Senate passes Joint Resolution recognizing Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day

Senate Majority Leader Vitelli, Assistant Majority Leader Daughtry laud the resolution

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, the Maine Senate voted to pass a Joint Resolution Commemorating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, who sponsored the resolution, and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, celebrated the resolution and the contribution of Maine women.

“Over my lifetime, I’ve seen tremendous progress made in the access women have to education, career paths and financial independence. Unfortunately, some refrains remain. While the gender pay gap has closed, it persists, and experts say Maine won’t fully achieve pay equity for decades. This chronic inequality harms women both during their careers and into their retirement years,” said Sen. Vitelli, a member of the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame. “I was proud to sponsor this resolution, and to vote in strong support of an Equal Rights Amendment for Maine, to ensure all women have access to the opportunities they deserve.”

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to know and be mentored by incredible women leaders throughout my life, and now in the Legislature, I’m proud to say I work alongside many of them. But as a business owner in what is still a very male-dominated industry, I see nearly every day that we still have much to do to achieve true equality,” said Sen. Daughtry. “For the women leaders who came before us, and for the young girls in our state who will one day grow to be leaders in their own right, I’m proud to support this resolution. I also vow to continue to fight to ensure all Mainers, regardless of gender, have equal pay for equal work, equal access to education and job opportunities, and equal respect.”

The resolution reads, in part, “Maine women have been leaders, not only in securing their own rights of suffrage and increased opportunity, but also in expanding the rights of all who experience oppression as leaders in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement and other movements, especially the peace movement, that create a more fair and just society for all; and … despite progress, women and girls — especially women and girls of color —  still experience higher rates of poverty, violence and discrimination and face systemic barriers to full participation in the workforce and society and wider gaps in opportunity and equality.”