely) when women stop working for free each year due to the wage gap. A vote on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (an addition to or reinstatement of - depending on your perspective - the Equal Pay Act of 1963) was blocked this week in Congress by Republicans.

Burk says: "The vote is particularly unfortunate when you break the numbers down. That 77 cent figure is only an average. Women of color fare much worse; African American women get 72%, Hispanic sisters make 59%, and Native American women come in last, bringing in only 58 cents to the man's dollar. That means a big part of the female population is dragging along near the bottom. Over a work life, pay gaps like these add up to more than $500,000. It means the difference between owning a home and renting, sending your kids to college versus sending them to flip burgers, and a decent retirement versus struggling in old age."

Read the entire piece here.

What can we do (beside get really, really angry)? Educate yourself about it. Write to your state representatives. Ask for a raise (skip to Chapter 7, "Mind the Gap," if you're in a hurry).

Nice props for Skirt Rules for the Workplace...

from the Williamsburg Regional Library's "suggestion a day" blog.

I don't know the blogger, Jessica, (and no, I didn't pay her for this one), but her review made my day!

Today's P&C article about the conference...

Nice mention of Saturday's conference in the business section this morning. Read it here.

Next event: Women in Business conference, Charleston SC

Saturday March 29, 8am-2pm
The Center for Women and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce team up again to present Women in Business: The Power of Connection at the Charleston Area Convention Center. This conference integrates women business owners and professionals into mainstream networks and expands their business opportunities by providing direct access to successful business leaders in the tri county region.

I'll be leading two "Rules for Work" workshops during this one-day event and books will be available for purchase/signing. Space is limited and you can register at the Center for Women's web site or by calling 843.763.7333.

I heart Knoxville...

My first visit to Tennessee - loved it! The Women's Expo was a lot of fun...got off the plane and editor Janet took me straight there for hair, makeup and a tv appearance on WBIR's Style show. The reading/signing was on Saturday and I was backstage for a while with Bob Greene (though I was too nervous about getting out on this big giant stage with video screens to even speak to him...sorry, Bob!).

This is me with Janet Testerman, Skirt! Knoxville editor, waiting "backstage" to go on air with the Style show.

Janet and sales director Nancy Parrish took me out to dinner in downtown Knoxville Friday night for sushi and we had a lot of fun. Knoxville is a cool place!

Getting ready to sign books at the Skirt! booth after my reading. Yes, those are belly dancers looking for career advice.

Columbia College event...

I was in Columbia last week for "You First, Next Step," a networking event at Columbia College. Skirt's Columbia editor, Jenny Maxwell, tells it better than I can here (and there are pics from the event...I know, I look TIRED. It was early morning).

Thanks to Jenny and Tammie Willmore and all the amazing women who put the event together!