Last Tuesday, abortion supporters from across the state showed up to the Texas Capitol for Abortion Funds Advocacy Day. Texas abortion fund members and friends gathered to learn about everything happening at the Texas Legislature and how to talk to lawmakers about supporting reproductive justice issues.
We talked about our legislative priorities and the bills that impact reproductive justice values. These priorities included:
Pregnant Texans deserve direct services and access to care without facing additional barriers, stigma, and shame.
Texas should end the “Alternatives to Abortion” program.
Reproductive health care, including contraception and abortion, should be covered under state Medicaid.
Young people should be able to access health care without parental consent.
Texas should expand Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum.
Texas should allow doula service reimbursement under Medicaid for those that qualify.
Pregnant Texans and Texans experiencing pregnancy loss should be protected and cared for, not subjected to surveillance, investigation, harassment, and criminalization.
Texas should reject any attempts to codify fetal personhood.
The state should not interfere with municipalities or locally-elected officials who deprioritize enforcing abortion restrictions.
Texans should be able to raise their families in healthy, safe environments free from state interference.
Trans children and young people deserve access to gender-affirming care.
We then had the chance to meet with our own senators and representatives to share why we care about these issues and how peoples’ lives have been impacted by abortion bans and other health care restrictions. We also dropped cards against SB 24 and explained how anti-abortion centers harm people and communities. People shared their stories, engaged in new advocacy strategies, and spoke to both friendly and anti-abortion legislators about reproductive justice for Texans. Overall, advocacy day was a huge success – thank you to our incredible abortion fund partners at Lilith Fund, Frontera Fund, TEA Fund, Afiya Center, and Jane’s Due Process for their work putting this event together and to our friends at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Avow, and the ACLU for showing up to support!
House Energy & Commerce (E&C) chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) is not seeking re-election. Her successor as leader of the committee will be determined first by whether the Democrats or Republicans have the majority in the House, and then through internal party deliberations. As chair, Rep. McMorris Rodgers has championed legislation addressing the needs of people with disabilities and served as a speaker at LSA-DN meetings. We will be closely monitoring who becomes chair of this committee, given the scope of their work, and ensuring an ongoing relationship for our network.
To learn more about our work with these lawmakers, or their legislation, please reach out.
Sarah Dobson is Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy.
Tony Brozey is a summer intern with the government affairs team at Lutheran Services in America.
Three years ago, 13 U.S. service members were killed during Joe Biden’s botched Afghan pullout. He never mentions them, their grieving families or the changes that have taken place since they made the ultimate sacrifice.
It is now illegal for Afghan women to appear outside of the home unless they are fully veiled, Afghanistan’s supreme leader announced last week, according to the Associated Press. Women are also prohibited from talking in public – their voices are banned under the new decree.
“A woman’s voice is deemed intimate and so should not be heard singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public,” the AP reported.
Neither the Biden-Harris administration nor the Harris-Walz campaign have commented about the current horrors facing Afghan women, whom they abandoned.
The Taliban certainly have the means to defend their supreme leader’s edicts from any opposition, foreign or domestic. Biden saw to that. Thanks to his inept and deadly withdraw, the Taliban is swimming in high-tech American weaponry – $80 billion worth, to be exact – including 176 artillery pieces, 64,363 belt-fed machine guns, 126,295 handguns and of course 358,530 select-fire assault weapons – real assault weapons. Most of the rifles were equipped with high-end optics. Many had IR lasers, which aren’t much good without night-vision gear. But Biden left behind 16,035 sets of NVGs as well.
Earlier this month, the Taliban showed off Biden’s weaponry during a parade held at Bagram Airfield, which celebrated their third year in power. However, not all of the weapons were showcased. The Taliban sold some of their newfound arsenal to Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.
Homeland threat
Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents released an Afghan terrorist who was on the FBI’s terror watchlist after he was caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border through California. The terrorist was allowed to post a $12,000 bond and disappear because officials weren’t completely sure he was the same person wanted by the FBI.
Nowadays, these type of intelligence failures are common. In June, the Department of Homeland Security identified 400 terrorists who crossed the southern border illegally but admitted it did not know the whereabouts of at least 50 of these hardened killers. The administration declined to comment, which led frustrated members of the House Homeland Security Committed to subpoena DHS for information on all potential terrorists who have crossed into this country illegally.
During the Republican National Convention, Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., warned the crowd about the threat foreign terrorists pose to the homeland.
“We have men from Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon crossing our southern border,” Scott said, according to FOX News. “I believe we have sleeper cells in this nation as a result of Joe Biden.”
Senator Scott did not mention the thousands of military-age males from communist China – at least a division, so far – who cross our border with impunity.
