what's On Our Mind 1-21-2022

 

Tomorrow is the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This year’s commemoration will be a solemn occasion, as the fate of that life-changing decision hangs in the balance. The solidly anti-choice majority on the SCOTUS will most likely strike down Roe, dealing a consequential blow to women for generations to come.

 

We will be living in a country where it will be illegal to exercise our own reproductive health care decisions unless you live in one of the few states where they have passed protections. A world without Roe is dangerous, punitive, and misogynistic.

 

Research shows that abortion access profoundly affects women’s lives by determining if, when, and how they become mothers, outcomes which then reverberate throughout their lives. This can impact marriage, educational goals, labor force participation, and earnings.

 

But women don’t give up, even when faced with defeat and despair. It took a decades-long fight to win the right to vote for women in the U.S. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus and launched a Civil Rights movement that changed our country for the better. Throughout American history, women have stood up, fought, led, and dragged our country forward toward the more perfect union we know we can be.

 

Even though we have marched, our greater strength is our political muscle. Nearly 10 million more women are registered to vote than men. Women have been voting at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980. Women won the election for Biden and many of our other candidates in 2020.

 

Women, however, have still not matched their voting commitment with political giving and involvement. Men outpaced women when it came to donating to campaigns and running for office. Now, at a time when our most basic rights are being threatened, we must reverse this. JAC began with a mission to enable women to be part of the political process through their own giving. We have a greater voice when we donate to candidates who champion the issues we care about.

 

Celebrate Roe by making a donation today to JAC’s top pro-choice candidates (Click here). Grab your friends and family and get involved in elections. Local elections are just as important as the national elections. Become a voter registrar. There are no political forces, Senate rules, courts, or legislatures that can take away our determination and passion. We just have to use it.