SALON

Monday, Jul 17, 2006 9:30 PM UTC

Working women, unite!

A new AFL-CIO survey asks women workers about their most pressing concerns.

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Topics: Broadsheet, Love and Sex,

Ever find yourself talking to anyone who will listen — your partner, your colleagues, your Broadsheet audience — about the maddening lack of good work options for women? Well, instead of stewing in rage, take this AFL-CIO “Ask a Working Woman Survey.” I just did, and I feel calmer already knowing that my answers will be delivered to every U.S. representative and senator on Labor Day.

The survey asks you to rate the importance of certain laws that would improve the lives of working women, and provides space for you to craft 600 words on “what is the most important thing members of Congress need to understand about working women?” (Yes, it’s hard to limit oneself to 600, but you can abbreviate. I did.)

I learned about the survey on Leslie Morgan Steiner’s “On Balance” blog at the Washington Post. Steiner, editor of the much-discussed anthology “The Mommy Wars: Stay-at-Home and Career Moms Face Off on Their Choices, Their Lives, Their Families,” shares some of her great answers with Post readers. Among other things, she calls for a “Constitutional amendment protecting women’s rights to birth control (so that we can choose when to work and when to focus on raising kids).”

Take the survey — then come back to Broadsheet and tell us what you wished for.

Lori Leibovich

Lori Leibovich is a contributing editor at Salon and the former editor of the Life section. More Lori Leibovich.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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