With Tuesday’s election around the corner, the stakes are high, and if you’re like me, the anticipation is unsettling. Watching misinformation seep into mainstream political discourse only amplifies this feeling. A prime example is the opposition in Missouri to Amendment 3. This amendment, if passed, would establish the right to make reproductive healthcare decisions—such as abortion and contraception—without undue government interference. Though a state measure, it carries implications that could resonate far beyond Missouri.
Women’s equality, including bodily autonomy, is a fundamental right. Men aren’t regulated in their healthcare choices; why should women be any different? Sadly, arguments against Amendment 3 often hinge on distorted views, with many local churches actively campaigning against it. For them to position a “No” vote as “protective” of women is hard to fathom and deeply troubling.
As a student of history, I can’t ignore the painful legacy of institutions like Ireland’s Magdalene laundries. These Church-run “workhouses” served as prisons for unwed pregnant women under the guise of “rehabilitation.” It wasn’t until a mass grave was discovered in 1992 that the horror of these institutions came to light, prompting their closure by 1996. This HERstory is a stark reminder that some institutions have historically imposed moral controls on women, often with lasting harm.
Recently, I witnessed a heated exchange near a polling station where a woman was adding “research Magdalene Laundries” bumper stickers over “No on 3” signs. The man confronted here, arguing Amendment 3 would somehow protect victims of sex trafficking—a baffling attempt to conflate issues to undermine reproductive rights.
This election season, misinformation and misdirection are everywhere, eroding women’s right to personal agency. Agency means the power to make choices and take actions aligned with one’s goals—a power men in our society enjoy freely, yet women are still fighting to secure.
If you’re in the St. Louis area, consider joining the St. Louis Women’s March on Saturday, November 2, at 2 p.m., at Clayton & Tamm Avenue in Dogtown. Together, St. Louis women will rally to support a “Yes” vote on Amendment 3, standing alongside the Women’s March in DC for a united front on reproductive rights.
