California NOW

Help Us Continue Fighting for Women!

We're proud that our work is moving California closer towards achieving women's equality and empowerment, even if our leaders continue to kick and scream along the way.

When the governor proposed eliminating the Commission on the Status of Women, we not only held a fundraiser to keep the Commission going, we made it our business to ensure the Commission and gender equity continued to be part of state government.  When the Governor eliminated the office of Women’s Health and tried to implement Health in All Policies without women, we were there to ensure all women were counted by the state in eliminating health disparities.

Right now we’re fighting to ensure women’s employment and women workers are part of California’s Strategic Plan for Economic Development & Jobs and we’re fighting to ensure domestic violence and rape law enforcement mandates remain and are finally paid for by all levels of government.

We’re also working with the Attorney General’s office to ensure that women across the state have access to full reproductive healthcare and that end of life directives are respected as Catholic healthcare corporations seek to expand their market share.  You can count on us to ensure that women and men will have the information they need to be an informed healthcare consumer.

The reason we can fight for all of these important issues is because we aren't financially dependent upon any of the special interest groups that run Sacramento.

Unfortunately, the down economy has hit our supporters hard which, in turn, has hit us hard. Even though we work on a shoestring budget, we're finding it more difficult to get by each month.

That's why we're holding a fundraiser. We know the ticket price is high and may be cost prohibitive for some of you but if you can afford to attend, we assure you that your TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation will be spent wisely. And please forward this to anyone you know in the LA area. If you cannot attend the event but would like to make a tax-deductible donation NOW, click here.

No other organization works on as many issues impacting women and girls as we do. And no other organization is as independent as we are. We hope you'll support our work by attending this fundraiser. It's a good tax deduction and a great investment in our daughters' future.

Why is Katie Couric Promoting Jason Patric?

Have you seen the promo for Katie Couric’s show today with Jason Patric? He’s the actor suing for custody of a child he donated sperm to create. In the clip, Katie asks why his name in not on the birth certificate. Really? Katie Couric doesn’t know the answer to that question?  It’s because he didn’t want his name on the birth certificate. It was a condition of his donating the sperm. The promotion is about him going from "Dad" to sperm donor. No, Katie - he wanted to be a sperm donor up until he decided he could use custody as a weapon against his ex-girlfriend.

Mr. Patric wasn’t turned into a sperm donor. It was the role he chose. When an ex-girlfriend decided she wanted a child and came to him to request his sperm, Mr. Patric made it clear he wanted nothing to do with the child. He was so adamant, he wrote a 20 page letter detailing how he would not be financially responsible or in any other way responsible for the child.  He insisted that his name not be included on the birth certificate and even lied to friends and family about being the father. After a brief reconcilation with the girlfriend a couple of years later, Mr. Patric decided he deserved joint custody and is now suing for that custody.

Mr. Patric is clearly a social dominance oriented individual who can’t stand the idea of a woman having more control than he does over what he now perceives to be his property.  Even in the clip posted on Katie Couric’s website, Mr. Patric displays aggression and malevolence towards the mother rather than love towards the child.

The only way Mr. Patric comes across as sympathetic is through lies and fabrications about what his role has been in the child’s life. But enough about him. The broader issue (that is worthy of discussion on Katie’s show) includes sperm donation, unwed fathers, non-biological lesbian mothers and the issues surrounding what makes you a parent.

The issues of gender, social dominance, combined with money in our legal system are all interjected in the case law surrounding family formation. Those issues are at the heart of the move by this actor to turn California law on its head for the sole purpose of allowing one man to use custody as a weapon against his ex-girlfriend.

The segment reveals more about Katie Couric and the producers of her show than it does about the motives of Mr. Patric.  Those of us who actually base decisions on facts clearly understand that Mr. Patric was and remains a sperm donor.  The more interesting question is why the mainstream media is willing to lie about the facts to overturn a law which protects lesbian couples as well as single men and women from frivolous litigation, regarding support and custody, while recognizing the rights of individuals to form family units through a mutual agreement to co-parent.

