About ProjectGail

My mother never sang me lullabies, never filled my head with fairy tales. I knew the stories of Sojourner Truth, Martin Luther King, and Betty Friedan well before I ever sneaked a peak at Cinderella. To this day the melody of Helen Redding’s I am Woman (Hear Me Roar) brings me comfort. I am the daughter of a civil rights activist; the daughter of a former go-go dancer turned Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator. My mother’s name is Gail and this blog is named for her.

My mother is what some might call a “militant feminist.” Her picture in the logo (seen here, http://www.cafepress.com/projectgail ) was taken over 30 years ago but to this day it’s a fair representation of who she is. I feel it imperative to explain that being a feminist, dear friends, is not synonymous with hating or bashing men. Please do not allow yourself or anyone else to confuse the two.

A feminist, in the purest definition, is someone who advocates the political, social, and economic equality of women. Former educator and drug campaigner Timothy Leary once said, “women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.” That’s not my philosophy. I’m not a proponent of gender-specific superiority. Personally, I find the mantra “girl power” just as offensive as “white power.” My motivation is born of the promotion of equal rights and human dignity. That’s what you’ll find here.

My mother was, and still is, my greatest teacher. She taught me awareness. She challenged me to question, to dream, to educate myself, and to stand for what I believe. From a very young age I learned to recognize that women are treated less than equal. Women still earn .75 cents to the dollar of a man’s salary (note: that's for women over all. If you're a woman of color your earnings are significantly less). In 2005, we still refer to women as Miss or Mrs. while a man’s marital status is never called into question with the ambiguous Mr. Every day in this country women marry taking the surnames of their husbands without even a second thought over the loss of their own lineage and identity. The thinking woman asks, why?

With such awareness one might question how it’s possible that I find myself in the position I am today; a “victim” of sex discrimination and disparagement.

I am a child of the seventies, born just six years after Title VII was passed. When I entered the workforce I thought the discrimination of a by-gone era didn’t happen any more. After all, we’ve come a long way, baby. But surprise, surprise we have a long way to go.

For legal purposes, I can’t name names at this time or provide any revealing information about the parties involved in my situation. I can tell you I am the charging party on a class investigation for sex discrimination. I was terminated on July 30, 2004 (the very day of our grievance meeting with management) and I’m still waiting for the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) to determine whether or not our case has probable cause. The past 15 months have been difficult to say the least but I have been fortunate to have the emotional support from my mother, Gail, my father, my husband, and my sister.

Only 6.4% of the over 20,000 sex based discrimination cases brought forth to the EEOC in 2004 were found to have reasonable cause. Only 1.8% came to a successful conciliation. Though the EEOC has one mission: “the elimination of illegal discrimination in the workplace,” it is by their own admission that they lack adequate staffing and resources (read it here) . This problem is nationwide. The system is designed to bump your case out. If you don’t know what to say, how to support your case and what evidence to provide, you could be out of luck. And don’t think you’ll have it any better if you strike out on your own with an attorney. Sex discrimination cases are rarely a “slam dunk.” Lawyers will not be lining up to represent you.

Regardless of the discrimination you’ve suffered, you have only one chance to make a good impression with the EEOC. The initial interview you have with the intake officer will determine whether or not your case is even looked at. ProjectGail is here to support you. I’m not an attorney therefore I can’t offer you any legal advice. I am currently stuck in the muck and the mire with you. What I can offer are the lessons I’ve learned, the stories in the news that might support your case, links to information, and a layman’s interpretation of the legalese you’ll encounter. I want to share my story in the hopes that you will share yours. I want to hear from you. If you have questions, problems, or solutions please email me . Let ProjectGail be your support, your voice, your revolution.

As my mother told me, “you can either be a victim of discrimination or a warrior against it.” I choose to be the latter.

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Leave a comment below if you don't mind it being read by all or you may email me at projectgail@yahoo.com