We provide all the tools you need to call or send messages to your members of Congress, contact your state legislators about pressing issues, and more.
Two-Minute Activist
Join AAUW advocates in the fight for equal pay, equity in education, paid leave, protections against sexual harassment and more. Sign up to get regular alerts on when and how to engage, including sending letters to your legislators, writing letters to the editor and other timely calls to action.
Sign upYou provide the voice. We'll provide the megaphone.
Affirm the Equal Rights Amendment
It’s been a century since the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced, and despite some progress, women’s equality is still at risk due to fluctuating legislative decisions. Without the ERA in the U.S. Constitution, advances in women’s rights that we took for granted are at risk of being weakened or even reversed. Waiting a century for over half of the U.S. population to attain constitutional equality is long enough. Tell Congress, not one more year!
It Only Takes Two Minutes!
Join AAUW in urging Congress to improve and expand legislation protecting our access to education, economic security and civil rights.
Education
Support Title IX – Write a Letter to the Editor
The U.S. Department of Education finalized the long-awaited updates to Title IX. Now, we need Congress to know that people support this strong and robust Title IX rule that will protect students experiencing sexual harassment, strengthen supports for pregnant and parenting students, and includes LGBTQ+ students.
Support the Gender Equity in Education Act
In the five decades since its enactment, Title IX has opened doors for girls and women from classrooms to playing fields. But despite tremendous progress, challenges to equity in education still exist. That’s why we need the Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) to ensure schools and educational institutions have the resources they need to comply with civil rights law.
End the Student Debt Crisis
Women hold two-thirds of the country’s $1.7 trillion student debt. As a nation, we rely on women to add to and strengthen our economy. That can’t happen under mountains of student debt. Ask your members of Congress to support legislation that would make college more affordable for all students and help millions of borrowers across the country pay off their student debt.
Pass the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act
All children should have equal opportunity to succeed. Yet, millions of students are in schools with school-based law enforcement but without essential support such as counselors, nurses, school psychologists, or social workers. Urge your members of Congress to invest in keeping all kids safe at school and support students to ensure their educational success.
Pass the Safe Schools Improvement Act
Whether based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity or any other characteristic, bullying and harassment interfere with students’ ability to learn. Urge your members of Congress to support the Safe Schools Improvement Act to build educational environments safe from bullying and harassment.
Workplace & Economic Equity
Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act
The gender pay gap is persistent. To address it, women need the right tools to challenge discrimination and employers need incentives to comply with the law. It’s time for Congress to make real change for all families by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act.
Pass the Salary Transparency Act
Transparency around pay helps prevent rampant discrimination and empowers workers to understand how their pay compares with that of fellow employees. Congress must ensure that everyone can benefit from salary transparency practices—no matter what kind of job they have or where they work.
Pass the FAMILY Act
Unlike the majority of developed countries worldwide, the United States does not guarantee paid annual leave, paid time off for illness or family care, or paid parental leave. And for many Americans, this unpaid time off work is untenable and it threatens their economic security. That’s why AAUW is calling for passage of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, which would create a national self-funding paid family and medical leave insurance program.
Support the Healthy Families Act
Too many American workers are forced to face the choice between a job and their health or the health of a loved one every time they get sick or a family member needs care. That’s because at least 34 million private-sector workers — nearly one-third of the workforce — don’t have access to paid sick days.
Pass the BE HEARD in the Workplace Act
The far-reaching effects of workplace harassment cannot be overstated, as this widespread problem often impacts an employee’s pay, advancement and well-being. This is particularly true for women, people of color, and those working in low-paid jobs. It’s time for Congress to act to strengthen protections against harassment for all working people.
Raise the Federal Minimum Wage
Raising the minimum wage is an important part of ensuring women’s economic security and that of their families. Women make up nearly two-thirds of minimum-wage workers nationwide, and women of color in particular are over-represented among tipped workers and other low-wage workers. The country supports higher wages — urge your members of Congress to fight for working women.
Civil Rights
Affirm the Equal Rights Amendment
It’s been a century since the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced, and despite some progress, women’s equality is still at risk due to fluctuating legislative decisions. Without the ERA in the Constitution, advances in women’s rights that we took for granted are at risk of being weakened or even reversed. Waiting a century for over half of the U.S. population to attain constitutional equality is long enough. Tell Congress, not one more year!
Fight the Attacks on Reproductive Rights
AAUW trusts that everyone has the ability to make their own informed choices regarding their reproductive life without government interference. Tell your members of Congress to support the Women’s Health Protection Act to finally codify the right for patients to access, and health care professionals to provide, abortion care.
Support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
With so much at stake each time we head to the ballot box, it’s crucial that everyone is able to make their voice heard. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act responds to the wave of anti-voter bills introduced and enacted over the past decade by providing critical protections to ensure the freedom to vote for all.
Pass the Equality Act
All people should have equal rights. America’s civil rights laws should reflect that promise and protect everyone. That’s why it’s critical that Congress pass the Equality Act, which would amend existing federal civil rights laws to provide explicit protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in a number of key areas.
Advocacy Toolkit
AAUW has always stood for solutions that work for all women and families — and we do not intend to stop now. AAUW’s advocacy has made women’s voices heard from the White House to Congress to the statehouse, and your voice is needed now more than ever! That’s why AAUW has compiled a set of resources to guide you in advocating for women and girls through a variety of tactics and actions.
AAUW Action Fund
The AAUW Action Fund provides GOTV and voter education resources, in addition to lobbying on Capitol Hill for the issues affecting women and girls. Learn more about our work to advance gender equity and how you can get involved.
Take Action
There are lots of ways to get involved with AAUW’s work to advance gender equity. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of women and girls.