Lawmaker Says She’s ‘Sat Here Too Long,’ Discloses That She Was Raped And Had An Abortion

by Tara Culp-Ressler Posted on March 26, 2015 at 10:22 am Updated: March 26, 2015 at 12:01 pm

This week, Ohio State Rep. Teresa Fedor (D) stood up during a legislative debate about a proposed abortion ban and revealed publicly for the first time that she had been sexually assaulted, became pregnant, and had an abortion.

“You don’t respect my reason, my rape, my abortion, and I guarantee you there are other women who should stand up with me and be courageous enough to speak that voice,” Fedor told her fellow lawmakers, who are attempting to outlaw abortion procedures after just six weeks of pregnancy. “What you’re doing is so fundamentally inhuman, unconstitutional, and I’ve sat here too long.”

“I dare any one of you to judge me,” she added. “I dare you to walk in my shoes.”

more... http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/03/26/3639180/female-lawmakers-personal-health/

"......I guarantee you there are other women who should stand up with me and be courageous enough to speak that voice"

I'm sure there are. However, I noticed in the article the women who have spoken up have a "D" by their name. Wouldn't it be more impressive, and possibly have more of an impact, if women with an "R" by their name would find the courage to speak up? There must be Republican lawmakers who have had abortions. Or are they too cowed by the R patriarchal mentality to do that? We may have come a long way, baby......but not far enough so that women can speak out honestly without fear of personal or professional repercussions.

Or are they too cowed by the R patriarchal mentality to do that?

Stepford Syndrome?

A very good point, Roseanne.

Considering that the Republican platform stands against abortion and that so many that vote Republican today are opposed to abortion it's not surprising they remain silent.

Consider the following...



Anti-Abortion Activists Target Republican Congresswoman After Nixed Abortion Ban Vote
...
At the center of the controversy over the pulled vote and the target of much of the ire from anti-abortion activists is Congresswoman Renee Ellmers, a 3rd term member from North Carolina, who objected to language in the bill that would have required women to report their rapes to police prior to seeking an abortion. Ellmers and Rep. Jackie Walorski withdrew their co-sponsorship of the bill last week

http://www.buzzfeed.com/katenocera/anti-abortion-activists-target-republican-congresswoman-afte#.qur25DWgzm

I am appalled and extremely angry that anyone could/would laugh during this woman's emotional confession ~ it takes enormous courage, especially knowing the likely reemergence of long-hidden personal nightmares, to publicly announce you have been raped and had an abortion ~ I'm thinking it refocuses the woman's attention on her ordeals ~ I don't like the idea of abortion, but I am strongly and forever pro-choice ~ Sooz

Ohio lawmaker caught laughing as colleague reveals horrifying story of her own rape
Arturo Garcia / 26 Mar 2015 at 18:50 ET

Ohio state Rep. Teresa Fedor (D) accuses a fellow legislator of laughing right after telling her colleagues that she underwent an abortion after being raped while serving in the military, in footage posted by Mother Jones on Thursday.

“I don’t want government in my business. I want my freedom. I fought in the military for that freedom. And for all those women in the military who were raped — I see people laughing; I don’t appreciate that on the other side. And it happens to be a man who’s laughing,” Fedor says in the video. “I don’t know if it’s about what I’m saying, but this is serious business right now, and I’m speaking for all the women in the state of Ohio who didn’t get the opportunity to be in front of that committee and make this statement.”

The person who allegedly laughed at Fedor has not been identified. She made her emotional confession on Wednesday, as the chamber debated House Bill 69. As Reuters reported, the measure passed in the Republican-controlled House in a 55-40 vote, sending it to the state Senate for approval.

The bill, which would ban abortions after a heartbeat is first discovered in a fetus — which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy — also passed in the House in 2011, only to fail to clear the Senate. Gov. John Kasich (R) reportedly opposes the measure out of concern over it being unconstitutional.

According to the Toledo Blade, while the bill has an exemption allowing for abortion if the mother’s life is in danger, supporters have denied requests to add another one for rape victims.

“I’ll tell you what we know for certain,” said state Rep. Christina Hagan (R), one of bill’s sponsors. “An unborn child has a beating heart. Should we allow that heart to be stopped? This legislation would honor life at the first detectable heartbeat by providing appropriate protection of the law to that unborn and unique individual.”

For her part, Fedor dared her fellow legislators to judge her for her choice to have an abortion.

“I’ve heard all your scenarios, and I respect that,” she said. “But you don’t respect my reason. My rape. My abortion. And I guarantee you, there are other women who should stand up with me and be courageous enough to speak that voice.”

Watch her remarks, as posted by Mother Jones on Thursday, below. [Video accessible via end link]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/ohio-lawmaker-caught-laughing-as-colleague-reveals-horrifying-story-of-her-own-rape/

“But you don’t respect my reason."

She's absolutely right about that.

They don't care how a child is conceived. They don't care at what point in a pregnancy an abortion is performed. Many of them don't care about the reasons, even if it is to save the woman's life.

These people see things in black and white.

Even more telling to me personally, John, is that they don't care about the child once it is born ~ they gleefully slash appropriations relating to child wellbeing ~

Sooz

How true, Sooz.

It seems to work like this;

Fight against ways to prevent pregnancies (contraception).
Fight against ways to end pregnancies (abortion).
Fight against ways to help pregnant women (work-place laws).
Fight against ways to help children (assistance programs).

Hey, but they love Jesus, right?

Only for the "others", John. The self-proclaimed Jesus freaks are exempted for those rules.
And dammit, Ted Cruz never had an abortion.