Denton, Austin, and Dallas have all passed resolutions to protect women’s rights. It’s time for every Texas city to follow suit.
Denton, Texas, was the first to lead this charge in June when the Denton City Council voted 4-3 to pass a reproductive rights resolution to make investigating abortion a low priority for Denton police. Denton is protecting women.
In July, Austin unanimously voted to limit the enforcement of the abortion ban. The resolutions order Austin police to treat abortion ban enforcement as its “lowest priority.” It prevents using city funds to “store or catalog” reports of abortions or to “conduct surveillance” about possible violations of abortion laws. Austin is protecting women.
Similar resolutions are on the table in Dallas and San Antonio and are slated to vote later this month.
Shouldn’t all Texas cities be protecting women?
Kansas is a state much redder than Texas, and last night they voted in overwhelming numbers to protect abortion access and women’s healthcare. The majority of women, both Democrats and Republicans, believe in the right to bodily autonomy.
Yet, Texas’ far-right fundamentalist government has outlawed abortions, even in cases of rape and incest.
Most likely, Texas will flip blue this election cycle, and when we do, we’ll pass new laws to protect women. But until then, we should be protecting women now. Children and rape victims shouldn’t be forced to carry a pregnancy to term if that isn’t their choice. Forced birth is a human rights issue.
Texans should expect all larger cities to pass resolutions protecting women.
Contact your city council members.
If you live in Arlington, like me, you can find each city council member’s phone numbers and contact forms HERE.
If you live in any other Texas town, simply Google your town name and “city council members.”
Tell them that you are a resident and a voter, and demand that they bring a resolution to the table that would protect the women of your town. Tell them that other Texas cities have passed resolutions protecting women, and you expect them to do the same.
Expect them to have a public hearing on the matter, and plan on showing up and making your voice heard when they do.
Remember how important it is to vote in local elections.
City Council members are in the unique position of protecting women in Texas, even though the state legislature has sought to harm them. This is only one of a million reasons why voting in local elections is so important.
And if your city council doesn’t take steps to protect women in your community, then it’s time to vote them all out.
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