The FBI and civilian intelligence experts have repeatedly warned that terrorists may be plotting an attack here in the United States that would be similar to the 10/7 massacre in Israel – an attack on civilian targets rather than government or military installations.
Once again, the Biden-Harris administration has not addressed these concerns. They remain tone deaf and focused solely on disarming law-abiding Americans. Â
On Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris posted a message on social media that’s become a frequent theme for the administration: “Congress must renew the assault weapon ban.” The post included the graphic: “Ban Assault Weapons.”
Joe Biden hasn’t posted anything on social media for four days, but he spent last week on vacation in California and will spend this week on vacation in Delaware.
Hyperbole and hypocrisy
If events in Israel and Ukraine have taught us anything, it is that any organized attack on civilian targets will be horrific, especially if the populace is disarmed.
Biden doesn’t seem to care. He has denounced American ARs as “weapons of war” and called for a ban, but he has never once mentioned the 358,530 select-fire rifles he gifted to an actual terrorist state – all of which, by definition, ended up in the wrong hands.
While Biden naps on a beach chair and Harris hides from the corporate media, the Taliban and other terrorist groups are making ready for something. Everyone in the intelligence community predicts this, including the FBI director. It’s only a matter of time.
American arms have served as a deterrent for invasion, as we saw during World War II, and may soon be used to defend our homeland from actual terrorists. Only a fool would seek to disarm us.
We’re profiling these 17 out LGBTQ athletes to watch, competing on the world’s largest athletic stage.
This list is not exhaustive–there were at least 36 out LGBTQ Paralympians at the Tokyo 2020 Games–so we can expect more to be revealed in the coming weeks!Â
Alana Maldonado (Brazil – Para Judo)
TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 29: Alana Maldonado of Team Brazil reacts after defeating Ina Kaldani of Team Georgia in the Judo Women’s -70kg Gold Medal contest on day 5 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Nippon Budokan on August 29, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images)
Alana Maldonado is a visually impaired Brazilian judoka who, at just 29-years-old, has already left her mark on the international stage. Her accomplishments in Para Judo include: a silver medal in 70 kg Para Judo at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, a gold medal in the same event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and two Parapan American Games silver medals. The reigning Paralympic judo champion will seek to defend her title at the Paris 2024 Games on September 6th at 4:42 a.m. ET with the Women -70 kg J2 Quarterfinals.Â
Brenda Osnaya (Mexico – Para Triathlon)
Mexican athlete Brenda Osnaya Alvarez competes with the Obelisque de la Concorde in the background during the 2023 World Para Triathlon – duathlon format in the PTWX Women H1 category of the Olympic Games Test Event in Paris, on August 19, 2023. From August 17 to 20, 2023, Paris 2024 is organising four triathlon events to test several arrangements, such as the sports operations, one year before the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The swim familiarisation event follows the cancellation on August 6 of the pre-Olympics test swimming competition due to excessive pollution which forced organisers to cancel the pre-Olympics event. (Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP) (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
Brenda Osnaya Alvarez is a mexican triathlete who suffered a broken spine as the result of a car accident while on her way to a national roller skating competition. After practicing swimming as a part of her rehabilitation, Osnaya Alvarez made the decision to continue to be an athlete and has since become an important name in Para Triathlon throughout Mexico and Central America. Since starting Para Triathlon, she has competed in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in which she finished fifth in Women’s Individual Para Triathlon Wheelchair (PTWC). Watch her compete on Monday September 2nd as she aims to make the podium for the first time!
Cindy Ouellet is one of the biggest stars on the Canadian women’s national wheelchair basketball team. She previously competed in four Paralympic Games and five Parapan American Games. She has also competed in Para-Nordic skiing at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games, making her one of the few athletes to have competed in a summer and winter Paralympics. Watch her and the Canadian wheelchair basketball team take on China on Thursday, August 29th at 12:15 p.m. ET as they begin their pursuit of a Paralympic gold medal.
Courtney Ryan (United States – Wheelchair Basketball)
TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 26: Courtney Ryan #55 of Team United States handles the ball against Team Spain during the Women’s Wheelchair basketball Preliminary Round Group B game on day 2 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games at Ariake Arena on August 26, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Courtney Ryan is a Paralympic wheelchair basketball player for the United States and assistant coach with the University of Arizona’s wheelchair basketball team. In 2020, she and the United States wheelchair basketball team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Tune in on Friday, August 30th at 10:00 a.m ET as they take on Germany in the preliminary round of women’s wheelchair basketball.
