#sb-5

"Oh hell no. Texas Governor Rick Perry has said the state legislature will hold a special session on July 1, saying that “too much important work remains undone,” referring of course to the complete dismantling of women’s reproductive rights in the state. Yesterday, Texas state Senator Wendy Davis filibustered for an astounding 13 hours, preventing the legislature from voting on Senate Bill 5 before the end of the session at midnight. About 10 minutes before midnight, the Republicans tried to take it to a vote, but were drowned out by the chants and cheers of pro-choice activists in the gallery, making it impossible for the vote to be legally recorded. For Gov. Perry to call a special session, even though SB5 was defeated fair and square, is despicable. ”We will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency to prevent us from doing what the people of this state hired us to do,” Perry pontificated. The women of Texas were too busy defending their rights to behave themselves, Governor. And the only thing that’s indecent is how many women’s lives SB5 would put at risk. This isn’t over. [The Daily Beast]"

You might wonder why a 27-year-old, straight, cis guy would give 2 damns about a senate hearing over 4,600 miles away (I live in Ayrshire, Scotland, just if you want to keep score). And the answer is actually quite simple.

In fact it’s so simple its in two parts.

I have someone close in my life that had to go through what this bill is trying to stop, in circumstances that it is wanting to stop it for.

Since when are a handful of rich white guys with little or no experience or knowledge of the situation the right people to be making the kind of decisions they’re trying to make?

Oh yeah, the third reason that I forgot about - I care because its the right fucking thing to do!

Well done Wendy Davis for her historic filibuster.

Well done Leticia van de Putte for calling BS on the GOP tactics to attempt to stop said filibuster.

And well done David Dewhurst for coming out and conceding that the vote that happened was most likely illegal.

The Republicans in the Texas senate seem unable to grasp time. This is in the same way that they are unable to grasp that the circumstances behind each and every abortion request are different. If, after reviewing every detail, a woman decides that an abortion is the right thing in her circumstances and the licensed doctor she consults, after reviewing her situation, is happy to offer and process with an abortion; then there should he no one that should say that can’t happen and there should be no punishment for doing so, either for the doctor or the woman.

This shouldn’t be a feminist issue, this should be a public issue in general. That’s the reason I’m behind senator Davis. That’s why I’m behind those in the gallery supporting her. And that’s why I’m behind the protestors outside the Senate in Austin, those on Twitter and Tumblr and Facebook and those following the live feeds on the internet and TV.