Actually, she was supposed to give a speech about the media. Because the media are so important in this time, she had coordinated it with her school. But then she changes her mind and talks about a new law in the US state of Texas. According to them, women are no longer allowed to have an abortion from the sixth week of pregnancy, whether they have been raped, whether they are physically or psychologically capable of giving birth to a child, whether the father is a family member.
Paxton Smith, 18 years old, can not do this, she can not give this speech through the media, the high school graduate from Dallas stands on a podium, hundreds of people listen to her. “I can’t give up this platform to promote peace if there is a war against my body,” Smith says in the speech, as reported by the BBC. Many women would not even know they were pregnant at the sixth week of pregnancy.
“Given recent events, it feels wrong to talk about anything other than what is currently affecting me and millions of other women,” Paxton says to her Lake Highlands High School classmates. “I have dreams, hopes and ambitions,” says Smith. “Every young woman here does that. We have spent our whole lives working on our future, and without our consent or contribution, we are deprived of control over our future. I am afraid that if my contraceptives fail or I am raped, my hopes, aspirations, efforts and dreams will no longer matter to me.«
It is “heartbreaking” and “dehumanizing” that autonomy over her body is being taken away from her. This is a “problem that cannot wait”. It was a war against the rights of your mothers, in a war against the rights of your sisters, a war against the rights of your daughters. “We cannot remain silent.«
The video of her speech was viewed millions of times on YouTube, Twitter and TikTok and was praised by many. Hillary Clinton tweeted that it took courage and thanked Smith.
Smith told the BBC that she was surprised that her speech had been so well received. “In every sentence I said, I was shocked that the microphone was not turned off.”The only people Smith told about giving a speech other than agreed with the school were her parents.
However, the Richardson Independent School District, of which Lake Highlands School is a member, has reportedly announced that it will review students ‘ speech manuscripts before future graduation ceremonies.
