Liberals revive anti-women narrative for the Trump era

The left is doubling down on its “war on women” narrative, organizing tens of thousands of demonstrators to converge on the nation’s capital for the Women’s March on Washington the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The event, which will be attended by feminist icon Gloria Steinem and representatives from Planned Parenthood, aims to send the “bold message” that “women’s rights are human rights” to the unified Republican government on its first full day in office.

Pro-choice activists will spread that message nationwide ahead of the inauguration. The abortion rights coalition All* Above All is launching this week a six-figure ad campaign called “We Will Be BOLD. We Won’t Be PUNISHED” that condemns the president-elect’s stance on abortion and comments he made about women during the presidential race.

Debbie Brown, executive director of the conservative Colorado Women’s Alliance, accused the leftist activists of addressing women’s rights with a goal of disrupting any efforts for unity.

“They are reviving a War on Women 2.0 that focuses much more on division than collaboration,” Ms. Brown said.

Efforts like the Women’s March on Washington falsely claim to speak for all women, she said, pointing out that Mr. Trump won the majority of votes of white women.

“The efforts to derail Trump’s presidency are premature, especially by women’s groups who are coordinating a Women’s March on Washington, D.C., to coincide with the inauguration to presumably speak for all women,” Ms. Brown said. “Early surveys predicted women voters would overwhelmingly hand the Oval Office to Hillary Clinton, but they were wrong.”

The “war on women” sought to brand pro-life Republicans as anti-women beginning in the 2010 midterm election.

Sen. Michael F. Bennet, Colorado Democrat, has championed the strategy since his Senate win that year. Under his leadership, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee poured $60 million into the Bannock Street Project to promote the “war on women” in 2014. But the plan backfired, and Republicans gained control of the Senate to go along with their House majority.

Mrs. Clinton also emphasized the historic nature of her candidacy during her presidential campaign.

“Well, if fighting for women’s health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in,” the former first lady said on the campaign trail in April.

But she failed to turn out the coalition that elected the first black president in 2008, and even lost the white women vote to Mr. Trump, 53 percent to 43 percent, according to Edison Research Exit Polls.

Despite those hard-earned lessons, liberals are playing the woman card again before Mr. Trump is sworn in.

Destiny Lopez, co-director of All* Above All, said the pro-choice ad campaign is a “rallying cry for resistance” against the president-elect’s expected policies on abortion, especially his support of the Hyde Amendment, which bars taxpayer dollars from being used to finance abortions.

“We will never let Trump, [Vice President-elect Mike] Pence or other anti-choice politicians get away with punishing poor women and women of color by making the Hyde Amendment permanent,” Ms. Lopez said in a statement. “If heartless politicians think we are going to give up on our communities in 2017, they are sorely mistaken.

“I hope Trump knows what’s waiting for him on day one: a nation full of powerful women ready to fight every move he makes,” she said.

Kierra Johnson, executive director of Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, said Mr. Trump’s position on abortion is disrespectful toward women.

“Americans know that the Hyde Amendment literally takes away a poor woman’s decision-making about abortion,” Ms. Johnson said. “By disrespecting poor women, these politicians are disrespecting all women — and we will not stand for that.”

But Ms. Brown said the president-elect should be given the chance to “make the lives of all Americans better, including women.”

“On election night, Trump pledged to be a president for all people,” Ms. Brown said. “Let’s give him a chance to keep his promise. Instead of marching, ask for a seat at the table.”