Washington, D.C. – The conservative public policy women’s organization, Concerned Women for America (CWA) is partnering with the self-proclaimed radical feminists’ organization, Women’s Liberation Front (WoLF) to Stand Up and Speak Out against injustice for women and girls. These two groups represent hundreds of thousands of women across the country who will be victimized if the Supreme Court redefines the word “sex” to include “gender identity” in R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
“To arbitrarily change the word ‘sex’ to include gender identity is regressive, not progressive,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of CWA. “It would greatly undermine the women’s movement and the women who dedicated their lives to see the advancements we enjoy today,” she continued. “It’ll be a rough day for freedom of speech and conscience if the Supreme Court rules that we can all be compelled to lie about sex,” added Natasha Chart, Board Chair of the Women’s Liberation Front.
Together, CWA and WoLF are hosting a rally on the steps of the Supreme Court to highlight speakers who will share story after story of how they are the true victims of the determined political activism over “gender identity.” Examples include women athletes who can no longer compete in their sports, women who have been assaulted in formerly safe places that excluded males, scientists who have been fired for presenting factual science publicly, and former transgender individuals who have now detransitioned. The rally will be held, Tuesday, October 8, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET at the Supreme Court of the United States located at 1 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20543.
Statement of Penny Nance Final
Statement of Natasha Chart Final
CWA’s 40th Anniversary Gala and the Equal Campus Access Act: CWA’s Legislative Strategist, Ashley Traficant talks with Tamara Scott on Truth For Our Time. The two discuss Concerned Women for America’s 40th Anniversary Gala celebration festivities. They also discuss CWALAC’s recent lobbying efforts on Equal Campus Access Act. Watch and Listen below.
During our 40th Anniversary Gala, Dr. Beverly LaHaye describes how CWA came into existence in 1979 and Penny Nance discusses CWA’s impact on pro-life causes, conservative justices, and grassroots activism around the country.
Watch the entire piece here:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Toni DeLancey, Ph.D.
September 12, 2019 [email protected] 202-527-3434
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America is pleased to honor Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) with our Statesman of the Year award at our 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Thursday, September 12. CWA awards Statesman of the Year to an elected leader who has demonstrated courage when representing traditional values and who has been a leader and a strong voice on the issues that define CWA’s mission.
“In the 116th Congress, Joni Ernst was selected by her peers to hold a leadership position as Vice-Chair of the Senate Republican Conference. She is also serving a key role on the Senate Judiciary Committee,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America. “We honor Senator Ernst tonight as Statesman of the Year for her strong voice of leadership on pro-life issues, for policies that protect women and families, and for confirming judges who will uphold our constitution. We are grateful for her commitment to conservative principles that protect life and liberty and the common sense values she represents. She is an inspiration to our CWA members and hero to our Young Women for America (YWA) presidents,” she continued.
Congratulations to Senator Joni Ernst. CWA is grateful for her leadership, integrity, and hard work as a U.S. Senator.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Toni DeLancey, Ph.D.
September 13, 2019 [email protected] 202-527-3434
Washington, D.C. – For 40 years, Concerned Women for America (CWA), the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization, has promoted Biblical values, constitutional principles and pro-women policies across America and around the world. As a part of CWA’s 40th year anniversary celebration, CWA’s founder Dr. Beverly LaHaye, CEO and President Penny Nance, and CWA’s Vice President for International Affairs, Dr. Shea Garrison welcomed Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, who delivered a keynote address to CWA and its supporters during a luncheon at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.
“We are so pleased to have Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan with us today,” Penny Nance said. “CWA’s involvement in the International arena is increasingly significant and has intensified with our staff addition of Dr. Shea Garrison. Secretary Pompeo has approached his job in a way that demonstrates a shared vision with CWA and our founder, Mrs. Beverly LaHaye, to expand pro-woman and pro-liberty policies at home and Internationally.”
