OK. Real talk. Beating Hillary Clinton is going to hard as hell. No, it’s not because she’s the most qualified or has the best policy positions or anything that should matter. It’s mostly because of her gender.
The main goal of the feminist movement is to put a woman in the White House. Any woman will do, well, as long as she isn’t a Republican.
The feminist movement is much more powerful and mainstream than it was in 2008. Back then, most women were hestiant about the feminist label. But now that pop culture icons like Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Emma Watson have embraced the label, it’s suddenly become the in thing.
Assuming that Hillary will be the Democratic nominee, the election is going to center around so-called women’s issues. Great for Hillary. Not so great for male candidates.
I’m sure it can be awkward for men to talk about “women’s issues.” It can be cringe-worthy to listen to them. Some candidates sound like they’re pandering. Others just sound clueless. A few just come across as super offensive (see: Todd Akin).
So, how can male candidates talk about these issues and compete with Hillary?
First, it’s important to debunk misconceptions. There are a lot of people who think pro-liberty candidates are against birth control. The Democrats love to spread this dishonest lie.
People believe it because pro-liberty candidates are against birth control mandates and taxpayer funding of birth control. They just don’t want to force others to pay for other people’s birth control. That doesn’t mean that they want to ban birth control!
We need to make that clear.
One way is vocally supporting proposals to make birth control pills available over-the-counter.
Why?
It will debunk the myth that candidates are “against” birth control.
It will increase access to birth control, which will ultimately reduce abortions and welfare costs.
It will reduce unnecessary doctor’s visits–it’s inconvenient to have to go to a doctor to get a prescription refill.
It will be a cheaper option for some women.
The American College of Obstretricans and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association both support the idea.
Many other countries in the world have birth control pills available over-the-counter.
It’s pro liberty.
If we want to beat Hillary, it’s imperative that pro-liberty candidates know how to approach “women’s issues.” This would be a good first step.