Hillary Clinton And Donald Trump On Reproductive Rights

It’s your body, your choice, right?

Reproductive rights are really that simple, yet here we are, decade after decade, year after year, rehashing the same tired political trope: Can women be trusted to make decisions about their own bodies? The answer: Yes, women can make decisions about their bodies without men involved, and they do. To think otherwise is what we like to call being an asshole.

Abortions are not uncommon (3 in 10 women will have an abortion before their 45th birthday) and first trimester abortions are considered one of the safest medical procedures out there. The decision to end a pregnancy is not one women make impulsively or take lightly — in fact 60% of women seeking an abortion had one previous birth.

Given the stakes of an open seat on the Supreme Court, for this presidential election it’s vital to look at where Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton stand on a woman’s right to abortion. The next president’s nomination will impact our country not only for the next four years, but also for generations to come.

So what are the candidates’ stances?

Trump claims to be anti-abortion on his website, but the Washington Post reports that Trump has taken many different stances over the years, and in just three days back in April, he took five more contradictory and confusing positions on “punishments” for women who terminate pregnancies.

Clinton, on the other hand, supports repealing the Hyde Amendment — which bars low-income women from accessing abortion care through Medicaid — and worked, as a senator, to stop the Bush administration from limiting women’s access to over-the-counter contraceptives.

She’s received a 100% voting record with Planned Parenthood and is supported by women who smash the patriarchy like former Texas State Senator Wendy Davis; Director of NARAL Pro-Choice America Ilyse Hogue; President of EMILY’s List, Stephanie Schriock; feminist author Jessica Valenti; and more.

Given Donald Trump’s inconsistent positions on abortion (and his new anti-abortion stance that may or may not include imprisoning women), we believe, wholeheartedly, that Hillary Clinton is a passionate and committed advocate for women’s rights. Clinton’s positions are clear, her track record solid, and she is unwavering in her belief that women’s access to safe, legal abortion is a fundamental right.