Much as we might wish them to be, politics and pleasure are not separate.
From access to abortion & reproductive care, to the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, sex education policy, access to gender-affirming care & the broader cultural conversation, events like the US presidential election and other elections around the world have a powerful impact on our private lives.
And if wider global events are causing you to feel anxious, you aren't alone.
So our team at Normal created this guide to help you inform yourself about the stakes & share ways that you can make a difference, before and after Election Day.
Here are three issues that are at stake in this year's election, and how you can make a difference as an individual.
1. Access to abortion.
Selecting judges for the U.S. Supreme Court who were committed to overturning the Roe v. Wade decision, which guaranteed a right to abortion in the United States, was a key promise in the 2016 Trump election campaign.
His fulfilment of this promise led directly to the loss of this right in June 2022, in the Dobbs decision, and the enacting of abortion bans in a number of U.S. states. In 2024, Donald Trump has stated he wants to return control of abortion policy to the states - meaning that people in states with conservative-leaning governments may lose further rights and face criminal penalties.
Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to work with Congress to pass a law that would restore the federal protections for abortion that were in place under Roe v. Wade, ensuring that states cannot impose bans or severe restrictions before 23 to 25 weeks.
- How you can help: Understand your rights and how they've been affected by state, share what you learn with family & friends, write to your state representative, attend a protest, donate and/or volunteer with organisations like Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood, National Network of Abortion Funds or ACF (Australia).
2. Access to other reproductive care.
Family planning services encompass much more than abortions - from routine care for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies, to cancer screenings & access to contraceptives like the birth control pill.
The first Trump administration weakened the Title X family-planning network, which provides affordable contraception and preventive health services to low-income Americans, by disqualifying funding for clinics that also provided abortions and barring abortion referrals.
This "domestic gag rule" policy led to the withdrawal of over 1,000 clinics from the program, reducing access to contraception and other preventive services for low-income individuals, especially in rural areas.
There are also proposed laws restricting access to IVF care in some conservative states.
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How you can help: Understand the current state of care access by state, share what you learn with family & friends, write to your state representative, attend a protest, donate and/or volunteer with organisations like Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood, National Network of Abortion Funds or ACF (Australia).
3. The rights of LGBTQIA+ people.
What's at stake:
The Republican Party's electoral platform includes banning taxpayer funding for gender-affirming care like sex change surgeries, restricting transgender students from participating in sports and removing funding from schools which teach about topics like gender.
The Democratic Party platform would outlaw discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, including passing the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, health care and public accommodations.
Additionally, the next president will likely appoint federal judges and potentially Supreme Court justices who can influence the interpretation of LGBTQIA+ rights. For example, a conservative-leaning judiciary has already rolled back rights in some cases, and further appointments could solidify these trends.
- How you can help: Understand the status of LGBTQIA+ rights around the country, share what you learn with family & friends, write to your state representative, attend a protest, donate and/or volunteer with organisations like Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, The Trevor Project, GLAAD or Transgender Law Center.
And of course, the most important one: if you are a citizen and registered to vote, get out there & vote on Election Day!
Other recommended resources on politics, sex & stress from Normal:
- Understanding arousal and how stress can impact sex
- What to do if your mental health is affecting your sex life
- Why we need contraception equality
- Unpacking patriarchal attitudes in the bedroom
- Understanding what sex-positivity really means
And if you'd like support independent feminist media tackling these issues within Australia, you may be interested in our Pleasure Is Political Kit, created with Hannah Ferguson of Cheek Media.
