Democratic primary debates: 3 wins for women’s rights and 3 disappointments

While the Democratic debates this week had plenty of issues to cover, there were quite a few standout moments for women’s rights during the first night — and significantly less on the second.

The 2020 election is closer than it seems, and the Democratic party is determined to take the White House back from President Trump. In fact, so many Democrats are campaigning for the upcoming election that NBC needed to host two separate primary debates this week just to accommodate all 20 of them.

With 10 candidates per debate, it was a struggle to cover all of the important topics that needed discussing within the allocated timeframe. At the forefront of the debates were issues like immigration laws, international relations, healthcare, gun legislation, and education, just to name a few. And with a total of six women running for president, women’s rights naturally came up.

Admittedly, there was far more discussion surrounding women’s rights on the first evening of the debates than the second — though Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand certainly gave her two cents on the topic of reproductive rights on night two. Still, there were a few standout moments for women during the Democratic primary debates… as well as a few resounding disappointments.

Big win: The consensus that insurance companies shouldn’t deny coverage to women for abortion services.

Most Democratic candidates agree on two major points: that all Americans should have access to healthcare, and that all women should have the right to exercise reproductive choice. But during the healthcare conversation on night one, it became clear that the majority of Democrats are willing to take women’s rights one step further than that.

Across the board, the night-one candidates agreed that women should not only be granted the right to an abortion if they choose to have one, but that the service should be covered by all insurance companies without exception. The consensus on that is a huge step in the right direction for women’s reproductive rights, and it’s certainly worth noting here.

Big win: The inclusion of trans women in the conversation.

Unfortunately, we live in an era where transgender citizens are still fighting for their own rights, as well as for a seat at the table when it comes to government policy. That’s why it was a such an applaud-worthy moment when former housing secretary Julian Castro took a moment to point out that his statements about abortion applied to all women, transgender women included.

New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker also spoke about LGBTQIA rights with an emphasis on putting an end to the violence that African-American trans women face far too often in this country.

“We do not talk enough about trans-Americans,” Booker said, “especially African-American, trans-Americans and the high rates of murder.” He also tweeted a follow up to this point, naming some of the trans women of color who have been killed and insisting that we as a country need to do better to protect them.

And while we’ve got a lot of work to do to achieve a real win when it comes to protecting trans women, it’s nice to see intersectional feminism beginning to weave its way into the political discourse — if more slowly than most of us would like.

Big win: The insistence that Roe v. Wade should be upheld on a federal level.

“It’s not enough for us to expect the courts to protect us,” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said on the topic of granting the full gamut of reproductive services to women throughout the country. “Forty-seven years ago, Roe v. Wade was decided, and we’ve all looked to the courts all that time, as state after state has undermined Roe, has put in exceptions, has come right up to the edge of taking away protections.”

Warren is, of course, referring to the series of strict abortion bans that have sprung up over the course of the last year in states like Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, and more. Despite the fact that Roe v. Wade is in place, many of these states have found a way to pass legislation that still criminalizes abortion, even in the earliest possible stages of pregnancy.

“We now have an America where most people support Roe v. Wade,” Warren concluded. “We need to make that a federal law.” And given that the law should reflect the beliefs of the people being governed, she’s definitely got a point.

Disappointment: A man suggesting he cares more about women’s rights than… women themselves?

While Washington Governor Jay Inslee had positive intentions in the discussion about women’s rights, he definitely looked a little silly when he attempted to convince the moderators that he was the person on stage who cares the most about the subject. What he meant was that he was one of the contenders who has actually passed legislation related to the topic.

But Inslee’s wording and tone certainly left viewers scratching their heads, as it seemed like he was implying that he was the biggest champion of women’s rights on the stage — you know, over the three actual women present. Luckily, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar called him out on the awkward statement, but it’s telling that the men in our government are so quick to speak over women when it comes to issues that affect them first and foremost.

Disappointment: An insufficient answer for the gender pay gap.

The gender pay gap is alive and well in the United States, especially when it comes to women of color. In general, women make about 82 cents for every dollar that a man makes, and that’s for doing the same job. It’s a persistent issue that was addressed by the moderator on Wednesday night… but the answers she received weren’t quite up to par for a party that insists it’s looking out for women in the workforce.

In response, Castro went on a tirade about the struggles of his own single mother, then transitioned into a conversation about passing the Equal Rights Amendment. Unfortunately, that piece of legislation isn’t the one that would ensure women get paid as much as their male counterparts. The Paycheck Fairness Act would do that.

And if you thought that Representative Tulsi Gabbard would have a more insightful answer, being a woman and all, think again. Gabbard shifted gears, somehow changing the subject to how much financing goes into wars and explaining how she plans to stop it. Whatever you say, Gabbard.

Disappointment: The amount of time spent on women’s rights discussions during night two.

While the first night of the debates tackled the topic of women’s rights often, wrapping the discussion around the other subjects addressed, the second night was surprisingly lacking when it came to talking about reproductive rights and workplace equality. And given that so many candidates from night two have spoken out in favor of feminist legislation, it’s odd and disappointing that such matters wouldn’t come up more — especially during the healthcare portion of the debate.

To her credit, however, Sen. Gillibrand did call out the recent attacks on women’s reproductive rights. Still, it would have been nice to get a more in-depth view of her thoughts on the matter — and to hear policy ideas from the other candidates on the topic.

Were there any parts of the Democratic primary debates that stood out to you in terms of women’s rights? Let us know in the comments.