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Abby Kulisz
Why Women Should Vote
“Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?” read banners outside the White
House as Woodrow Wilson took office for his second term in 1917. Leading this historic
demonstration was Alice Paul and Lucy Burns of the National Woman’s Party who relentlessly
fought for women’s suffrage. The protests for equal voting rights continued throughout the year
and became increasingly dangerous with authorities using abusive tactics in an attempt to stop
the women from demanding suffrage. Although continuing to protest meant jeopardizing their
lives, the women of the NWP decided that suffrage was too important to abandon. The violence
against the demonstrators reached a gruesome height on November 14, 1917 which became
known as the “Night of Terror.” Burns, Paul, and 33 protesters were arrested in front of the
White House for “obstructing sidewalk traffic.” After being taken to Occoquan Warehouse in
Virginia, the women were viciously assaulted by the guards. Testimonies report that the guards
beat Burns and chained her to the ceiling of the prison cell where she was left hanging for the
night. When Paul started a hunger strike, the guards assaulted her and forced her to eat by
shoving a tube down her throat. The abuse continued for weeks until rumors of the horrors of
Occoquan Warehouse reached the press, and the women were released when a judge ordered that
the detainees had done nothing wrong. Despite their bravery for enduring weeks of violence and
torture, it was not until 1920 that women finally achieved suffrage.
However, 92 years later, 50 million women were not registered to vote in the 2012
election. But for what reason? Around Youngstown State University’s campus I heard women
remark that it was too cold outside, or they didn’t have transportation to the polls. Others said
that they couldn’t vote because they had to go to work, attend class, or that waiting in line at the
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polls was too much of an inconvenience. I even heard some women claim that their vote doesn’t
matter. It seems that many women have forgotten that until 1920 they didn’t have the right to
vote. No one simply handed women this right either, it was won through the efforts of
courageous women who endured beatings, abuse, and unspeakable violence. Women should
never forget the bravery and sacrifice of the suffragists who lived only 90 years ago. Thus,
women should vote because it symbolizes respect for the blood, sweat, and tears spilled for this
crucial right. However, this is not the only reason why women should vote. In last two years,
attitudes and legislation towards women’s personal lives have become disturbingly bleak.
In 2011, an immense amount of attention was given to women’s reproductive health
rights. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, over 60 bills became law which
prohibited women’s access to reproductive healthcare. Several pieces of legislation sought to
make access to abortion difficult for women by enacting long waiting periods for the operation
and requiring women to attend counseling sessions which promote an ideologically motivated
agenda. For instance, in North Carolina a law was passed which mandates women to view an
ultrasound before an abortion. Additionally, the law requires women to participate in counseling
classes which provide medically incorrect information regarding abortion. Kansas, Missouri, and
Ohio implemented laws which limit access to late-term abortions except when the woman's life
is at risk. Alabama, Indiana, Illinois, and Oklahoma approved legislation which restricted
abortion after 20 weeks while basing this decision from the false notion that a fetus can detect
pain at that stage in pregnancy.
Laws aimed at diminishing women’s reproductive freedom continued in 2012. Arkansas
and Georgia attempted to create a “personhood amendment” which would declare that life begins
at conception. Although these laws have been struck down by voters and ruled as
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“unconstitutional” by the courts, proponents of these amendments are attempting to rewrite the
provisions to use in the future. In addition, Planned Parenthood suffered from severe cuts in
federal grants. Particularly, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin lost federal money towards its
Well Woman Program which provides exams for 45 to 64 year old women without health
insurance. These exams are crucial in preventing cervical and breast cancer.
The attempts to curtail women’s reproductive rights are alarming and many have been
successful; however, they can be prevented if women exercise their right to vote in state and
national elections. As previously mentioned, voters in Arkansas and Georgia voted against a
“personhood amendment” in 2012. Also, voters in Mississippi struck down a similar proposal for
an amendment that would, according to NARAL, prohibit abortion from the moment of
conception. Also, it is likely that this ballot initiative would have outlawed many forms of birth
control such as intrauterine devices and the morning-after pill. However, Mississippi voters
rejected this measure by 55 percent. This instance demonstrates the importance of women taking
advantage of their right to vote. If women decided to stay home on Election Day because it was
too cold or because they didn’t want to wait in line at the polls, the consequences would have
been detrimental. But because voters decided to reject this initiative, abortions are still safe and
legal in Mississippi.
On a national level, the 2012 election was crucial for women. The Republican ticket,
Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, held unfavorable views of women’s issues and reproductive rights.
For instance, Romney openly supported defunding Planned Parenthood’s federal money used for
cancer screenings and applauded the various “personhood amendments” being proposed in
Arkansas, Mississippi, and Georgia. Also, Romney appeared to oppose contraceptive access as
evidenced by his promise to cut funding for Title X family planning programs, and he vetoed a
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bill that would have provided rape victims with the morning-after pill when he was governor of
Massachusetts. Additionally, Paul Ryan’s negative views on women’s issues may surpass
Romney’s. Ryan has stated that he opposes abortion in all circumstances— even rape and incest.
In 2011, he voted for a proposal that would strip Planned Parenthood of all federal funds during
that year’s appropriations bill. Luckily, the majority of women decided that the Romney-Ryan
ticket would have done more harm than help to women. In fact, according to CNN, 60 percent of
women voters rated government policies on reproductive rights as the most important factor
which influenced their vote. Barrack Obama’s election is largely due to women voters who
favored his support of access to birth control, abortion, and comprehensive sex education. If
Obama didn’t win the 2012 candidacy, the future of women’s rights would have been grim.
Women must remember that “the personal is political.” Issues that affect women on the
most personal level are often the most contested political topics. In the last two years, women’s
bodies have become battle grounds for politicians. The most effective way for women to combat
assaults on their bodies and personal lives is to vote! Last year’s presidential election
demonstrates that women have the force to influence the direction of a country. American
women decided that they didn’t want access to safe and legal healthcare to be jeopardized. In
other words, women represent 51 percent of the U.S. population and can change the country with
their vote.