Women make up 58.7% of workers in Maine aged 16 and older. In 2024, more young women than men had a bachelor’s degree. They are mothers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, teachers, CEOs, caregivers and much more.

A new fight for women’s autonomy faces a president who rewards conservative financial supporters by enacting their restrictive vision of the past. The Supreme Court and some states ignore the realities women face. Poverty, inadequate education, ignorance of contraception, poorly paying jobs, children, rape and violence all factor into choices about pregnancy. Women who experience violence with a domestic partner should not be forced into childbearing, nor should a child.

Two-thirds of U.S. citizens polled believe most abortions should be legal, as in Maine, with some restrictions. Some states have passed criminal laws against all cases. Many women are desperate enough to travel to other states for legal medical attention. Mostly male legislators who, ignoring complexities, decide the rules and exert control, but not for men. Women deserve to direct their own lives.

Project 2025 is the president’s guide, despite his prior denials. The guidelines would set women back years, to male control over women, sexuality, work, finances and children. The plan attacks laws on sex discrimination, civil rights and contraception. It dictates the family structure with no acknowledgement of the reality that the world has changed. Maine’s laws on abortion and women’s rights should remain and women should feel safe with their choices.

Dawn Leland
Portland