JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<a href="javascript:void(0)"><span class="descender">A link with descenders like g or y</span></a>

CSS

a {
    color: #000;
    text-decoration: none;
    position: relative;
	background-repeat: repeat-x;
	background-image: url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAAAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==);
    background-position: left 15px;
}
a span.descender { 
    text-shadow: -1px 0px 0px white, 1px 0px 0px white, -2px 0px 0px white, 2px 0px 0px white, -3px 0px 0px white, 3px 0px 0px white; }
a:hover {
    background: none;
}