Voting Safety

I've tried to never taken my right to vote for granted. Since I turned 18, I always do my part as a female American citizen to vote in any election that I am eligible for. I try hard to be an informed voter and learn about the candidates and the issues of the ballot.

The recent election in Afghanistan has helped remind me how lucky I am to not only be able to vote, but be able to vote safely. During the election in Afghanistan, just like in other Middle Eastern countries, women were targeted for violence, intimidation and harassment on election day.

One such instance that has really shaken me up was the report that 2 women had their fingers cut off in the Kandahar province. I can't even imagine going up to a voting booth, casting my ballot, and then having my finger forcefully cut off for just exercising my right.

This form of violence against women in Afghanistan follows a very similar pattern of other violated rights: just because you have the right, doesn't mean that you have fair and safe access to exercise that right. Abortion, birth control, and workers' rights in the US - for instance - all follow this same trend.

It's aggravating that women work so hard to get the rights (that should be afforded to us without question!) down on the books, and then we have to keep fighting to make sure we can exercise them safely. It seems like a never cycle and can be disheartening at times to think the fight is almost over. However, no matter how hard exercising that right might be, we have to celebrate our work to get those rights and exercise them no matter what!

Even though there is not present danger when I go to vote, I do it because I want my voice to be heard and I know that so many women before me fought to get the rights that I enjoy today that I don't want to be their work to be for nothing. And that is what these women in Afghanistan are showing through their valiant expression of their rights, even though there is very real danger in doing so. I find them inspirational and motivating to help secure women's rights.

Photo courtesy of LDCross on flikr.com