Fox Celebrates National Dog Day, Not Women's Equality Day

Fox News' morning programming ignored Women's Equality Day, yet took time to highlight “National Dog Day.”

In 1971, Congress passed a joint resolution designating August 26 Women's Equality Day, on the date of the 1970 Women's Strike for Equality. The commemorative holiday celebrates the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women the right to vote, and is intended to call attention to women's ongoing struggle for equal treatment in the United States.

In advance of the holiday, President Obama issued a proclamation highlighting how far equal rights for women have progressed since the 19th Amendment was ratified. He noted that legislation such as the Violence Against Women's Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act continued to advance women toward equality, and reaffirmed the need to “renew our commitment to securing equal rights, freedoms, and opportunities for women everywhere,” through further action such as the proposed Paycheck Fairness Act.

Fox News failed to mention Women's Equality Day on the morning of August 26, yet took the time to cover National Dog Day, airing pictures of Fox & Friends hosts' pets:

Over 40 years after the Women's Strike for Equality, women have not reached parity in America. Women continue to make less than their male counterparts, earning just 80.9 percent of what men earn -- a gap of about $163 dollars less per week. In fact, the gap between men and women's earnings widened in 2012.

Furthermore, research has demonstrated the benefits that programs that provide women with affordable access to universal preschool, paid family and medical leave, and affordable contraception could achieve for women's employment and the economy. But Fox has repeatedly ignored how such programs could assist women and their families and dismissed the hurdles that women continue to face in pursuit of full equality, instead turning to demonizing these programs and fearmongering about how greater equality for women is leading to the dissolution of society.

Methodology

Media Matters searched internal TV archives and closed captioning for the terms “Equality Day” and “dog” between 5 am and 1pm on August 26 on all Fox News shows.