I want to ask you to think about the topic that’s brought us together as part
topic that’s brought us together as part
topic that’s brought us together as part of worldwide Tet events about the topic
of worldwide Tet events about the topic
of worldwide Tet events about the topic of women I want you to think about what
of women I want you to think about what
of women I want you to think about what you mean when you say women most people
you mean when you say women most people
you mean when you say women most people immediately start to think about the
immediately start to think about the
immediately start to think about the supposed to opposite category of men and
supposed to opposite category of men and
supposed to opposite category of men and in fact man has been the implicit norm
in fact man has been the implicit norm
in fact man has been the implicit norm the default category against which women
the default category against which women
the default category against which women have been considered less than other two
have been considered less than other two
have been considered less than other two when we start to think about the
when we start to think about the
when we start to think about the categories we use we start to ask about
categories we use we start to ask about
categories we use we start to ask about not only men and women but about people
not only men and women but about people
not only men and women but about people who may identify as gender
who may identify as gender
who may identify as gender non-conforming or trans in my invitation
non-conforming or trans in my invitation
non-conforming or trans in my invitation is for you to continue to ask these
is for you to continue to ask these
is for you to continue to ask these questions they’re hard questions they’re
questions they’re hard questions they’re
questions they’re hard questions they’re sometimes uncomfortable questions but
sometimes uncomfortable questions but
sometimes uncomfortable questions but they’re very important for us to really
they’re very important for us to really
they’re very important for us to really think about the people in the world
think about the people in the world
think about the people in the world around us what categories we use to
around us what categories we use to
around us what categories we use to understand them how we might
understand them how we might
understand them how we might misunderstand them my challenge is for
misunderstand them my challenge is for
misunderstand them my challenge is for all of us also to recognize the
all of us also to recognize the
all of us also to recognize the assumptions we bring with us
assumptions we bring with us
assumptions we bring with us what are we thinking about when we talk
what are we thinking about when we talk
what are we thinking about when we talk to different men and women think about
to different men and women think about
to different men and women think about questions that women are asked what were
questions that women are asked what were
questions that women are asked what were you wearing when you were attacked or
you wearing when you were attacked or
you wearing when you were attacked or harassed did you properly lean in at
harassed did you properly lean in at
harassed did you properly lean in at work if you want to succeed do you
work if you want to succeed do you
work if you want to succeed do you negotiate the way men do think about how
negotiate the way men do think about how
negotiate the way men do think about how these questions place blame on
these questions place blame on
these questions place blame on individual women for systemic and
individual women for systemic and
individual women for systemic and structural inequalities this is a
structural inequalities this is a
structural inequalities this is a challenge to say when am i making these
challenge to say when am i making these
challenge to say when am i making these assumptions when do I need to question
assumptions when do I need to question
assumptions when do I need to question what I mean by women and if I am
what I mean by women and if I am
what I mean by women and if I am supporting gender inequality or Frank
supporting gender inequality or Frank
supporting gender inequality or Frank and continuing in the legacy of
and continuing in the legacy of
and continuing in the legacy of patriarchy most if not all contemporary
patriarchy most if not all contemporary
patriarchy most if not all contemporary societies have evolved from histories of
societies have evolved from histories of
societies have evolved from histories of patriarchy in which men have added
patriarchy in which men have added
patriarchy in which men have added undo share of power and the kinds of
undo share of power and the kinds of
undo share of power and the kinds of questions I was talking about are ones
questions I was talking about are ones
questions I was talking about are ones that have been used to criticize condemn
that have been used to criticize condemn
that have been used to criticize condemn punish even kill women when they don’t
punish even kill women when they don’t
punish even kill women when they don’t match some supposed ideal of womanhood
match some supposed ideal of womanhood
match some supposed ideal of womanhood when they don’t conform to Convention
when they don’t conform to Convention
when they don’t conform to Convention and we need to take up my invitation and
and we need to take up my invitation and
and we need to take up my invitation and my challenge if we want to actively
my challenge if we want to actively
my challenge if we want to actively continue to do the work of dismantling
