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Today we celebrate the economic, social and political achievements of women throughout the world.  Today we honor those trail-blazing women who have had the courage to fight for their rightful place alongside men.  Today we recognize our sisters, aunts, mothers , friends, and neighbors who are tirelessly creating a better future for all women.  Today we understand  worldwide gender equality does not exist  and cannot exist unless we make it happen.  Today we realize, as Americans, we need to BE the example for all those women fighting internationally for their rights.

Today is International Women's Day.  It is only fitting this year's theme is Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities:  Progress For All.  Ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment would be the greatest way to embrace the true spirit of this holiday by finally insuring equality for all American women.

The ERA, originally drafted by Suffragist  Alice Paul along with the National Women's Party in 1923 simply states:

Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.  The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.  This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

Doubt thou the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love.
William Shakespeare

According to folklore, St. Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome around 270 AD.   It is speculated that he performed secret weddings for soldiers and their loved ones since Claudius II banned soldiers to wed.  According to some legends, Claudius II proclaimed married soldiers were weak in battle.  Valentine was jailed for his defiance and sentenced to death.  According to other sources, Valentine's denouncement of Roman Gods and belief in Christianity landed him in jail and was eventually executed for his refusal to conform.  Mythical or factual, Valentine is considered somewhat of a revolutionary, someone who held true to his beliefs in the face of adversity.  Whether his belief in love or love of his belief inspired him-love is the universal emotion most associated with St. Valentine.

Since the middle ages February 14, has been a symbolic day for the expression of romantic love.  It's only fitting that in modern times, many marriage proposals as well as wedding days occur on February 14.  To assume that only heterosexuals understand this idea of modern romantic love and are the sole ambassadors for marriage is well, not very modern.

Campaign for Gender Equality guest writer Ann J. Simonton is Founder and Coordinator of the educational non-profit, Media Watch.

WOMEN AND HEALTHCARE: WHY REFORM NEEDS TO HAPPEN

PART TWO: HAVING COVERAGE IS A PRECARIOUS AND EXPENSIVE MATTER

In Part One, we examined how being female meant you would pay exorbitantly more for health coverage in the private insurance market. We also noted how gender curtailed or even eliminated a woman's chances of obtaining coverage in the private sector. Part one dealt with the 16.7 million women who have no coverage at all in the US. Part two will examine the 60 million women who have employer-based coverage either through themselves or their spouses or partners. In the current economic downturn, maintaining coverage is still a precarious matter for many women. A loss of job, higher out-of-pocket costs for employees, divorce, and aging spouses turning to Medicare are factors which put women at a high risk of maintaining their health coverage.

WOMEN AND HEALTHCARE: WHY REFORM NEEDS TO HAPPEN

PART ONE: Biology Matters

Let's face it women's health needs are different than men's. Regular doctor visits are not a luxury but a requirement for women. By the time we begin our menstrual cycles and have graduated from puberty, annual visits to the gynecologist are a necessity to ensure our reproductive system is in good shape. Because women develop an early relationship to healthcare providers, seeing doctors becomes an integral part of our lives. Menstruation, contraception, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause entail continuous interactions with the healthcare system.

Our reproductive systems are not the only reason women see doctors more. Women are also prone to more chronic conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. Because of our reproductive organs we also contract a higher number of serious sexually transmitted diseases such as genital herpes, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and HIV. Without access to early detection of these STDs women's health can be in serious jeopardy.

Even with all the healthcare needs women face there are still more than 17 million American women without any coverage. Though many states have adopted Medicaid funded healthcare for women, for those - especially ages 18 to 40 - who earn incomes too high for Medicaid but are unable to gain coverage through an employer or spouse, their only option is privatized plans. This is where BIOLOGY MATTERS.

Private insurers are not required to follow the guidelines set forth by the Civil Rights Act, HIPAA or the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. This means there are no regulations on how they can determine premiums for women, and oftentimes they discriminate based on age, sex, and previous health conditions. Here are but a few obstacles women must face when trying to purchase private coverage.

In 1971, Bella Abzug, a Congresswoman for New York City and women's rights advocate introduced legislation declaring August 26 as Women's Equality Day. Since that day every president has published a proclamation to honor the hard work and perseverance of the women's suffragist movement as well as celebrate the multitude of extraordinary achievements of women both at home and abroad. Why August 26? What significance does this particular date have in terms of women's equality?

August 26, 1920 is a date in the timeline of American history profoundly responsible for changing the course of every American woman's life. On August 26, 1920-72 YEARS after women began the struggle for their rights as U.S. citizens-the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Women were FINALLY granted the right to vote.

The push for women to be regarded as active participants in American society didn't end with simply achieving the right to vote. Just three years later Alice Paul, a suffragist leader and founder of the National Woman's Party, drafted the Equal Rights Amendment which stated "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged...on account of sex". Since its inception in 1923, it has been introduced to Congress every year. In 1972, the Equal Rights Amendment was finally passed and sent to the states for ratification. When the deadline for ratification came in 1982, it needed to pass in 38 states. It fell short by three.

We would like to pass on an important message from NOW(National Organization for Women).

Reproductive Health Care in Reform Bills Threatened

Please take time now to call or email your representative and senators to urge that no restrictions for women's reproductive health services should be included in health care reform legislation.

While there have been several wins in health care reform legislation concerning reproductive health services, a number of serious threats have emerged in recent days. Abortion rights opponents in both parties are moving to prohibit coverage in any public plan that is part of reform legislation. There is even an effort to prohibit private health insurance companies participating in the proposed health insurance exchanges to stop covering abortion services. Most private insurers currently provide coverage for abortion.

Anti-abortion rights groups are flooding members of Congress with thousands of calls, opposing any provision in health care reform that would permit the use of government funds to pay for abortion care as well as trying to stop private insurance coverage of these services. Please call or email your representative and senators right away.

When we celebrate our nation's independence July 4th, we not only celebrate our forefathers' insight, we must also recognize the perseverance of our foremothers, who paved the way for the rights we sometimes take for granted today.

Paradoxically, the Declaration of Independence opens with the statement we all know by heart: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal". Unfortunately, during that monumental era of U.S. History-women, slaves and Native Americans were not afforded the same luxury of our European male counterparts.

After the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 women had very little rights in regards to property ownership, secondary education and divorce. Their future was solely relegated to a life of domesticity.

July 4th is a time for American women to reflect upon our own ideas of independence. We would like to take time out to recognize one of our foremothers, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She was not only a social activist and intrepid supporter of women's rights, but she was also the author of a document American women can proudly reference as OUR historical Declaration of Independence.