In 1920, under Democratic President Woodrow Wilson, women were granted the right to vote. This began the long tradition of the Democratic Party’s support for women’s rights. Today, issues such as equal pay, access to comprehensive healthcare and prevention of violence against women are a priority for the Democratic Party. In the words of President Barack Obama: “I believe when women succeed, America succeeds.” This belief is what separates Democrats from Republicans in 2014, because while we believe the success of women is what will drive the success of America, Republicans continue to act as if America can succeed when half of its population is treated as second class citizens in the workplace, at the doctor’s office and at home.
In 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, further continuing the party’s tradition of pursing equal rights and equal opportunity for all Americans. The Ledbetter Act allows an employee to sue her employer for wage discrimination after each discriminatory paycheck is received, rather than only being able to sue after the first paycheck. While Ledbetter would eventually pass, it did not do so without staunch Republican opposition, further demonstrating the GOP’s attitude toward equality in the workplace.
Along those same lines, in 2012, Democrats attempted to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have stopped companies from retaliating against workers who asked about pay disparities, and would have allowed employees to sue if a broad difference existed between men’s and women’s paychecks. Simply put, Democrats wanted to create an environment where an employer could not punish a woman for only demanding the same pay as her male counterpart. Unfortunately, this legislation did not pass, as Republicans again rejected equality in the workplace by voting against the Paycheck Fairness Act.
Pay discrimination is not limited to the federal level as Wisconsin’s own Gov. Scott Walker repealed Wisconsin’s Equal Pay Enforcement Act, which allowed employees to sue for punitive damages when discriminated against. The original passage of the act was instrumental in making Wisconsin jump from 36 to 24 in gender parity earnings. This then allowed Wisconsin women to earn 78 cents to a man’s dollar, also earning the state a place on the rankings that demonstrated we clearly weren’t ready to overturn this legislation (not that any ranking warranted overturning it). In regards to equal pay for women, there is a clear partisan divide on the issue; Democrats sponsor bills aiming to create workplace equality, Republicans vote against them.
Equal pay is not the only issue where the GOP, especially in Wisconsin, has let women down. Our own senator Ron Johnson voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), along with many other Republicans in 2012. The legislation created and expanded federal programs to assist local law enforcement agencies in aiding the victims of domestic and sexual abuse. While VAWA is yet another excellent example of how Democrats approach women’s rights as human rights, it doubles as another example of how the Republican Party has attacked women’s rights.
While Republicans have managed to block or overturn advancements in equal pay, the GOP has not been able to overturn the passage of the Affordable Care Act (despite more than 40 wasted attempts at repeal), which has already made major improvements to the quality women’s healthcare. Prior to the passage of the ACA, women’s premiums could be as much as 150 percent more than a male counterpart, and 42 states allow insurance companies to charge more based on gender. Consequently, Democrats have once again striven to create gender parity.
Unfortunately, access to basic health care has been rolled back in the state of Wisconsin under Walker. Walker’s defunding of Planned Parenthood has shut down clinics across the state and has blocked 12,000 uninsured women from receiving preventative care. Planned Parenthood offers breast cancer, cervical cancer and ovarian cancer screenings, as well as other basic women’s healthcare. These services are especially important to uninsured women in more rural areas of Wisconsin
Republicans describe passage of equal pay, or change in healthcare premiums as invasive or unnecessary when, in reality, Democrats are attempting to create a level playing field. By ensuring equal pay, providing adequate healthcare and providing domestic abuse services, the Democratic Party shows how it views women’s rights as human rights. Furthermore, the Democratic Party’s actions in regards to women’s rights demonstrate the party’s views at large; that all Americans, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation deserve equal protection, respect and opportunity.
Hayley Young is the vice chair of the College Democrats.
