Reproductive rights activists demonstrate in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington on Monday. Image file | Photo credit: AFP
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In the upcoming US presidential election, the issue of abortion rights emerged as an important factor influencing the electoral choices of American Indian women.
This demographic group, which is part of the second largest immigrant community in the United States, shows a strong tendency to support candidates who support reproductive rights.
Meeta Damani, an Indian American documentary filmmaker living in the New Jersey area, has worked in the community with a special focus on women and children.
“This is an important issue for men and women in the American Indian community as well. It’s about women and children who are going to be born unhealthy, which will affect the whole family. At the end of the day, it’s about freedom and choice. I think the voters women will make a clear voice,” he said.
Given the clarity of thinking on this topic among American Indian women, it’s no surprise that abortion and reproductive rights have become top-level policy issues in the 2024 election cycle.
Priya, a marketing professional, is also a vocal member of the American Indian diaspora in the New Jersey area. He felt that this should not be a problem.
“Who would have thought that after coming to a first world country like America, the right to abortion would even be an issue for women. If it were me, it would be my choice. It’s that simple. As a woman voter, if you have the opportunity to support a party that wants to protect your rights , you will do this,” he said.
In 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade in 1973. The ruling ended the constitutional right to abortion, allowing states to ban or restrict access to abortion. There are subsequent restrictive abortion laws in various countries.
The potential for further restrictions on reproductive rights makes it an important issue in the country among women. The majority of the community did not agree with the decision. Many Democratic-led states have taken steps to protect abortion rights, and some have become sanctuaries for people seeking treatment outside the state.
Supreet, an IT professional, said that women have been affected by this in many ways. She also thinks many employers in the US need to find ways to reduce the challenges that female workers face.
“The good part is that many employers have made policies that support women. So, even if the company is in a country where it is illegal, they provide the means to move to another country. The good part is that American companies support women but the government may not. That is why it is important to see seriously. I definitely feel women voters will support a pro-abortion party,” said Supreet.
The Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS) conducted an online survey of national representatives of Indian Americans between September 18 and October 15. It has been identified a new, striking gender gap in voting choices.
According to the survey, 67 per cent of American Indian women are going to vote for Kamala Harris while 53 per cent of men, showing significantly less, said they plan to vote for Harris.
When broken down further by age, this gender gap appears to be largest with younger voters. In the over-40 cohort, more than 70 percent of women and 60 percent of men plan to vote for Harris.
Sonal Sharma, an immigration attorney who works with the large Indian American population, has a caution. She feels that women feel strongly about the issue of abortion, but it is not the only thing that matters to others.
“This is a complex issue, although abortion is very sensitive, the opinion polls are divided 50-50. So, one can see that it is not only an important issue for people. But we see in countries where the legislature tried to bring abortion laws more strictly, which they rejected. We have to see what happens,” he said.
The importance of abortion rights for American Indian women has been ignored by political campaigns. Harris has made abortion rights a central part of her campaign strategy and reproductive rights advocacy groups are actively engaging American Indian voters.
In the United States, there are currently more than 5.2 million Indians. It is the second largest immigrant group in the United States and has become an important political actor. Women form a very important subset of this unit and as the election approaches, the issue of abortion rights will remain a key factor in mobilizing and influencing this important demographic.
Published – 05 November 2024 06:02 IST
