This Election Season, Turn Out for Working Women
When we show up to the polls, we increase our chances of winning the gains needed for working people to take care of ourselves and our families. That’s what this election is all about.
With midterms fast approaching, it seems that all eyes are turned toward what will happen pre- and post-election. There is nonstop coverage of how much money is being spent on local, state, and federal races, as well as the ongoing threats to our democracy.
The political moment is stressful, particularly for working women and nonbinary people of color. Prices are rising, wages are stagnant, and it seems harder than ever to get ahead. Despite the stress of the political moment, there is reason for hope, and we can find those reasons at the polls.
When we vote, we show up for ourselves, our futures, and for collective power. When we show up to the polls, we increase our chances of winning the gains needed for working people to take care of ourselves and our families. That’s what this election is all about.
If collective power was truly meaningless, we wouldn’t see so many attempts to limit it.
We know there are policies that will improve the lives of our communities, and we know they are achievable. We have seen what advancements in equal pay and workplace protections are possible when women organize and policymakers listen.
The power of organizing is why we at 9to5 recently held a fundraiser and rallying point, “Built By Us, For All of Us.” When we raise our own money and move it on our own terms, we can speak truth to power and fight for our communities without compromise. Real power comes from neighbors organizing and showing up for each other, not billionaires and corporate interests spending to divide us and keep money at the top.
If collective power was truly meaningless, we wouldn’t see so many attempts to limit it. If we couldn’t win, we wouldn’t see racial gerrymandering in the wake of Louisiana v. Callais, threats of armed federal agents outside of polls, or the looming specter of legislation like the SAVE Act (which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, adding even more roadblocks to the process for women, LGBTQ+ folks, and people of color).
We have too much to gain to let efforts aimed at limiting our collective power stop us from being heard. Instead, they further compel us to respond with action. We need elected officials in office who will fight for policies that allow for safe and affordable living and working conditions. It is high time for policies that expand workplace harassment protections, close the gender pay gap for women, and pursue climate and utility justice.
We are long overdue for a national paid leave policy in the US that would expand paid family and medical leave policies at the state and federal level. It is proven that paid family and medical leave improves employee well-being and workplace productivity. Expanding paid family and medical leave policies at the state and federal level could change workers’ lives. They would no longer have to choose between getting paid or taking time to care for themselves and their loved ones.
Childcare affordability is a serious concern for voters across political ideologies, and parents can’t work without childcare. Investing in affordable, accessible, quality childcare supports small businesses and state infrastructure as well as parents, children, and communities. Lawmakers can push through false narratives to give the necessary resources to the workforce behind the workforce.
Housing justice and affordability is another issue at the top of minds; the cost of housing tied for the second most pressing issue for Americans in a recent Gallup poll. Everyone needs a warm, safe, and stable place to live; policies prioritizing safe housing and renters' rights can bring this into reach for families across the country.
These are all issues that can be advanced if we elect leaders who will fight for our interests in office.
Every single voice counts, especially in this political moment. When we come together, speak out, and vote for officials who care about and answer to their constituents, we invite the possibility of true change.
(Graphic from the Center for American Progress)