continue to do the work of dismantling
continue to do the work of dismantling patriarchy something that existed in
patriarchy something that existed in
patriarchy something that existed in most societies for centuries doesn’t go
most societies for centuries doesn’t go
most societies for centuries doesn’t go away in a few generations our
away in a few generations our
away in a few generations our institutions are built on the bedrock of
institutions are built on the bedrock of
institutions are built on the bedrock of unshared power and this is where
unshared power and this is where
unshared power and this is where feminism comes in feminism and I’ve
feminism comes in feminism and I’ve
feminism comes in feminism and I’ve defined it there’s a lot of
defined it there’s a lot of
defined it there’s a lot of misinformation feminism is simply a
misinformation feminism is simply a
misinformation feminism is simply a belief in equality of people of all
belief in equality of people of all
belief in equality of people of all sexes and genders because historically
sexes and genders because historically
sexes and genders because historically women have experienced a lack of equity
women have experienced a lack of equity
women have experienced a lack of equity and equality feminism means advocating
and equality feminism means advocating
and equality feminism means advocating for women’s rights in many years of
for women’s rights in many years of
for women’s rights in many years of researching teaching talking debating
researching teaching talking debating
researching teaching talking debating learning about gender I’ve discovered
learning about gender I’ve discovered
learning about gender I’ve discovered that most people believe in gender
that most people believe in gender
that most people believe in gender equality what they don’t always agree on
equality what they don’t always agree on
equality what they don’t always agree on is the strategies they should use who
is the strategies they should use who
is the strategies they should use who they should prioritize when who the
they should prioritize when who the
they should prioritize when who the leaders should be that’s why I like to
leaders should be that’s why I like to
leaders should be that’s why I like to talk about feminism and I have to make a
talk about feminism and I have to make a
talk about feminism and I have to make a shout out to Susan Stanford Friedman who
shout out to Susan Stanford Friedman who
shout out to Susan Stanford Friedman who first told me about this magical s that
first told me about this magical s that
first told me about this magical s that we can have diverse ways of practicing
we can have diverse ways of practicing
we can have diverse ways of practicing our feminism we don’t have to agree but
our feminism we don’t have to agree but
our feminism we don’t have to agree but we need to form coalition’s we need to
we need to form coalition’s we need to
we need to form coalition’s we need to think about ways to come together and
think about ways to come together and
think about ways to come together and continue the fight of achieving the
continue the fight of achieving the
continue the fight of achieving the Equality that people have been working
Equality that people have been working
Equality that people have been working on for a long time across history even
on for a long time across history even
on for a long time across history even as there we’ve had patriarchal societies
as there we’ve had patriarchal societies
as there we’ve had patriarchal societies we’ve also always had people asking
we’ve also always had people asking
we’ve also always had people asking those hard uncomfortable questions
those hard uncomfortable questions
those hard uncomfortable questions resisting the status quo and they’re the
resisting the status quo and they’re the
resisting the status quo and they’re the reason that we can have Ted women that
reason that we can have Ted women that
reason that we can have Ted women that we can be here hearing stories about
we can be here hearing stories about
we can be here hearing stories about women’s lives locally and globally and
women’s lives locally and globally and
women’s lives locally and globally and connect
connect
connect to one another one important way that we
to one another one important way that we
to one another one important way that we can continue to think about global
can continue to think about global
can continue to think about global connections between women is Sita this
connections between women is Sita this
connections between women is Sita this is the Convention on the elimination of
is the Convention on the elimination of
is the Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against
all forms of discrimination against
all forms of discrimination against women
women
women it’s a UN treaty ratified in 1979 people
it’s a UN treaty ratified in 1979 people
it’s a UN treaty ratified in 1979 people call it the International bill of rights
call it the International bill of rights
call it the International bill of rights for women it defines what discrimination
for women it defines what discrimination
for women it defines what discrimination is it suggests measures that can be
is it suggests measures that can be
is it suggests measures that can be adopted in multiple sites in order to
adopted in multiple sites in order to
adopted in multiple sites in order to address discrimination and achieve
address discrimination and achieve
address discrimination and achieve greater gender parity it also recognizes
greater gender parity it also recognizes
greater gender parity it also recognizes that not every location is the same
