Since this administration has come after my healthcare rights, I'm going after their gun rights!
in case you didn't know, the Feminist Army was out in full force yesterday to combat HB60. Here is my testimony which I was very fortunate to share within the first hour of the hearing (even though I was cut short by 30 seconds as were many testifiers). Please share it with the world.
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6/20/13 Regarding HB 60 & SB5: Abortion Bills
Hello, my name is Jackie's Strength and thank you for allowing me to speak today. I am here to testify against these bills. I am a constituent of Rep. Eddie Rodriguez. I'm a native Texan, grew up close to poverty, and am a survivor of incest and rape.
The answer to this debate is simple: If you are against abortion, then don't have one. No one is trying to take away your faith, your personal belief system, or forcing you to have an abortion. I am concerned that these bills decrease my legal right to an abortion and ignore my legal right to my own personal belief system. I sincerely hope that politicians will objectively represent all voices and belief systems in their constituency.
Additional abortion restrictions within this legislation contribute to the, so-called “adequate time” crunch by decreasing access to clinics and medical abortions which are already out of reach for those living in poverty. Let us not forget that many people seek abortions due to rape, incest, and reproductive coercion. When your older brother is the one raping you, you are very unlikely to report it and one may not have “adequate time” to obtain an early term abortion due to such an abusive relationship and the shame associated with it.
If I did not have access to clinics like Planned Parenthood, I would have repeated the cycle of poverty, abuse, and violence that was I was raised in. If these bills pass, millions of people like me will lose access to preventative healthcare and the taxpayers will pick up the tab. Since I am at risk for an ectopic pregnancy, my life and reproductive health is dependent on access to drugs like RU486. If these bills are enacted into law, it will be more difficult to obtain these drugs and I am seriously considering sterilization in order to maintain my bodily autonomy. If I am willing to go to such extreme measures, imagine what someone less fortunate than me will do. Please don't do this to me or people like me who have fought for years to find safety and bodily autonomy.
Since this administration has come after my healthcare rights, I'm going after their gun rights. If I can't be trusted with my organs, how can anyone be trusted with a deadly weapon like a firearm? Everyone in the nation is monitoring this issue. We will remember who supported bills like these, who supported reproductive rights and vote accordingly in the next election!
I want to thank all of the reproductive rights crusaders who have reassured me that I am not alone in this fight against Goliath.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.