In his remarks, Secretary Pompeo discussed religious liberty as the first American freedom enshrined in the U.S. Constitution as an unalienable right for all people. He also discussed his experiences leading the U.S. Department of State to fight for that freedom as a U.S. foreign policy priority for millions of people around the world, including through the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom and the Commission on Unalienable Rights.
“Concerned Women for America’s work in the International arena is not new. With God’s guidance and direction, we made our first foray 23 years ago at the U.N. World Conference for Women in Beijing,” said Mrs. Beverly LaHaye. “Impacting international women for Christ’s work has always been a vision for CWA, and I am pleased and gratified at how much progress CWA has made internationally under Penny’s leadership along with the expertise of Dr. Shea Garrison.”
CWA’s work internationally has focused on family and life, empowering women, and advocating for religious freedom around the world. To see more about CWA’s international department and its work, click here to see a video.
Read Secretary Pompeo’s Speech and Q and A With Penny Nance Here.
See the Speech and Q and A on Facebook Here (begins around 13:20).
See News Report from the Event from The Washington Examiner.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Toni DeLancey, Ph.D
September 12, 2019 [email protected] 202-527-3434
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA), the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization, celebrated and honored 40 years promoting Biblical principles and pro-women policies today at the Trump International Hotel. The Honorable Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States and his wife, Karen, and the Honorable Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas attended and addressed the attendees at the Anniversary Gala. President Trump sent taped remarks to view during the festivities.
Founded by Dr. Beverly LaHaye in 1979, CWA has been instrumental in advocating for their seven core issues: Sanctity of Life, Defense of Family, Education, Religious Liberty, National Sovereignty, Sexual Exploitation, and Support for Israel.
“This event is so special for me and for Concerned Women for America,” Mrs. Beverly LaHaye said. “For CWA to continue to draw notable honored guests like our Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, and his lovely wife, Karen, and Governor Mike Huckabee – is an indication of God’s continued favor over Concerned Women for America these last forty years. I am grateful for that favor and blessing; it has truly been the honor of my lifetime to lead CWA.”
The staff and grass roots volunteers of CWA are known on Capitol Hill and at state legislatures across the nation for their tenacity when it comes to protecting women, our children, and America’s future. They are never afraid to speak out, stand up, and make a national impact. Among recent notable accomplishments:
- Helping to re-shape the U.S. Supreme Court and helping to set a new record of constitutionalist judges in circuit courts around the country,
- Strengthening legislation to prioritize rape kit testing to bring justice to women victims of sexual assault,
- Forming a powerful women’s coalition to oppose gender identity laws that overturn women’s rights to privacy, safety, and Title IX protections in female sports,
- Securing promise for presidential veto of any legislation that would compromise protections for life,
- Advancing defunding of abortion clinics with thousands of public comments supporting new Title X regulations, and
- Defending family and life, empowering women, and advocating for religious freedom around the world.
“In the last 40 years CWA has journeyed from a small but passionate group of activist women to a mighty army of amazing, accomplished women with enormous influence on our culture and government. We are now a formidable Washington institution. Today, we celebrate our grassroots leaders who are the power behind our organization and reason for our success. With the retirement of Mrs. Beverly LaHaye, who has served God faithfully, we’re marking the passing of the baton on the firm foundation from which she built this organization,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President. “As we move into the dawn of a new era here at CWA, we welcome Linda Murphy as Chairman of the Board and look forward with enthusiasm and passion to the future.”
Throughout the evening, notable guests including senators and former officials and friends honored the accomplishments and work of CWA. For an overview of the heart of Concerned Women for America, see the below photos and watch the linked video.
See Photos of CWA through the years.
See News Stories from the Event from Daily Caller and The Washington Examiner, Western Journal, and see C-SPAN’s coverage of the Vice President’s Remarks.
Read Vice President Pence’s Remarks from the White House Transcript.
Images from the event:
Concerned Women for America of Virginia Responds to
Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger’s Co-sponsoring and Voting
Favorably for the Deceptively Named “Equality Act.”
Her Vote Will Harm the Women of Virginia.
