United States Senator Tammy Duckworth arrived at the Democratic National Convention on its second night, offering a moving speech about IVF. Duckworth’s history as an American hero and trailblazer made her speech all the more powerful.
As Republicans push their anti-abortion stance, they have begun to threaten women’s access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), a series of procedures often used to help women have children despite fertility issues. Since the conservative party is pushing to have embryos recognized as children by law to enforce strict abortion bans, women’s access to IVF has come under question, as the process involves the freezing and discarding of embryos. Recently, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would’ve secured IVF rights for women nationwide, further proving the party’s intentions to target IVF now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned.
As a result, Duckworth took the stage during the DNC to share her own IVF story. She explained that her two daughters would not exist if she hadn’t utilized IVF. Duckworth spent ten years struggling with infertility before “the miracle of IVF” helped her fulfill her dream of being a mother. However, she pointed out that convicted felon Donald Trump and the Republican party want to spy on women and criminalize their desire to seek healthcare or start families. She concluded that “every American deserves the right to be called ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy’ without being treated like a criminal.”
Who is Tammy Duckworth?
Duckworth made numerous excellent points in her speech and represents all women who have utilized IVF and now fear that right being taken away. However, her speech was especially emotional, given her story. She began her speech by stating, “I went to war to protect America’s rights and freedoms. So, I take it personally when a five-time draft-dodging coward like Donald Trump tries to take away my rights and freedoms in return.” Duckworth was referencing her service as a combat veteran who served during the Iraq War.
She comes from a long line of U.S. veterans, including her father, Franklin Duckworth, who earned a Purple Heart for his service at Okinawa during World War II. As a result, she joined the U.S. Army aviation branch and became one of very few women to fly combat missions. In 2005, she was piloting a Black Hawk towards her base at Balad when it was hit with a grenade. The explosion sent her Black Hawk tumbling out of the sky, with Capt. Duckworth losing both her legs in the accident. Not only did she receive a Purple Heart for her service, but she has become a trailblazer for female soldiers.
However, her trailblazing didn’t end there. She embarked on a successful political career, becoming the first Thai American, the first woman with a disability, and the first woman double amputee to be elected to Congress. During her political career, she has remained devoted to veterans, Americans with disabilities, and parents. She helped save the Americans with Disabilities Act and introduced Senate Resolution 463 to allow senators to have their children on the U.S. Senate floor, breaking down a huge obstacle for mothers seeking office.
Her story helps illustrate the reality of what Republicans are doing in attacking IVF. They are trying to punish women like Duckworth by ensuring that, in exchange for bravely and selflessly serving their country, veterans with infertility due to combat wounds won’t be allowed to have children through IVF. Her story is a stark reminder that men like draft-dodging billionaire Donald Trump, who has openly expressed his hatred of veterans and disabled Americans, should not be allowed to take away any women’s rights, especially the rights of women who have actually served and bettered America.
Duckworth also mentioned that the pain of infertility was “more painful than any wound” she earned on the battlefield. Her story and her powerful statements should make any individual deeply ashamed for supporting a party that wants to take away women’s rights to IVF.
Published: Aug 21, 2024 04:16 pm