8 Male Politicians Who Support Women

Posted on by Kacey Clark

Activists, civilians, and politicians alike have been fighting for women’s rights and gender equality since the very beginnings of our country. Individuals such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady-Stanton, and Ida B. Wells are well-known for their historical championing of women’s rights, and today, we see individuals in politics such as Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein following in their footsteps. However, the thought that the only individuals fighting for women’s rights are women themselves is concerning, considering that women only make up 24% of Congress. Luckily, this isn’t the case. Here are eight men in Congress today across party lines that are committed to working towards gender equality and have taken legislative actions to do so.

1. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

 Bob Menendez has a long track record of sponsoring and supporting women’s rights legislation. Menendez is a leading sponsor of the Equal Rights Amendment as well as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Other legislation he’s sponsored include the Keeping Women and Girls Safe From the Start Act of 2020, Reproductive Rights are Human Rights Act of 2019, S.R. 724 calling for the release of female political prisoners worldwide, and the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women’s Services Act of 2013. Menendez is committed to fighting for women’s economic, political, and social equality, and continues to push for nationwide passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which has been contested in Congress since the women’s suffrage movement of the early 20th century.

2. David N. Cicilline (D-RI)

David Cicilline is known for being the lead sponsor of the Equality Act, which was introduced in 1974, was passed by the House of Representatives in 2019, and has yet to receive passage by the Senate. Cicilline has also supported many other pieces of legislation that if passed, would make huge headway for women’s rights. These include the Paycheck Fairness Act, Raise the Wage Act, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY Act), Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers Act, and the Violence Against Women Act.

On Women’s Equality Day 2014, Cicilline released the following statement:

“94 years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution the women’s rights movement has made tremendous gains, but with women on average still earning only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes, the fight for full equality continues.”

3. Cory Booker (D-NJ)

 Cory Booker has stood by women’s reproductive rights and healthcare access all throughout his political career. He recently sponsored the HEAL for Immigrant Women and Families Act of 2020, which expands healthcare services to immigrants and aims to address racist and anti-immigrant attitudes that are deeply entrenched in the current healthcare system. He has also sponsored the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act and the Access to Birth Control Act, and has called for recognition of National Women’s Health Week “to empower adolescent girls and women of all ages to make informed choices about their sexual activity and effective steps to prevent against HIV.” Due to his continued advocacy for women’s healthcare and reproductive rights, Booker is endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice and was even invited as an honorary guest tp the NARAL Pro-Choice #MenforChoice event.

4. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Marco Rubio has received some pushback from women’s rights activists for being Pro-Life and voting against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, however regardless where you stand on these policy issues, Rubio has supported several pieces of legislation benefitting women and girls worldwide. Among the several pieces of legislation he has sponsored directed towards women and girls are the Central American Women and Children Protection Act of 2019, the Protecting Girls’ Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act, and the Girls Count Act of 2015. He also sponsored S.R. 73 which advocates for the release of women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia and for the respect of universal human rights, as well as S.R. 400 which recognizes October as “National Women’s Small Business Month.”

5. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

 Tim Kaine has sponsored numerous pieces of legislation protecting womens’ rights in regards to maternal healthcare as well as sexual violence awareness and prevention, including the Mothers and Newborns Success Act, the Protecting Critical Services for Mothers and Babies Act, the Survivors Outreach and Campus Support Act, and the SOS Campus Act. He was also a co-sponsor of the Violence Against Women Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act and was recognized by the National Organization of Women as a strong supporter of women’s rights.

6. Raphael Warnock (D-current candidate for Senate)

 Rev. Raphael Warnock, current candidate for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, has received widespread support from women’s rights organizations for his dedication to bridging gender disparities in healthcare access and quality and pay equity. These prominent organizations include NARAL Pro-Choice, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Organization of Women.

In a recent Tweet, Warnock described his stance on women’s autonomy in healthcare with the statement:

7. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

 Bill Cassidy has been an active supporter of improving maternal healthcare and supporting mothers and their children. A few legislative acts he has sponsored include the Connected MOM Act, which mandates that Medicare and Medicaid assist with coverage for health monitoring devices such as heart rate monitors and sphygmomanometers, the Maternal Immunization Coverage Act, which requires Medicaid to provide coverage for certain CDC-recommended vaccines for pregnant women, and the Ensuring Access to Free-Market Healthcare Act of 2013. He has received some flack for his Pro-Life stance and decision not to vote for the reauthorization of VAWA due to concerns about religious freedom, however there is no denying his tremendous contributions to improving the accessibility of maternal healthcare.

8. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

 Chuck Schumer is perhaps best known in women’s advocacy efforts for being the leading sponsor of the Violence Against Women Act which provides increased government funding for the investigation and prosecution of violence against women. Schumer also sponsored the Human Rights for Girls Act, which places limitations on restraints that can be used by law enforcement on pregnant juvenile offenders.

In light of the recent death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Schumer Tweeted the following statement:

 

These are just eight of the many women-allied men currently serving in the 116th Congress, and hopefully, through the many policies, practices, and advocacy efforts set forth by these politicians, we will see more and more men joining in the fight for women’s rights. And women of course, will keep fighting as they always have.