“Why is it your right to take away my right to choose?”
This past Thursday, Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake held a town hall meeting open to anyone willing to attend. The session went as expected, with members asking the senator different policy questions, asking about the current state of the government, and so on, until one young woman set the hall ablaze with her ruthlessness.
To provide some background, on Thursday, President Trump signed The Title X bill, which now gives states the rights to deny the Title X funds to family-planning centers, and in specific, Planned Parenthood. The signing of this bill ignited rage amongst many across the country, as this gives states the right to have their citizens lose copay birth control, free family planning and counseling, and STI testing at their local family planning sites. These resources are crucial for young women across the country as many cannot afford such necessary health benefits without the Title X funds. Many quietly seethed as the men of the government sat together and signed the bill, but not the young woman in Arizona.
Deja Foxx, a 16 year old from Tucson, Arizona went up to the microphone and asked Senator Flake, “I just want to state some facts. So, I’m a young woman, and you’re a middle-aged man. I’m a person of color, and you’re white. I come from a background of poverty, and I didn’t always have parents to guide me through life. You come from privilege, so, I’m wondering, as a Planned Parenthood patient and someone who relies on Title X, which you are clearly not, why it’s your right to take away my right to choose Planned Parenthood and to choose no-copay birth control, to access that. So, if you can explain that to me, I would appreciate it.”
The entire hall cheered and applauded in unison and solidarity with Ms. Foxx as she spoke to the Senator and told her of her struggle as this bill has been passed. The hall was up in arms against the Senator and awaited his response to the young woman’s remarks.
As the crowd settled down, Senator Flake opened with, “I’m glad to hear of my privileged childhood.” This was abruptly halted with boos and screams of anger from the crowd. The Senator went on to say that what he does is “for the good of the citizens” and ended with a vague statement on the good of the people. The crowd at this point became borderline hysterical, screaming insults at the Senator for not giving a decent response to Ms. Foxx’s strong argument. Ms. Foxx took in what the Senator had to respond with and ended with, “Why would you deny me the American Dream?”
As Foxx walked away from the microphone the crowd screamed and cheered her on. The town hall was up in arms by the Senator and proud to have been amongst Deja Foxx during this time.
At 16 years old, Deja Foxx is making waves, simply by being politically active and aware of her situation and how the government hinders her toward the American Dream. She is an inspiration to us all as the nation is at such odds due to the current state of the government.