SB 115 reintroduces (as state policy) the premise that biology is everything - at least when that biology is connected to sperm.  Irrespective of the intentions of a lesbian couple to form a family together or a single mother to raise her child alone, the right of the biological sperm donor to decide that he wants to claim his property shall be affirmed and protected by the state of California.  Some have asserted that the right to support is implied in this statute. That is incorrect. That decision will be left to the California Supreme Court since it is not guaranteed by the language of the statute.

SB 115 is a one-way right written solely for the benefit of the sperm donor, who at any point can sue for custody.  There is no provision to exclude that right if a written waiver is signed at the time of donation.

Even more dangerous is the fact that SB 115 alters power relationships between women and men, even when they agree to mutually co-parent.  SB 115 interjects the superiority of male sperm donation in family formation, irrespective of written agreements. Such power is not given to egg donors or surrogates that are in the same position as sperm donors. It is not lost on us that the author and supporters of SB 115 have made no attempt to afford such power to mothers who are not listed on the birth certificate.
The issue of who should be considered a parent is complicated and should be treated with the utmost care taking into consideration both the rights and responsibilities owed to children in our society.

Biology is not everything, nor is it nothing. However, moving from our current system where mutual agreement to co-parent is the starting place to a male dominant system is not the answer. It negates the ability of lesbian couples and single women to control the make-up of their families.

Katie, you should be ashamed to be participating in such an anti-woman, anti-lesbian piece of legislation and the fabricated publicity campaign designed to ensure passage of this heinous legislation.  We know one thing for sure - we’re embarrassed for you.

Reproductive Rights Targeted in California

Catholic Hospital corporations learned a lesson from anti-choice Republicans in Texas and across the country -- if you can't change the law right away, just deny access. Help us fight back NOW.

Here in California, the battle has been waged by Catholic institutions taking over our local hospitals. Dignity Health is the largest non-profit provider in California with 60 facilities across our state.  Though the name has changed, Dignity follows the same Catholic tenets, requiring hospitals and doctors to abide by the chain’s “Statement of Common Values.” Those values include NO abortion, NO contraception, NO sterilizations, NO fertility treatment and NO DNRs or other end of life options.

Dignity Health has a plan to dominate California's healthcare market. All across the state, Dignity Health affiliated hospitals, medical centers and nursing homes have been seeking affiliation agreements with non-religious hospitals.

Before the Affordable Care Act and universal coverage, Dignity Health's expansion plans were confined to mergers or takeovers of county hospitals like MLK in Los Angeles. Now with universal healthcare coverage, Dignity Health's goal of dominating the healthcare market could become a reality.

When WOMEN heard about the takeover bid for MLK, WOMEN in Los Angeles organized and, with the power of a broad coalition, saved MLK Hospital.

Now we're fighting much more than a hospital takeover. The affiliation plans in Orange County include the newly formed Covenant Health Network that intends to create an integrated regional health system including the respective Southern California Hospitals, an expansive physician network, and numerous outpatient and urgent care facilities in Orange County and the High Desert.

Their plan - NO abortion, NO contraception, NO sterilizations, NO fertility treatment and NO DNRs or other end of life options anywhere!

Don't wait for Governor Brown to stop them because he not only doesn't have a problem with their desire to expand, he’s already opened the door to state government. Dignity Health’s CEO sits on the board of both the Bay Area Business Council and Governor Brown’s Strategic Growth Council. Those two boards are in charge of the state’s Strategic Plan for the Environment and Health. Yes, you read that right. The CEO for Catholic hospitals is helping to shape our state’s strategic plan on health.

This assault on women's health is happening to women across economic and geographic regions in California RIGHT NOW. So, I need you to push through any race or class privilege that makes you think you’re immune because you’re not. It’s time for all women to stand united and demand that full reproductive and non-reproductive healthcare be a priority for the State of California and its sub-divisions. We cannot allow women’s health and access to be compromised to ensure the profits and market share of Catholic corporations like Dignity Health.

California NOW is working every single day on this fight but we need the financial resources to continue our work.

Together, let's prove that California women won't allow Catholic hospitals to dictate our healthcare!

