lilly's law at last

^ Lilly's story, told by President Barack Obama.

Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation | The New York Times

WASHINGTON — President Obama signed his first bill into law on Thursday, approving equal-pay legislation that he said would “send a clear message that making our economy work means making sure it works for everybody.”

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. It's a bittersweet victory in a way. The bill was originally introduced to Congress in response to a Supreme Court decision against Lilly that would have otherwise awarded her the maximum back pay of $360,000 (as per the law) by Goodyear Tire, where she worked a supervisory blue collar job. Goodyear appealed the decision.

According to the New York Times "...Congress passed the bill, which restarts the six-month clock every time the worker receives a paycheck." Before that women only a had a window of 180 days after the actual discrimination occurred to file their suit, which Goodyear pointed out in its appeal in the Supreme Court. Lilly lost that case.

Listening to Lilly's story on NPR, I couldn't help shed a tear for her. She was just really trying to provide for her family as well as she can, something my own mom does so beautifully, even sharing some of her Social Security money with her grandkids when she can. But male dominated society continued to shove her down in a STFU gesture. Why is that? What do men actually get from doing that, especially when women - their wives, mothers, sisters, nieces, associates - are in it for the same reasons they are? And that reason is to just try to live a good life, earn a good living to provide for their family, their children. Why must men punish women for that?

The bill was rejected by almost every Republican in a filibuster move in the Senate, among them Senator John McCain: "I don't believe that this would do anything to help the rights of women except to maybe help trial lawyers and others in that profession." Yep, the same guy who would've been in the White House had we Americans chosen wrongly again. Interesting that in his statement he fixates on lawyers' opportunities while ignoring the bill's true importance. Nice going, McCain. And remember, you lost your bid for the White House. Twice.

^ If you are a man reading this, imagine how it might feel after working loyally and diligently for years for a company you thought cared, you discover you had all along been shoved down and kicked, being paid less because you are, say, too young, too old, not good looking enough, gay, or are Jewish or Muslim. That's how Lilly felt. The Subway, a painting by the American artist George Tooker.

Lilly continued her fight to get the bill passed in Congress. When she got wind that McCain rejected the bill she totally went through the roof and vowed never to vote for him, instead siding with Barack Obama. She appeared in an Obama campaign commercial: "My family needed that money."

At age 60, Lilly suffered another setback. Goodyear re-assigned her to a position where she was required to lift Hummer tires weighing at least 50 lbs. in order to inspect them. She retired early. Her husband, a retired Alabama Sargeant Major, all the while had supported her cause and for the first time during his 53 year marriage with Lilly, he voted Democrat. If he had only been able to hold on til at least today, he would have seen Lilly champion this, standing proudly next to the new president. He died of a heart attack a few weeks before this morning's signing of the bill into law by President Obama.

^ Lilly in black turleneck and red blazer, just behind President Obama after he signed her bill into law.

Lilly, you owned this, girl. On behalf of all your fellow Americans, I'm proud of you.

Postscript:

Lilly is not the first woman to win this fight. New York Times Op-Ed columnist Gail Collins introduces us to our American sisters who also championed equal rights causes.

Lilly's Big Day | The New York Times