By filibustering for 13 hours, Wendy Davis is the Texas state senator who singlehandedly stopped the state legislature from passing a bill that would have effectively put 37 of the state’s 42 abortion clinics out of business. That move made her a national hero to many Democrats and liberals, and a national villain to Republicans used to getting their own way.
Queerty joins in the lovefest for Wendy Davis too. Here are five reasons why we think she’s terrific:
She’s a long-time supporter of LGBT rights. Texas isn’t the easiest place to be a supporter of LGBT rights, but Davis has consistently been at the forefront of pushing our issues in the legislature. Her version of an antibullying bill would have included protections for LGBT students, which were (of course) stripped out. Before being elected to the state senate, she was a member of the Fort Worth city council, where she was responsible for adding sexual orientation to the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance.
She showed Democrats can have a spine. As a party, the Democrats default position is duck-and-cover. Republicans threaten, and Democrats immediately fold. Davis proved what can happen if you stand up for a principle instead of just giving it lip service.
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She stopped the GOP steamroller in its tracks. How many times have liberals fantasized about stopping a conservative juggernaut? This time, it came true. The irony is that Davis relied upon the same tactic that Republicans in the U.S. Senate use as a threat at the drop of a hat.
She could be the next governor. Her performance has sparked talk of a Davis-for-governor campaign. Polls show that she has an uphill battle against incumbent Rick Perry. But remember how Gov. Goodhair was the shoo-in for the GOP presidential nomination? Then he opened his mouth.
She represents the demographic future of the state. Hard as it is to imagine, Texas may not always be the rock-ribbed conservative stronghold it is today. Demographics are pushing the state more toward the middle. The GOP has done its best to insult Hispanic voters, who make up an increasingly large number of the electorate. Of course, the Democratic party needs to be able to capitalize on this opportunity, but the fact remains that Texas may be a lot less red than it used to be.
Photo credit: Davis’ Facebook Page
Jared MacBride
The last decent governor of Texas was a feisty woman named Ann Richards. Here’s hoping Wendy will be the next one.
brent
I cannot see tht i have anything in common with this woman. Being gay is not a choice. Unless a a woman is raped getting pregnant and having abortions is a choice. Besides she is not for equal rights. If she wanted equal rights, then she would propose a law which would give men a legal right to opt. out of parenthood after conception.
FStratford
@brent: That is bs argument. Men do not get pregnant. Men don’t have to “opt out” putting their lives in medical danger from pregnancy. If you can wave a magic wand that can transfer the pregnancy to men instead of women, then you would be right. Alas, you are not.
Daniel-Reader
It is sad that Republican homosexuals have to be closeted to become governors, senators, and representatives in conservative states, and that so many politicians are willing to go so far for their political ambitions at the expense of never living an authentic life.
Jackhoffsky
In the street rally here in Austin after DOMA was overturned, there was a LOT of love shown for Wendy Davis… mainly because she was still standing while we were celebrating in the streets.
She has been a supporter of LGBT rights and we were asked to go stand with her. Our gay rights is about equality. What she is standing for is the physical health of young women in the entire state of Texas. She has given us a LOT of love.
And it was nice that we were asked to give love back in return. And we did. The State Capital Gallery has never seen such protest.
It… was AWESOME.
Brian
Stop sucking up to women. Wendy Davis’s brand of women’s rights would lead to the abortion of babies with gay genes.
vklortho
@Brian: There is no sucking up to women. There is uniting in a common cause. Angry conservative cishet dudes do what they can to control women and dehumanize and marginalize LGBT people. The very fact that we aren’t straight white heteronormative guys means that at some point or another we are going to get bullied by them.
brent
@FStratford: That might be true if the only reason women had abortions was for risk to health. Are you saying we should only have abortion for life threatening reasons. Most abortions, at least 90% are done by women who want to opt. out of parenthood, not for health reasons. So it is not equal rights for women to have the opt. option men do not have.
brent
@Brian: In china and india women have sex selected abortion by the millions, and curiously feminists say nothing about it. I wonder what would happen if they develop a way to determine if a fetus will have homosexual tendencies. You just know that will result in.
