Empowering Women by Regulating Abortion? Conservative Women Lawmaker’s Cooptation of Feminist Language in U.S. Abortion Politics

Author: Amanda Roberti
Affiliation: Department of Political Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
Received: June 3, 2021
Accepted: November 4, 2021

Abstract

Conservative women in U.S. state legislatures have introduced anti-abortion policies at a higher rate than their male counterparts. These women often frame their anti-abortion stances using feminist language, positing that abortion inflicts physical and emotional harm on women and that abortion providers fail to adequately inform them. By prioritizing women's welfare, these conservative women attempt to enhance their representation and claim the title of "pro-woman" away from traditional feminists. This article analyzes how conservative women representatives employ feminist framing in anti-abortion legislation. The findings highlight a significant trend in the cooptation of feminist language by conservative women, posing challenges to conventional notions of representation.

Keywords

  • U.S. politics

  • Gender and politics

  • Abortion

  • Republican Party

  • Issue framing

Introduction

Alabama State Representative Mary Sue McClurkin argues for the highest standards of healthcare for women, particularly emphasizing the disparity in regulations for women receiving an abortion compared to those protecting pets at veterinary clinics. This quote underscores the existing health regulations and the push for legislation to correct perceived imbalances.

Recent scholarship challenges the notion that substantive representation is solely a feminist left undertaking, emphasizing that conservative women lawmakers also engage in this representation. Conservative women employed feminist rhetoric regarding empowerment and choice in order to represent women constituents with conservative values. They argue that advocating for women's healthcare can be effectively communicated through a conservative lens.

Historical Context

  • Conservative women have historically employed feminist language to advance anti-feminist initiatives, including opposition to women's suffrage and the Equal Rights Amendment.

  • Schreiber (2008) highlights the comprehensive narratives conservative women create, which mediate conservative values using feminist language.

  • An evolution in conservative women's engagement in legislative processes has emerged, challenging the conventional understanding that only progressive feminists serve women's interests.

Shifts in Representation

Scholarship indicates a noteworthy dynamic in gendered representation in abortion politics:

  • Republican men were historically the primary sponsors of anti-abortion legislation. However, Republican women have now overtaken them in introducing such policies, propelled by party polarization and the decline of moderate Republican women post-Tea Party movement.

  • Democratic frontline narratives often regard pro-choice positions as a litmus test for feminism, but conservative women assert their legitimacy as advocates for women's rights, advocating from a conservative perspective

  • Through their framing, conservative women denote themselves as "true" feminists, embodying the stances of early twentieth-century feminists.

The “Pro-Woman” Frame

  • The “pro-woman” frame in abortion legislation is critical for understanding how conservative representatives advance their narratives. It positions the state as empowering women through various regulatory measures that mandate educational consent policies, ultrasound requirements, and informed reproductive decision-making.

  • This frame appears not only in legislative texts but also in social movements, think tanks, and judicial opinions, signifying a collective push driven predominantly by women within the anti-abortion movement.

Analysis Methodology

The article discusses the methodology employed in the research:

  • An original database of regulatory abortion bills from all 50 U.S. states over a ten-year period (2008–2017) was assembled.

  • Data included bill sponsors' names, genders, political parties, and types of regulations. Of the 1,639 bills identified, a qualitative content analysis was performed focusing on statements made by Republican women sponsors regarding their anti-abortion bills.

  • The focus was on analyzing language indicative of the pro-woman frame, containing terms such as "protect women," "empower," and "informed consent."

Findings of the Study

  • Of the 1,639 anti-abortion bills, women sponsored 857 (52%), with Republican women sponsoring 731 (45% total; representing 85% of women-sponsored bills).

  • Ultrasound mandates were identified as the most common regulation among Republican women, often described in pro-woman terms.

    • For example, Virginia’s SB 1435 (2011) included language offering women the option to view the ultrasound image as part of an informed choice process.

  • This use of language reflects mainstream feminist discourse, yet the regulatory requirements often counter liberal feminist ideals, given they impose additional medically unnecessary procedures.

Legislative Statements

  • Virginia State Representative Jill Vogel defended the mandatory ultrasound bill, framing it as an informed consent measure, denying any coercive elements.

  • Kentucky State Representative Addia Wuchner framed her 2017 ultrasound bill as educational, suggesting that more information would empower women in decision-making.

  • Missouri State Representative Kathie Conway defended mandatory waiting periods emphasizing the need to reflect on significant life decisions.

  • Various Republican women lawmakers articulate that legislative measures are not meant to limit choice but enhance it.

Synthesis and Conclusion

The analysis reveals that conservative women effectively deploy a pluralistic approach to issue framing within abortion politics:

  • The framing employed allows them to position themselves as proponents of women’s rights while advocating for anti-abortion policies.

  • This dual framing challenges traditional notions of feminism and illustrates a strategic method through which conservative women navigate political representation.

  • The implications of this co-opting extend to the broader discourse on gender, complicating the essentialized understanding of women’s representation.

Ending Notes

  • The article argues for recognizing the distinctions in women's representation, noting that while addressing substantial concerns like maternal healthcare, ideals of empowerment and informed consent continue to evolve and diverge within different political cultures.

  • Conservative women's use of feminist rhetoric not only transforms the interpretation of their legislative intents but also reshapes the dialogue surrounding women's rights and agency in reproductive choices.

  1. Source cited regarding Alabama’s Women’s Health and Safety Act and its aims to rectify health regulation disparities.

  2. Commentary on inflammatory statements made by Republican party members regarding rape and reproductive rights.

  3. Reference to public support for insurance coverage for contraceptives.

  4. Note regarding the necessity to analyze qualitative responses from lawmakers to comprehend their legislative rhetoric.