MUNICH, GERMANY – AUGUST 19: Emma Wiggs of Great Britain celebrates victory in the Women’s Va’a Single 200m – VL2 Final during the Canoe Sprint competition on day 9 of the European Championships Munich 2022 at Munich Olympic Regatta Centre on August 19, 2022 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Emma Clare Wiggs, MBE is a British paracanoeist, five-time world champion, and former sitting volleyball player who has made a profound impact on adaptive sports. After a virus left her with permanent nerve damage in her legs, Wiggs transitioned from teaching to becoming an elite athlete. In 2016, she won a gold medal at the Rio Paralympic Games in the Women’s Paracanoe KL2. Years later she added to her collection with a gold and silver medal in Women’s Va’a Single VL2 and Women’s Kayak Single KL2 respectively at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Beyond sports, Wiggs is a motivational speaker and ambassador, advocating for diversity and access for people with disabilities.
Hailey Danz (United States – Para Triathlon)
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN – MAY 11:Hailey Danz of team United States of America competes during the World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama on May 11, 2024 in Yokohama, Japan. (Photo by Moto Yoshimura/Getty Images)
Hailey Danz is a world-class athlete and two-time Paralympic medalist. At 12-years-old she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). When she was 14, Danz decided to have her leg amputated in order to return to her active lifestyle. In 2011, she discovered triathlon through Dare2Tri, a paratriathlon club based out of Chicago. Despite lacking swimming, biking, and running experience, Danz won an ITU Paratriathlon world title in 2013 went on to win a silver medal at the Rio 2016 Paralympics. Since then, she has earned several additional titles, including two USA Paratriathlon National Championships and a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. She’ll have the opportunity to win her third Paralympic medal on Sunday, September 1st as she takes on the competition in Women’s Paratriathlon Standing 2 (PTS2).
Kate O’Brien (Canada – Para Cycling)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 05: Kate O’Brien of Canada competes in the Women’s Sprint Qualification during Day Four of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships at Lee Valley Velopark Velodrome on March 5, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Despite being a relative newcomer to Para Cycling, Kate O’Brien already has an impressive athletic record. Previously, O’Brien competed in Bobsleigh as a brakeman, however, a hamstring injury led her to explore cycling, where she quickly excelled. Within months of attending a testing camp for Cycling Canada, she made her international debut and finished fifth in the team sprint and keirin at the 2014 Pan American Championships. In 2017, she suffered severe head injuries after a training accident that left her unable to walk unassisted. After a trying recovery, O’Brien returned to the sport and made her first Paralympic appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Games where she won silver in the Women’s 500-meter Time Trial C4-5.Â
Ireland’s Katie-George Dunlevy is one of the most successful Para Athletes to ever represent the country, having medalled at every World and Paralympic Games since 2014. Recently, Dunlevy and her pilot Eve McCrystal won two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in Para Cycling Track and Para Cycling Road. Before becoming a Para Cyclist, Dunlevy was an accomplished Para Rower with two World Rowing Championships to her name.Â
Lauren Rowles, MBE (Great Britain – Para Rowing)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Lauren Rowles MBE of Team Great Britain attends the National Lottery’s ParalympicsGB Homecoming at SSE Arena Wembley on September 12, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for The National Lottery )
Lauren Rowles, MBE is a two-time Paralympic champion who won gold at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. As an out LGBTQ Paralympian, Lauren frequently uses her platform to share her personal journey and advocate for LGBTQ representation. Diagnosed with transverse myelitis at 13, which left her paralyzed from the waist down, Lauren was determined to become an elite athlete. Inspired by the London 2012 Paralympics, she initially excelled in wheelchair track racing before transitioning to rowing in 2015. Catch Rowles compete for her third consecutive Paralympic gold medal in PR2 Mixed Double Sculls on Friday, August 30th at 4:50 a.m. ET.
Laurie Williams (Great Britain – Wheelchair Basketball)
Laurie Williams is a mother to her daughter, partner of teammate Robyn Love, and successful wheelchair basketball player for Great Britain. Discovered at a wheelchair racing event in 2005, Laurie quickly rose to the ranks as a promising youth talent. She made her Paralympic debut representing Great Britain at the London 2012 Games. She has since earned multiple European medals and a silver at the 2018 World Championships. Outside of sports, Williams enjoys perfecting her soda bread recipe, British Sign Language, musical theater, and family walks with her dog, Whiskey. On Thursday, August 29th at 6:45 a.m. ET she and Great Britain’s wheelchair basketball team will have their first game against Spain in their pursuit for a gold medal.
Lucy Robinson, originally a junior footballer, first turned to wheelchair basketball after a football injury that ended her football career. Discovering the sport at a Leicester Cobras event, she quickly excelled, joining the BWB Advanced Apprenticeship in Sports Excellence in 2015. Lucy represented Great Britain for the first time in 2018, co-captaining the junior women’s team and leading them to a gold medal in the U24 European Championships. She continued on to win bronze at the 2019 U25 World Championships. On Thursday, August 29th at 6:45 a.m. ET she will have her second Paralympic appearance with Great Britain’s wheelchair basketball team as they compete against Spain in the preliminary round of the tournament.
