It was a wild ride for healthcare reform and for women this weekend. Saturday started with women Democrats in the House trying to speak about gender discrimination by insurance providers. However, they were repeatedly interrupted by their male counterparts across the aisle. Watch the video here.
The day ended with the House passing healthcare legislation, but somewhere in the middle women were used as pawns.
Before voting on the healthcare package, the House approved the Stupak-Pitts amendment, which severely restricts access to abortion. Women can, however, purchase a costly abortion rider in case they are planning an unplanned pregnancy.
Representative Stupak and others had threatened to vote down the final healthcare bill unless the amendment passed. And ultimately 64 Democrats and 176 Republicans voted in favor of it. Many of those same lawmakers then voted against the healthcare bill later that night.
Regardless of personal or religious beliefs, how can women not find it disturbing that our lawmakers were so comfortable trading our rights in exchange for their end goal? The media has framed the move as “pragmatic” and a “concession,” but those words are merely euphemisms. It speaks volumes that our politicians knew just how easy it would be to trade women in exchange for political gain.
Starting with the blatant disrespect shown on the floor Saturday morning, to the passage of the amendment later in the day, this weekend felt like anything but progress.
Do you know who may be denied health insurance?
Seven years ago, after 32 hours of labor, my doctor recommended I have a Caesarean section. My cervix didn’t dilate and a c-section seemed to be the safest way to deliver my baby. Today, the very decision I made to keep my child safe could be the same reason I can’t provide insurance for him.
