Legal Momentum facts for kids
| Formation | 1970 (founded as the NOW) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Muriel Fox |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, United States |
Legal Momentum is a non-profit group in the United States that works to protect and advance the rights of women and girls. Founded in 1970, it was the very first legal advocacy group for women in the country. An advocacy group is an organization that works to support a cause and influence decisions made by leaders.
The group was co-founded by Betty Friedan and Muriel Fox. It was first called the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, but changed its name to Legal Momentum in 2004. Its main goal is to achieve gender equality. This means making sure everyone has the same opportunities, no matter their gender.
Legal Momentum focuses on several key areas:
- Making sure schools provide equal opportunities for everyone.
- Fighting for fairness in the court system.
- Working to end all types of gender-based harm.
- Promoting equality and economic fairness in the workplace.
To achieve these goals, the group uses three main strategies: going to court to fight important cases, working with lawmakers to create fair laws, and creating educational programs.
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What Does Legal Momentum Do?
Legal Momentum has been involved in many important projects and court cases since it started. These actions have helped create fairer laws and protect women's rights across the country.
Fighting for Fairness in Court
Legal Momentum often gets involved in important court cases to help judges make fair decisions. This is sometimes called "impact litigation" because the outcome of the case can have a big impact on many people's lives. They also file amicus briefs, which are documents that give extra information to the court from a "friend of the court" who is an expert on the topic.
Some key cases include:
- Making Workplaces Fair: In 1970, the group won a case called Sprogis v. United Air Lines, Inc. This case fought against discrimination based on a woman's marital status. In another case, Robinson v. Jacksonville Shipyards, they helped establish that workplaces must be free from inappropriate materials that create a hostile environment.
- Protecting Pregnant Workers: In 2014, Legal Momentum supported a case called Young v. United Parcel Service. This case was about making sure pregnant employees get the support they need at work.
- Helping Victims of Abuse: In a 2002 case, the group argued that it was against the law for a company to punish an employee for taking time off work to get a protection order against an abuser.
The organization also runs the Syms Legal Momentum Gender Equality Helpline. This is a free service that gives information and help to anyone who feels they have been treated unfairly because of their gender.
Creating and Supporting Laws
Legal Momentum works with the government to create and pass laws that protect women and girls.
The Violence Against Women Act
Starting in 1991, Legal Momentum played a key role in creating the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This important law, first passed in 1994, provides money for services that help victims of domestic abuse and other forms of harm. It also helps educate police, lawyers, and judges on how to handle these cases. Legal Momentum continues to work to update and improve this law.
Protecting Access to Healthcare
In 1994, the group helped write the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. This law makes it illegal to use force or threats to block someone from getting healthcare services.
Fighting Online Bullying
More recently, Legal Momentum has worked to create laws against a type of online bullying where someone is threatened with private images. Starting in 2017, the group helped pass laws in 17 states to hold people accountable for this harmful behavior.
Educational Programs
Legal Momentum believes that education is a powerful tool for creating change. They run several programs to teach people about gender equality and their rights.
- The National Judicial Education Program (NJEP): Started in 1980, this program teaches judges and lawyers about gender bias. Bias is a form of unfairness that can happen when people have stereotypes about a group. NJEP helps make sure the justice system is fair for everyone.
- Rights Now!: This program works with young people, especially young women of color. It teaches them about their rights and helps them become leaders who can share their knowledge with their communities.
- Women Valued: This project focuses on helping groups of women who have often been overlooked by the law. This includes women of color, immigrant women, and women in low-wage jobs. It teaches them about their rights and works to create laws that support them.
Name Change
In 2004, the group changed its name from the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund to Legal Momentum. They felt this new name was shorter and better described their mission of pushing forward for women's rights.
See also
