Happy New Year 2023 – from the land of the Pee Dee.
In a 3-2 ruling, the South Carolina state Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s six-week ban on abortion violates the state’s constitution. While this is a step in the right direction for women’s public health in South Carolina, I want us to have several statistics on our minds as we plan our education and other programming over the course of the year.
Did you know?
"If progress continues at the rate of change since 1975, Arkansas and Georgia will be the first Southern states to have gender parity in their state legislature (both in 2066). Two Southern states— South Carolina and West Virginia—will have to wait over 200 years for parity."
In the South, if working women aged 18 and older were paid the same as comparable men, the poverty rate among all working women would fall by more than half, from 9.4 to 4.6 percent. In South Carolina and five other states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Virginia) —the poverty rate would also decrease by more than half. The poverty rate among working single mothers in the South would drop by nearly half, from 30.8 to 15.9 percent, if they earned the same as comparable men.
South Carolina had the highest murder rate in the country at 2.32 per 100,000 women—nearly double the national rate. Although over half (53 percent) of homicides of women by men are committed using a firearm, South Carolina is one of seven southern states that has no statutes restricting gun possession for those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, sex, or stalking crimes, or those subject to domestic violence protection orders."
Let us reflect on these notes as we plan and implement our programs in fulfilling the League’s mission with specific emphasis on education, health care, and other inclusive Legislative matters.
With that, again January is “ Poverty in America Awareness” and “Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness” Month.
- January 15 – World Religion Day
- January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- January 24 – International Day of Education
- January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
In preparation for Black History Month, in February, please also note that many Leagues and organizations throughout our communities are hosting several events for American Heart Month.
DEI resources
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Institute for Women’s Policy Research: 2023 Status of Women in the South - Executive Summary
