Issues

The Person:

As a man, I’ve enjoyed great privilege throughout my life. I’ve also witnessed how women have been treated unequally, in ways both large and small, whether that’s in a meeting where a woman came up with an idea but a man took the credit or when women are not paid equally to a man even though they do the same job. The women in my life, from my amazing mother to my inspiring wife Gloria have helped reveal other areas where there are inconsistencies and disparities. 

The Principle:

God created men and women equally. Women deserve to be treated with the same amount of dignity and respect as men. Proverbs 31:10-31 highlights the totality of women which includes being a business owner, having the ability to buy land, among other things that men can do without being questioned or marginalized.

The Problem:

Unfortunately, women are not treated fairly in our society. That’s true in business, true in education and it’s for sure true in our politics. The decisions our politicians make directly and indirectly reinforce a belief that men are superior to women and that has resulted in major disparities between men and women in society. Too often politicians pick an issue where they believe they can get votes from women by simply framing themselves as being pro-woman based on a single value. An example of this is how politicians in my party talk about abortion. Republicans do this when it comes to framing themselves as the pro-family party. 

The Policy Proposal:

The first thing I believe we should do is respect women in all their totality. Women should earn equal pay. There should be no barriers to them receiving an education, buying a home, or doing anything else in life they desire simply because of their gender. Because of these existing disparities, there are some key areas where if elected, I would work to ensure that our nation’s policies are equalizing us all in society, not holding women back: 

1. There is no paid leave policy in Texas. Women who have children are not guaranteed any protections after pregnancy. I will introduce legislation to implement a national paid leave policy. Data shows this will help women better recover from their pregnancy and leads to better mental and physical health outcomes for women and children.

2. Women in the state of Texas make approximately $40,000 a year on average, which is 20% less than men. The disparity in pay applies to men and women who work in the same occupation.  I will work to pass legislation that protects women being retaliated against for having pay discussions, eliminates loopholes employers can use to avoid accountability and increases funding for more enforcement.

3. Texas women are the most uninsured women in the country. Health insurance should be guaranteed.

4. Texas leads the nation in rape offenses, and our state ranks in the top 11 in the country in Domestic Violence against Women rate. I’ll fight for legislation that increases the penalty for committing domestic violence and have stricter penalties for rape.