This election season, I can’t help but think about my kids—especially my daughters, who will soon be old enough to vote. What kind of world are we creating for them? The choices we make today will echo into their futures.
This election is about more than just the next four years. With Congress failing to perform its Constitutional duty to appoint a new Supreme Court Justice, the next president will likely select someone to fill Antonin Scalia’s seat. Given that several justices are nearing or are already in their 80s—well beyond the typical retirement age—there’s a real chance that the incoming president will be making more nominations. Those appointments will shape the legal landscape my daughters will inherit, and I want them to have a Supreme Court that expands their choices, not restricts them.
I personally hold conservative views on abortion, but I also recognize that outlawing it does not reduce its occurrence; it simply makes it more perilous. I’ve read the stories of women caught in the web of restrictive laws, forced into agonizing situations. If we truly want to lower abortion rates, we need to provide universal access to affordable contraception—something a conservative Supreme Court is unlikely to support.
When I look at family leave policies, I think about my daughters’ future workplaces. Proposing just six weeks of paid leave for mothers, as some candidates do, ignores the needs of fathers and adoptive parents. It also creates a workplace disadvantage for women. In today’s world, where women are competitive and fathers are actively involved, limiting paid leave to mothers sends us back in time. I would much rather see a plan that offers equal paid leave for both parents, like the one proposed by Hillary, which would set a positive precedent for my daughters when they start their own families. It’s time to catch up with developed nations and take family policies seriously.
Lastly, I think about who will occupy the highest office in the land. Do I want my daughters to look up to a woman with decades of public service experience, who has faced adversity with grace, or a billionaire businessman with zero governing experience, who resorts to insults and misinformation?
So, before you launch into the usual critiques of political figures, I encourage you to read various perspectives and examine the facts. Your assessment might not be as informed as you think.
For my daughters, the choice is obvious. If we hope to advance gender equality and women’s rights, we simply cannot afford a Trump presidency.
This article was originally published on Oct. 11, 2016.
In summary, as we head to the polls, it’s crucial to think about the future we’re shaping for our daughters. The implications of our choices extend beyond the immediate moment and will impact their opportunities and rights in the years to come.