Senator Wendy Davis, a Democrat from Texas who became the stuff of living legends after she filibustered the omnibus abortion bill SB5 for over 12 hours in the Texas Senate, wrote an opinion piece published today on CNN about the ongoing challenge to prevent the legislation from becoming law. The legislation, reintroduced through a second special legislative session, made it successfully through the House and will come to a vote soon in the Senate.
Governor Rick Perry, a proponent of the bill which would close all but 5 of the 42 abortion and reproductive health clinics in his state, is confident he will see the bill hit his desk before the end of the month. Davis, whose filibuster successfully blocked the legislation from coming to a final vote during the original special session, isn’t done fighting for women’s reproductive health and access. And she’s not giving up on Texas, either.
During the filibuster, women around the state related thousands of personal stories to me: One young woman said contraceptives gave her a chance to choose motherhood when she was ready. Women were helped by a clinic with the difficult and highly personal decision to end a pregnancy. Another woman said a clinic had helped comfort her when a much-wanted baby was dying inside her.
The “people’s filibuster” that put a temporary stop on the misguided bill that powerful Republicans are still intent on ramming through will long be remembered as the moment when regular Texans — real Texans — stood up and said “enough” to the self-interested politicians who have run our state for too long.
Enough to using Texas as a political laboratory for testing far-right ideas.
Enough to using Texas as a workshop for fattening the wallets of their special interest friends and supporters.
And enough of politicians listening only to each other, rather than real Texans.
There are important issues that desperately need the attention of the politicians who are — at least for now — in charge of our state.
Sadly, Gov. Rick Perry and his powerful allies don’t seem interested.
Regardless of how this battle ends, one thing is for sure: Wendy Davis is a feminist superstar, and she’s not going anywhere. You can read the full piece on CNN Opinion.