My Choice

Chicago National Organization for Women Board members:
Amber Kirchhoff, Dana Kelly, Niki Fritz, and Cristina Villarreal

I have received a bit of criticism about this picture.  It seems the idea of a pregnant woman at a women’s reproductive choice event standing next to a sign that says “Keep Abortion Legal” makes some people uncomfortable.  I have always thought that a woman’s choice and reproductive health are important, but never as much as when I knew I was going to be having a daughter.  No one is pro-abortion or anti-life.  No one likes abortion.  It isn’t like I think, “oh I hope my daughter has an abortion someday.”  But I do hope that my daughter understands that her body is hers, and that if she should find herself in a predicament someday, regardless of the countless possible scenarios, she will have a right to choose.  She will make a decision that is best for her, her body, and her life. 

Watching the drama unfold in the Texas Senate this week was inspiring.  SB5 would have eliminated the vast majority of abortion clinics in Texas.  In such a huge state, there would not have been a safe legal way for a woman to receive an abortion.  I have never been prouder to be a woman or to be carrying a future woman than I was watching the men and women fight for women’s health on the Texas Senate Floor.  I watched in awe as Senator Wendy Davis completed a 10 hour filibuster, that would have continued had Republicans not stopped it three hours early.  I laughed as Senator after Senator made parliamentary inquiries.  I tweeted and facebooked and retweeted.  I screamed in excitement after Senator Van de Putte said "Mr. President, at what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be heard over the male colleagues in the room?"  As a woman who has worked in politics for years, I cannot even count how many times I have wanted to say something like this.  I smiled for 15 minutes as the crowd cheered so loud they drowned out any activity on the Senate floor creating “the people’s filibuster.”  I was disgusted when the Republicans tried to vote on SB5 after midnight.  I waited anxiously as hundreds of thousands of others did across the country to see the results. 

All this time my baby was moving inside of me, no doubt wondering why pregnancy induced snoring had not lulled her to sleep yet.  And all that time I was reminded of how important this one bill in Texas was to the rest of the country.  Women and their rights have been targeted for years.  I have fought for rights that affected me, but as a momma bear I will do everything to fight for all rights that will make the world a more just place for my daughter. 

I was also reminded of my choice.  My baby is my choice, but my choice isn’t for everyone.  And while, people have judged me for having my baby so soon after getting married or for getting pregnant knowing I have a cancer gene, it was always MY CHOICE.  That is my wish for all women.  That they too can have their choice regardless of what that choice is. 

SB5 is dead for now, but I have no doubt it or another bill just like it will spring up in Texas or somewhere else.  I hope those opposed to women’s health are ready for the fight that will come their way.  We are fired up and inspired.  I know this from experience.  My inspiration comes from strong feminist women, like the ones in the picture above, and the little baby feminist growing in my womb.