Annual Meeting 2025
Join us in Newport, October 3rd to 5th, 2025. Board elections, social events, and a focus on one of our core issues: violence against women.
Pope Francis Must Act Now – Reform on Sexual Abuse is Long Overdue
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – For years, the Catholic Church hierarchy has proven it has no moral authority on issues concerning women. This week, Pope Francis publicly acknowledged for the first time a chronic history of sexual abuse by priests and bishops of nuns, who had been forced to have abortions or give
Justin Fairfax Must Resign – NOW Believes Survivors
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – The National Organization for Women (NOW) calls on Justin Fairfax to remove himself from the line of succession by resigning his office. Dr. Vanessa Tyson has made the brave decision to come forward and reveal in her own words what happened between her and Virginia Lt. Gov.
Don’t Believe Donald Trump, But Take Him Seriously
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – As Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union speech, he faced the most diverse Congress in history. Most notably, this included a room filled with women members dressed in white, as Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) explained, in a show of solidarity against “Republican attempts to roll
We Trust Women’s Reproductive Decision-Making
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: “The moral responsibility of decision making [on abortion], at whatever the gestation, should rest with women, their doctors, and their families because only they can know their circumstances and the results of their actions. There is no reason to assume that any higher burden of justification is required
Ralph Northam Must Resign—Then Comes The Hard Part
Statement by National NOW President Toni Van Pelt and VA NOW President Connie Cordovilla: WASHINGTON – Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has no choice but to resign following the reveal of a racist photo published on his medical school yearbook page and his inept and insensitive response. But one politician resigning from one office won’t address
The Criminalization Of Black Girls Must Stop!
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – It is reported a school nurse and vice principal at Binghamton East Middle School in New York State strip searched four African-American girls because they were acting “giddy” and authorities concluded they might be using drugs. News flash—12-year-old girls act silly sometimes. That’s not a problem
Why We Celebrate Black History Month—And What We Still Need To Learn
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt and Christian Nunes, Chairwoman of the Racial Justice Committee: WASHINGTON – Every February, we observe Black History Month as a way of celebrating, honoring and absorbing the lessons of the African Americans who have contributed so much to our culture, our communities and our nation. This year, we
The Paycheck Fairness Act Would Finally Assure Equal Pay for Equal Work
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – When the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, women were paid 58 cents for every dollar earned by men. Fifty-six years after the act’s passage, the difference is still apparent. Today, women are paid only 80 cents for every man’s dollar, and the gap is
The Supreme Court Enables Donald Trump’s Obsession With Ridding The Military Of Transgender Troops
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – By granting the Trump Administration’s request to allow it to bar most transgender people from serving in the military, the Supreme Court has taken another step away from judicial fairness, and towards political vendettas. Donald Trump launched this hate campaign in a series of tweets in
The Anniversary Of Roe v. Wade Reminds Us Women’s Lives Are At Stake
Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt: WASHINGTON – On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, recognizing the Constitutional protection of a woman’s right to abortion care. Forty-six years later, Roe is still the law of the land—but just barely. Since Roe, state and federal lawmakers have attempted to pass