I have always wondered how many global issues we would be able to solve if we left the autonomy of women’s bodies alone. For me, women having choices when it comes to their pregnancy is non-negotiable. Because of this, my options regarding who I vote for are limited.
Whether you want to debate the philosophical dilemma of a fetus having a soul or not is not my concern. My concern is more for the women who are alive right now and how their bodies are being leveraged as talking points for political candidates. However, women’s bodies have been a political talking point for as long as we have had a democracy.
When talking about abortion, it is important to remember why women get them; the most common reasons for abortion are economic concerns and limiting the number of children people already have. In the United States, 70% of the nation’s impoverished are women and children. Single mothers face higher risks. When women make much less than men yet are trying to provide an income for themselves and their children with limited help and resources, it’s very stressful.
Another reason women have abortions can be due to health concerns. Although this is much more uncommon, women should have the ability to opt out of a pregnancy if it will threaten their lives. Things like preeclampsia and ectopic pregnancy kill women every year.
Systemic medical racism also plays a large role in pregnancy-related deaths.
Did you know Black women are three times more likely to die from childbirth than White women?
Did you also know that most of those deaths are preventable and are due to inadequate healthcare? It’s not rare, but every year, the numbers go up.
Abortion has never been about protecting women and their pregnancies. There is a push for women not to have affordable access to birth control, too. Birth control is not perfect; however, it is another safe option at risk of being taken away.
With so many limited options for women, you can’t help but wonder what agenda Republicans are pushing.
When a political candidate takes a neutral to strong stance on making abortion illegal, I become immediately uneasy. Policing women’s bodies has historically been a part of our country’s conflicts and what has been dividing us.
Sometimes, I wonder how my political stances would differ if I didn’t have to choose between human rights. I can’t in good faith vote for a person who believes that the perspective of the life of a hypothetical baby is more important than a very actual human.
I would love to see politics move more towards a compassionate approach. Better healthcare, more sex education and policies that truly support these women if they choose to have these children. That way, we can be more intentional about our future.
Unfortunately, this election has proven that most Americans are not on the same page as me. Trump’s win in the 2024 election made this clear.
On my social media, I have seen plenty of people voice that women’s bodies are not their main focus. They want to see the economy get better, and they are much more concerned about that. I find myself having conflicting emotions towards those people. Although that altruistic side of me wants to say putting monetary gain over people is why America can’t get better, there is this small part of me that understands.
When you are raised in an individualistic culture, this is the byproduct. The individual is the top priority. The people who voted for Trump, knowing he is very pro-life and has spread misinformation about Haitians, have no interest in looking out for the minorities in America.
When the majority only looks out for themselves and ignores problematic political figures, it creates a huge power imbalance. The majority of Trump voters share similar backgrounds and phenotypes: White and middle- to upper-class. This demographic has always been a top priority and dominates all political parties. So, not only do they run most of the countries, but they also have a majority vote in our political system.
When I think about that part, that’s when that small amount of understanding fades.
However, humans are much too complex to put them in the “good” or “bad” category. Fighting for everyone to be liberated is the true American dream. Even though the election is lost and over, we are not. We still have so much work to do.
