On Paxton Smith
"We cannot stay silent."
Today, Paxton Smith’s name will be written among those who choose conviction over complacency. You might recall seeing her name trending on Twitter, accompanied by a video, of her speaking truth to power in the face of Texas’ egregious heartbeat bill signed by Gov Abbott. The transcript is included below.
“I'm not usually very good at expressing my gratitude for the people that I care about. But I would like to say "thank you" to Coach. I think he's had a bigger role in my life than he realizes. [deep breath]
OK.
As we leave high school, we need to make our voices heard. Today, I was going to talk about TV and media and content, because it's something that's very important to me. However, under light of recent events, it feels wrong to talk about anything but what is currently affecting me and millions of other women in the state.
Recently, the Heartbeat Bill was passed in Texas. Starting in September, there will be a ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, regardless of whether the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest.
Six weeks. That's all women get. And so before they realize — most of them don't realize that they're pregnant by six weeks — so before they have a chance to decide if they are emotionally, physically and financially stable enough to carry out a full-term pregnancy, before they have the chance to decide if they can take on the responsibility of bringing another human being into the world, that decision is made for them by a stranger.
A decision that will affect the rest of their lives is made by a stranger.
I have dreams and hopes and ambitions. Every girl graduating today does. And we have spent our entire lives working towards our future. And without our input and without our consent, our control over that future has been stripped away from us. [applause]
I am terrified that if my contraceptives fail, I am terrified that if I am raped, then my hopes and aspirations and dreams and efforts for my future will no longer matter. I hope that you can feel how gut-wrenching that is. I hope you can feel how dehumanizing it is, to have the autonomy over your own body taken away from you.
And I'm talking about this today — on a day as important as this, on a day honoring 12 years of hard academic work, on a day where we are all gathered together, on a day where you are most inclined to listen to a voice like mine, a woman's voice — to tell you that this is a problem, and it's a problem that cannot wait.
And I cannot give up this platform to promote complacency and peace, when there is a war on my body and a war on my rights. A war on the rights of your mothers [cheers], a war on the rights of your sisters, a war on the rights of your daughters.
We cannot stay silent. Thank you.”
Speaking about his daughter, her father commented saying "It was something that she felt was important, and she had the nerve, determination and boldness to put herself out there and say her piece," he said. "So few people demonstrate this level of maturity and poise, regardless of age."
The courage to speak up in the face of human rights violations, in the face of what you know to be wrong, unjust, or unfair, doesn't come easy. But using your voice can be the most powerful line of defense.
To me, Paxton represents something larger.
She represents what separates Gen Z from other generations. Gone are the days we live with our heads stuck in the sand, waiting for the few and far between to stand on the frontlines. Through the power of social media, and our fight against some of the most pressing global issues we will and are currently facing….there are Paxtons are all over the world. They may not get valedictorian speeches or speaking time at the UN. But we are showing up to combat gun violence, end systemic racism, demand action on the climate crisis, fight for equitable land and food distribution, and so much more.
It is also important to note, that there are no single actors. In reality, I am sure we can all affirm that these efforts in making our world a better place come from collective action. Join a movement. We need you.
I am sure this is only the beginning for Paxton. Hopefully, she continues speaking truth to power. And hopefully, we continue to listen.