that not every location is the same
that not every location is the same there will be cultural differences so it
there will be cultural differences so it
there will be cultural differences so it allows for countries to support each
allows for countries to support each
allows for countries to support each other even as they do the work on the
other even as they do the work on the
other even as they do the work on the ground it’s an important way of
ground it’s an important way of
ground it’s an important way of connecting a local in the global in the
connecting a local in the global in the
connecting a local in the global in the United States you may wonder why haven’t
United States you may wonder why haven’t
United States you may wonder why haven’t I heard about Sita well that’s because
I heard about Sita well that’s because
I heard about Sita well that’s because it’s not yet ratified by the United
it’s not yet ratified by the United
it’s not yet ratified by the United States the United States is one of only
States the United States is one of only
States the United States is one of only six UN member countries that has not
six UN member countries that has not
six UN member countries that has not ratified the International bill of
ratified the International bill of
ratified the International bill of rights for women as people describe Sita
rights for women as people describe Sita
rights for women as people describe Sita now some people will say this is because
now some people will say this is because
now some people will say this is because we don’t need it in the United States
we don’t need it in the United States
we don’t need it in the United States got a smart crowd of course we do need
got a smart crowd of course we do need
got a smart crowd of course we do need it even if we had much better numbers
it even if we had much better numbers
it even if we had much better numbers than I’m showing you right here we can
than I’m showing you right here we can
than I’m showing you right here we can always think about improving however
always think about improving however
always think about improving however these numbers are not painting a pretty
these numbers are not painting a pretty
these numbers are not painting a pretty picture
picture
picture the numbers are grim we’re not a global
the numbers are grim we’re not a global
the numbers are grim we’re not a global leader in the United States in terms of
leader in the United States in terms of
leader in the United States in terms of gender equity we’re not even in the top
gender equity we’re not even in the top
gender equity we’re not even in the top 20 17 % of elected officials are women
20 17 % of elected officials are women
20 17 % of elected officials are women when they make up more than half the
when they make up more than half the
when they make up more than half the population more than one in seven women
population more than one in seven women
population more than one in seven women live in poverty and women on average
live in poverty and women on average
live in poverty and women on average earn 79% of men’s wages and these
earn 79% of men’s wages and these
earn 79% of men’s wages and these numbers are striking enough but when we
numbers are striking enough but when we
numbers are striking enough but when we start to look at the data by the
start to look at the data by the
start to look at the data by the diversity of women we find that women of
diversity of women we find that women of
diversity of women we find that women of different races experience either
different races experience either
different races experience either higher inequality in terms of the wage
higher inequality in terms of the wage
higher inequality in terms of the wage gap when I show you these numbers after
gap when I show you these numbers after
gap when I show you these numbers after telling you that the United States has
telling you that the United States has
telling you that the United States has not ratified Seeta there’s an
not ratified Seeta there’s an
not ratified Seeta there’s an opportunity here to go back to
opportunity here to go back to
opportunity here to go back to questioning our assumptions defining our
questioning our assumptions defining our
questioning our assumptions defining our Terms thinking about how to build
Terms thinking about how to build
Terms thinking about how to build bridges between our beliefs and our
bridges between our beliefs and our
bridges between our beliefs and our practices a question to ask ourselves
practices a question to ask ourselves
practices a question to ask ourselves why does gender inequality persist in
why does gender inequality persist in
why does gender inequality persist in the US decades after anti-discrimination
the US decades after anti-discrimination
the US decades after anti-discrimination laws and there are lots of different
laws and there are lots of different
laws and there are lots of different answers but one way we can start to
answers but one way we can start to
answers but one way we can start to think about applying our answers and
think about applying our answers and
think about applying our answers and achieving greater gender parity in the
achieving greater gender parity in the
achieving greater gender parity in the United States is by following heceta
United States is by following heceta
United States is by following heceta precept of making the global/local so
precept of making the global/local so
precept of making the global/local so many people have decided that even
many people have decided that even
many people have decided that even though the United States has not
though the United States has not