Richmond, VA – On behalf our members who reside in Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s (D-District 7) congressional district, Concerned Women for America of Virginia wants Rep. Spanberger to know that she has been misled and fooled by H.R. 5, the deceptively-named “Equality Act.” The Equality Act makes an unverifiable and unscientific attempt to address discrimination by elevating protections for select groups on the basis of a new definition of sex. H.R. 5 redefines the term sex to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” in civil rights law, elevating “gender identity” over the protected class of sex as male and female.
As absurd as it sounds, this bill Rep. Spanberger supports strips women from any protection from men who would identify as women in bathrooms, locker rooms, women’s shelters, sports competition, and more.
The Equality Act would give any person the right to claim “gender identity” as the opposite sex at any time. This legislation is a direct threat against every woman in America and in our great state of Virginia. Its effects are nothing less than extreme, far-reaching, and uncontainable.
Most importantly, Americans do not need the Equality Act to ensure equal rights. All people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, already receive equal protection of the laws under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equality Act will be used, as other gender identity policies have, to impede upon the rights, privacy, and safety of women and girls.
Supporters like Rep. Spanberger have no way of defending the threats the Equality Act have against women even though basic common sense makes it obvious to most people. It’s a shame Rep. Spanberger blindly jumped on the bandwagon.
Concerned Women for America of Virginia rejects this misguided legislation with far-reaching implications that would be imposed on the American people, especially women.
For more information on the Equality Act, visit our website at https://concernedwomen.org/erasing-women-the-equality-act-dangerous-consequences/
Toni DeLancey
State Director
Concerned Women for America of Virginia
Janet Robey
Associate Director
Concerned Women for America of Virginia
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Washington, D.C. — Following the Trump administration’s decision to expire funding for human fetal tissue research for the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Concerned Women for America’s President and CEO Penny Nance issued the following statement:
“We thank President Trump and applaud the Administration’s firm decision to curtail this fruitless research, which has promoted the destruction of innocent human life. This is long overdue. Human fetal tissue research has been conducted for nearly a century and has failed to produce any significant scientific gains. The U.S. government should be funding potentially promising research, not unethical research based on 100-year-old science, and we encourage the Administration to continue to accelerate ethical alternatives.”
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CWA’s Senior Director of Government Relations Doreen Denny‘s opinion piece was recently featured in “Human Events.”
“Where are the voices of the Women’s March fighting for women’s rights and #MeToo champions fighting against sexual exploitation and harassment? Conservative women and radical feminists are calling on Congress to protect women’s safety and dignity from the dangers of the deceptively-named “Equality Act” slated to be voted on this week.” Doreen Denny, Senior Director of Government Relations, Concerned Women for America.
Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, the So-Called “Equality Act.”
Penny Nance, President and CEO of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, released the following statement:
“Today the U.S. House of Representatives tragically failed to protect women and girls. Speaker Pelosi’s deceptively-named “Equality Act” gives any man civil rights protections to claim he is a woman, at any time and for any reason. It erases Title IX fairness in sports and female safety and privacy rights in bathrooms, locker rooms, and women’s shelters. Today’s vote betrays women.
Mr. President, we urge you to stand against policies that abandon protections for women. The so-called “Equality Act” is a deeply flawed bill and an assault on women and girls in America.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) joined with Reps. Vicky Hartzler (R-Missouri), Jody Hice (R-Georgia), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Carol Miller (R-West Virginia) to speak out about the Equality Act’s harmful effects on women and girls. Alongside the lawmakers, representatives from CWALAC, Women’s Liberation Front, Alliance Defending Freedom, Susan B. Anthony List and Family Research Council, were clear – the “Equality Act” will do away with women’s sports, safe spaces for women, and jeopardize parents’ jurisdiction over their child’s health care. It is dangerous for our country.
Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America LAC, issued the following statement:
“We are united in sending a clear message to Speaker Nancy Pelosi in opposing the deceptively-named “Equality Act.” The Speaker has shut off debate and with it, any hope of addressing the serious issues in the so-called “Equality Act.” This bill would enshrine “gender identity” in civil rights law as a new protected class of sex with no rules or standards for claiming the opposite sex.
