On June 24th of 2022, women in the United States of America faced a counterrevolutionary decision: Roe v. Wade was overturned.
This has been a priority on the agenda of the Republican party for much time, and has finally been realized. Though the future of American women looks dire, a question must be asked— How did we end up here?
Women’s liberation from reached a milestone when they gained control over their reproductive rights, including abortion rights resulting from Roe v. Wade. To exclude support for such a cause is the embodiment of toxic masculinity, and a reinforcement of patriarchal structures on society.
Research shows that a partisan gap occurs between Republicans and Democrats on abortion rights, where as much as nearly 40% of the former group do not support abortion rights in all or most cases. This indicates the importance of caution when choosing who to date.
What happens when you match on Tinder with Jason, a Republican, who then asks you on a date? He is nice, he is a family man, he did not patronize you. You even reconsider that maybe not all Republicans are backwards and the relationship could possibly develop further. Let us revisit the starting question, and get to the answer: It does not matter if you during the date, you felt he showed nothing but respect for you as an individual- He does not respect the legal rights of women as a whole.
Jason may even disagree with his other fellow Republicans, believing that women should have abortion rights. All of this makes no impact for he still supports a group that overall believes women should be stripped of their abortion rights. He has participated in toxic masculinity, without holding such beliefs himself. Not all enemies are aware they are enemies. Jason too, is a victim of patriarchal values enforced by the Republican values.
You might not be able to change Jason’s political beliefs, but you can avoid participating in your own oppression. Every act you do is political; it could be direct, such as facilitating discussion about oppressive classes; it could also be indirect, such as through dyeing your hair to show non-conformity to the traditional norms; lastly, it could also be through who you choose to date.
