“Too often, these are called women’s issues. Well, I am a proud lifelong fighter for women’s issues because I firmly believe what’s good for women is good for America. As far as I’m concerned, any issue that affects women’s lives and futures is a women’s issue.” –Hillary Clinton
Maybe I’m biased because I’m marginally obsessed with politics — I’d venture to say more so than your average 20-year-old woman. I read The New York Times politics section pretty religiously and make a point to watch every debate and stay informed. I’ll admit that my heightened interest in this area is a relatively recent development. I’ve always considered myself a feminist, but my feminist leanings have become a more prevalent facet of my identity as this political season has heated up. Thinking about this the other day, I came to the conclusion that it can’t be a coincidence.
This is a big time for women politically. There’s the thrilling – though almost humorously belated – possibility of the first female president on the table and our other democratic candidate is thankfully all about egalitarianism (feel the Bern). Yet on the flipside, we have several GOP candidates who are threatening to strip women of important rights and choices we’ve had for years. It’s conceivable that this election might be the most contentious and competitive perhaps since Gore vs. Bush 16 years ago, and this one seems to scrape lower and lower for the bottom of the political barrel. While we don’t know who our two presidential candidates will be just yet, there is the frightening chance that the next POTUS could, and would, potentially push to pass bills that significantly pull back on women’s rights. We could see a regressive women’s era. Women indisputably earn less than men in the workplace. We endure endless adversity and face persistent barriers when it comes to career advancement, and our right to make personal health decisions is plainly under assault. In my opinion, these are not merely “women’s issues” — these are economic issues, family issues, America’s issues. They must be protected.
This is why I feel that the 20-something female demographic is the most important group of voters out there. We have the unique opportunity to take matters into our own hands and make significant strides in women’s rights – how long have women dreamed of complete equality? I don’t think it’s an empty dream. We could talk about the pay gap, about the men in Congress who want to defund Planned Parenthood and pilfer our right to the freedom of choice regarding unwanted pregnancies (whether it be for medical reasons, situations involving rape and sexual abuse or individual decision) — not to mention denying access to affordable or free birth control and health care for women who otherwise wouldn’t have access to these things. We could talk about domestic violence and how – while hopefully less common – women are still abused by men and how these cases of abuse often aren’t taken seriously by the criminal justice system. For a long time, it would seem that women were told to be "seen and not heard." In 2016, I propose that we aspire to be seen and heard in a stronger and more positive way than ever before. This goes beyond feminism. Feminism is too limited. This stretches across our country’s image as a whole and our unrelenting and perennial decree to be progressive, tolerant and strong. How can we be perceived as a strong country if half of the population feels inhibited, controlled or oppressed by the other half?
Elsewhere, there are examples we can look to for guidance. Women-centric villages and communities are prevalent throughout Africa. These societies epitomize "girl power." Transkei, located in the southeastern region of South Africa, has a popular "working song." One emblematic lyric, “Wathita umfazi, wathinta imbokodo," translates to "You strike a woman, you strike a rock." Women sing the song as they go about their daily lives, and they declare their message proudly. With a considerable emphasis on gender equality, women in these circumstances commonly do the same hard labor as the men do. However, there is a beautifully ubiquitous sense of female solidarity. Children are brought up not by a mother and father, but by an entire village of women and men all encouraging them grow and thrive without gender rivalry. Why, then, do American women in 2016 have to fight for paid family leave and quality affordable childcare? Women in Transkei are honored, respected and viewed as strong and capable. They are seen. They are heard.
A woman’s personal health decisions should be made by the woman with the counsel of her doctor, not by a group of politicians in D.C., most of whom are white, male and old. Economics also come into play. The poverty rate among divorced and widowed women 65 years or older is roughly 70 percent higher than for the general elderly population, meaning women are facing unacceptably higher poverty rates. The pay gap is a very real thing. Why don’t women attain equal income when occupying the same positions in the workplace as their male counterparts? Moreover, first-rate, cost-effective childcare should not be a luxury; it should be a given. After having a baby, women should not worry about whether or not they will get paid leave.
Violence against women is another issue that must be addressed. Studies estimate that one in five American women is sexually assaulted while in college. A frightening 22 percent of women experience physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime. We need to combat these acts of assault and abuse, and the criminal justice system must take them seriously.
This stretches beyond America. We must choose a president who will advance women’s rights in less fortunate countries as well as in the U.S. Women shouldn’t be forced into marriages, and they should be guaranteed an education. We can help make this happen! These are all very important issues that will be dominant in the upcoming election. Republican or Democrat, as a woman, it is offensive that there are people opposing these ideas and rights. We must join together. We must protect our rights.
They say it takes a village, and if we stand together like the women of Transkei do and vow to make a difference, then I believe we can do just that. It can be as simple as voting right, which ultimately, means voting for your rights. How can we stand idly by and watch as all of the progress we have made, as women, disintegrates? We are 20-somethings, just beginning our lives. It’s an exciting time filled with possibilities. We have the power to make the world a better place for us, for our future daughters and for women all over the world who have felt powerless in the past. We owe it to the women who have fought so hard to earn the rights we currently have, and we owe it to ourselves. So, let’s go, ladies. It’s time to be seen and heard.
