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FAQs

What do the tattoos mean?

It takes a lot of courage to shatter the ceiling! Rosie the Riveter has long been an iconic image for working women in the U.S. and for women’s advancement in society more generally. We wanted to play on that idea but also give our Rosie an update, literally arming her with some of the strongest protections women have under the law. Each of her tattoos invokes a civil rights statute that has been integral to making the U.S. a better and more equitable place for women.

  • Her first tattoo is “E.P.A.,” which references the Equal Pay Act. It is a statute, signed into law in 1963 by President Kennedy that makes it a violation of labor law to pay women less than men for the same work.
  • Her second tattoo is “Title IX;” Title IXrefers to a part of the Education Amendments of 1972 which requires educational institutions that receive federal funds to ensure that women have a fair and discrimination-free learning environment before they head out into the workplace.
  • Her third tattoo is “Title VII.” Title VIIwas passed as a part of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and it prohibits gender discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace.

There are, of course, many other important federal, state and local statutes on which women can rely. We’d like to imagine that our tough-as-nails Rosie is emblazoned with those other statutes too — perhaps on her other sleeve?

When was this blog started? And Why?

We launched on July 2, 2014 — the fiftieth anniversary of Title VII.  You can read our VERY FIRST POST here!

Title VII becoming law is worth celebrating. BUT. We are so far from where we need to be. As we look around us, we see more and more women — regardless of age, race, religion or sexual orientation — slamming into glass ceilings that seem to be nearly (but not entirely) shatterproof. And we understand that you can’t talk about advancing the interests of women without taking on racism, because we won’t truly shatter ceilings until they are shattered for everyone.  As we look around us, we can’t help but feel how far we, as a community, are from where we need to be. This gap between the American promise and the American reality makes us crazy.  We hope what we have to contribute helps, educates, empowers and inspires.

In September 2016, the blog went through a bit of a rethinking and relaunch.  Kate took on an even larger role in the blog and reached out to some contributors who focus on issues outside of employment.  The blog is largely the same, but with a broader focus than just employment.

Is everyone who writes for this blog a lawyer?

Almost everyone who writes for this blog is a lawyer or an aspiring lawyers. Kate is a lawyer.  But having (or wanting) a law degree doesn’t give you a corner on good ideas.  So, NO.  Not everyone who writes for this blog is a lawyer.

Whether a post is written by someone who is a lawyer or not, please remember that nothing we’re saying is meant to constitute legal advice in any way. Instead, all of us lawyers and non-lawyers alike are interested in participating in a conversation simply as people who care deeply about these issues.

Does everyone who writes here share the same views?

Nope. While we all care about equality for women, we’re as different in our backgrounds, politics and viewpoints as we can be. As a result, what one of us writes on Monday might express a viewpoint that is the exact opposite of what someone who writes on Tuesday thinks. Sometimes, we might even explore those differences of opinion in the subsequent posts.

Am I getting legal advice by reading this blog?

No. Nope. Never. Absolutely not. This is a blog, written by people who care a whole lot about these issues. But it’s nothing more.

The relationship between a lawyer and a client is a very serious and sacred thing. All sorts of really important protections and responsibilities come from the attorney-client relationship. And any lawyer worth her salt will tell you that legal advice can only be given after the lawyer has heard from the client (or potential client) about the specifics of a situation. That doesn’t happen when we write our own musings and send them out into the interwebs.

Again, nothing written here is legal advice or should be read as such.

What do I do if I want to get advice from a lawyer?

There are lots of fantastic lawyers out there. For example, the National Employment Lawyers Association maintains a webpage that helps you search for lawyers here.  If you are interested in speaking with some of the lawyers who write on this blog, you can follow hyperlinked information in their byline/at the end of the article.  If you are hoping to talk to Kate specifically, you can fill out the contact form here.

What if there is something I think this blog should address?

We love suggestions! Check out our “Suggestions/ Questions” page to submit something you think we should address in a future post.

But we also love to hear from new, fresh voices.  If you would like to write about something, please make that clear when you reach out to us.  We cannot guarantee we will publish something from outside authors, and we certainly can never pay for content.  But we are always happy to explore whether you might be a good contributor to the blog and how we approach the editing and submission process.

How can I repost or reuse what I’m reading here?

For most of the content on this site, easily! You can share our work and build upon it so long as you (a) credit the author and (b) link to our blog, but only if (c) you’re using the content for a non-commercial purpose.

Creative Commons LicenseThere are, however, some posts that have stronger protections in terms of our ownership of what we’ve published and stronger restrictions on whether and how you can use/reuse it. Where that is the case, it will be noted at the bottom of the post.  If you would like to use our content commercially or if you have questions about our terms of use, you can read our full Terms of Use policy or email us at [email protected].

What’s the story with your comment policy?

Like we said, our goal with this blog is to start a conversation, so we welcome and encourage your thoughtful comments and different points of view. We are not going to moderate the comments, which means that a comment on this blog in no way reflects the opinions of our staff. At the same time, we won’t tolerate disrespect, and we’re not into meanies. We do not allow anonymous comments, and we reserve the right to delete a comment or block a disruptive commenter.

That’s it. Read. Contribute. Shatter the ceiling.

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