Tell Governor Brown to Expand Medi-Cal

Access to health coverage is a critical component in promoting the ability of women, their families, and communities, to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Studies have shown conclusively that lack of access to health coverage causes women to delay or forego needed health treatment, including both preventive and sick care. For women of childbearing age, this means that critical opportunities to improve their health before pregnancy are missed. If women can obtain regular health care services to help them quit smoking, achieve a healthy weight, and maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels, they are much more likely to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Two bills in the Legislature (ABX1 1/SBX1 1) would extend health coverage to more women of childbearing age and expand Medi-Cal benefits for pregnant women.

Here are some facts:

• As of 2011, an average of 25.3% of women of childbearing age were uninsured here in California.
• Of the uninsured, Latinas and immigrant women have the least access to health insurance and, as a result, experience disproportionate health disparities.
• About 856,000 uninsured women in our state would be eligible if Medicaid were expanded up to 138% of the federal poverty level.
• Currently, women up to 200% of the federal poverty level are eligible for only pregnancy-related and postpartum services. Providing full scope benefits to pregnant women will improve their overall health and help reduce premature and low birth weight babies.

These two bills will help to promote health equity here in California but we are not sure that Governor Brown will sign them.

That's why we're asking you to take a couple of minutes today to call Governor Brown at (916) 445-2841 and ask that he support ABx1 1 and SBx 1 1.

Governor Brown shouldn't just be hearing from health insurance companies on a bill this important. He needs to hear from us, urging him to stand up for women (especially Latinas and immigrant women) by supporting ABx1 1 and SBx1 1!

Can't call? No problem. Take a moment to email the governor by clicking here.

You can play a key role in promoting health equity in California. Please join me in calling Governor Brown NOW!

For Equality & In Solidarity,

Patty Bellasalma
President, California NOW

LA Needs a Strong Feminist for Mayor

We've been asked a lot why we endorsed the man in the race for LA Mayor. The reason is simple – Eric Garcetti is clearly the stronger feminist.

A perfect example occurred this past Sunday during the USC debate when the moderator asked both candidates if there should be an age restriction at which someone could access Plan B (emergency contraception) over the counter.

Wendy Greuel gave a perplexing answer for someone who boasts being endorsed by Planned Parenthood: Rather than state that emergency contraception should be available to any woman or girl who needs it without a doctor’s prescription, Wendy called herself pro-choice but then went on to say that the responsibility is between a doctor and their patient.

When the moderator pressed her, pointing out that many members of women’s health organizations believe there should be NO age restriction on access to emergency contraception, she replied, "Well again, I think that's a conversation between the young woman and, uh, the pharmacist and others about the ability to have access to that (access to Plan B). I think we need to teach our young women responsibility…..”

California NOW, along with our Reproductive Justice allies work tirelessly every day to ensure access to full reproductive healthcare, including over-the-counter emergency contraception, like Plan B, which is why California NOW endorsed Eric Garcetti. 

Eric Garcetti's words demonstrate why he’s the best choice for mayor. When the moderator asked Eric Garcetti the same question, Eric immediately replied, "No I don't believe there should be….(age restrictions on access to emergency contraception). We had a great program that we had in Hollywood to reduce teenage pregnancy that was actually so successful it was wound down - eighty-five percent cut in the amount of teenage pregnancies in Hollywood that were happening around Hollywood High School and the neighborhood. But we have to remember these girls, these young women, are often coming from sometimes abusive situations, may have been the survivors of sexual abuse in other situations. They might have that in the home, and I think if you make this be something that somebody has to describe to their parent, you remove those protections from some who have been the most abused and the most vulnerable, and that's the reason I oppose (restrictions on access to Plan B)"

In the race for LA Mayor, it's clear that the strongest feminist is Eric Garcetti. In addition to being a lifetime NOW member, Eric has worked on numerous advocacy campaigns, alongside local Los Angeles, state and national NOW leaders. He also authored the legislation for local implementation of gender equality (CEDAW - Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women). He sponsored city council sessions to educate the public about myths surrounding sexual assault, led the fight to secure the funding necessary to eliminate the backlog of DNA rape kits and fought to ensure that the LAPD have the resources necessary to process new kits on an on-going basis.

LA is the largest city in our state. It's the second largest city in the nation. LA needs a mayor who understands the issues and will answer a direct question on an important issue like access to Plan B.