Women have stood their ground for as long as anyone can remember, always standing for what they believed in and influencing the powerful men above them. Abigail Adams wrote to influence her husband, so many strong women who rose to challenge the society which they believed deprived and excluded them from rights that they deserved. Over the years women demanded and received, they gained the right to an education, participate in voting, and achieved great strides for women's healthcare. The high standards of our sisters live on today, while the movement has been a long one and there have been great milestones, it is not over; it must continue.
Today women continue to face oppression, they are not denied the right to vote or participate in government, however they are denied the right to make their own choices regarding their bodies, face double standards, and suffer the consequences of toxic masculinity. Why do these issues matter now? Have they not always been present? With Donald Trump in the oval office, there have been several new challenges for women's healthcare. These new policies are specifically aimed at reducing and ultimately terminating women's reproductive choices. In June of 2019, Trumps administration proposed a new rule regarding funding and family planning clinics, such as Planned Parenthood. The "domestic gag rule" would not fund Title X health care programs that provide or refer patients for abortions. Men do not have the ability to reproduce, they should not be able to dictate the female body.
Whether you believe in abortion or not, the issue still stands; clinics provide a variety of services for BOTH men and women that are vital to their well being and come at an affordable price. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and preventive health services. As of August 2019, Planned Parenthood decided to ultimately leave the Title X program, sacrificing millions of dollars in federal funding, to take a stance with women. Complying with Trump's unethical policies and regulations would mean neglecting women the right to a safe and legal abortion. While this may have been the right thing to do, women everywhere are suffering the consequences. Those who are low income, a majority of them being people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, no longer have access to the affordable services they depended on; those being but not limited to contraception, screening for breast and cervical cancer, pregnancy tests, and educational programs.
Where do we go from here? The "gag rule" was definitely a big step in the wrong direction, rooted in the misogyny of the powerful leaders in America, a majority of which are men. However, while there will be setbacks it is a time to become aware of these situations, and demand a change. Regulating funding so that it serves only your best interests, is wrong; women and all groups alike should have the right to make a decision that directly affects them. In addition, they should have access to affordable healthcare that educates them and allows them to be a healthy member of society. Abortion is healthcare, and healthcare is a right. Lets ensure that it remains accessible and affordable.
