The Collegian
Friday, March 29, 2024

'Equally disgusted': A bipartisan take on women's issues in the Virginia elections

The gubernatorial election in Virginia has been a notably nasty race, especially with regard to the personal views of the candidates on access to abortion and contraception. As young women living in Virginia who inhabit opposite ends of the political spectrum, we have found ourselves equally disgusted with the representation of "women's issues" on all sides.

In spending so much time on abortion and contraception (both for and against), the candidates have managed two impressive feats. First, they have both painted their opponent as a man who would govern primarily on his stance on reproductive rights. The truth is that governors (especially those elected without much of a mandate, which seems all but certain in this race) do not have the authority to change much about private access to health care in their states.

Second, they have escaped scrutiny on innumerable issues more likely to come up during their tenure as governor by "sounding the alarm" about the dangerous women's rights policy prerogatives of their opponent. As governor, Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli would not personally blockade abortion clinics, and Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe would not perform abortions on 12-year-old girls. The fact that it's gotten this far, that our gubernatorial candidates have turned into mere caricatures of leaders on these issues, is disturbing and degrading.

As politically involved college women, our experience in this election has been morphed into a single issue campaign. Consequently, we have seen this election become a mere caricature of women's rights. We are not diminishing the importance of a woman's right to choose (or not choose, depending on where you stand). However, to be for or against abortion has become akin to either welcoming or rejecting the vote of 50 percent of the population.

There remains a long road to attain gender equality in this country, and contraceptive policies are only a drop in the bucket. What about equal pay for equal work? Access to maternity and paternity leave? Affordable day care? Proper adjudication and enforcement of alimony and child support laws? The treatment of rape victims? Are these not so-called "women's issues" as much as contraception and abortion? These topics have been side-bars at best over the course of this campaign.

These things matter to us and women everywhere. We must hold our representatives in government accountable for their responses to all of these questions. Personally, we believe that women everywhere should have the right to reproductive health care unfettered by restrictive government regulations.

However, we realize that not all women share this perspective, and we respect their moral concerns. But to attempt to trick women into thinking that their choice at the ballot box must come down to their views on abortion and birth control is shameful.

We are scholars. We are athletes. We are educators and daughters and student leaders. Our views on abortion do not define us as women or as voters. We are entitled to a public discourse that recognizes this and treats women as full participants in every major policy debate.

This election, like so many others, has been hijacked by those chanting about the "War on Women." Yes, women's reproductive rights are an issue of special concern and deserve careful consideration. But women are entitled to be activists for issues that extend far beyond the lining of their uteruses, and it is high time that politics in America reflect that fact.

Sarah Roden is a member of Young Democrats, and Molly Kiniry is president of Young Republicans.

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