The discussion surrounding the women’s suffrage movement in the United States is once again sparking. Racist statements and this week’s economic data are stoking this debate by showcasing durable disparities. In 2024, the gender pay gap widened for the second consecutive year, as median wages for men increased by 3.7%, while women’s wages remained stagnant, prompting renewed scrutiny over women’s rights and their societal roles.
Unfortunately, a number of high-profile public figures seem intent on doing the opposite, complicating and undermining the discourse surrounding gender equality. Peter Thiel, a significant financier of political careers, including that of JD Vance, has resurfaced as a polarizing figure after publishing a poem with a reference to Jeffrey Epstein in Epstein’s birthday book. To some, Thiel’s biggest bomb has been his stance against women’s suffrage. In a 2009 essay, he floated the idea that giving women the vote was a mistake. He subsequently walked back his statements, claiming his comments were not intended to be taken literally. They have come back again in a context where the core assumptions of democracy and gender equality are under attack.
At the same time, conservative influencers’ incendiary rhetoric contributes a different and more dangerous dynamic to this discussion. Braeden Sorbo, the 24-year-old son of actor Kevin Sorbo, is the latest free speech warrior on the scene. He says most young women he talks to tell him they wish they hadn’t voted. He stated, “I know more young women today who say they wish they didn’t ever get the right to vote than I’ve ever talked to in my life.” This attitude resonates across some conservative circles today that are still trying to roll back women’s right to vote.
In a striking assertion, Sorbo mentioned, “I would much rather give up my one right to vote if it meant 10,000 liberal women wouldn’t be allowed to vote, so that we could return to a better place.” These kinds of sentiments indicate the presence of a new breed of anti-democrats pushing to exclude suffrage on ideological basis.
The discussion escalated further when Elon Musk appeared to endorse limiting suffrage to parents, stating that “democracy is probably unworkable long term without limiting suffrage to parents.” This idea has been met with backlash and alarm by equal rights activists in every demographic.
Religious leaders have entered the fray. In one of the latest examples, Pastor Doug Wilson shared his noxious views in a video Pete Hegseth posted on X. He maintained that women needed to lose the right to vote as individual voters. His statements included, “women are the kind of people that people come out of,” reflecting a traditionalist view on gender roles.
In Texas, a professor was threatened with termination for teaching material deemed “illegal” related to gender identity. This most recent attack exemplifies the challenges that all educational institutions face around conversations about gender. This act of violence reflects deep-rooted social concerns in the current atmosphere of gender tensions.
Against the backdrop of all these controversies, some progressive movements are advancing significant progressive change. And last year, New Mexico went big by becoming the first state to guarantee free childcare to all families. This program is a key investment in helping working parents succeed and advancing gender equity in our workforce. This initiative stands in stark opposition to the growing chorus of commentators and influencers telling women that they don’t belong in the workplace.