Letter: “We believe this moment in time is not ‘politics as usual.’”

To the Editor:

We are inspired by Westport women who came before us – Republicans and Democrats alike – who rallied and door-knocked and wrote letters and took personal risks for over seven decades in pursuit of the right to vote. 

Today, more than 100 years after the 19th amendment was added to our constitution, women are still not equal under the law. This is both unethical and un-American. Overturning Roe v Wade was, quite simply, a violation of our dignity and human rights. 

Join us in mobilizing the power of the collective to promote women’s issues in 2022. Issues that are personal,familial and community focused. Issues that include privacy and individual freedoms and the education, safety and well-being of our children. Issues that impact the identity and vitality of our town. 

When we cast our ballots in November, we must vote for policies, candidates and parties that validate our equal status, shared values and the survival of our democracy. Throughout history and in societies across the globe, women have united against marginalization. Demanding that our elected officials stand up for the rights of more than half the population is fundamental to our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. 

Committed to moving forward in our homes, our schools and workplaces, our village, our state and our country, we respectfully ask you,friends and neighbors from diverse political ideologies,to: 

• Recognize your power. 

• Accept your responsibility. 

• Vote in the best interests of yourself and your sisters, daughters, mothers, girlfriends and granddaughters. 

As Westport suffragists Lillian Wald, Amelia Shaw MacDonald Cutler, Sara Buek Crawford, Anna Holden Mazzanovich, Laura Gardin Fraser, Rose O’Neill and others bravely did over 100 years ago, stand up for the women and girls you know and don’t yet know, in Westport and in destinations far from here. Our causes are also theirs. 

Women of Westport unite. And V O T E. 

Signed, 

  Jessica Hill    Jen Greely     Kate McGarvey    Trudie Gubitz        Andrea Berkley    Ebru Halper    Nancy Axthelm    Gery Grove   Lindsay Weiner    Miriamne DeMarrais  Lisa Hofmeister    Julia Marx   Rebecca Martin    Jen Gorin      Michelle Mechanic    Lauren MacNeill   Liz Leggett    Courtney McCrea    Haley Lieberman    Erin Loranger   Danielle Teplica    Denise Michalowski    Kara Sullivan    Gail Berritt   Joelle Berger    Vicki Volper    Jill Saluck      Abby Tolan    Megan Rutstein    Robin Weinberg    Melissa Kane    Anne Burmeister   Amiee Altschul    Sally Potter     Annie Zimmerli-Haskell  Amy Benjamin   Linda Gordon    Jill Nadel      Sarah Benjamin    Alexandra Benjamin   Jordana Latzman    Laila Latzman    Liz Milwe      Sarah Kelly   Darcy Hicks    Melissa Post    Candace Banks    Lorraine Pallumbo   Lauren Kreizer    Lisa Newman    Danielle Dobin    Laura Franklin   Lauren Karpf     Kris Jandora    Netta Levy    Donna Bacro   Wendy G Batteau    Sara Kempner    Pegeen Rubinstein    Hannah Spencer   Ali Stanley    Leslie Blank    Haley Schulman    Karen Salsgiver Coveney   Shayna Green    Marjorie Jacobson    Stacie Curran    Sivan Hong   Karen Driscoll    Miryha Fantegrossi     Kate Tarrant    Cynthia Cornell.   Julie Cochran    Linda Costello    Anne Bowens    Eliza Bowens   Natasha Johnston    Bonita Messman    Rama Iyer     Galia Gichon   Mariana Servin    Carrie Blasberg    Jaimie Dockray    Jenny Perlman   Sara Jordan    Sydney Hunter    Esme Hunter    Kate Kornfeld   Jenny Lukens    Jane Lukens    Ifeseyi Gayle    Marjorie Almansi   Maureen Tarrant    Elizabeth Kessler    Stacie Waldman    Kelli O’Hara Naughton   Jen Meerow Berniker  Sarah Green    Caroline Motyl    Tomira Wilcox   Cathy Kim Walker    Linda Mandel    Weatherly Hammond   Courtney McMahon   Diana Mashia    Ana Johnson    Aline Kultgen    Ronnie Aaron Hammer   Ashley Moran    Deborah Alexander    Maria Freeman    Melissa Levy   Sara Holt Reiss-Schmidt  Jas Silver      Stephanie Tang    Patra Kanchanagom   Ellie Magnuson    Kit Tingley    Emily Croce Bihl    Shannon Vindiola   Inés Riera      Brooke Davies    Christina Trudeau     Alison Luisi   Deirdre Doran     Julie Keil Riordan     Michaela Rome     Amy Herrera   Eileen Winnick     Jeanne B Klinge     Jennifer DeLeonardo   Seena Cushman    Amanda Holt Corey     Phyllis Freeman    Carol Anne Ances    Nancy Anderson   Marcia Falk     Helene Jacobs     Dana Aussenberg     Susan Eastman   Dina Upton    Hannah DeQuadros    Lisa Eisen      Sheri Gordon   Lauren Gladstein    Elizabeth Malaspina Coe   Tracy Brenner     Tyndale Brickey Bloom   Michelle Backus     Mia Anderson    Allison O’Dell     Sarah Caro   Elizabeth Woodson    Katie Apton     Libby Spader     Alex Cirasuolo   Pam Barkentin     Elise Zimmerman    Jodi Christensen-Hardin   Carolanne Curry   Melinda Greenlee    Lindsey Allen    Emma Allen    Georgia Allen   Margo Amgott    Lindsay Blass    Vicki Lopez    Marley Lopez-Paul   Leslie Gransberry    Kathryn Sonne    Elizabeth Sonne    Joan Polayes   Dalma Heyn     Josephine Deignan     Lindsay Shurman     Lauri Weiser   Cathy Brodows     Kate Frascella     Diane McCoy     Celeste Lacroix   Joan Gillman     Allyson Stollenwerck   Jill Totenberg     Jenae Weinbrenner   Jessica Newshel    Bobbi Essagof     Elizabeth Canner    Susan Hendee   Patricia Gabal     Betsy Sunderji     Marjorie Donalds    Jodi Ross   Aviva Ross    Georgette Geller     Julia Petro     Valerie Greenberg   Michelle D’Auria     Kiana Danial     Diana Shayon    Nathalie Jacob   Barbra Utting     Angela Benzan    Linda Pryde     Helene Jacobs   Prill Boyle 

To add your name to this letter, email Jessica Hill at jmbhill24@gmail.com 

We invite Westport women and high school girls (able / soon able to vote) to add their names. The letter will be published locally in advance of the November election.