WASHINGTON DC: Pizzeria Paradiso and "A Day Without A Woman" - Ruth Gresser Letter

In observance of International Women’s Day and “A Day Without A Woman” Pizzeria Paradiso and Chef/Owner Ruth Gresser will serve half of her food and draft beer menus to symbolically reinforce the impact of a day without women. The reduced menu will be in effect at all Pizzeria Paradiso locations – in Dupont Circle, Georgetown, and Old Town Alexandria – and the restaurant group will donate half of the day’s profits to two women’s organizations – My Sister’s Place and the National Organization for Women.

Please see below for a copy of a letter and the limited Day Without a Woman Menu that all customers will receive when dining at Pizzeria Paradiso locations on March 8th.

As a girl coming of age in the 1970’s, I remember the day in March 1972 when the Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution passed the Congress. I also remember the disappointment when, ten years later, it failed to be ratified by enough states to become law.

This failure means that I, as a woman, do not have equal rights under the law in this country where “all men are created equal”.

Today, 45 years later, I am striking for those same equal rights.

I, as the owner of Pizzeria Paradiso, am standing with all women in support of equal rights by facilitating female staff members’ ability to strike for equal rights for women.

Through Pizzeria Paradiso, I am taking A Day Without a Woman one step further. In addition to a day without women, I am asking you to do without half of our menu and half of our draft list.

By cutting our menu in half, we symbolically reinforce the impact of a day without approximately half of the world’s population. I ask you, my customers and my community, to support me and equal rights for women with this symbolic restraint and limitation.

You’ll find today’s limited Day Without a Woman Menu on the reverse side of this letter.

Finally, in support of women, Pizzeria Paradiso will donate half of our profits to two women’s organizations – My Sister’s Place, empowering survivors of domestic violence, and the National Organization for Women where the constitutional guarantee of equality for women remains a top issue. Please talk to your server if you would like to contribute to our donation. \

With sincere hopes that one day all people of the world will be recognized as equals in theory and in practice by the law and by one another.

Thank you.

Ruth Gresser
Chef and Owner
Pizzeria Paradiso and Veloce