Women and Politics

This weekend, the House narrowly passed a health care reform bill after delivering a huge blow to women’s reproductive health in the Stupak amendment—thus demonstrating again how badly we need more women in power.

According to NARAL Pro-Choice America:

“The Stupak-Pitts amendment makes it virtually impossible for private insurance companies that participate in the new system to offer abortion coverage to women. This would have the effect of denying women the right to use their own personal private funds to purchase an insurance plan with abortion coverage in the new health system — a radical departure from the status quo.”

As Feministing points out, we thought it was clear “that reproductive health care is essential health care.”

But apparently not, because the Stupak amendment passed 240-194. How many women voted for it? 19. (2 Dems, all Repubicans). Allow me to do a little math:

Out of 435 members, we currently have only 73 women in the House. We should have 217.5. (OK, round that up to 218 I suppose). So, that means we need 145 more women to make it equal.

What do you suppose would happen with the anti-choice, anti-woman Stupak amendment if we had gender equality in Congress for this vote?

I dare to say that not only would it be defeated—it wouldn’t have even a whisper of a wish of passing. (That is, if it was even introduced at all).

Like many women around the country today, I’m feeling very bittersweet about the health care bill passing. Of course we need health care reform, but it shouldn’t have to come at the cost of rolling back our reproductive choices.

Sure, the Stupak amendment could be stripped out by the conference committee, but how many women will be part of that decision-making process? Most likely, not nearly enough.

Today is Women’s Equality Day - designated to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920, which grants women the right to vote. Now, nearly 90 years later, where do we stand?

• 17% of Congress is made up of women.
• Only 10% of women have ever thought about running for office, compared with 20% of men.
• The United States is ranked 72nd for gender equality in public office.
• Women hold 24% of State Legislature seats.
• More than half of all states—27—have never had a female governor.
• Women still face sexist hurdles when running for and serving in office.

So, in sum:

“We’ve come a long way…maybe.”

Those words were spoken by blogger, author, and women’s activist, Gloria Feldt at this year’s Netroots Nation. She pointed out that the percentage of women in Congress is only up 3% from what it was in 1979. At this rate, it will take us about 70 years to achieve equality in Congress.

We can vote, but we’re not necessarily voting for women or considering running ourselves. Have we been aggressive enough in our quests for equality? Maybe the problem is in our follow-up:

“Women have historically made leaps like this only to step back ourselves. When we got the vote - we didn’t care how women voted, they just wanted the vote.”

Gloria has a point. I’m not disregarding the incredible work of the women who fought to get us where we are today—there is much to be celebrated. However, I think we can all agree that this is no time to sit back and be complacent. We need to carry the work of past women’s rights activists through to the end. They started us on the road to equality, but we have a long way to travel before actually reaching it.

If the crazy-low percentages of women in elected office don’t move you, perhaps this will:

“Today, women are the majority of voters, but men still largely decide the laws that govern our lives.”

Again, Gloria hits the nail on the head. We can vote, but we’re largely voting for men who will make decisions about our health care, environment, economy, reproductive freedom, and national security. Do these decisions always include an equal woman’s voice? No. Should they?

I say, absolutely. Otherwise, what have we been fighting for? Have we come this far to be content with only a quarter of our country’s leadership being women? I hope not.