though the United States has not ratified C da that we can go ahead and
ratified C da that we can go ahead and
ratified C da that we can go ahead and make use of the lessons learned on the
make use of the lessons learned on the
make use of the lessons learned on the global stage at the local level in the
global stage at the local level in the
global stage at the local level in the 1990s San Francisco became the first US
1990s San Francisco became the first US
1990s San Francisco became the first US city to adopt the CEDAW ordinance and
city to adopt the CEDAW ordinance and
city to adopt the CEDAW ordinance and less than a year ago
less than a year ago
less than a year ago Pittsburgh became the sixth city the
Pittsburgh became the sixth city the
Pittsburgh became the sixth city the seven
[Music]
[Music] it is it’s really exciting Cincinnati is
it is it’s really exciting Cincinnati is
it is it’s really exciting Cincinnati is now the seventh city and as we speak
now the seventh city and as we speak
now the seventh city and as we speak Pittsburgh’s office of Mayor William
Pittsburgh’s office of Mayor William
Pittsburgh’s office of Mayor William Peduto is creating a gender equity
Peduto is creating a gender equity
Peduto is creating a gender equity Commission I’m going to leave you with
Commission I’m going to leave you with
Commission I’m going to leave you with some sobering numbers about Pittsburgh
some sobering numbers about Pittsburgh
some sobering numbers about Pittsburgh because this is very exciting in years
because this is very exciting in years
because this is very exciting in years of working on gender equity this has
of working on gender equity this has
of working on gender equity this has given me hope and optimism because
given me hope and optimism because
given me hope and optimism because measurable change has been achieved by
measurable change has been achieved by
measurable change has been achieved by using CEDAW as a tool to look at the
using CEDAW as a tool to look at the
using CEDAW as a tool to look at the local picture and customized strategies
local picture and customized strategies
local picture and customized strategies so I’m very excited but there’s a lot of
so I’m very excited but there’s a lot of
so I’m very excited but there’s a lot of work and we all need to be part of this
work and we all need to be part of this
work and we all need to be part of this work 71% of families in Pittsburgh
work 71% of families in Pittsburgh
work 71% of families in Pittsburgh living in poverty are headed by single
living in poverty are headed by single
living in poverty are headed by single women over 6,000 women sought help in
women over 6,000 women sought help in
women over 6,000 women sought help in shelters in the Greater Pittsburgh area
shelters in the Greater Pittsburgh area
shelters in the Greater Pittsburgh area and often they’re seeking help from
and often they’re seeking help from
and often they’re seeking help from intimate or domestic partners we need
intimate or domestic partners we need
intimate or domestic partners we need cultural shift to address why within our
cultural shift to address why within our
cultural shift to address why within our families and our homes and our
families and our homes and our
families and our homes and our neighborhoods women are in so much
neighborhoods women are in so much
neighborhoods women are in so much danger to go back to wages and the gap
danger to go back to wages and the gap
danger to go back to wages and the gap in earnings the gaps exist in Pittsburgh
in earnings the gaps exist in Pittsburgh
in earnings the gaps exist in Pittsburgh and in some cases they’re even worse for
and in some cases they’re even worse for
and in some cases they’re even worse for women of color all of these statistics
women of color all of these statistics
women of color all of these statistics are important only because these are our
are important only because these are our
are important only because these are our neighbors these are our lives these are
neighbors these are our lives these are
neighbors these are our lives these are not women’s issues these are human
not women’s issues these are human
not women’s issues these are human issues and they matter to all of us and
issues and they matter to all of us and
issues and they matter to all of us and not only do they matter to all of us we
not only do they matter to all of us we
not only do they matter to all of us we have a lot of research that shows us
have a lot of research that shows us
have a lot of research that shows us there’s a great business case for gender
there’s a great business case for gender
there’s a great business case for gender equity a organization such as the World
equity a organization such as the World
equity a organization such as the World Bank has tracked how when women succeed
Bank has tracked how when women succeed
Bank has tracked how when women succeed economically the overall global economy
economically the overall global economy
economically the overall global economy is stronger so remember all of us are in
is stronger so remember all of us are in
is stronger so remember all of us are in this together
this together
this together and we need to work together and
and we need to work together and
and we need to work together and practice our diverse feminism’s because
practice our diverse feminism’s because
practice our diverse feminism’s because when women succeed our communities
when women succeed our communities
when women succeed our communities thrive thank you
thrive thank you
thrive thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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