War on Women

I read a quote today that the Democrats are asserting that the Republicans have waged a War on Women.

Given that it is an election season I am not surprised to see quotes like this, as they are trying to blame each other for everything wrong in this world, but this time there really is something going on and I need to speak up about it.  It isn't just a battle between political parties; the battle is for all of the women's rights that people like my mother worked so hard to achieve in the '70s and '80s.  It is a social and economical battle; it is a battle for the mothers and the single women, for stay at home moms and working mom, and it is a battle we can't afford to lose.
Here are the major battle lines I think have been drawn.

Battle Line #1 :  Contraception
Now I had been living under a misguided perception that all insurance companies covered birth control. It is such a common thing.  99% of all American women have used contraception in their life and it is a generally accepted fact that the pill is much more effective than other contraception methods, so for most monogomous couples who don't want to have children it is really the best method.  And let's not forget all of the other benefits that the pill provides, helping with severe cramps, acne problems, menopause, the list goes on.
And then I hear in this great debate we had a few months back  that in fact many religiously affiliated institutions will NOT cover birth control pills and that there's a huge outcry from conservatives who think that contraception is an evil thing and should never be covered. Seriously??  How can something that provides so many medical benefits for women not be covered, putting aside the primary role of preventing pregnancy?  If there is a religious person who doesn't believe in contraception than they shouldn't use it obviously, but how is it their right to deny the use of it to someone else.  Maybe we can repackage birth control and call it 'hormone therapy' since there's no problem having health insurance companies cover all the mood altering pills we take to make us happy.  I don't know about you but not having debilitating cramps makes me pretty darn happy.

Battle Line #2 : Rights to our Body
So if we can't get access to contraception, then millions of woman will end up with an unwanted pregnancy.  I personally have never been in this situation, but of the friends I have known through the years no matter what their beliefs on abortion or adoption it is a very hard, painful thing to go through. It is emotionally scarring and a deep and personal struggle.  For those who have an abortion, they often go through years of guilt and regret. For those who give the child up for adoption they too often have incredible guilt. And for those that keep the child even when they are teens or single there are incredible sacrifices that are made for themselves and their child. Now many women and families overcome these hardships and struggles and make wonderful mothers, but nowhere in this deep personal struggle do a see that the government should have a role.  Nowhere do I see that they should have mandated vaginal ultrasounds before you can have an abortion. Nowhere do I see where they can dictate what you do or do not do with your body and your choices of how to create a family.  When my husband and I make big life choices, nowhere in the conversation do we ask 'now what would the president have me do'.  And it should stay that way.

Battle Line #3 : Families and Economics
Women have been struggling for years to get the same pay and respect in the work place.  It is nothing new and I must admit that of this current 'war on women' there's not too much that is changing in this continued discrimination.  But what has changed is that times are hard and there just aren't enough jobs out there for everyone.  Many families have only one person working full time; this could be for any number of reasons, by choice, by necessity of the job market, or because day care for their small children outweighs the income they would have received at a job.  This is hard enough for a married family, but for single parents things are even harder. They struggle to juggle work and family life.
But there's another darker side to this struggle that I have seen growing since the economic downturn in 2008.  There are fewer jobs, and so those who have jobs are being asked to be slaves to that job.  Work / Family balance? Companies just don't care.  There has been a shift in the last few years that views employees as widgets not people.  The people lucky enough to have a job are supposed to work 12 hour days and be happy about it. They are not supposed to take off work because their kid  is sick, or because they want to do something crazy like go on a vacation; if they do then they are looked down on, and led to feel that they might be picked in the next round of layoffs.  I have seen first hand women who ask to work revised schedules to accommodate their young children's schedules who are immediately put on the 'expendable' list.    This blatant discrimination is hidden because of the poor economy. Employers don't have to justify their decisions, and so they use perception over performance. There is a very old school philosophy that people who want a work/life balance are not committed to their company.  It isn't true. People that can take the time to keep their home life in order are usually much more able to be more productive at work.  If genuinely hard workers are shunned and ostracized because they want to attend their son's basketball game or don't want to take work calls on a Sunday morning, then we will end up with an empty nation of automatons.  We need to be respected as human beings, and when we are, all of us will bring more to the table.

So let us fight this battle.  I feel we didn't ask for it, but to ignore it would be devastating to our future.