In present-day America, men hold the majority of political power, taking up 73% of congressional seats and 75% of state legislative seats. Not to mention that all 45 presidents have been men. Despite this, over the years, many have felt it is their place to make decisions and offer comments on the health and safety of women in the U.S. As humans, it is impossible to fully “walk in each other’s shoes,” but that doesn’t mean we can’t empathize with each other. By making decisions and statements concerning a woman’s right to healthcare and their safety, without listening to women and what they go through, the government is putting the lives and rights of many at risk.
According to the Center for Reproductive Health, in June of 2022, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling that established a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion based on their right to privacy. This meant that the right of whether or not abortion is legal would be a decision left up to the states. According to Healthy People 2030, a 10-year initiative to improve the health and well-being of everyone in the United States, in 2018, there were 17.4 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Since the overturning of Roe V. Wade, these numbers rose to 18.6 in 2023.
The overturning of Roe V. Wade put women’s lives in danger. And the way in which government officials talk about this bill only confirms that their priority is not the safety of women. In a PBS news article, Vice-President JD Vance was reported saying that he “certainly would like abortion to be illegal nationally.” Therefore proving to American women their health and safety is not a priority to the Government, as if it was they would be proactive about the rising maternal deaths, and certainly not make statements such as this one.
In addition to rising maternal rates, many woman have also been victims of sexual assault. According to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the largest anti-sexual violence nonprofit in the nation, an estimated 17.7 million American women have been victims of sexual assault. As a woman, these numbers haunt my life.
Several government officials have had sexual misconduct accusations made against them. Andrew Cuomo, the 26th Governor of New York, has faced 13 allegations as of 2021, according to the New York Times and Donald Trump has faced over 20 as of October 2024, according to PBS News (Cuomo has denied all of these allegations, according to ABC News, and the Trump Campaign has strongly denied all claims.) Jeff Sessions, the former Attorney General, stated in 2016 that he didn’t know if grabbing a woman without her consent was considered sexual assault, according to UltraViolet, an advocacy organization. He also denied the Violence Against Women Act and the Military Justice Improvement Act, which would address rape in the military. These allegations, statements, and decisions paint a picture of United States politicians with no understanding, empathy, or compassion for women and their bodies. How can we as women believe that the government is working in our best interest when their actions and words say otherwise?
Despite this, many government officials are dedicated to making the U.S. a safe place for women. In October of 2024, 106 men in Congress signed the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would protect a woman’s choice to continue or end a pregnancy, according to the official website for U.S. federal legislative information, Congress.gov. Additionally, Former President Joe Biden has spoken out about violence against women, writing: “America as a nation has for too long failed to grasp either the scope or the seriousness of violence against women,” according to the National Library of Medicine.
Until there are enough people in Congress truly listening to our stories, women’s rights as Americans, our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness—which we are promised in the Declaration of Independence—are in jeopardy. Therefore the next time you are at a voting booth, I urge you to think about the possible repercussions your vote can have on the health and safety of women. Your vote can save millions.