This bill is extreme and dangerous. It is not about equality; it is about imposing a new form of discrimination against women and people of faith in our country. Our rights to safety, privacy, and conscience are abandoned under this bill, and women and girls put at greater risk.
Women will lose female protected status in bathrooms, dressing rooms, locker rooms, and women’s shelters. Women will lose opportunities for scholarships and contracts. Female athletes will lose in unfair competition.
Congress should pass laws to protect women, not abandon us.”
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Concerned Women for America’s Vice President for International Affairs, Shea Garrison, discusses the Equality Act and the impact it would have on women and girls in this country.
Dr. Garrison was a guest on The Buck Sexton Show.
CWA’s Shea Garrison, the organization’s vice president of international affairs, writes in a new opinion piece: “The use of rape as a method of war is one of the most egregious acts of domination and debasement of women that the world has ever seen. Supporting a United Nations resolution to stand against this cruel crime is something that all international organizations can get behind to honor and elevate women.
Insisting that abortion language is included in these resolutions is not. It is a worn-out political agenda masquerading as the promotion of women’s rights — just because you repeat something over and over.
Victory for All Americans
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a final rule to protect the “conscience” rights of our nation’s health care professionals. This new rule will allow health care workers to follow their moral and religious convictions about the services they provide without discrimination. President Trump made the announcement at a National Day of Prayer event Thursday.
Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America (CWA) applauded the administration’s move and made the following statement:
“Religious liberty lies at the foundations of American values. President Donald J. Trump’s Administration honors and respects the very essence of liberty by ensuring these principles are protected. The hundreds of thousands of Concerned Women for America supporters around the country stand with him in this endeavor and applaud his unwavering commitment to the protection of liberties for all Americans and not just a privileged few.
“We count this as another promise kept by President Trump who is simply living up to the vision he unveiled on the campaign trail. These regulations fully implement longstanding protections that had been shamefully neglected under previous administrations. We are grateful for these much-needed developments.”
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The American People Deserve Better
On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee rejected conservative attempts to address unfairness and extremism in the “Equality Act”. Liberals proved they no longer stand for women. Women have fought long and hard to gain status. Now, males self-identifying as women are celebrated in sports competitions; they steal women-owned business grants, and they invade female privacy in locker rooms and shelters.
This total assault on the 14th Amendment overturns decades of gains, including Title IX, that recognizes the importance of equal opportunities for women. This is extreme and absurd. The American people deserve better. Reach out to your U.S. House Representative and make your voice heard.
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Washington, D.C. — Today, the House Judiciary Committee will markup the Equality Act (HR 5), which would amend the Civil Rights Act redefining the meaning of “sex” as male and female to include the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity. Concerned Women for America’s Senior Director of Government Relations, Doreen Denny, issued the following statement:
“The bill would create a world in which women and girls are no longer recognized, protected or dignified as uniquely female. In jobs, education, sports, shelters or any public space, any biological man classifying himself as a woman according to his ‘gender identity’ would have every claim to any women’s program, scholarship, sports roster, competition, boardroom, executive office, women’s shelter, bathroom, locker room, or job. Under the Equality Act, everything women have done and achieved over the last half century to improve opportunities and protections in education, sports, the workplace, and society could be overruled by any male claiming ‘womanhood’.”
Concerned Women for America sent the attached letter to House Judiciary Members and have joined hands with radical feminists (Women’s Liberation Front) and other interested groups (Hands Across the Aisle) in our mutual concerns over the Equality Act. The attached US Equality Act: Gender Identity Impact Summary delineates why we are united in purpose against this bill. Making “gender identity” a protected characteristic under federal law would erase the protected category of sex which has been a foundation for securing the rights and opportunities of women in the United States. We implore you to recognize the powerful message that our joining together from the left and the right conveys in opposing the Equality Act.
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