Sexual Exploitation

Congress is debating the “Equality Act,” a top-ten priority of Speaker Pelosi (D-California) and House Democrats.  It would enshrine “gender identity” as a protected trait in federal civil rights law.  This denies the biological, scientific fact that being male or female is inscribed in our DNA and determines our sex.  Self-declared “gender identity” would be sufficient to claim protected legal status as either sex.  Simply put, “Whatever I claim to be, I am.”  Such claims could be fluid, because gender-related identity and characteristics could be changed at any time.

CWA recently received a call from a public-school mom in Georgia whose daughter faced a transgender in track competition who won uncontested.  Her concerns were dismissed by the National Organization for Women and the Women’s Sport’s Foundation when she called them thinking they would be fighting for women’s rights.  Not so.  Thankfully she found us.  Here’s what this mom had to say in a letter submitted at the House Judiciary Committee hearing:

“To say that my daughter, as well as the other female athletes, were humiliated and had a sense of defeatism is an understatement.  In the words of my daughter, ‘What’s the point Mom, we can’t win.’  Hearing this broke my heart, for my daughter and for all the female athletes, who train so hard, but no matter how hard they work and train they will never be able to beat a biological male. … What are we doing to our girls by forcing them to race biological males?”

At the hearing, Congressman Gaetz (R-Florida) asked, “If President Trump were to say, ‘I am now the first female president,’ who would celebrate that? Would those who support this legislation think that’s a good thing?”

Advocates have no response to the legitimacy of that question.  More importantly, they are denying the threat of this policy to women and girls.  I was in the hearing room and, frankly, was shocked to hear how women, who are 51% of the U.S. population, are now an afterthought for those promoting the trans agenda.  They are not fighting for females anymore.

In 2016, Sports Illustrated showcased female candidates who were college athletes, including Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, both cosponsors of the Equality Act.  They said how playing competitive sports prepared, and propelled, them into politics.  “It took the fear out of losing,” said Gillibrand, now a presidential candidate.

The testimonies in this article make the case that reducing opportunities for female college athletes could reduce the number of women running for office.  Is that what Democrats want?

Supporters have no way of defending the Equality Act against these threats to women and girls, even though basic common sense makes it obvious to most people.  Many proponents have blindly jumped on the bandwagon – it’s time they consider the impact.  Women will lose, which is why we need you to get active and oppose the Equality Act.

Contact your congressman and senator today, and tell them to oppose the (In)Equality Act!

On Thursday, Senator Cornyn (R-Texas) and Senator Feinstein (R-California) introduced the Debbie Smith Act of 2019, a bill that would reauthorize funding aimed at increasing capacity for DNA testing to reduce the rape kit backlog. The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act was first signed into law in 2004 in response to the story of Debbie Smith, a rape victim who only saw justice because of DNA evidence and testing.

Last July, CWALAC CEO and President Penny Nance testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on her experience as an attempted rape victim and why we must work to end the backlog. Unfortunately, after fifteen years since the inception of the Debbie Smith Act and over $1 billion spent, an unknown number of rape kits still sit untested in evidence rooms across the country. Meanwhile, the statute of limitations ticks on with no resolution for victims.

CWALAC partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) on specific improvements to the Debbie Smith Act, introduced by Sen. Cornyn, that would increase prioritization of rape kit testing and improve accountability in tracking the backlog of sexual assault cases. A recent New York Times piece highlighted Maisha Sudbeck, a rape victim who saw justice years after her assault only because of funds prioritized through programs to clear the backlog. Ms. Sudbeck cited the testing of her rape kit as “a catalyst for hope.”

Not only is testing these kits a crucial step in pursuing justice for victims and possible exoneration for the wrongfully accused, it often shows patterns of assault and can take serial perpetrators off the street. Ms. Sudbeck’s kit showed a hit for a man who had raped at least six other women. This phenomenon is far from uncommon. One study found that about half of the DNA kits tested resulted in hits for serial offenders. In her Senate Judiciary testimony, Penny stated, “We must push ourselves until each sexual assault kit is accounted for and every last one is processed — because every kit represents a brave woman waiting for justice.” CWALAC will continue to work with Congress to ensure this crucial legislation is passed, so that every victim has the chance for justice.

See Penny’s letter to cosponsors.