They should have to know what they do

I had several possible posts lined up for today -- but then I ran across this video by way of Jessica Valenti's essential Abortion Every Day.

Eva Burch, an elected Arizona State Senator, felt called to explain to her colleagues that she was about to have an abortion to end a wanted, but nonviable, pregnancy. This nurse-turned-officeholder describes viscerally the hoops her state's abortion laws put her through, as well as the law's requirement that her doctors read her a script full of false "information" about the procedure

This is an amazing speech and well worth a few minutes of your life. This mother of two wanted children who is hoping to have more is a brave, articulate spokesperson against lies and ignorance.

“I don’t think people should have to justify their abortions. But I’m choosing to talk about why I made this decision because I want us to be able to have meaningful conversations about the reality of how the work that we do in this body impacts people in the real world.”

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The desperate struggle at the highest ranks of the political system to hold on against MAGA and fascism tends to obscure truly heartening developments within the lower ranks of the Democratic Party. A new generation of smart, young, often female, often "of color," sometimes queer, political up-and-comers begin to give us a glimpse of new leadership. Eva Burch is one on rhese, for sure.