Women’s Independent Press

By Leann Schmidt

Every time I watch the news, I’m astounded by the lack of attention to issues that are front and center for at least half 50% of our voting population during this election cycle. Over and over, I hear “It’s the economy.” And, “ Jobs, jobs, Jobs”. I don’t think the story is so simple. The election polls are showing a definitive lead for Obama with women, and there’s a reason for that. It’s not that we don’t care about the economy, but we are keenly aware that our reproductive rights play a significant role in our health and wealth, both of which are at substantial risk with the GOP. Women’s reproductive health has been a significant target of attack this year, where nearly 40% of our state legislators have passed discriminatory laws aimed at taking away access to contraception for less fortunate women, diminishing a woman’s right to choose abortion by giving some doctors a free pass to deceive women, and by minimizing women’s rights to equal pay and the rights to make decisions about our own healthcare. If this election were only about the economy and jobs, then why are legislators in 2012 so focused on passing restrictive laws concerning women’s reproductive health when in office, and then pretend like it’s irrelevant and not really happening when it’s time to swoon voters? Pay attention, ladies. It’s really happening.

Let’s look at the economy and jobs as it relates to women and reproductive health issues. It’s a whole different story than what we’re being led to believe.

Women who have children make less money than women without children. This is true even for women at the top of the economic ladder as described In a 2010 article at http://www.chron.com/life/article/Women-at-work-Gender-role-notions-children-1709063.php:

A recent study of graduates of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business showed that equity in the workplace for MBAs is not a question of male or female.

“There are really three groups,” said Marianne Bertrand, a co-author of the study. “There are men, and women with kids, and women without kids.”

The study, Dynamics of the Gender Gap for Young Professionals in the Financial and Corporate Sectors, published this summer in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, showed that women and men with MBAs started their careers earning about the same amount and working similar hours.

But as they progressed, their paths diverged. Nine years out of school, female MBAs earned an average of $250,000 and men, $400,000.

Women also worked shorter hours, 51 hours a week compared to men’s 57 hours nine years after graduation. They also were more likely to take time off. The main reason: children.

Not listed is a fourth group for “men with kids”. Surely men with MBAs have children too. Even still, this is not a referendum on whether or not to have children. However, it is clear in this study that women with children work 11% fewer hours than men or women without children, but pay a significantly higher price. In the above example, that price tag is a whopping 37.5% pay difference.

Forcing women to have children by limiting access to birth control and abortions has a direct impact on a woman’s ability to earn equal wages. Inserting archaic religious values into laws that oppose women’s ability to choose how many children to have or restricting her ability to plan when to have them has a direct effect on the economy of women in the short term and long term.

The chart below was provided at Catalyst.org, in the article Women’s Earnings and Income published in August, 2012. I added the percentage of pay difference between women and men for each education level.

In no instance above do women make as much or more than their male counterparts. Yet despite these obvious pay differences, women don’t pay less for higher education, rent, groceries or gas at the pump. They do, however, pay more for health insurance and largely foot the bill for population control. Many Republican lawmakers and citizens don’t think women deserve a “free ride” – and they say this with a straight face as though women in this country have ever gotten one. Are we willing to overlook the obvious unfairness in the job market to insist on an improved economy that will not be reflected in our own bank balances? I’m not interested in the “trickle down” effect. My vote in this election won’t go to the candidate who thinks women should be reduced to working twice as hard for half as much. I’m not interested in begging for scraps. Any candidate who won’t take a solid stance on the issues of equal pay and full rights to my reproductive health is not someone who I believe could ever improve MY economic situation as a woman in this country – that goes for the president right on down to the local mayor.

The other interesting manipulation is to pretend like women’s rights are really on the backburner in this election and will have no effect on our lives. How many times I hear people say, “I’m not a one-issue voter”. If you break down all the ways that women get the shaft in this country – from pay to contraception, I guess you could say I’m not a one issue voter either. But the truth is, the economy effects women differently than it does men. By pretending that these issues aren’t “as important” as the economy, alternative energy, education, debt reduction, etc., then you are slighting yourself, the real economy and half of the American population. I urge you not to drink this Kool-Aid.

Candidates also seek to divide women on the issue of abortion. It’s a doozy. I’ve never heard anyone say, “I love abortions!”, but I do know of many women who have exercised their right to choice, and those decisions were theirs to make and live with. If women are to be held accountable for their decisions, then they should be able to make those decisions without the interference of the government, who shamelessly tug at the heartstrings of the American people for votes, not for true concern of the women or the babies. You can see their disdain for poor women who cannot afford to support their children by the anger and resentment regarding welfare, food stamps and even free lunches for those children in schools. They want to “save the babies” but then they spit on the children and hail spite at the women. It might surprise a lot of people to learn that Planned Parenthood was a Republican idea born in the 1970’s, aimed at decreasing pregnancy by women who were not financially prepared to have children. It’s much cheaper to provide contraception than it is to provide clothes, healthcare, free lunches and food stamps for children whose parents cannot afford these things.

For those who are against abortion, I strongly recommend volunteering at places where you can provide education and counsel to women instead of leaving it to misinformed and sexist legislators. For instance, on August 19, 2012 (yep, just a few weeks ago), Todd Akin, a six-term member of Congress from Missouri told an interviewer that “legitimate rape” typically doesn’t result in pregnancy because “the woman’s body has a way to shut that whole thing down”. This is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard, completely without merit or science. Most Republicans went running for the hills after Akin’s comments, but the problem is, this man is a SIX TERM MEMBER OF CONGRESS who has served on the SCIENCE & Technology Committee in Congress! It’s obvious that this sentiment has been floating around the halls of congress and in the minds of congressional leaders who are in charge of passing laws in our country on women’s health. If you are truly opposed to abortion, there are better ways to help decrease them than by leaving it to our Congressional lawmakers. They will use your reproductive health to their benefit for a good sound bite, and you could be forced to live with their decisions whether you like it or not. Even if you personally disagree with abortion, I urge you not to remove this important option from women’s health care. There are too many good reasons to keep that door open.

If you’re still convinced that the economy is really the #1 issue this year, I encourage you to look at the actions of the legislators in office this year. They’ve been a lot more focused on reducing women’s rights than on bringing jobs to your neighborhood.

Don’t think it can’t happen. Take action. The Supreme Court has ruled to allow extremely rich people to create ads where they can lie all day long. Research every advertisement that you see (from both sides). Then VOTE!