吃瓜大本营

鈥淵ou鈥檝e come a long way, baby.鈥� That was a slogan of my youth. It was a marketing campaign for Virginia Slims, a cigarette marketed to women. The ads featured sexist images of the past 鈥� 鈥淕ive women the right to vote and, by heavens, next thing you know, she鈥檒l want to smoke like a man鈥� 鈥� to mark progress.

Now, nearly two decades into the 21st century, I wonder how far we have really come. More than 20 states explicitly prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people; a Black woman is the candidate of a major party to be governor of Georgia; and sex discrimination is banned in employment, education, housing, and federally funded health care.

But in America today, a woman makes on average to a man鈥檚 dollar. A Black woman makes only to a white man鈥檚 dollar. prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation based on race, religion, and other categories, but not based on sex, including sexual orientation or transgender status. There are still police departments in this country that don鈥檛 make clear in or training materials that on-duty sexual misconduct against civilians is prohibited.

of the nation鈥檚 50 governors are women. are white. None is transgender or lesbian. of women report having been subject to sexual harassment. have experienced intimate partner violence. Those companies that provide paid family leave 鈥� still less than 鈥� often offer leave for men, reinforcing the notion that raising children is women鈥檚 responsibility. Federal health plans, including Medicaid, coverage of abortion unless the pregnancy results from rape or incest or is life-threatening.

This list could go on.

The following are some approaches other countries have taken to combat gender inequity. This list does not constitute an endorsement of any country鈥檚 commitment to gender equality or to the effectiveness of the law in practice. We well appreciate that the countries below are not free of gender discrimination 鈥� some are arguably far more discriminatory than the United States 鈥� and the laws may be imperfect or more for show. But they nonetheless offer approaches that may merit our consideration.

1. 础谤驳别苍迟颈苍补鈥檚 Gender Identity Law

础谤驳别苍迟颈苍补鈥檚 , adopted in 2012, allows for legal gender recognition based solely on an individual鈥檚 self-determination and makes sex-change surgery a legal right, covered by public and private insurance.

2. Germany鈥檚 Wage Transparency Act

As of January 6, 2018, German allows workers at companies with more than 200 employees to find out the median remuneration of a colleague of the opposite sex in the same or a comparable role. The median remuneration is based on that of at least six opposite-sex colleagues.

3. 搁飞补苍诲补鈥檚 Political Representation

搁飞补苍诲补鈥檚 , adopted in 2003, mandates that 30 percent of parliamentary seats be reserved for women. Today, of the lower chamber and 38.5 percent of the upper chamber seats of the Rwandan parliament are held by women, the highest representation of women parliamentarians in the world.

4. 笔补办颈蝉迟补苍鈥檚 Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act

笔补办颈蝉迟补苍鈥檚 , adopted in 2018, prohibits discrimination against transgender people in schools, at work, on public modes of transit, and while receiving medical care. It also allows people to choose their gender and to have that identity recognized on official documents, including national IDs, passports, and driver's licenses.

5. Iceland鈥檚 Equal Pay Law

Gender-based pay discrimination has been illegal in Iceland since 1961. But in the face of a gender wage gap of nearly 6 percent, Iceland adopted a in 2018 that requires companies to demonstrate that their wages are fair. By 2022, any public or private body in Iceland employing more than 25 people that has not been independently certified as paying equal wages for work of equal value will face daily fines.

6. Sweden鈥檚 Parental Leave

Sweden provides of paid parental leave, to be used before a child is eight. Two-parent households get the full benefit if each parent takes ninety, non-transferable days off, an effort to ensure that no one parent or gender is seen as the sole caregiver.

7. Norway鈥檚 Board Membership Rule

Since 2008, Norway has required that women make up of publicly listed company boards. Companies that fail to comply .

8. New Zealand鈥檚 Sex Work Decriminalization

New Zealand in 2003 with the Prostitution Reform Act, which protects sex workers rights through employment and human rights legislation.

9. The United Kingdom鈥檚 National Health Service

The U.K.鈥檚 National Health Service covers and treatment for .

10. Canada鈥檚 End to Its Tampon Tax

In 2016, Canada its 5 percent tax on tampons and other products.

11. Morocco鈥檚 Law on Domestic Workers

In 2016, Morocco passed a that requires proper labor contracts for domestic workers, limits their daily working hours, guarantees days off and paid vacations, and sets a minimum wage. The law also provides financial penalties for employers who violate these provisions and even prison sentences for repeat offenders.

12. Around the World: Women Leaders

In more than women have served as president or prime minister. Those countries include Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Liberia, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. The first woman to become a head of state was Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who served as prime minister of Ceylon and Sri Lanka beginning in 1960.

Later this week, the ACLU will unveil a plan that calls out the ongoing problems of discrimination in the United States and pledges our commitment to achieving progress in each area over the next 12 months. To make progress, we need you. What policies do you think would advance gender justice in the United States? Please let us know in the comments section below.