We want to acknowledge that it is hard to celebrate July 4th when so many of our core rights and liberties are being threatened or taken away. But let’s be honest, this was never “Independence Day” for everyone nor will it be after this last week of SCOTUS decisions. Enslaved people, indentured servants and Indigenous people were not (still are not) free with the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.
So how about instead of just waving flags and lighting up the grill, we work towards the spirit and values that we espouse on this day. Let’s truly work towards justice for all – and a great place to start is speaking out about how abortion bans are racist and gender-affirming care bans are harmful while making it clear that: THERE IS NO INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM & GENDER AFFIRMING CARE!”
There is no independence without reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ people’s liberation. Dark clouds are gathering, but we see our community’s growing voice and it’s awesome. Join us also in standing up and saying, Bodily Freedom Forever (in your town or city).
As if the debate wasn’t disappointing enough, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 for presidential immunity, which can be applied to Donald Trump’s prior criminal actions. The trial he awaits from attempting to overthrow the 2020 election on January 6th, will only face further delay due to this decision.
The Supreme Court, made up of three Trump appointees, overturned Roe v. Wade and now ruled Trump should be protected from criminal prosecution. If Trump wins this upcoming election, the state of our democracy will fall. We must remain vigilant in protecting our rights from being attacked any further. Join us in our local elections, where our actions mean EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.
In case you weren’t keeping count, Trump lied more than 30 times in the 40 minutes he spoke during last week’s debate. He is a threat to our country’s future and we stand firmly against his inflammatory statements that continue to mislead the public about reproductive care.
Conversations about bodily freedom are going to happen around you this year and it’s imperative that you can educate others using a fact-based approach.
TWP’s debate fact-checking guide on bodily freedom:
I. Trump on Roe v. Wade
Trump: Everybody, without exception: Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives. Everybody wanted it back — religious leaders. And what I did is I put three great Supreme Court justices on the court and they happened to vote in favor of killing Roe v. Wade, and moving it back to the states. This is something that everybody wanted. Now 10 years ago or so they started talking about how many weeks and how many this and getting into other things. But every legal scholar throughout the world — the most respected — wanted it brought back to the states. I did that.
A majority of Americans have disagreed with ending Roe v. Wade, including plenty of legal scholars. While some scholars criticized aspects of the legal reasoning in Roe, it did not necessarily mean they wanted the ruling overturned.
II. Trump on Infanticide
Trump: The problem they have is they’re radical because they will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month, and even after birth, after birth. If you look at the former governor of Virginia, he was willing to do this. He said, “We’ll put the baby aside, and we’ll determine what we do with the baby,” meaning “We’ll kill the baby.”
That’s simply false. If it happened, it would be homicide, and that’s illegal. “No such procedure exists,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says on its website.
Source: FactCheck.org
Last week, TWP leaders joined our partners in the Health Care Provider Shield Act Coalition at Thundermist Health Center to witness Governor McKee signing this important protection for Rhode Island caregivers.
We’re so proud to have led the coalition’s community outreach efforts and want to thank coalition members for their leadership. This law is a powerful statement that Rhode Island is a safe haven for those whose bodily freedom has been torn from them by their state governments.
There’s a symbiotic relationship between national and local elections. National policies affect local governments. Movements that affect national policies begin at the local level. So it’s imperative that we pay attention to both.
To prepare for this year’s local elections, we’re building the Bodily Freedom Forever Index to let voters know where local politicians stand on bodily freedom. Anonymous researchers are building the index, and you can be one of our volunteers. Email [email protected] to express your interest.
Learn more about the Bodily Freedom Forever Index and the VoteBFF Campaign.
For the price of one iced coffee you can make an impact that would last much longer than a caffeine buzz.
We’re applying for a grant that requires us to show an outpouring of community support, and small sustaining donors do just that. Please donate just $5 a month or more to help us continue our important work to protect bodily freedom against a national hate-group PAC organizing in the school committees in Rhode Island.
Every year, we make a digital download available on the Fourth of July, and this year is no different! Download this printable sign to hang in your car or bring to your public celebration, and show your independence from policies designed to control your body.
Pride ended when June did, but we hold its values year-round. We’ll certainly hold the memories we made this year forever. Pride Pics
The Womxn Project Education Fund has a plethora of color and good feeling treats for you! Signs and shirts, as well as pre-order our Empowered to Advocate, a how-to zine on Protesting, Voting, and Advocating in Rhode Island, by Jonathan Izzard and Lexie Thompson. Pre-order it with more details in the link below!
> Shirt Shop
> Yard Signs
> Pre-Order the Empowered to Advocate Zine 1
