Women it is time to be angry! Congress has just said your rights are expendable. On November 7th, with the passing of the Stupak Amendment by the House of Representatives, women’s rights have been set apart from the Democratic/liberal/progressive/or whatever you want to call it agenda. Yes, it is great that the House of Representatives passed a health care reform. Medicaid has been expanded. Discrimination on the bases of gender identity or sexual orientation has been barred. The unfair practice of taxing employer-provided domestic partner benefits has been terminated. Treatment for early HIV now will be covered by Medicaid. Comprehensive sex-ed programs will now be funded. I do not dispute that all of these aspects are great, yet for this cause 50% of American’s rights were sacrificed.
Before I go any further, I will explain what the Stupak does. This Amendment disallows private insurance companies from offering abortion coverage to anyone who is part of the federal insurance exchange, even if a woman pays for private premiums. Up until the last minute, a compromise called the Capps Amendment had been agreed upon that would maintain the status quo on abortion; no federal funding (due to the Hyde Amendment of 1976 which forbids federal funding of abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the woman), but women would be able to use their own money to buy insurance that would cover them. Then before the final vote, anti-abortion representatives threatened to vote against health reform unless there were new restrictions placed on abortion rights. Insurance companies are allowed to offer a rider, which is a separate policy that covers only abortion, yet the cost of such a plan would end up being similar to the cost of an out of pocket abortion. The Stupak Amendment is the only part of the entire health care reform that tries to prevent insurance companies from covering a service they already cover. Thus the Stupak Amendment oppresses all women, but especially women of lower economic standing.
I don’t want to get into an argument about the morality of abortion or whether or not you think your tax dollars should have to pay for an “elective procedure.” I want to draw attention to the fact that your representatives, many of whom have claimed to be pro-choice, have sold you out. Do not listen when they tell you we have won the war and this is only a battle. People will try to convince you that our representatives had to compromise in order to get everyone on board with health care reform. Look at what has been compromised: women! I am infuriated at the perpetual perception that women’s issues are not main issues, that other matters are more important. When will it be our time? When will women’s issues be valued? When do our rights come first?
Women, we comprise 50 % of the world. We are not peripheral. We are core. Make your voice be heard. Oh and to view a list of which democrats sold you out, go to: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/11/07/who-voted-take-away-your-basic-rights-tonight-the-64-dems-who-voted-yes-stupak.
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