Political Campaigns

Nicholas Kristof has been instrumental in raising awareness of the plight of women all over the world, and how being disallowed access to education and the workforce is leading to the global poverty problem we see today. Because even though women make up more than half of the world's population, we are still treated as a submissive minority group.

The United States has a maternal mortality rate of 8 per 100,000 births. Sounds low, but when compared to other countries of equal development, it is at the high end. Countries like Croatia, Norway, Singapore and Kuwait have lower rates than that. Theories as to why are based on our need to do things quickly. In such a fast paced, impatient society, labor is often induced - so childbirth happens before the body wants it. C-Sections are a common way of not only scheduling the birthday, but instead of being a last resort, it is presented as a viable alternative to birthing. A c-section, like any surgery is dangerous, with the possiblity of complications, and therefore, death.

But you won't hear about that in the news. Or in the presidential campaigns. Because women's issues are ignored. Even in this time of healthcare reform, healthcare as it relates to women is nowhere to be found. Democrats and Republicans both want to change the way the country accesses doctors and medicine, yet neither talks about how that access will affect the health and well-being on women, who are disproportionately afflicted by both physical and mental illnesses.

Presidential candidates might talk of poverty abroad, yet they don't address the probability that increased education geared toward women will help lower birthing rates and increase productivity, nor how they might go about doing that.

The Violence Against Women Act is supposed to help prevent sexual and domestic abuse and stalking, to help convict those who commit such crimes, and to provide services to the victims. Yet the rate of all these crimes is still way too high, and conviction rates are far too low. But no one addresses this failure. Creating a law doesn't do anything, unless it is enforced. While this Act was a great leap forward in raising awareness, it has done virtually nothing more since its creation.

What presidential candidate will come forward and stand up for the rights and needs of women? Who will be the voice for the women who suffer every day at the hands of a hypermasculinized congress?

I wrote a letter to every 2012 presidential campaign candidate I could find asking each of them these questions. Maybe one of them will hold the answers.