While Scott Walker and the Wisconsin GOP say they stand with women, but the truth is that they stand in the way. Scott Walker’s policies have rolled back progress for women back decades, and have time and again shown that he does not believe in the equality of the sexes in the workplace, the doctor’s office or anywhere else.
On Thursday, Courtney Mullen of the College Republicans said that she doesn’t want to be pandered to, and prefers to vote on the issues as they affect society as a whole. However, I am of the opinion that when women are negatively affected, the rest of society is, too. We cannot have a functioning economy and society when one gender finds itself consistently being the target of regressive and backwards policies.
When it comes to equal pay, the mainstream media isn’t Scott Walker’s problem, it’s his record. Early in his term, Walker repealed Wisconsin’s Pay Equity Enforcement Act. This legislation allowed women to sue their employers when wage discrimination occurred.
While gender discrimination remains illegal, without the backing of the Pay Equity Enforcement Act, a woman cannot take action against her employer. Walker’s decision equally harms men and women, as wage discrimination is a serious burden to many families. It is outrageous that a serious gubernatorial candidate does not support equal pay enforcement. Scott Walker’s version of ‘financial independence’ does not include even the most basic rights in the workplace.
Another area where Scott Walker is diametrically opposed to women’s rights and freedoms is reproductive choice. To say that Scott Walker has not limited access to abortion is so incorrect that it borders on a blatant attempt to spread misinformation. The legislation that forces doctors to have admitting privileges is unique to abortion care and therefore solely political. This legislation makes doctors choose between providing safe and medically appropriate care or breaking the law.
Many hospitals in Wisconsin have religious affiliations, and, as such, do not offer admitting privileges to doctors who perform abortion care. This restriction combined with the 24-hour waiting period drastically reduces women’s access to abortion care. Under these laws, a woman who is from a more rural area of the state must now travel significantly farther, and wait a full day to access a procedure that should be guaranteed to her by law.
Governor Walker also enacted mandatory pre-abortion counseling that treats women as if they are incapable of making their own healthcare decisions. Perhaps the most offensive act of them all, the forced ultrasound requires an unnecessary, physically invasive, and traumatic medical procedure. These measures comprise a calculated attack on women’s access to abortion.
However, this is not the only area where Scott Walker has attacked women’s health. Governor Walker cut funding for Planned Parenthood Clinics which provided basic healthcare to low income women, including cancer screenings and other important healthcare procedures. None of these clinics provided abortion services, yet Governor Walker’s budget cuts forced five health centers around the state to close.
In addition to funding cuts to these clinics, Walker refused federal Medicare funding and removed thousands of families from Badger Care. Scott Walker’s legislative profile from Planned Parenthood Action Wisconsin shows thirteen pieces of legislation that target Women, children and other at risk populations. These policies are an overall attack on the healthcare provided for all low income Wisconsinites. These policies demonstrate Scott Walker’s disregard for the health and well-being of low income families in which women and children are disproportionately represented.
Unfortunately, this only begins to scratch the surface of why Scott Walker does not stand with women. Wisconsinites that support gender equality have a decision to make when it comes to women’s opportunity to work for equal compensation and access healthcare with dignity and autonomy.
Men and women alike should not support policies that create institutional inequality. Suggesting that Democrat’s pander to women when addressing these issues suggests that Republicans don’t believe gender equality should be a priority. The choice between Mary Burke and Scott Walker could not be any clearer. Scott Walker never has, and never will stand with women so this November 4th, I will be standing with Mary Burke.
Hayley is a member of the UW-Madison College Democrats. Are Scott Walker’s actions against women enough to lose votes this upcoming election? Are the College Democrats incorrect in their assesment of Govenor Walker’s actions? Do you think that Mary Burke will be able to continue her recent momentum and still use Walker’s stance on women’s issues against him? Let us know who you think will win November’s gubernatorial election and please send all of your feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
