Although Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are currently neck and neck, a recent NBC News and Wall Street Journal poll says the president is leading among women voters by eight points. Suddenly, reproductive health and pay equity have become key questions of this election. But “women's issues” is a misnomer for what are really economic policies that impact everyone. Nation columnist Melissa Harris-Perry asks: Will Romney and Ryan be held accountable for their proposed rollback of women’s rights?

—Christie Thompson

For more on the role of women in this election, check out Bryce Covert on Mitt Romney’s flip-flop ongender equity.