It doesn’t matter which political party women belong to in Alabama

There is a special kind of betrayal, a cleaver-sized knife in the back, for the women of Alabama who thought maybe, finally, with a female governor we would get somewhere. The insulting remarks that we have heard from Trump about grabbing women by the genitalia and Roy Moore’s allegation of sexual assault fell on the deaf ears of women in Alabama who in spite of being personally insulted, voted for both of them. Our own governor supported both of these men and failed to stand in support of her own gender against the vulgar and disgusting display of degradation of women everywhere.  
Governor Ivey is not the only leader of Alabama who has cast their stones at women. House of Representatives Robert Aderholt has never voted in favor of a bill to benefit the women in Alabama. He has sent his message loud and clear to young women in Alabama that women are not deserving of equal pay, equal rights or even protection from domestic violence.
What can we expect from Katie Britt? She has made it clear that she is not offended by Trump’s vulgarity. Britt blames Obamacare for the closing of rural hospitals when in fact, our hospitals closed because Ivey refused the expansion of Medicaid.
We all stand on the same shoulders of brave women before us who risked their lives, and some who lost their lives, to ensure that women in the future would have a right to vote for themselves in elections that determine their rights as an American citizen.
It comes down to taking off the political coat of arms and facing the reality that it doesn't matter which political party a woman is affiliated with in Alabama. We are all being discriminated against, regardless of political party, color, financial status, religion or sexual preference. All you have to be is a woman. Period.  Women in Alabama have been gagged and silenced for over 25 years. We have no representation in what

laws are passed or the quality of our lives.
Maya Angelo said that yes, she was a feminist, and that she had been a woman for a long time, and it would be stupid not to be on her own side.  You cannot be on your own side and vote for a candidate who is voting against you.
When women go to the polls on Nov. 8, they have a choice to make.  They can vote for themselves or against themselves. They can choose to have a voice in their lives and the lives of their daughters and granddaughters. It has nothing to do with party politics. It is about speaking out against the discrimination against women, ending the wage gap and treating women with respect in the work place for equal pay and opportunity.  
When we cast our vote in November, we are hiring someone to work for us in our government. It’s our tax dollars that pay their salary. Why would a woman hire someone to go to Washington and vote against her in being treated as an equal human being with the same constitutional rights as men? Women in Alabama, vote for yourself in November and show Ivey, Aderholt, Britt and all the candidates that are against you that you are not giving them the job to discriminate against you any longer.

Lynda Kirkpatrick
Marion County Democratic Party Chair, District 17 Representative Alabama Democratic Party, Alabama State Democratic Party Executive Committee