Caitlyn Jenner Shares Her Opinion on Texas Abortion Law
Caitlyn Jenner is no stranger to making headlines. From her winning a gold medal at the 1976 Olympics to her years on Keeping Up With the Kardashians to the interest surrounding her transition, the celebrity can’t avoid the scrutiny of the public eye.
Due to Jenner’s bid for governor of California and her controversial political views in the past, many were eager to hear her take on the new laws regarding abortion in Texas. Here’s what Jenner had to say.
What is the new abortion law in Texas?
The state of Texas passed a new law on September 1, 2021. The law basically prohibits abortion after the first six weeks of pregnancy, which is around the time when a fetus’s heartbeat can be detected.
The law also prohibits anyone from helping a woman get an abortion after six weeks of her pregnancy. Anyone assisting can be sued by anybody in the country, not just in the state of Texas, for $10,000 plus attorney fees. The law has led to fears that not only abortion doctors but also Uber or Lyft drivers who unknowingly give a pregnant woman a ride to her medical appointment could be subject to these lawsuits.
Texas’ new law sparked a huge backlash, with critics requesting that the Supreme Court block the legislation. Many critics point out that the law targets the poor, who have fewer resources to travel and seek an abortion out of state. They may also lack access to medical care to detect a pregnancy before six weeks.
Other states may now follow Texas and pass similar laws. Once the Supreme Court refused to step in and block the Texas law, Florida state Senate President Wilton Simpson said that state lawmakers are ready to introduce a replicate measure in their upcoming legislative session.
According to The Hill, Simpson said, “When the Supreme Court goes out and makes a decision like this, it clearly is going to send a signal to all the states that are interested in banning abortions or making it more restrictive to have an abortion in their state, it’s certainly going to make us take a look at those issues.”
Caitlyn Jenner supports Texas’ right to make laws
On CNN (per TMZ), Caitlyn Jenner said she supported a state’s right to make its own laws. However, that does not mean that Jenner agrees with the abortion law in particular. She just thinks it’s appropriate for the state to exercise its right to make laws.
Jenner said, “I am for a woman’s right to choose,” but, “I am also for a state having the ability to make their own laws. So I support Texas in that decision. That’s their decision. I’m okay with that.”
Caitlyn Jenner does not support Texas’ decision
Many headlines are mistakenly reporting that this means Caitlyn Jenner supports the strict abortion law. Jenner specifically stated that she does not support the law itself, just the state’s right to make its own laws.
As Jenner clarified on CNN, “Now, do I agree with the decision or not? No. To be honest with you, I actually probably do not agree with the decision.” Jenner also pointed out that she doesn’t see Texas’s abortion laws changing in the future.
So, while Jenner claims to be pro-choice, she also believes that the state has the right to make its own laws.
