Every four years, the first Tuesday of November brings the voices of the people together when they vote for the new leaders of the country. This year, the two candidates for president were the Republican nominee and former president Donald J. Trump with vice president JD Vance, and former vice president Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz.
When the results were announced, the country saw Trump back into power. However, for many women around the country, Trump’s return to office will pose a threat to their reproductive rights, bringing a wave of uncertainty.
During his time in office in 2021, the landmark case Roe v. Wade was overturned by the supreme court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, ruling that the legality of abortion will be decided by the states. Roe v. Wade provided a federal protection of abortion, and now that that power is to the states, women face more restrictions on their own bodies. In order to receive the treatment needed, women who live in states such as Texas have gone to other states to get an abortion. However, several women can’t afford to buy plane tickets to leave the state in order to receive the procedure needed.
Abortion is an important right to have as a woman because it is their choice whether or not they want to have a family. It is a right that shouldn’t be taken away from anyone, and gives women a choice in what they want to do.
In Texas, pregnant, teenage girl Neveah Crain died last October after visiting the Emergency Room when feeling unwell. Doctors turned her away, saying that there was still a heartbeat for the baby and Crain ended up dying of sepsis. Crain’s case illustrates that abortion should be protected, especially when it comes to health risks of the mother. States are now given the right to control safety as well as the choice of a woman to have an abortion, which can result in serious consequences.
Throughout their campaign, both Vance and Trump have said words that demean women to a certain role. For example, during a rally, Trump vowed to be a protector of women whether they “liked it or not“. This shows how Trump thinks of women as inferior to men and that they need someone to protect them. Jesse Walters, a news anchor on Fox News, stated that women voting for Harris over Trump while in marriage meant, “…going into the voting booth and pulling the lever for Harris. That’s the same thing as having an affair.” This ultimately shows the amount of control that Trump’s supporters want to have on women, infringing on the voice women have in politics.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, had insulted Kamala Harris back in 2021, calling her a “childless cat lady”. He has also said remarks such as how car seats affect fertility rates, and that he supports tax proposals in order to make the United States more “pro-family”. These crude remarks demonstrate how, for Vance and Trump, women are lowered to a role of being a part of a family, and they no longer would be able to have a choice to forge their own path.
Additionally, several accounts of Trump conducting himself disrespectfully about women have surfaced. Accusations of misconduct from women such as Rachel Crooks, a secretary in Trump’s building, Natasha Stoynoff, a writer for The Peoples’ Magazine, and Jennifer Murphy, a founder of a global women’s empowerment organization Go Girls have been circulating. Trump has repeatedly denied these accusations, but there are over 26 women who have spoken out about his disrespect and misconduct towards women.
Having a president in office who does this to women sets a harmful precedent for the country because this disrespect towards women ultimately perpetuates the idea that it is acceptable to treat women poorly.
The Comstock Act, created in the Victorian Era, for example, pushes for a national ban on abortion. Trump and his administration have interpreted this statute in a radical manner and want to enact it nationally. This means that reproductive rights would be prohibited for women to access, essentially forcing them to no longer have a choice in their role. Additionally, the part of the Affordable Care Act which includes the coverage of contraception would be shaped in order to remove the contraception protection.
In addition, Trump’s supporters consist of conservatives who want to have stricter bans on abortion imposed. Trump has also appointed conservative supreme court judges such as Amy Coney Barrett, which results in a shift to a more right-winged Supreme Court. Because of the right-winged beliefs, the court is more likely to impose policies infringing on women’s reproductive rights.
Throughout Trump’s campaign, his views on abortion have been a subject to change. On several accounts, he has said that he was responsible for the Dobbs V. Jackson ruling because of the conservative judges he appointed. On the other hand, he has also said that he has wanted to support an extension of the six-week ban in Florida. When Trump was asked whether he would veto an abortion bill, he said, “I don’t have to do anything about vetoes, because we now have it back in the states.” These words demonstrate that Trump doesn’t care about reproductive rights and universal protection over them.
Trump’s victory in the 2024 election shows that women’s rights are no longer a priority of the country, and that people are willing to look beyond his utter disrespect as well as abuse towards women in the past.
As a biracial woman of color, Kamala Harris has gone through several struggles regarding racial prejudice and sexism. In several states on the East Coast, she has worked tirelessly to advocate for protections to help women.
In fact, in a previous statement, she explained that her administration is proposing the largest expansion of contraception coverage in more than a decade, providing millions of women with more options for affordable contraception. women’s reproductive rights.
In spite of the uncertainty for women in the next four years, this shouldn’t stop people to continue the fight for women’s rights. Organizations such as Planned Parenthood are continuing to fight for change and take action against restrictions on women’s birth control rights. It is important to provide support for these organizations so they can continue to fight for necessary protections on freedom.
There are several ways to take action to fight against the suppression of women’s rights. This includes voting in elections, participating in protests, donating to important organizations such as Planned Parenthood, and pledging support for bills to be passed in congress. For example, the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2023 works to prevent abortion access from being restricted by the government. With more voices being involved in the government, people will understand how important it is to stand up for women’s rights.
