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Abortion Needs to Be Democrats’ Litmus Test

There is no space in the party for candidates who don’t take a pro-choice stance on abortion

Jessica Valenti
GEN
Published in
3 min readNov 19, 2019

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Pro choice protesters used umbrellas to block the view of the anti abortion groups. Photo: Erik McGregor/Getty Images

OnOn Monday the Democratic Attorneys General Association announced it would become the first national party organization to only financially support candidates who are explicitly pro-choice.

It’s about time. Abortion should be a litmus test for Democrats, on all fronts. Because there is nothing controversial or debatable about women being human beings with a right to bodily autonomy and the ability to decide if and when to become parents.

A person who doesn’t support abortion rights is a person who believes in forced pregnancy — a view that has no place in the Democratic Party. Despite what some powerful people may say about Democrats taking a “big tent” view of potential candidates and voters, it’s either a party that believes in women’s human rights or it’s not. There is no in-between here.

For too long, women’s rights have been used a bargaining chip on the left, another issue politicians will cave on to gain broader ground. In 2017, for example, Bernie Sanders campaigned for Omaha mayoral candidate Heath Mello, who opposes abortion. When Sanders was taken to task by NARAL Pro-Choice America president…

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Jessica Valenti
Jessica Valenti

Written by Jessica Valenti

Feminist author & columnist. Native NYer, pasta enthusiast. I write about abortion every day at abortioneveryday.com

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