• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Southwest Women's Law Center

SWLC Twitter SWLC Instagram SWLC Facebook
  • Home
  • Advocacy Issues
    • Paid Family & Medical Leave Act
    • Economic Security & Workplace Rights
      • Pregnant Worker Accommodation Act
      • Breastfeeding
      • Equal Pay
    • Reproductive Justice
      • Abortion is Healthcare
      • Reproductive Justice Framework
    • Health and Safety
  • In Session
  • News
  • Resources
    • Our Allies
    • Case Studies
    • Legal Advice & Brief Legal Services
    • Events
  • About
    • Meet the Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • History
  • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
    • Work With Us
    • Volunteer
    • Donate

systemic inequities

The Southwest Women’s Law Center’s Statement Regarding Acts of Oppression during the 2021 New Mexico Legislative Session

March 19, 2021 by SWLC

This legislative session began with historic gains. We welcomed the most diverse legislature in the history of New Mexico, and for the first time, a majority of NM House members are women. We also welcomed our first African American Senator and a historic number of openly LGBTQ legislators. In addition, New Mexico’s delegation to Congress is now comprised of all women of color. Although there is still a long way to go before we have a truly representative legislature, we were thrilled to see progress toward that goal.

Unfortunately, the same forces that have long created barriers to proportional representation became apparent through acts of racism, anti-LGBTQ language, transphobia, misogyny, and white supremacy throughout the NM Legislative Session. These acts, both subtle and overt, have persisted and increased with frequency as we come into the frenzied last few days of the session. These acts of oppression have largely gone unchecked. Southwest Women’s Law Center stands in support of our queer-, woman-, and BIPOC-identifying legislators and ask that leadership acknowledge and address the acts that have been perpetrated against them.

Early on, one Senator questioned a Cabinet Secretary-designee’s ability to do her job because of her race. In another incident, a Representative called the police during a Committee hearing because she took offense to a comment made by an African American expert witness. More recently, another Republican Senator referred to some colleagues as “female dogs” after a lobbyist was caught on a hot mic using profanity to disparage Democratic Committee members.

More subtle instances have also been on display. Women, LGBTQ, and BIPOC legislators have been denied time to present their bills in certain influential committees. Those who have been allowed to present have been belittled, demeaned, and treated disrespectfully by the committees. We saw these behaviors spill over in a dramatic way onto the Senate floor during the debate of HB 20 on Thursday night, shining a more public light on what has been transpiring in committees throughout the session.

Though usually less obvious, the persistent bullying of some legislators by others demonstrates the ways in which the legislative process itself has been designed to reinforce power dynamics and allow a few members disproportionate control over what does and does not pass through the legislature. When a group of long-time legislators, mostly straight CIS men, utilize the structures of the legislature to berate and ignore legislators from diverse backgrounds, we see the system being used to silence certain voices. When diverse legislators are denied the opportunity to advance bills intended to promote equity, we see how those in power use these structures to maintain the status quo.

The people of New Mexico elected a historically diverse legislature, but legislative leaders have not done the work necessary to address the systems of oppression that have previously led to non-representative electoral bodies. As a result, a historically large number of marginalized people are facing oppression and violence embedded within the structures of those systems. It is beyond the time that we name these acts, address the structures that perpetuate them, and stand in solidarity with those who have been harmed, harassed, and mistreated while working without pay to serve and represent their communities.

 
The success of our work relies on supporters and donors like you. Help us keep the momentum of the movement. Share this email with others, follow us on social media, make a contribution. Your engagement matters!

Donate

Filed Under: Legislature, systemic inequities

SWLC Newsletter: Summer 2020

July 31, 2020 by SWLC

In this issue:

With the goal of creating new and equal opportunity for women and girls, SWLC keeps a close eye on these social justice matters. In our Summer edition, you can read about the following in our Summer 2020 Newsletter:

Lovelace Women’s Health
Lovelace Women’s Health screening is discriminatory against Native American mothers and babies and the State should investigate.

June Medical Services v. Russo
SWLC applauds the June Medical Services v. Russo decision.

Black Lives Matter
The Southwest Women’s Law Center stands in solidarity with the Black community and supports Black Lives Matter.

Meet the Team
Meet the team at Southwest Women’s Law Center who are working for you.

Download Summer 2020 Newsletter

Filed Under: Advocacy, Health, June Medical, June Medical Services v. Russo, systemic inequities Tagged With: Social Justice

Lovelace Women’s Health screening is discriminatory against Native Americans mothers and babies and the State should investigate

June 19, 2020 by SWLC

The Southwest Women’s Law Center is committed to addressing systemic inequities and protecting all reproductive rights, including informed birthing choices, for New Mexico’s women and girls. A New Mexico In Depth report recently brought to light allegations of a secret policy at Lovelace Women’s Hospital that has unfairly singled out Native American mothers for COVID-19 testing, leading to the separation of Native mothers from their newborns during the immediate postpartum period. This critical developmental period is essential for new mothers to bond with their babies, establish their breastfeeding relationship, and develop secure attachment. The World Health Organization affirms that closeness between mother and baby during this early period should be supported even when the mother is COVID-19 positive. This is particularly important for communities that have experienced historical trauma, including violence, inequities, non-consensual medical procedures, and children being separated from their families. 

For centuries, Native American communities have faced injustices and systemic racism that have contributed to health disparities, including the current disparate impacts of COVID-19. Now we learn that Lovelace has unjustly and systematically disrupted the critical postpartum experience for Native American mothers and newborns through racial profiling in the midst of a pandemic. Although this policy is reportedly intended to limit the spread of COVID-19, it is clear that Native American mothers are being targeted based on their appearance and zip code. This “racial red- lining” is unacceptable, discriminatory, and a violation of medical ethics. We call upon the Governor’s office to investigate this policy and its impact on Native American families. Not only is this a continuation of long-standing injustices perpetrated against indigenous women, but this also harms future generations as the first crucial moments of their new lives are already being impacted by unjust and racist policy. We stand with Native American Mothers and with all mothers of color who face these continuing injustices. If you are a mother who has been impacted by Lovelace Women’s Hospital’s COVID-19 policy of separating mothers and newborns based on their race and home zip codes please contact the Southwest Women’s Law Center for assistance at 505.244.0502 or info@swwomenslaw.org.

Download PDF version

Filed Under: COVID-19, Featured, Health, Motherhood, systemic inequities

Before Footer

Additional Resources

  • Resources
  • Advocacy Issues
  • Archives
  • Work With Us
  • Volunteer
  • Events
  • Privacy Policy

Support the Southwest Women’s Law Center.

SWLC Twitter SWLC Instagram SWLC Facebook
Serving the state of NM
505.244.0502
Non-Profit 501c3 Organization

With your support, we can make powerful shifts in protecting women and girls in the state of New Mexico.

Learn more on how you can help

Subscribe

* indicates required
                    
                    
                    
                    
Please choose your interest(s)
      
            
            
      

Thank You

With your support, we are able to do more. We are incredibly grateful!

  • Con Alma Health Foundation
  • Ford Foundation
  • McCune Charitable Foundation
  • National Institute for Reproductive Health
  • New Venture Fund
  • Nirvana Mañana Institute
  • The Ruth M Knight Foundation, Inc.
  • Santa Fe Community Foundation
  • W.K. Kellogg Foundation


Copyright 2005-2022 | Southwest Women's Law Center | Non-Profit 501c3 Organization

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}