Last night, Trump vice presidential nominee Mike Pence delivered his acceptance speech to the Republican National Convention. The largely unknown governor portrayed himself as a mild-mannered family man, but behind the veneer of Midwestern grace lurks a distinctly hostile attitude toward women. Pence has a long history of opposing even the most moderate measures to support women, and his views on women seem drawn from another generation.
The media frequently touts vice presidential nominees as little more than talking heads who help a candidate pick up a few extra votes in swing states. But vice presidents can become presidents. If Trump wins, Pence is one step away from the White House, and his comments about women make it clear that gutting women's rights might be his first priority.
Working Mothers Harm Their Children
Like many Republicans before him, Mike Pence appears to hate both working women and science. Despite a veritable avalanche of research showing that children aren't harmed, and may actually do better, when their mothers work, Mike Pence has long been an opponent of women in the workforce.
In a 1997 op-ed, he argued that women belong at home, and that children in day care suffer. “Sure, you can have it all, but your day-care kids get the short end of the emotional stick,” Pence opined. CNN reached out to the campaign to inquire if he still feels that way, but has yet to receive a response.
He's in good company. Donald Trump also appears to oppose women in the workplace, at least if they are married.
"I think that putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing. If you're in business for yourself, I really think it's a bad idea. I think that was the single greatest cause of what happened to my marriage with Ivana," Trump told ABC News in 1994.
Given Pence's belief that women have no role in the workplace, it should come as no surprise that he consistently opposes any legislation to reduce workplace discrimination or eliminate the gender-based wage gap.
Women Don't Belong in the Military
Mike Pence once became incensed about Disney character Mulan. In Pence's world, it's simply impossible that men and women could serve as equals in the military. “Disney expects us to believe that Mulan’s ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts,” Pence bloviated.
After asserting that “interesting” things—presumably the incredibly fascinating phenomenon of rape and sexual assault--would happen if men and women service together, Pence concluded his rant by saying it's a “bad idea” for women to play any role in the military.
Donald Trump Tweeted earlier this year that sexual assault is the inevitable result of co-ed military service.
Non-Heterosexuals are Ruining Civilization
Never content to limit his hatred to working mothers or women serving in the military, Pence has also repeatedly unleashed a torrent of abuse against LGBT men and women. He has repeatedly called LGBT identities a sign of “societal collapse.” He opposes LGBT anti-discrimination measures, and supported a controversial religious freedom law that would allow open discrimination against non-heterosexuals.
Women Who Have Miscarriages Deserve Punishment
For years now, Republicans have conflated abortion and miscarriage, calling for increased investigations of whether women are to blame for the spontaneous loss even of wanted pregnancies. Pence took this trend farther than anyone else has been willing to, enacting legislation earlier this year that would require women to bury or cremate miscarried remains. The mandate was part of sweeping legislation targeting Indiana abortion clinics. The problem? Most miscarriages occur early in pregnancy, when women may not know they are pregnant. Thus the legislation makes every menstrual cycle suspect, since a miscarriage can look very much like a period.
Activists responded with Periods for Pence, and a judge has issued preliminary injunction to stop the law from going into effect.
