Biden's Statement on 'Women's Equality Day'; Emphasis on Economic Security and Workplace Safety

On the eve of National 'Women's Equality Day', Joe Biden, the President of the United States, issued a statement on the official White House website. Saturday, August 26 (September 4), coincides with the anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, which granted women across America the right to vote. The President began the statement by saying, 'America is the only country in the world founded on the idea that all people are created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout their lives.' He acknowledged that 'we have never fully lived up to that idea, but we have never walked away from it either.' Biden thanked those who have tirelessly worked to realize this ideal: 'On Women's Equality Day, we honor the pioneers of women's suffrage who fought for decades to secure the right to vote for American women, and we commend the advocates and heroes who have continued their long journey for equality since then. On this day, we reaffirm our commitment to provide a better future for all girls in America and our country.' The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified 103 years ago in 1920, but it took several more decades for women of color to gain the right to vote. Biden pointed out, 'But there is still more work to be done - especially for women of color, many of whom fought for four decades longer for the right to vote until this law was passed in 1965.' He added, 'Today, women still face discrimination and threats to their health and safety, as well as wage gaps, access to healthcare, and caregiving responsibilities. These gaps are often greater for women and girls of color.' The President specifically referred to last year when the U.S. Supreme Court removed the right to abortion known as 'Roe v. Wade' from constitutional protections. He stated that this action 'eliminated women's right to make fundamental decisions about their bodies and jeopardized women's health and lives. And we are facing new efforts to suppress the fundamental right to vote and undermine our democracy.' In this statement, Biden emphasized the importance of ensuring women's economic security, workplace safety, and access to equal opportunities. The President said, 'Equality also means ensuring women's economic security -- and I am proud that since I took office, we have added 13 million new jobs, the highest record, which are available to women.' Another important point made in this statement is the physical security of women at home, in the workplace, in the military, and in other public spaces. Biden stressed, 'We must also ensure the physical security of women. I wrote the Violence Against Women Act when I was a U.S. Senator to not only change laws but to change the culture that allowed the scourge of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence to continue in America. As Vice President and now as President, I have worked to reaffirm and strengthen that law, improve training for its enforcement, increase support for survivors, address online harassment and abuse, expand services for survivors from LGBTQI+ communities, and more.' He continued, 'I have also pushed for improvements to the military justice system, signing bipartisan legislation and implementing reforms for better prevention and accountability regarding sexual assault, sexual harassment, and domestic violence in the armed forces.' The President reminded that 'this year, we also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment.' He stated that he will continue to fight for gender equality. The hosting of the Women's World Cup and efforts for equal pay with men coincide with the oppression of women in Iran. For the first time in the Women's World Cup, all players will receive at least $30,000. The U.S. Secretary of State stated: 'In Iran, women bravely resist the threats of the regime.' A ceremony honoring courageous women and recognizing 'Iranian women' was held at the White House. The importance of the issue of 'abortion rights' in the midterm elections in the U.S. The U.S. Supreme Court revoked the legal right to abortion after fifty years. Biden's reaction to the revocation of the abortion law: 'A sad day for the Supreme Court and America.' The revocation of abortion rights | Pelosi: It is a deprivation of women's rights; McConnell: It was a courageous decision. Analytical article | Increasing political divides in America following the leak of a Supreme Court draft document regarding abortion rights. The possibility of the U.S. Supreme Court deciding to revoke the abortion rights law. The President of the United States in the annual 'State of the Union' address: The world holds Putin responsible for this situation.