18) Women’s Rights!

Reason #18 to Vote Blue on Nov 5

It took many years for the country to amend the Constitution to give voting rights to women! Just one of many ways that our country has moved forward from the original Constitution toward true democracy.

But that was 104 years ago! And so many “rights” were nevertheless withheld — the Equal Eights Amendment has been stalled since the first efforts to pass it. All the various different State laws restricting property, inheritance, borrowing and other rights remain. What is wrong with us!

When it comes to women’s rights, the distinction between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump could not be more clear.

The reason to vote for Harris on women’s rights is so obvious, so easy to learn for yourself, that I am going to move on below to discuss how terrible Trump is on women’s rights.

Donald Trump and his MAGA party will push women’s rights backward.

Donal Trump and Women

ABORTION / REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

Since Trump first considered running for President in 1999, and issued statements about abortion, his views have changed at least 15 times. So let’s say he is flexible on the issue, the main variable being – whatever he thinks is necessary to say to get elected!

In 2015-2016, he saw that American Evangelicals represented a big block within the GOP. He realized that he would have to conform to their goal of banning abortion, probably not realizing that right-wing think tanks had a plan (stock the Supreme Court with anti-abortionists), but he went along to go along. I’ll bet he was surprised by the Roe vs Wade overturn decision like everyone else, but to keep the evangelicals in his pocket, he likes to remind them that HE killed Roe.

Trump posting (clearly with pride!) on Truth Social, May 17, 2023

Then came recognition that the Roe overturn and red state abortion suppression laws were not that popular. Currently, 63% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to the Pew Research Center. Voter-referendums in swing States like Michigan and Ohio have restored reproductive rights to women! It is on the ballot in six more States in November.

Yet the right-wing has plans for making abortion access more difficult during a Trump administration, as is evident in the infamous Project 2025 document. Specifics include:

Revoking FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in about half of US abortions (“Abortion pills pose the single greatest threat to unborn children in a post-Roe world,” the document states)
Using an old law known as the Comstock Act to prosecute people who send abortion pills through the mail
Ending the mandate for insurance to cover the “week-after” contraceptive pill Ella (which the document argues is a “potential abortifacient”)
Crack down on “abortion tourism” in liberal states by requiring states to report where women seeking abortions live and cutting federal funds if they refuse
Ending subsidies for stem cell or fetal cell research

It also was evident in the “final” draft of the Republican National Convention Party Platform. With an aim toward better messaging to win the election, Trump shortened the length of the platform and softened the language on abortion [and gay marriage]. This upset many evangelical delegates. But Trump now has total control of the Republican National Committee with hand-picked co-chairs, one of whom is Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law. There is not even a hint of the old GOP in the current RNC; it is the MAGA Party. So….

Objecting delegate concerns about liberalizing the platform just a teensy-weensy bit were squashed. But they shouldn’t worry; it is just a Trump gimmick to make a few “independent” voters consider voting for Trump. Should he take office, there will be further restrictions to reproductive rights; we just have no way of knowing how many.

DONALD TRUMP’S CHARACTER WILL ENCOURAGE MORE MISOGYNY:

E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit confirms that Trump is a rapist.

He went to great lengths, breaking business record keeping laws (34 felonies), to hide his illicit meetup with Stormy Daniels from his wife and the 2020 Voters.

What kind of man fails to share the family inheritance with his own sister (Mary Trump)? What kind of man shows no respect to a sister who has had a successful career as an attorney (Elizabeth Trump)? His treatment of his sisters is eye-opening.

All of what we know about Trump and his relationship with women is largely one of huge disrespect. If he is rewarded with the Presidency, what message does this send? It will not be a positive time for women.

Not my kind of President.

WARNING! Be Strong. Donate. Volunteer.

Because Harris is a woman and because women’s rights will be front and center, you can expect a TON of misogynist social media. An avalanche of slurs and misinformation about her as a woman. As one woman who experienced this during the Brexit wars in the UK writes in the Guardian: This is a misogyny emergency. A huge outpouring is coming in the runup to the US election.