Issue Position: I support access to reproductive healthcare, and equal pay for women

Issue Position

As an attorney, I represented two women's health clinics that offered reproductive health care, including abortion. We successfully fought for safe access to abortion without harassment by protesters.

I trust women to make decisions around their own healthcare. We can work to reduce abortion by providing adequate and generous reproductive health care, especially contraception. But, neither the State nor any religious doctrine should supersede a woman's right to choose. Although some religious traditions consider a fetus as a full human being from conception, other religious traditions do not and have never viewed it that way. I do not denigrate the religious values of those who oppose abortion, but freedom of religion means that those religious doctrines should not be imposed on other conscientious people who do not share those religious values. In the end, abortion is a deeply personal choice.

I support many other issues around women's equality. Perhaps the most pressing issue is equal pay for equal work.I wholeheartedly agree with Governor Bullock who says:

"Here in Montana, women are earning only 73 percent of what men earn, putting Montana at 29th in the nation for pay equity. I'd match the Montana work ethic up against any other state in the nation, and 29th place is unacceptable. I believe ALL Montanans deserve a fair day's wage for a fair day's work. . . Equal pay for equal work is about putting more money in the pockets of Montana families. When both the bread winners of a household earn more money, that money is dispersed throughout the entire Montana economy--creating better jobs and economic opportunity. Equal pay for equal work will ensure that our state continues to have a strong and fair economy for all Montanans."

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