Charlie in Charge
@brent: I’m not certain what planet you are from but it isn’t this one. Feminists have had a GREAT DEAL to say about the way girl babies are not valued in those countries.
vklortho
@brent: If you don’t want to have a child with a specific woman then don’t put it in her unless you yourself are taking extra precautions. If you do want to have a child and she doesn’t then you have the right to do it with someone else. The people who use the “fire and forget” option when it comes to procreation don’t get to dictate to the people who have to deal with the fall out.
brent
@vklortho: It seems you are making the men should keep there pants argument. That same argument can be aplied to women as well. You are also talking about planning ahead of time, before conception. I don’t think men are anymore irresponsible than women.
Scribe38
Sort of think brent and brian are the same person trying to push his anti-woman position. I find it weird when I meet gay men against women who are pro-choice. As a group of people constantly told what we can or cannot do with our bodies, I would think we would respect the rights of others to control their bodies. Trying to connect abortions to getting rid of gay children is b.s. there isn’t a test to see if your kid will be gay. The party of “limited government” is always seeking ways into others bedrooms. Its why I donate to planned parent hood and will donate to this woman, gay rights and women rights are connected.
Scribe38
Brent/brian does bring up one interesting point though… Would the jesus freaks and GOP be okay with aborting gay fetuses? In their way of thinking of things wouldn’t it be destroying evil? Or would the God doesn’t make mistakes thing just make their heads explode?
vklortho
@brent: Both are equally responsible before conception, but women bear all the responsibilities during the roughly 9 month period after conception. Men should be extra careful because their responsibilities(and therefore rights) end at conception which will then presumably resume at delivery. If you want the extra 9 months of rights(well 24 weeks iirc according to Roe v Wade) then you need to be in a position to have those extra 9 months of responsibilities which is not very likely considering that having a uterus capable of bearing children is usually mutually exclusive with having a set of genitalia capable of impregnation.
You don’t have to keep it in your pants, but you need to be responsible when you let it out of your pants.
Brian
vklortho,
If anything, it’s women who need to be. extra-careful. Women are the gate-keepers. If they don’t wish to get pregnant, they should keep their zippers shut.
Brian
Girls, keep your zippers shut if you don’t want to get pregnant. Stop using abortion as a form of contraception.
brent
@Scribe38: Brent/Brian same person. I only get that type of paranoia on this iste for some reason. You think there is common ground when it comes to controlling you’re bodies. I don’t see how, a persons sexuality is not a choice, there sexual habits are a choice. Under youre logic, liberals who boss people areound when it comes to smoking and soda are no different than conseratives opposed to abortion. Conservatives always want to tell women what to do with there bodies. I’ll make a deal with you, women can have all there abortions, just don’t ask taxpayers to help raise you’re kids.
brent
@vklortho</aA man's responsibilty ends at conception. So then a man is not responsible for any medical bills. That sounds fair, let women have all there rights, and they can pay all the bills.
Joetx
@Jared MacBride: From your lips to God’s ears!
vklortho
@brent: You did 50% of the deed so you owe for part of the child’s maintenance. If you want to decide what happens during those 9 months leading up to birth then maybe you should house the fetus in your body.
brent
@vklortho: Which you know is impossible. Men don’t give birth, which as a liberal you should know, since liberals always talk about how bright they are when it comes to science. If i use youre logic, that someone it’s unfair that women have to caary the load on birth, would you also take the view that it is unfair that men have to do some of the hardest jobs in our society. For example, picking up gargae, coal mining, fishermen have some of the toughest and most dangerous jobs. SHould we require women to do these jobs as well. Why shoudnt women take on some of the risk in doing the most dangerous and dirty of jobs