Focus Group: Women in America

This Navigator Research report contains findings from focus groups conducted among women in battleground states on the state of the country, the economy, and life as a woman in America.

Women Are Disproportionately Struggling with Rising Costs

Women report not being able to get by on a single income, as many provide examples of things they’ve done to supplement their income, including food delivery jobs and online customer service jobs. Others say they have turned to couponing or using buy now pay later services.

• “You need multiple incomes in order to survive and provide for your family because everything is going up and it’s just like the interest rates are high and you don’t know if they’re going to go up and how much more is gas going to go up and how much more the egg’s going to be. I mean, it’s just ridiculous.” – GA white woman, independent

The Government Is Seen as Rigged for the Wealthy and Powerful

Women believe government officials are out of touch and are more concerned with working for special interests than the American people. Few believe there are any leaders that actually get what it’s like to be a woman in America.

• “I feel like the political leaders, even the women political leaders, are so out of touch with reality and what it’s like to be a real American woman.” – PA Hispanic woman, weak Republican

Mothers Don’t Feel Supported

Women with children report having far less support than they anticipated, whether it be from their jobs, people in their lives, or the government. Women without children see mothers in their lives as struggling.

• “I saw [my mom] almost lose the house, not make enough money to feed herself sort of thing. So [before having kids] I would want to be married, on the same page, have some kind of buffer, idea of what to expect, I guess.” – MI white woman, independent

Women Feel Disrespected In The Workplace And Society In General

Feelings that women lack respect in society cut across the different groups of women. Many cite how the media talks about women and toxic beauty standards, while others cite experiences of unfair treatment at their jobs.

• “When I was incarcerated, I got my CDL driver’s license, my truck driver’s license. And when I came home and started doing it, working local, I felt like the guys were just treating me as it wasn’t a woman’s job, a woman shouldn’t do this, it isn’t meant for women to drive trucks.” – MI Black woman, independent lean Democrat

Health and Safety of Food Comes Up Organically

The safety and accessibility of food comes up organically in conversations with women in battleground states. Many worry about the standards of food safety in America and how they compare to other countries, while others generally worry about processed foods and the affordability of healthy food. Though concern around health spanned across groups, most were unfamiliar with “MAHA.”

• “They’ve been trying to kill us since the beginning of time. If it’s not with our food, it’s with the pharmaceuticals.” – WI white woman, weak Republican

Abortion Restrictions Cause Fear – So Does Safety of Birth Control

Abortion restrictions and bans are concerning for women across partisanship, even among women who aren’t necessarily familiar with specifics of abortion laws. Many expressed fear about not being able to access an abortion in a medical emergency, for themselves or loved ones. When it came to birth control, many women cited medical misinformation, saying the birth control pill was dangerous. Even among those believing the birth control pill is dangerous, there was a sense that it was better than the alternative of getting pregnant.

• “It’s like a carcinogenic or something….To be very honest, I’m trying not to get paranoid in this world, so I limit what I truly can control and research in my own mind. I’d rather just have birth control and no more babies and have to worry about putting them out in this type of world.” – MI white woman, independent