Women’s History Month is all about celebrating the generations of women who fought for our freedoms, from the right to vote to the right to make our own healthcare decisions. 

But those rights don’t protect themselves — they require all of us to ensure they remain in place. Across the country, the Trump administration’s policies are making it harder for women to vote, harder to access essential healthcare, and harder to make decisions about their lives.  

None of these attacks are new, but after a generation of progress, the war on women is once again putting women’s freedom, safety, and political power at risk.  

Here are seven ways the Trump administration’s policies are hurting women and their families right now: 

1. The SAVE Act would make it harder to vote for 69 million women
   
   President Trump’s number one priority, the SAVE Act, would require people to show documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote.

   Millions of Americans don’t have those documents easily available. In fact, more Democrats than Republicans have a passport. The law would especially impact married women whose birth certificates don’t match their current last name.

   The bill would create new barriers for millions of eligible voters — including as many as 69 million married women who won’t be able to vote if this law were to pass.

2. Rising costs and budget cuts hit women and families the hardest
   
   As the cost of living rises, policies backed by the Trump administration are scaling back programs families rely on, like Medicaid and SNAP, while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy. These changes put added pressure on household budgets and limit access to the basic support people need to thrive.

   For many women, the impact is immediate. Women are more likely to rely on these programs for themselves and to support their families, meaning cuts like these hit them first and hardest.

3. Lack of birth control and cancer screenings put women’s health and safety at risk
   
   The Trump administration froze federal Title X family planning funding, which helps millions of people get affordable healthcare.

   The program, which was signed into law by President Nixon in 1970, helps provide birth control, STI testing, cancer screenings, and other basic health services, often for people who can’t afford care anywhere else.

   When that funding disappears, clinics are forced to cut services or shut down, leaving many women without nearby options for care. This move is threatening roughly $65.8 million in Title X funds, impacting an estimated 846,000 patients.

4. Making emergency pregnancy care more dangerous
   
   Federal law requires hospitals to treat patients experiencing medical emergencies. The Trump administration withdrew its defense of federal guidance that required hospitals to provide emergency abortion care when a patient’s life or health is at risk.

   Doctors warn this creates confusion in emergency rooms, especially in states with strict abortion bans, and delays lifesaving care for pregnant patients.

   The deadly consequences of these policies are already playing out. In Georgia, Adriana Smith was declared brain dead but kept on life support for months because of the state’s abortion law, leaving her family without a say in critical decisions. In Texas, Tierra Walker died after doctors delayed care for pregnancy complications due to state abortion restrictions.

   These tragic cases were entirely avoidable and highlight exactly what’s at stake: when misogynistic laws are put in place, women pay the ultimate price.

5. ICE violence is hurting women and families
   
   ICE raids and aggressive immigration enforcement are creating fear in our communities and making it harder for women to stay safe.

   Research shows that many immigrant women are afraid to report domestic violence or seek help because they worry it could lead to detention or deportation. When women can’t safely turn to law enforcement or the courts, they are left with fewer options to protect themselves and their families.

   At the same time, immigration raids are disrupting daily life — from separating families to making it harder for parents to work, find childcare, or access basic services.

   Everyone deserves to feel safe. When policies create fear and instability, women and families are often the ones left most vulnerable.

6. Rolling back protections for trans women has dangerous consequences
   
   The Trump administration has rolled back protections for transgender people across public life, including healthcare, federal policy, and legal recognition. These attacks hit trans women especially hard.

   For trans women, losing protections mean more barriers to care, more discrimination, and a greater risk of harassment or violence. That danger is even sharper for trans women of color, who already face disproportionate levels of violence.

   Everyone deserves safety, dignity, and the freedom to live as themselves.

7. Cutting reproductive healthcare around the world
   
   The Trump administration massively expanded the global gag rule, which blocks U.S. global health funding from going to organizations that provide or even discuss abortion care or “gender ideology”.

   Many clinics rely on this funding for a wide range of services. The move has directly led to the closure of more than 1,000 family planning clinics and reduced access to contraception, maternal health care, and HIV prevention programs worldwide.

   This is an unprecedented attempt by our government to rollback rights, meaning fewer health services for women and families around the world who need them most.

During Women’s History Month, it’s worth asking what it really means to support women. While President Donald Trump has claimed he “loves women” and wants to protect them, the policies pushed under his administration tell a different story. 

At Common Cause, we know that protecting women’s rights starts with protecting our democracy. When everyone can vote freely, hold leaders accountable, and have a say in the decisions that shape their lives, women are better able to advocate for themselves, their families, and their futures. 

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