Why No Woman Should Vote Republican
Examining the Policies and Positions That Shape the GOP's Impact on Female Autonomy in the US
Since I’m into making lists to help me keep track of things that are important to me, I thought I’d compose a list of ways in which the GOP has attempted to undermine US women. Why do women vote Republican to their detriment?
There is always the possibility of diverse perspectives on the issues. Just as women are not a monolithic group, their views on what constitutes their best interests are varied. Some may prioritize economic policies, gun rights, or national security over other issues, such as reproductive rights or gender pay equity. Some may hold different fiscal and economic beliefs, feel an allegiance to their social conservatism, or hold party loyalty and tradition at the forefront of their belief systems. However, there is no denying that sure of their policies are detrimental to women, and this cannot be denied.
Republicans can always be found at the center of debates about women’s issues, such as healthcare, employment, or women’s rights, so I’d like to take a look at some of the strategies and policies espoused by the Party that have raised concerns regarding the oppression of women.
First on the list, of course ←-(sorry, D.K.)- is reproductive rights and who gets to control them. A flashpoint of contention is the historically conservative stance on our reproductive rights. Republicans have supported measures that limit access to abortion services, even in cases of incest or rape. This control over women’s reproductive choices is often couched in the language of “pro-life” advocacy. Still, it amounts to undermining a woman’s autonomy over her own body and healthcare decisions.
Trump’s impact on all of this hurt women across the world. By reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy, which forbids US foreign aid from going to organizations abroad that perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning, the policy adversely impacted global health initiatives by reducing funding for essential healthcare services provided by the affected organizations. Women felt the impact globally more than any other demographic, but children were also hurt, as many of these organizations offer basic healthcare for infants and children.
The GOP has often sought to support legislation that imposes waiting periods, mandatory counseling, or strict clinic regulations that can lead to their closures. For instance, the Texas Senate Bill 9 effectively bans most abortions after around six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant.
Second on my list, but perhaps first on other’s lists, are the challenges that the Republican Party issues about equal pay for women. Despite the inarguable logic that income should be tied to the worker’s job performance and qualifications rather than their gender, pay parity remains elusive. The only excuse that the Republicans give for paying women less money is that equal pay for women who perform work that is equal to that performed by men could lead to frivolous lawsuits and burden businesses. However, such legislation is necessary to strengthen protections against wage discrimination.
Republicans have generally resisted legislation, such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, designed to address wage disparities between men and women. By opposing such measures, Republicans inadvertently maintain the status quo of wage inequality.
Donald Trump rolled back the Fair Pay and Sae Workplaces Executive Order, which was an Obama-era order to ensure that companies with federal contracts comply with labor and civil rights laws, including protections against sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Yes, folks, it is perfectly legal to discriminate against women in the workplace, thanks to Donnie.
Dems and Republicans often disagree about the issue of mandated family leave. Republicans have traditionally been skeptical of federal policies that mandate parental leave, suggesting it should be left to the discretion of the employers. This resistance compounds the difficulties that working mothers, and indeed, all parents, face when striving to balance the demands of family and career.
The defunding of organizations that provide women’s health services is also a prominent issue. Planned Parenthood is the most cited example. The organization has been a recurring GOP objective for years.
While the argument is typically framed around opposition to abortion, the collateral damage affects access to contraception, cancer screenings, and other essential health services, disproportionately impacting low-income women and women of color.
Much of the problem lies in judicial appointments that have long-term effects. Trump appointed conservative judges to the federal judiciary, including three Supreme Court justices. These judges are more likely to rule against women’s reproductive rights and other issues that affect women.
The justices’ lifetime appointments mean that the impact of their decisions on gender discrimination, reproductive rights, and protections for survivors of sexual harassment and violence reverberate for decades and affect women exponentially.
Title IX is one of America’s most famous — and sometimes most controversial — civil rights laws, which prohibits discrimination in education. It was best known for its long-term impact on college women’s athletics. However, the law has other vital effects on campuses as well. For example, when it was passed, it explicitly banned most forms of sex discrimination in college admissions.
Title IX protections have been a battleground, with conservative administrations, often backed by GOP rhetoric, proposing revisions to education policies and adjustments to Title IX, propose revisions that some believe could deter the reporting of sexual assaults on college campuses. Critics argue that such changes serve to protect institutions over victims and could set back progress in combating campus sexual assault.
At the directive of Donald Trump, then Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rolled back Obama-era Title IX guidelines that lowered the standard of proof required in university sexual misconduct cases. The Department of Education, under her tenure, introduced new regulations that critics claim could deter survivors of sexual assault from coming forward by providing more protections for the accused and allowing cross-examinations in hearings.
Since its inception, Republican lawmakers have made many attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as exemplified by the 2017 American Health Care Act, which challenged provisions that directly benefit women, such as the requirement that health insurers cover maternity care and contraceptives without a copay. Donald Trump tried several times to repeal the ACA.
Budget proposals from Republican leadership have sometimes included cuts to welfare programs, such as SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid, which, according to critics, could disproportionately affect women, who make up a significant portion of the beneficiaries of these programs.
There is a sector of Republican women who actively champion and shape the party’s policies on women’s issues, working from within to rectify disparities while aligning with the party’s broader principles. Therefore, it can be concluded that making blanket statements about any political party can overlook policymaking's complex, often internally divisive realities.
That said, the need for discourse about Trump’s harmful tone and rhetoric is a necessary step toward more significant equity for women. While not policy per se, the tone and rhetoric of Trump as harmful to women, as it sets a negative public standard for behavior and discourse regarding women’s issues and rights.
The cornerstone of American democracy lies in the heart of such discourse. Said discourse should place particular focus on the policies of Donald Trump that have hurt women since his presidency. It is time that Republican women addressed issues such as the “Grab them by the pussy,” story and the fact that a judge found Trump was liable for sexual abuse, battery, and defamation against his victim. The judge did clarify that Trump did, indeed, rape E. Jean Carroll.
And if this isn’t enough, here is a list of 69 derogatory things that Trump has said about women. Donald Trump is a malignant narcissist. Please do not vote for him, especially if you are a woman. You will be shooting yourself in the foot…and in the feet of your daughters, cousins, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, female friends, transgendered women, sisters, and any other women, not just in America but around the globe.
I am now a life long Democrat. No more independent for me. After what the Republican party has put us through, and their support of Trump and all his shenanigans, how could I ever support that. Never!!