Trump and Pence will endanger women’s rights
Ever since Donald Trump became the president-elect, anxiety attacks have occurred in fear of what dangerous policies he’ll pursue.
Two of the most discussed subjects right now are the status of Planned Parenthood and women’s rights for abortion.
Trump’s stance on abortion has been relatively constant throughout his campaign, considering how he made outrageous claims in Wisconsin that people with abortions should be punished, only to take those statements back hours later.
Because Trump was pro-choice in the past, it could be speculated that it’s a part of his ploy to gain more supporters, to please the GOP and find common ground with Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
Pence’s stances on abortion have never changed, and he has a history of implementing those beliefs as the governor of Indiana. Last March, he signed a state ban on abortions from fetal deformities.
Previously, Pence led a failed mission to defund Planned Parenthood. Now, as Trump prepares to take office, we’ve learned how these attempts might actually become a reality.
It’s been rumored that President Obama signed a law into effect that permanently protects the federal funding of Planned Parenthood. The Obama administration suggested the rule in order to block states from holding funding for family planning services unless they aren’t effectively provided.
If approved, the states won’t be allowed to take the funding whenever they want. If it’s not approved, it could defile the years of progress activists have made to uphold women’s reproductive rights.
In his recent 60 Minutes interview, Trump said he will fill the vacant Supreme Court seat with a pro-life conservative, hoping to improbably overturn the Roe v. Wade case which legalizes abortion nationwide. Though overruling the decision wouldn’t necessarily decline abortions, it would allow states to decide if abortion should be legal or not.
Sure, that’s not the worst possibility. If you live in a state where it’s allowed and you have the time, transportation and money to travel there, why not? Who’s to say the state only allows certain kinds of abortions?
Right now, it’s odd to watch Trump talk about abortions, as he speaks with little to no conviction about a subject matter which makes so many women panic for their bodies.
According to TIME Magazine, Planned Parenthood has received almost 80,000 donations since the election. Many of them in Pence’s name, which isn’t surprising since this trend was created to fight against his own abortion laws.
This is a serious and dangerous issue, as Trump and Pence pose substantial threats to women and their reproductive rights. Pence doesn’t seem to be as upfront as his superior or even have a backbone, but his history of signing laws against women’s rights makes him just as imposing as Trump is.
It also means he’s someone who should be watched closely during our nation’s awkward transition between presidents. Trump, however, is making it very clear that re-configuring judicial law is the direction he wants the United States to head in.
Featured Illustration: Samuel Wiggins
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