Women’s Rights
We believe all people are entitled to equal rights, equal pay, and self autonomy.
Despite major advances in civil and political rights, our country still has a long way to go in addressing the issues of gender inequality and reproductive freedom. Right now, extreme forces on the right are launching political attacks and passing draconian laws at both the state and national level with the goal of ending a woman’s right to choose. We must fight back together, and defend a woman’s right to control her own body and economic future. In Illinois we must:
Gender Pay Gap:
The gender pay gap is real. While Illinois has strong laws to prevent this from happening, they are obviously not adequately enforced. White women in Illinois earn 78 cents on the dollar compared to their men. For women of color, that goes down to 60 cents on the dollar. Illinois ranks 22nd in the nation in the gender pay gap field. States like California, New York, and Florida are in the top 5 in the nation. We all deserve equal pay for equal work.
Body Autonomy:
Women should have the right to control their bodies. I do not believe that the government has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body, including reproductive health.
Healthcare:
Planned Parenthood is an institution that provides necessary health treatment for many women who may not otherwise be able to afford it. They provide many resources to both women and men in need such as birth control, general healthcare, HIV services, sexual education, LGBTQ+ care, pregnancy testing, STD testing, as well as other services. Planned Parenthood is more than just an abortion clinic, these facilities offer incredible health care to many patients that may otherwise go without. We need to protect the ability for women to receive treatment at these facilities.
Programs for Women:
Women suffer domestic abuse at much more frequent rates than men. We need to ensure that we have programs in place to safeguard women who are in abusive relationships. We need to provide safe avenues for women to leave these abusive relationships, and find a pathway to a safer future.
Funding programs that help single mothers is imperative not only for the mother, but the children as well. Expanding WIC, and housing programs will allow women to provide healthy food for their children. We, as a society, need to help those most in need, and I can not think of someone that needs more help than hungry and homeless children. Often, mothers are the ones caring for the children, however, we need to allow for single struggling fathers to have access to these services as well.
Protecting women from sexual violence is also of the upmost importance. Every woman has either personally, or is aware of another woman who has experienced sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination. I demand we provide a better criminal justice system for the women of this state. We need to enact laws that ensure violent offenders are not allowed to roam free to attack and assault the people of this state. Judges can not be allowed to let rapists go when they commit acts of violence against women. Rapists need to be dealt with severe punishments, and we need to ensure that women are protected in our state and across the country. We will work with legislators on both sides of the aisle to enact legislation aimed at protecting all of us.
- Adopt Equal Pay for Equal Work. In 2017, white women in Illinois who were full-time wage and salary workers earned 78 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts For women of color, that goes down to less than 60 cents on the dollar. We demand equal pay for equal work!
- Fully fund Planned Parenthood, Title X, and other initiatives that protect women’s health, access to contraception, and the availability of a safe and legal abortion.
- Expand the WIC program for pregnant mothers, infants, and children.
- Oppose all efforts to undermine or overturn Roe v. Wade on a state level, and appoint judges who will uphold women’s most fundamental rights.
- Increase funding for the Illinois Violence Against Women Unit.
- Support passing the Equal Rights Amendment on the national level. Illinois state lawmakers ratified the ERA on May 30, 2018, with a 72–45 vote in the Illinois House following a 43–12 vote in the Illinois Senate in April 2018.
- Fight to end sexual harassment in workplaces, the military, and other institutions.
- Protect women from harassment, discrimination, and violence in educational institutions by protecting and enforcing Title IX.
Gender Pay Gap:
The gender pay gap is real. While Illinois has strong laws to prevent this from happening, they are obviously not adequately enforced. White women in Illinois earn 78 cents on the dollar compared to their men. For women of color, that goes down to 60 cents on the dollar. Illinois ranks 22nd in the nation in the gender pay gap field. States like California, New York, and Florida are in the top 5 in the nation. We all deserve equal pay for equal work.
Body Autonomy:
Women should have the right to control their bodies. I do not believe that the government has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body, including reproductive health.
Healthcare:
Planned Parenthood is an institution that provides necessary health treatment for many women who may not otherwise be able to afford it. They provide many resources to both women and men in need such as birth control, general healthcare, HIV services, sexual education, LGBTQ+ care, pregnancy testing, STD testing, as well as other services. Planned Parenthood is more than just an abortion clinic, these facilities offer incredible health care to many patients that may otherwise go without. We need to protect the ability for women to receive treatment at these facilities.
Programs for Women:
Women suffer domestic abuse at much more frequent rates than men. We need to ensure that we have programs in place to safeguard women who are in abusive relationships. We need to provide safe avenues for women to leave these abusive relationships, and find a pathway to a safer future.
Funding programs that help single mothers is imperative not only for the mother, but the children as well. Expanding WIC, and housing programs will allow women to provide healthy food for their children. We, as a society, need to help those most in need, and I can not think of someone that needs more help than hungry and homeless children. Often, mothers are the ones caring for the children, however, we need to allow for single struggling fathers to have access to these services as well.
Protecting women from sexual violence is also of the upmost importance. Every woman has either personally, or is aware of another woman who has experienced sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination. I demand we provide a better criminal justice system for the women of this state. We need to enact laws that ensure violent offenders are not allowed to roam free to attack and assault the people of this state. Judges can not be allowed to let rapists go when they commit acts of violence against women. Rapists need to be dealt with severe punishments, and we need to ensure that women are protected in our state and across the country. We will work with legislators on both sides of the aisle to enact legislation aimed at protecting all of us.