So much for Pennsylvania as the birthplace of freedom and democracy.

A report from the Center for American Progress offered alarming statistics about Pennsylvania and the way it treats the 6 million women who live here, assigning us a "C-minus" grade, and ranking our state 28th on women's rights.


It goes from bad to worse, whether it's that we scored a "D-plus" on economic factors for women (e.g., the 76 cents we still make to every dollar a man makes or that 15 percent of us live in poverty), a "D" in leadership (our congressional delegation contains one woman, and we hold less than 37 percent of the managerial positions in the state despite being 52 percent of the population), or a "C" in health (there is only one OB/GYN for every 20,000 women in the state; we have the 12th highest infant mortality rate; our lawmakers are making it as difficult as possible to get reproductive health care).

It is beyond dispute that when women do well, their families do well, their children thrive and communities prosper. That is reason enough for Pennsylvania to start climbing.

But there is an even better reason; Pennsylvania women deserve an equal shot at a good life.

They deserve a state where they are treated equally at home, at work, and at school. They deserve a seat in the boardroom and at the table of government. They deserve a chance to live and work safely, with dignity - even when they're pregnant or raising a family. They deserve basic economic security essential to getting and staying healthy. They deserve freedom to decide whether to have children in accordance with their beliefs, not under the boot of other people's politics or religion.

So what can you do?

Read the report, get motivated. Get involved by getting smart about who you're electing to office. Become an educated, vocal participant in whatever inspires your civic passion.

Make your voice heard by voting, because Pennsylvania badly needs you in order to get back on the right track for our state's women.


The women and men of Pennsylvania need to unite to effect real change for women, whether it is access to health care, economic security, or freedom from violence.

And we need to pick up the pace. It's taking too long to reach true equality.