Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz is warning that women in their 20s and 30s have become complacent on the issue of abortion rights.
When asked by Ana Marie Cox in an interview for the New York Times if she sees a “generational divide” between younger women and women of her age in terms of excitement about Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, Wasserman Schultz, who is 49 years old, did not directly answer, and instead discussed the fight for abortion rights.
“Here’s what I see: a complacency among the generation of young women whose entire lives have been lived after Roe v. Wade was decided,” she said.
The Florida Democrat is referring to the 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed a women’s right to an abortion, which has been fought by pro-life activists for decades since. Though the decision has not been reversed, dozens of states have passed laws restricting access to abortion.
After the interview was published, Twitter users began using the hashtag #DearDebbie to show their displeasure with Wasserman Schultz’ comments.
#DearDebbie @PPLosAngeles has an army of young women who will completely prove you wrong. How dare you insult a whole generation? @DWStweets
— ella tabasky (@renegadecop) January 6, 2016
#DearDebbie A feminism that discounts other feminists’ actions as less complacent is more problem and less solution.
— Celia Morgan (@celiadmorgan) January 6, 2016
So tired of being told young women don’t care about abortion. This often happens when I’m literally leading a pro-choice event. #deardebbie
— Emily Kadar (@kadarlikeradar) January 6, 2016
#deardebbie Does waking up at 5 AM to clinic escort and being an unpaid intern for a women’s rights org make me complacent? Just checking. ?
— feminist bright spot (@miss__andry) January 6, 2016
#DearDebbie -this is what my complacency looks like. Fighting for reproductive rights w/ the young women of @NOW_NYC pic.twitter.com/i5VBhcm7i6
— Kristen Caruana (@kristencaruana) January 6, 2016
#DearDebbie What, exactly, is your strategy in disparaging women like me, born after Roe but working to protect our rights? @DWStweets
— Cass Morris (@CassRMorris) January 6, 2016
#DearDebbie @DWStweets https://t.co/ADFBjCHYwj
— Erin Matson (@erintothemax) January 6, 2016
Read the full interview here.
