Randy Krehbiel
Tulsa World
Call it feminism. Call it women’s rights.
Call it what you will. It doesn’t get much attention in Oklahoma politics.
From health care to reproductive services to financial well-being, Oklahoma women are being ignored, a panel at Friday’s Tulsa County Democratic Party monthly luncheon agreed.
“To women under 30, I want to say, ‘Run as fast as you can,’ ” said state Rep. Jeannie McDaniel, D-Tulsa. “Of course, I don’t do that.”
Several questions to the four panelists concerned abortion rights, but all four said the issues are broader than that.
“It’s not just about choice,” said Tamya Cox of Planned Parenthood. “It’s not just about abortion rights. We have seen a threat on birth control. We have seen a threat on emergency contraception. We have seen a threat on entities that never, ever provide abortions but do provide reproductive health services.”
“It’s about control of women or women’s rights,” said McDaniel.
And not just our reproductive rights … but our rights in general.
“Women’s health in Oklahoma is getting worse. Overall, longevity for women in Oklahoma has gone down. We are at rock-bottom of the 50 states on women’s health issues,” she said.
Income is more often a problem for women, which in turn can be linked to poor health and domestic violence.
“If a woman feels like she has no opportunity outside of that (abusive) relationship, she’s going to keep coming back,” said Kim Schutz of the Tulsa Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
The state government’s resistance to the federal Affordable Care Act also has implications for many women, Cox said.
“Because of the ACA, we have so many women who come into the clinic for basic health services that we never would have otherwise,” she said.
Only 20 of Oklahoma’s 149 legislators are women, which is one of the lowest percentages in the nation.
McDaniel, who first ran for office 10 years ago after retiring from the city of Tulsa, said it is difficult to find women with the time and resources to make a commitment to the Legislature.
“I just think a lot of women are working,” she said. “They have jobs and families. They can’t take 12 years (the maximum years of legislative service allowed with term limits) out of their lives.”
Legislative service requires a flexible schedule and a certain amount of financial freedom. One of the few women in the Legislature with children at home, Rep. Skye McNiel, R-Bristow, decided not to seek re-election this year in part because of the strain of being a mother and a lawmaker.
Men, it seems, hardly ever have that problem.
“I don’t think women are highly regarded in this state,” McDaniel said. “I used to not think that, but I’ve had to change my mind.”
I hope this report of comments made at this meeting is both incomplete and inaccurate, because, based on what was stated in the article, all Oklahoma women are in dire straits mainly because of limited abortion choices, Obamacare, abusive relationships, and family responsibilities. In the typical Democratic philosophy, only problems and reasons for those problems are expressed, with no discussion of how to address the problems.
It is ironic that this website contains an optimistic article about an individual that experienced the same problems described by the Democrats, but did something about them.
Democratic women, you would probably be more properly represented if you chose some better leaders to speak for you.