Lucy Shuker (Great Britain – Wheelchair Tennis)
EASTBOURNE, ENGLAND – JUNE 27: Lucy Shuker of Great Britain plays a forehand against Maylee Phelps of United States during the Wheelchair Singles Quarter Final match on Day Six of the International Eastbourne at Devonshire Park on June 27, 2024 in Eastbourne, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for LTA)
Lucy Shuker, a top wheelchair tennis player, is a London 2012 and Rio 2016 women’s doubles Bronze medalist and a Tokyo 2020 silver medalist. She also earned bronze medals in women’s singles and silver in women’s doubles at the 2023 European Para Championships. A former Hampshire County badminton player, Shuker was introduced to wheelchair tennis by former Paralympic quad singles champion Peter Norfolk, who loaned her a tennis chair. In 2022, Shuker was awarded a British Empire medal for her services to sport after completing her 20th year on Tour. On Friday, August 30th she will begin her quest for the coveted gold medal in Wheelchair Tennis Women’s Doubles at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Nikki Ayers is an Australian Paralympic rower who competed in the PR3 Mixed 4+ at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. After a rugby injury in 2016 led to severe leg damage, Ayers transitioned to rowing. She began serious training in 2016, earning fifth place at the 2018 World Rowing Championships. Ayers won the PR3 Women’s Single Scull at the Australian Rowing Championships in 2019 and 2021. In 2023, she and Jed Altschwager clinched gold in the PR3 Mixed Double at the World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Ayers will also be an ambassador for Pride House Paris 2024, the largest platform for LGBTQ advocacy of its kind for an Olympic or Paralympic Games. On Friday, August 30th at 5:30 a.m. ET she’ll return to the water in the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. This will be her first Paralympic Games as a publicly out LGBTQ Paralympian.Â
Robyn Love (Great Britain – Wheelchair Basketball)
Originally from Scotland, Robyn Love began her wheelchair basketball journey at Edinburgh Napier University and quickly rose through the ranks. After contacting Basketball Scotland’s Tina Gordon in 2013, she won the Scottish Cup with Lothian Phoenix and the Scottish Universities Cup. By 2015, she debuted internationally with GB Women, earning silver at the Osaka Cup. Robyn played a key role in securing bronze at the 2015 European Championships, which qualified GB for the Rio 2016 Paralympics, where the team placed fourth. She later won bronze at the 2017 Europeans and silver at the 2018 World Championships. In 2022, Robyn was part of the Loughborough Lightning’s first BWB Women’s Premier League title and represented Team Scotland in wheelchair basketball’s Commonwealth Games debut. Love is engaged to fellow wheelchair basketball player Laurie Williams. They also have a child together. On Thursday, August 29th at 6:45 a.m. ET she and Great Britain’s wheelchair basketball team will have their first game against Spain in their pursuit for a gold medal.Â
Tara Llanes (Canada – Wheelchair Basketball)
OSAKA, JAPAN – APRIL 20: Tara Llanes of team Canada competes against team Argelia during day four of the IWBF Women’s Repechage Tournament at Asue Arena Osaka on April 20, 2024 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Moto Yoshimura/Getty Images)
Tara Llanes was a former professional mountain biker for 15 years and BMX Hall of Fame nominee. As a mountain biker, she won a gold, two silvers, and a bronze medal at the X-Games. She transitioned to wheelchair basketball in 2016 and quickly excelled. In 2018 she represented Canada at the World Wheelchair Basketball Championships. This is her second Paralympic Games. On Thursday, August 29th she and the Canadian women’s wheelchair basketball team will take on China at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Valentina Petrillo (Italy – Para Athletics)
PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 13: Valentina Petrillo of Italy competes in the Women’s 400m T12 Final during day six of the Para Athletics World Championships Paris 2023 at Stade Charlety on July 13, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo is poised to make headlines on September 2nd when she will make history as the first out transgender athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games. Diagnosed with Stargardt disease at 14-years-old, Petrillo is visually impaired. She will run the 200-meter and 400-meter races in the T12 classification, which accommodates athletes with visual impairments.Â
Petrillo, who publicly came out as transgender in 2018, has faced numerous challenges, including pushback from the Italian Federation and various reclassification issues. Despite these challenges, she achieved national championship titles and a bronze medal at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championship. Her selection for Italy’s Paris 2024 Paralympic team represents a significant step forward in the fight for trans representation in sports. Cheer on Valentina Petrillo on September 2nd as she competes in the women’s 400-meter T12 race!
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PHOENIX— (Disabled American Veterans) today in Phoenix at the organization’s 102nd national convention.
