News
Top Student Speaker Opposes Texas Abortion Legislation
Credit: Unsplash
In the prior month, the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, endorsed a law that prohibits nearly all abortions once a “fetal heartbeat” is identified, generally occurring at about six weeks into a pregnancy. This highly strict law has faced intense criticism from individuals within and outside Texas, who have condemned it as an overt attempt to seize control of women’s bodies. When Paxton Smith, the top performer at Lake Highlands High School, was slated to deliver a speech on media and television during her graduation, she made the decision to deviate from the planned content and express her thoughts on the heartbeat statute.
“Today, my intention was to discuss TV, media, and content, topics that are personally significant to me. However, given recent occurrences, it seems inappropriate to focus on anything other than what is presently impacting me and countless other women in the state,” Paxton stated.
“I harbor dreams, aspirations, and ambitions, just like every female graduating today, and we have dedicated our entire lives to building our futures. Yet, our authority over that future has been snatched away from us without our consent or involvement,” Paxton proclaimed.
Paxton Smith, the valedictorian of Lake Highlands High School in Texas, altered her approved speech to advocate for abortion rights. pic.twitter.com/4xsoHARDSs
— Kolleen (@littlewhitty) June 2, 2021
“I am filled with dread at the thought that if my birth control fails or if I were to be subjected to assault, my hopes, goals, dreams, and hard work for the future would be rendered irrelevant,” Paxton continued. “I urge you to grasp the sheer anguish of this situation. I hope you comprehend how dehumanizing it is to have control over your own body stripped from you.”
“I refuse to surrender this platform to advocate for passivity and tranquility in the face of an assault on my body and my rights. It is an attack on your mothers, your siblings, your daughters. We must not remain silent,” she concluded.
