Sandra Wants 'Fluke Test' for Politicians on Women's Issues
Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student who gained recognition in the debate over free contraceptives and religious liberty, now says that individuals running for office should pass a litmus test on women's issues as a condition of serving.
Fluke made an appearance on Capitol Hill on Tuesday at a forum titled "Opportunities and Challenges for a New Generation of Women," celebrating Women's History Month.
It came as no surprise that Fluke advocated for more women in elected office and for all candidates to confirm their support for women's issues.
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"So, what I want say to women of my generation is that we need more Debbie Wasserman-Shultz's, more Sen. Gillibrand's. We need more working mothers in office," Fluke said. "We must have members of Congress who see their role as representing women's perspective and their views on important questions that are important to women's lives.
"So I want to be clear that this doesn't mean it's just any woman in the room. It has to be a woman who's focused on representing how policies will affect all of us. There should be a litmus test that they be pro-women so our votes have to include that requirement at least. And it should be a litmus test applies to male candidates as well."
Fluke's name first surfaced when she appeared before an informal gathering of Democratic House members earlier this year in support of President Obama's mandate to force health insurance companies to provide free contraceptives to all women.
During the hearing, Fluke told the lawmakers that it costs female students approximately $3,000 to have protected sex over a three-year stint in law school if her health insurance doesn't cover contraceptives.
After her testimony, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh called Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute," sparking a war of words between conservative and liberal camps.
During her most recent appearance, Fluke also indicated her future may include a shot at public service.
"Numerous American women have actually written to me in the last few weeks saying that I should run for office, and maybe someday I will."
