Two days after millions of women around the world marched for women’s rights, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that will take away their rights and possibly lead to death.
Three days after officially stepping into office, Trump signed an executive order that will reinstate a ban on giving federal funding to international health groups that provide healthcare to women. Known as the “global gag rule,” the rule was first put into action by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and enforced by each Republican president who followed. The ruling was not in affect under President Barack Obama.
Over $600 million per year is spent by the U.S. to give international assistance to over 25 million women who seek family planning and reproductive healthcare.
The “global gag rule” prevents medical workers who receive federal grants from discussing abortion options with women. As a result, women who may need counseling on an abortion in the event of rape or due to health reasons will not be given the information by a health worker. It’s a law that has proven to increase abortions and death rates. When women aren’t given proper means for healthy abortions, some turn to practices that can do severe damage.
For example, when Bush implemented the rule during his administration, unsafe abortions became the second leading cause of female deaths in Ethiopia according to a study present by Fordham University.
But Trump has never given any indication that he would be supportive of women’s rights. He was captured on video bragging about sexually assaulting women and has been accused of assault. However, some women are also at fault for Trump being elected as president. According to exit polls, over 53 percent of White women voted for Trump.
This group just made it more difficult for women to get access to health care worldwide. You tell me what’s wrong with this picture. pic.twitter.com/8UQFWg8qO3
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 23, 2017
