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Last night, like the rest of the American people who care about the fate of their country, I tuned into the Vice Presidential debate.

I snuggled in, listened to the Vice President and Congressman talk about everything from foreign policy to Libya, noted Biden’s chuckles of glee when Paul Ryan made statements while holes bigger than craters, and thoroughly enjoyed Martha’s mediation skills.

But as the debate wound down to the final moments, Martha asked the Vice President and Congressman to speak personally on their views of abortion and religion. As the question escaped her lips, my vagina and I…we cringed. Then suddenly, suddenly with the first few words out of Paul Ryan’s mouth, we felt like we weren’t citizens of this country. Our fate was trivial, just a topic of debate.

Our choice, MY choice, and the fate of my lady parts, was up for discussion between these two men who have no idea what it is to be the proud owner of a vagina.

Allow me to rewind and say that at this point in the debate, it became a little less of a political thing and more of a “I am a f*cking woman” thing. I began to feel less like I was watching an argument for why either of these men and their parties should be elected. Instead I felt like a voiceless attendant inactively watching prosecutors argue “my vagina vs. politics.”

How can two privileged men who don’t have vaginas, labias, uteruses, or any parts of a female reproductive system sit up and talk personally about their views on abortion? Personal? I find it hard to believe that either one of their views are personal, (sorry Ryan, your “bean” story did not move me.)

I would imagine personal abortion stories come from women who have had to deal with abortions in some capacity of their life, be it their own personal experiences, the experiences of those close to them, or the ones they love. There is no circumstance under which these men, or any man, can have an experience close to one like the internal struggle between a woman, herself and her conscience when she makes the decision to terminate a pregnancy.

Earlier this week, Russell Simmons wrote an amazing post calling for action from the women of America, and his post couldn’t have been further from the truth. In the post, he stated:

The United States House of Representatives voted 55 times to sabotage women’s health by cutting funding for programs that provide healthcare (like simple mammograms and gynecological visits) and basic services for women.

It’s time that women rise up and get to the polling stations to take the House back from extremist men and stand up for the rights women currently enjoy and the organizations who rely on federal funds to continue to protect them.

Russell is correct. This is a war, and the liberties on the chopping block are extreme. More is at stake this election than ever, ever before. Every single right that I have as a woman in control of my own body is displayed as optional, irresponsible and subsequently being threatened.

This isn’t an issue of the candidates being Pro-Life or Pro Choice, this is me being pro-mind your own damn business when it comes to my vaginal walls.

You can strip abortions of your government funding, but to strip a woman her voice when it comes to speaking up on what is best for her and her lady parts is foolish.

This isn’t 1973. We have already decided on Roe vs. Wade. This is a Presidential Election, and quite frankly I am tired of it being a topic of discussion based on the prosecution of my uterus.

Rachel Hislop

Rachel is the Associate Editor and Senior Style Writer for GlobalGrind.com, proud graduate of a SUNY school, and as sarcastic as they come. Follow her on Twitter for random daily ramblings @MiissHislop