At the Democratic Party convention in Chicago on Monday evening, party leaders adopted the platform for 2024 and promised to protect and strengthen women’s rights. The 91-page document stands in stark contrast to the program of the Republicans, who promise to continue the dismantling of women’s rights that began during Donald Trump’s first term in office.
“This is a turning point for our democracy,” said Michele Goodwin, a professor of law at Georgetown University. “We have seen the suffering of women and girls, near-death experiences, people being flown out of Idaho by helicopter to save their lives during pregnancy. Their blood is the tip of the arrow of our democracy.”
The program describes the achievements of the Biden-Harris administration and lays out the policy agenda of the Harris-Waltz administration, contrasting those policies with the Trump/Project 2025 policy agenda.
Here are some parts of the Democratic Party platform that focus on women’s rights:
Equal Rights Amendment
“No one should be discriminated against because of their sex; and we as a nation must affirm and protect full equality for women. Democrats will fight to make the Equal Rights Amendment the law of the land.”
Abortion, contraception and IVF
“With a Democratic Congress, we will pass national laws to roe the law of the land again. We will improve access to contraception so that every woman who needs it can get it and afford it. We will protect a woman’s right to access IVF. We will repeal the Hyde Amendment.”
On abortion pills, the platform promises to “continue to support access to FDA-approved medication abortion, appoint leaders at the FDA who respect science, and appoint judges who uphold fundamental freedoms.”
While the Democratic platform promises to protect access to abortion pills, the Republican platform advocates a nationwide ban on abortion based on the 14th Amendment. Project 2025 also calls for the repeal of FDA approval of abortion pills and the criminal prosecution of doctors, pharmacists and anyone else who mails abortion pills.
Maternal health
“Democrats will continue to work to address the maternal health crisis and ensure that every American has access to high-quality, culturally competent care before, during and after pregnancy. And we will continue to invest in women’s health research to spur new research and breakthroughs on a wide range of issues.”
health insurance
“We will continue to work to provide Medicaid-like care to people in states that have not expanded Medicaid and make it easier for parents to continue enrolling their children in Medicaid and CHIP. We will … expand Medicaid to cover women for a full year after birth and invest in a diverse workforce to support pregnant and postpartum women. And we will address the disproportionate impact of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C and expand access to PrEP to end the HIV epidemic.”
Equal pay
“Democrats will work to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and end pay inequality not only in federal employment but across the economy by punishing companies that discriminate against women.”
Support for caregivers
“We will guarantee affordable, high-quality child care from birth through kindergarten, with most families paying as little as $10 a day – and it will be free for low-income families. We will protect the health and dignity of older people and people with disabilities by improving long-term care and supporting family caregivers, and we will invest in care infrastructure by increasing wages and the quality of care jobs.”
Paid vacation
“We will implement a nationwide, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program to ensure that all workers, including women, can take the time they need to bond with a newborn child, care for a loved one or recover from an illness.”
Violence by men against women
“Democrats will work to end sexual assault, domestic violence, online abuse, and all violence against women. We’re continuing to strengthen VAWA, keeping domestic abusers away from guns, and expanding housing and legal aid for survivors. To keep students safe on campus, we’ll work with schools to implement and enforce Title IX and end sexual harassment and assault in our nation’s schools. We’ll address the backlog in providing rape kits. And we’ll strengthen legal protections for and support survivors of deepfake-based sexual abuse, building on the federal civil cause of action created by the President’s reauthorization of VAWA in 2022.”
LGBTQ+ rights
“Democrats will pass the Equality Act to codify protections for LGBTQI+ Americans and their families. We will ban discrimination in employment in the federal government, including contractors, and make federally funded senior programs LGBTQI+ inclusive. And we will continue to make great strides in protecting LGBTQI+ children and prospective parents in the adoption and foster care system.”
“Democrats will continue to fight for LGBTQI+ youth by building on President Biden’s historic actions to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ protect LGBTQI+ children from bullying and discrimination, ensure transgender students are treated fairly and with respect in school, and end the homelessness crisis among LGBTQI+ youth.”
“Democrats will end violence against transgender Americans, especially black and brown transgender women, and prioritize the investigation of hate crimes against trans and nonbinary people.”
Indigenous women
“Democrats will continue to work to make federal resources more accessible to tribal nations and protect health, education, safety, and well-being in Indian Country, especially for tribal women, children, and families. We will make IHS funding mandatory. We will invest in housing in tribal communities and support tribal conservation through shared management of public lands and waters. We will continue to usher in the next era of tribal self-determination. And Democrats will invest in public safety and justice, including by increasing the number of officers and investigators on the ground, addressing the missing and murdered tribal persons crisis, and supporting VAWA programs, including a new grant program to address the missing and murdered tribal persons crisis.”
Female Veterans
“We are taking steps to improve access to affordable and stable housing for all veterans, who are often at high risk of homelessness, with a focus on female veterans.”
“Democrats are also committed to expanding health care and access to benefits for female veterans and continuing to implement key recommendations from the Independent Commission on Sexual Assault.”
“Democrats will increase their support for military families by making child care more affordable and accessible, expanding employment opportunities for spouses, and investing in a caregiver stipend. We will also continue to implement the Military Spouse Executive Order and ensure that the federal government is an employer of choice for military families.”
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From the disappearance of abortion rights to the lack of equal pay and parental leave to exploding maternal mortality and attacks on transgender health, U.S. democracy is at a dangerous crossroads. If left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For 50 years MS. has advanced feminist journalism – by reporting, rebelling and telling the truth on the front lines, by championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and by staging the stories of those most impacted. Given what is at stake for equality, we are doubling our commitment for the next 50 years. We need your help to achieve this, Support MS. today with a donation – in any amount that makes sense to you. For only $5 a month, you will receive the print magazine along with our e-newsletters, promotional alerts and invitations to MS. Studios Events and Podcasts. We are grateful for your loyalty and wildness.
