About six months ago, The Womxn Project created the Bodily Freedom Forever Index as a way to see how anyone running for town, city or state elected positions in Rhode Island would defend and advocate for bodily freedom for all of their constituents.
This method of reporting is creating a more transparent government as well as accountability for who and where our advocacy is needed. And likely you will too with two minutes of time to explore what we reported.
Since January 1, 2025 we have been surveying anyone occupying a seat of power, even if they are not running for elected office right now.
But we are a group of activists right?
We take our information and do something about it. So we welcome you to join us as we organize in each district, creating little organizing hubs. With you, we will keep building a more transparent political landscape with DATA informed action and strategy. This way we will focus artivist actions and community organizing in areas that need our attention and build leadership from the ground up too. Who knows (wink), maybe that will lead to better candidates in the future for those districts.
JOHNSTON
If you pay attention to the news, you’ll know about the recent homophobic-driven attack on a new Johnston resident. The BFFI and the voting breakdown suggest a conservative lean, though the local candidates preferred not to say where they stand.
The mayor of Johnston gave an interview to the ProJo, highlighting his belief that the anti-trans ads by the GOP were very effective and the Johnston School Committee appeared to endorse an anti-LGTBQ+ provocateur. This anti-trans rhetoric was seemingly supported through long applause by the audience, which our staff and volunteers observed.
With open and apparently accepted animus toward LGBTQ+ minorities in Johnston, one can anticipate further bigoted behavior. Residents may not be able to change who is in office for a while, but they can show up at Town Council and School Committee meetings to make the case that Johnston is better than the worst of its citizens. Let’s see how they respond.
Key Takeaway: Many voters don’t realize that local elections affect their daily lives far more than national elections.
Action:
1. Educate voters to vote for ALL the races. Vote all the way down the ballot.
2. Make a list of emails and phone numbers of each school committee and town counselor in Johnston.
3. Become comfortable writing or calling them. Make your voice heard. They represent you.
Secure bodily freedom for everyone.
