The bill SB5, which is meant all but stop abortion in the entire state of Texas, has the votes. The republican right of Texas has control of the senate, and the governor is eager to sign it. The act of filibustering the bill to kill it is brave enough as it is, but because of the way it went down, defeating the bill is actually only part of the victory. Because of Wendy Davis actions (and some 50 arrests that followed), what could have been just some of Texas's dirty business became overnight a national conversation about who is in control of women's rights, and what we as citizens can do about it. And that makes it a victory for all women.
Let's take a look at this Senator for a moment, because Davis is a total bad ass. Raised by a single mom, she became a single mother herself at 19. She started out at a community college, later to graduate from Harvard law. And she defeated the Republican incumbent for her seat, and has ferociously been fighting for women since. If that isn't a success story for women leading their own lives, I don't know what is. And she does it with such style. At one point during her epic eleven hour speech she gave us this quote:
Which lead to the term "Gynotician" being passed around by Planned Parenthood today. A Gynotician is a politician that feels more qualified than women and their doctors to make women's health care decisions.
Seriously though, where do these pricks get off? This thinly veiled hatred for women is passed off as 'safety measures' but not even its supporters believe this is about women's safety. Laws like this are all about control. Who is in control of reproduction, even education about the reproductive systems in our bodies. I believe the person in question (the woman making decisions about her own body) should get to make that call (and have access the medical care we are capable of providing her), not some politician. It is fundamental to our freedom as human beings.
And without fail, someone will say this is just a 'wedge issue' meant to distract us from the 'real issues' we should care about. (Said a man who never had to think about making such a choice, or the impact it would have on his life if he didn't get a say). The fact that we still have to have this argument with people (women even!) just goes to show that we not so far along that we can forget about feminism. Battles we thought long won are being challenged in every state, every year. The Republican war on women is a real and present danger to us all, but at least today in Texas, all is not lost. Even though they tried everything they could to shut her down, and even changed to the time clock to say the vote took place before midnight when it hadn't (otherwise known as cheating), Wendy Davis and the people stood up, spoke up, and won. Today, we can all be proud of that. So, Thank you.
I'm told this is a temporary victory, that the Governor is already planning to call another special session to push this thing through. But even if that happens, it doesn't change the significance of the events that took place in the wee hours of the last Tuesday night. When I went to bed that night (around 2:30) I was pissed. I decided that it was time to start sending 'outside agitators' down to Texas to stir up a real women's revolution (the Texans, it seems, are ready). And when I woke up in the morning, the bill was dead, the people had won. Wendy Davis got us there, and the people rose up for the win. That kind of energy cannot be easily put out. Energy like that tends to spread like wildfire. I hope it takes all of Texas.
So, I know I've posted this video before, but this one is for Wendy Davis and the 'unruly mob' in Texas. And for all people everywhere (men and women) who care about the health and well being of women and their children. Stand up, speak up, fight back!
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