Valedictorian goes viral after calling out Texas anti-abortion law in graduation speech
4 June 2021, 10:31 | Updated: 4 June 2021, 10:32
Student at high school in Texas takes stand against abortion bill
The state of Texas signed in a new anti-abortion bill last month.
High school valedictorian Paxton Smith has gone viral after making last-minute changes to her graduation speech to address Texas' recent anti-abortion law.
The Lake Highlands High School student went off script from the pre-approved speech she wrote about TV and media content, taking to the podium instead to address women's rights.
"Today I was going to talk about TV and media and content, because it’s something that’s very important to me," she said. "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."
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Smith went on to slam the so-called "heartbeat bill" that was signed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on May 19, calling it a "war on the right" of girls and women.
"I cannot give up this platform to promote complacency and peace when there is a war on my body and a war on my right," she continued. "A war on the rights of your mothers, a war on the rights of your sisters, a war on the rights of your daughters. We cannot stay silent."
The new law, which will come into effect on September 1, bans all abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected - which can happen as soon as six weeks after a woman becomes pregnant.
The legislation even applies in cases of rape or incest.
This took guts. Thank you for not staying silent, Paxton. https://t.co/DlwEgmMRGN
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 2, 2021
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has since praised the teenager, tweeting: "This took guts. Thank you for note staying silent, Paxton."
Ms Smith says she does not regret her decision: "It feel great. It also feels a little weird.
"Whenever I have opinions that can be considered political or controversial, I keep them to myself because I don't like getting attention. It just feels weird for me personally, that I'm linked to the attention that the speech got."
