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DeMaio's commitment to women's rights questioned

At a public relations event, Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio announced that he supports legislation that would make birth control pills available over the counter. He claimed this demonstrates his commitment to women's rights.

I found the announcement disconcerting because the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest has been asking DeMaio for his position on access to contraception for years now, and he has never given us a straight answer. The question of whether birth control pills should be sold over the counter or provided at no cost through health insurance is an important one, but only part of a broader issue of access to care.

The non-partisan Action Fund asked DeMaio on numerous occasions where he stands on Planned Parenthood services, like cervical cancer screenings, breast health, STD testing and treatment, and contraception.

DeMaio had nothing to say when he was running for City Council. He did not respond to inquiries when he was running for mayor. And now, as he attempts to unseat Congress member Scott Peters, DeMaio still refuses to engage in a dialogue about women's health with Planned Parenthood.

In my experience, both Republican and Democratic candidates who truly support reproductive health welcome an opportunity to engage with Planned Parenthood. The Action Fund endorses candidates regardless of party affiliation. Our issue is women's health over political party. Just ask Republicans like County Supervisor Ron Roberts, San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, and former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. Candidates who fail to return questionnaires or phone calls usually do so because they do not support Planned Parenthood. They typically don't answer our questions because they know mainstream voters won't like what they have to say.

At Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest, we would like to know whether Candidate DeMaio thinks a woman's boss has the right to decide whether she has access to contraception covered by her health insurance. We would like to know if he believes women serving in our nation's Armed Forces should receive the same medical care and coverage that civilians get. We would like to know his position on protestors who aggressively harass women or blockade health centers.

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund supports the re-election of Congress member Scott Peters. The reason we've endorsed Peters is because he has he been candid with voters about where he stands on women's health. Not only has he told constituents, he's shown them. As a Member of Congress, Peters co-sponsored the Women's Health Protection Act and consistently voted to protect access to contraception and reproductive health care.

Supporting women's health is about more than holding a press conference that addresses a small part of a larger issue. It's about engaging with community members and respecting them enough to answer their meaningful questions.

Nora Vargas

Vice President of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest