You'd Be Better Off Living ANYWHERE Other Than Oklahoma
The thing that got me about France incorporating women’s rights to an abortion into their constitution is that it passed both Houses of Parliament 780-72. That’s pretty overwhelming. Who voted no— the Women Haters He Man Club? France is the first country to take much a step. Madame Defarge would be proud— since the reforms that followed the Revolution left women out! The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) proclaimed universal rights— for MEN, not for women. Abortion has been legal in France since 1974.
Yesterday’s historic move was hailed by progressive politicians in Western Europe. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised the action, stating it “strengthens women's rights and freedoms in Europe.” Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib called it a “historic step” and an “important victory for women's rights” and the Dutch Minister for Gender Equality and Media, Liesje Schreinemacher, expressed her support, highlighting the importance of safeguarding women's rights. Anti-Choice backwaters like Poland, Hungary and Malta ignored the vote.
Business Insider noted yesterday that March is Women's History Month, so time to look at the WalletHub report ranking the best and worst states for women in 2024. Business Insider concentrated on the 10 worst states for women to live (taking into account median earnings for female workers, unemployment rates, and abortion policies)— all Trump states with Republican legislatures and governors of course. I noticed they are also the worst states for anyone to live, regardless of gender.
Spoiler: Oklahoma’s is the worst but let’s look at the list from 10th worst down to worst worst.
10. Missouri
Healthcare and violence landed Missouri on the list. “The report found that roughly 41.8% of women in Missouri experience intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking in their lifetime.
9. Georgia
8. Wyoming
7. West Virginia
West Virginia ranked 44th for women's economic and social well-being and 49th for women's healthcare and safety. According to a 2023 report by the National Women's Law Center, over the course of her lifetime, a woman in West Virginia will make $483,000 less than a West Virginian man.
Zach Shrewsbury, the progressive Democrat running for the Senate seat Joe Manchin is giving up, told me that “After years of extremist policies targeting women and people who can get pregnant, the impacts are clear. West Virginia is not only an economically oppressive place for women, it's downright dangerous. The state is a sexual and reproductive healthcare desert with over 49% of our counties lacking adequate care. The decision of if, when, and how to become parents has been stripped away and equal pay for equal work is still out of reach because of policy violence perpetuated by our elected leaders. People who can get pregnant in West Virginia are treated as second class citizens and it is nothing short of disgraceful. As the next Senator from West Virginia, I'll make it a priority to fight for bold policies that uplift the economic, social, and reproductive rights of all Mountaineers.”
6. Arkansas
5. Texas
4. Alabama
3. Mississippi
2. Louisiana
According to data from the US Census Bureau, Louisiana recently ranked as the second-poorest state in the country, so it perhaps comes as no surprise that women struggle to make ends meet in this state. Louisiana earned the lowest ranking for women's economic and social well-being and ranked 47th for quality healthcare and safety.
1. Oklahoma
Oklahoma ranked as the worst state in the country for women, with the lowest score for women's healthcare and safety and the second-lowest ranking in women's economic and social well-being. Women's reproductive rights are an especially hot-button issue in the state. According to the Guttmacher Institute, abortion in Oklahoma is outlawed completely, with a few limited exceptions.Oklahoma also ranks as the state with the most reported instances of domestic violence against women, according to World Population Review and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Oklahoma’s overall score was 33.8. Contrast that with progressive states like Massachusetts (74.7), Minnesota (73.0), Vermont (72.2). The correlation between states that are shitty for women and states proportion of Trump voters is astounding. John Steinbeck: “The decay spreads over the State, and the sweet smell is a great sorrow on the land. Men who can graft the trees and make the seed fertile and big can find no way to let the hungry people eat their produce. Men who have created new fruits in the world cannot create a system whereby their fruits may be eaten. And the failure hangs over the State like a great sorrow... And in the eyes of the people there is the failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.”
Look at that list again— this time with the 2020 percentage of votes cast for Señor Trumpanzee:
Oklahoma- 65.4%
Louisiana- 58.5%
Mississippi- 57.6%
Alabama- 62.0%
Texas- 52.1%
Arkansas- 62.4%
West Virginia- 68.6%
Wyoming- 69.9%
Georgia- 49.2%
Missouri- 56.8%
