In a lot of circumstances, you hear the question about how any woman could be republican. Many people think that conservative beliefs often undermine women, and people assume that young women who are conservatives are uneducated. Here are some of the most common stereotypes young republican women face.
1. We are not feminists.
Many people believe that because a majority of the Republican party is pro-life, therefore leaving no choice for abortion, women who support this decision are not feminists. Being pro-life does not mean you are anti-woman. What about all of the religious women who are pro-life, and make that choice for themselves? Honestly, that is what feminism is: being a woman and making decisions for yourself and forming your own beliefs. And just like being pro-life doesn't mean you are anti-woman, being pro-choice doesn't mean you aren't a republican. The core of republican beliefs falls in economics and the belief in a small government, and while many conservative women fall on a more liberal scale in terms of abortion, we are still republicans at the core. Take Carly Fiorina, a 2016 GOP candidate, for example, who believes that abortions should be banned after 20 weeks. She is a strong, Christian woman who makes decisions for herself, based on her own beliefs, and is running for an office that has been held by men since the birth of our country. If that’s not feminism, I don’t know what is.
2. All of us share the same beliefs.
Much to many people’s surprise, we are not brainwashed. We are individuals, all of which have our own views on how the country should be run. Just like each of the 2016 GOP candidates has differing beliefs, so do the voters. We don’t all agree with same-sex marriage bans, and we don’t all agree with pro-life decisions. We don’t even all agree on the immigration issue. It’s politics for crying out loud, and there are so many differing opinions that it is hard to find one candidate that matches your beliefs exactly. But the bottom line is that we prioritize our beliefs, normally which are aligned with the economy and foreign affairs, and we stick to those, sometimes sacrificing other beliefs.
The main reason I’m a Republican is a smaller government, individual freedom, and lower taxes. For other women, their beliefs may match mine, or they may differ, but in the end, it doesn’t matter because we all come together as a part of the same political party, and we’ve made educated decisions to get there.
3. We support Donald Trump.
Anyone who watched the GOP debate knows that Donald Trump made some pretty awful comments about women, especially Rosie O’Donnell, and that Megan Kelly, one of my favorite news broadcasters of all time, gave him a hard time about this. These comments are unacceptable, and would be unacceptable if they came out of anyone’s mouth. While I do admire Trump’s complete lack for political correctness (which I think we need in this country), I will not vote for someone who completely disrespects any group of people so blatantly. There is a difference between non-political correctness and complete disregard for respect, and he just crossed the line. So, just because Trump is leading the polls in the Republican party, that does not mean that all Republican women support him.
4. All of our beliefs were passed down.
I’ve heard comments about Republican women basically saying that we don’t know what we’re voting for. What is it? Is it that because we are women we are incapable of researching candidates? Or is it that women can’t form opinions for themselves, based on their findings? Yes, I grew up a Republican, but I have also formed a lot of differing opinions from my parents, grandparents and colleagues, all of which I formed on my own. I love and respect my dad, but I don't believe everything he believes. I am lucky to live in a household where differences of opinions are encouraged, and make for great topics of conversation. I have researched war, immigration, and taxes, and I have formed my opinions on each one. I have my opinions on welfare, gun control, and education, and I know what candidate I am voting for in the presidential primary.
I know plenty of other women like myself. We are not stupid, and we are fully capable of forming opinions and defending them. I am a woman, and I am a Republican. I am also a feminist, and I am proud to be both.
