The election season hype has faded away, replaced with buzz about the need for President Obama to keep his policy promises. One of the most critical topics during the election was the subject of women’s issues, and both parties, in an attempt to appeal to women voters, laid out very different platforms regarding how birth control and reproductive rights would be handled.
In January of this year, on the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Obama released a statement saying, “We must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman’s health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right.”
(Josh Shettler/CU Independent Illustration)
Mitt Romney has held an unwavering pro-life position throughout his political life and is also opposed to Obama’s health care legislation, which provides birth control coverage. “Mitt Romney is proudly pro-life and will be a pro-life president,” his campaign spokesperson said in October.
According to CNN, once election time came, a majority of American women stood in favor of President Obama’s policies. About 44% of women voted for Romney and almost 55% of women voted for Obama. The gender gap, the difference between the percentage of male and female voters who voted for each candidate, was a relatively high 18 percent, up by six percentage points from the 2008 presidential elections.
Celeste Montoya, a professor in CU’s Women and Gender Studies program, is currently teaching a class called “Gender and U.S. Politics: Protest, Polls, and Policy.”
“There were a lot of important issues for women in this recent election,” Montoya said. “The issue of equal pay, health care, reproductive rights, marriage equality, immigration rights, education equality, the role and size of government, women’s representation in government…all of these are things that have direct or indirect impact on women’s lives.”
Montoya was glad to see important women’s issues receive attention during the election, but said neither party guaranteed reform.
“As far as women’s rights go, a Democratic victory tends to be more promising, but only if the party acts on its rhetoric, changing policy, and practices in meaningful ways,” Montoya said. “Both parties are going to have to make adjustments in how they represent Americans. It seems as if the Democrats just did it more effectively in this election.”
Planned Parenthood, self-described as a “sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate” and a receiver of federal funding, played an important role throughout the election. The polarizing organization, supported by President Obama and reprimanded by Romney, called the president’s reelection “a historic victory for women’s health” in a Nov. 7 press release.
In the release, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards said, “This is a resounding victory for women. More than ever before, women’s health was a decisive issue in this election. Americans today voted to ensure that women will have access to affordable health care and be able to make their own medical decisions.”
Adria Batt, a 20-year-old junior English and history major, felt that abortion was the most important women’s issue discussed in the election.
“Both parties had a strong stance on whether they were pro-life or pro-choice,” Batt said. “I thought that women’s issues were a little less of a big topic in this election just because of the problems with the economy and foreign policy.”
Batt supports President Obama’s stances on women’s issues because of Obama’s policies regarding health insurance, abortion, and contraception.
“His ‘Obamacare’ package would provide women with health insurance that would cover them for contraception, which I think is very important,” Batt said. “Women should be able to have access to abortion clinics if that’s something that they need. I feel like President Obama has done a lot to further those things.”
On the other side of the political spectrum is Erin Bode, a 19-year old freshman psychology major who voted for Romney and had mixed views about the results.
“For me personally, I would never get an abortion,” Bode said. “I believe it’s a human life. But at the same time, if it’s someone who can’t financially support [a baby], I believe they should have that option. I’m just hoping that people did elect the best choice for president.”
Graeme Cunningham, an 18-year-old freshman advertising major, is an Obama supporter and has a liberal view on health care for women.
“I think women should have access to any kind of birth control,” Cunningham said. “I am also pro-choice because I feel like ending a life that hasn’t really begun is better than ruining someone’s life who doesn’t want [a baby]. If they have the baby, they have the right make the decision.”
Alex Ontko, an 18-year-old freshman open-option major, voted for Mitt Romney and has a more conservative view on women’s issues regarding Obama’s health care policies.
“I believe women should have to pay for [birth control] and health insurance should not cover it,” Ontko said. “Other people shouldn’t be paying for a specific person’s birth control. [Obamacare] should be repealed because I don’t want to have to pay for another person’s healthcare.”
Women’s issues managed to stay at the forefront of an election dominated by economic worries, and Montoya stressed that it should remain that way.
“While Obama has a fairly good track record on women’s rights, there is always more to do,” she said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Alyx Saupe at Alyx.saupe@colorado.edu.
