As Mayor of the City of West Hollywood – the nation’s first pro-choice city – I’m outraged at the near-total abortion ban that has gone into effect in Texas, despite legal efforts to block it. The enactment of Senate Bill (SB) 8 is shameful. The law bans abortions after approximately six weeks of pregnancy, making it one of the most dangerous anti-abortion laws in recent history. Six weeks of pregnancy is well before many women even know they are pregnant. Clinics in Texas will immediately be forced to turn away people seeking a procedure and the law makes no exceptions for cases involving rape or incest.
Especially disturbing is that the new Texas law empowers any private citizen to sue an abortion provider who violates it. Women seeking abortion and people who assist them will, quite literally, be hunted for bounty in Texas simply for seeking access to reproductive health services. Their support networks, including family members, friends, and medical professionals, will also be under attack, with $10,000 rewards being offered for turning in anyone involved in seeking access to abortion. Private citizens who bring such lawsuits will not need to show a connection to those they are suing.
This goes beyond a violation of privacy; the Texas law institutes state-sanctioned discrimination and hatred towards people seeking safe access to reproductive healthcare. We know this law will not stop people from seeking abortion; it will only put them in greater danger while doing so.
We are ashamed by the Texas state legislators who passed this heinous law and we are deeply disappointed at the silence from the US Supreme Court and its abject failure to act. All women everywhere deserve control over our bodies, our decisions, and our lives.
The City of West Hollywood has continually supported state and federal legislation protecting and advancing women’s reproductive rights and access to healthcare. West Hollywood will always be a safe refuge for people seeking a full range of reproductive health care services. We must remain vigilant in guarding a woman’s right to reproductive freedom.
Hello brother/sister Catholics/Jews/Non-believers:
Look up Catholic theology going back to Augustine for guidance on abortion, as well as ancient Jewish rulings on this issue. It may surprise you. And do not question the faith of a politician whose theological training (such as my own 12 years of 1960s — John XXIII — progressive Dominican nuns/Jesuit-Viatorian priests) made it possible to confront ethical dilemmas with what used to be called “grace.”
It’s time to tax the USA religious industrial complex. Especially the pedophile supporting Roman Catholic Church. The United Kingdom has a state religion. The Church of England or Anglican or Episcopal in this country. Watch the House of Commons on TV. I’ve never heard a chaplain or anyone lead a prayer in that chamber or even the House of Lords. But when President Trump was impeached, some Bible beater Congress Chaplin minister opened with prayers to sky Gods. Then of course there’s that idiotic prayer breakfast. In this country is supposed to be separation of church and state. What a… Read more »
As an elected public servant currently holding the title of mayor, Horvath’s public comments and the use of her office to further her political career (campaign for county supervisor) are legitimate topics of debate and critique. Her religion and her relationship to it are her private business and I find the commentary referencing it to be distasteful and inappropriate. Her expression of her faith is hers and hers alone and any debate involving it has no place in the public square of civilized discourse.
Mayor Horvath is a practicing Roman Catholic. The Church bans use of condoms and if you are a gay man you should nor fornicate. LOL time when you realize who runs this travesty of morality. Horvath never talks about the thousands of pedophile priests, bishops, cardinals and religions who have ruined church members lives from buggering little boys and rapping little girls. Plus, Horvath who is so concerned about the LG etc community, never discusses the instructions to gay guys not to fornicate. As for abortion, she speaks with forked tongue. RC dogma on one side, and Planned Parenthood on… Read more »
Oh my! “LG etc.” that is great, don’t need to remember too much of the alphabet while discussing folks previously known as hoomans or garden variety people.
Basically, I’m just G Full Stop! I never hung out with lesbians, or basically any of the other alphabet types. So why would I say Im part of the community. Just more woke slop from that SHE group on the West Hollywood city council.
Maybe you should take your complaints up with Pope Francis. Otherwise this is an argument without an answer. People are and ought to be concerned about the substance of running the city rather than personal agendas, religious affiliations and personal peccadillos. The disgusting swipes at others reveal issues that are in need of help. Please seek some.
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OK Lindsey.
It took you a whole five minutes to start shilling forced injections once the press for Ed Buck dried up, right hun?
You ignored survivors I brought to you and you voted against the measures I proposed to protect them.
Fake. As. F#ck.
Horvath is such a hypocrite. She’s a member of the Roman Catholic Church. Which we know is against abortion. The non-tax paying institution could care less about women getting pregnant. “Roman Catholic church teaching does not allow the use of condoms as a means of birth control.” California and the country is basically run by Roman Catholics. Governor Newsome, Nancy Pelosi, President Biden and a majority of the Supreme Court. Harris is not a Roman Catholic. But she was put in office as District Attorney of San Francisco by the Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church. The previous district attorney,… Read more »
Wait, where’s the “P”??? It’s ALWAYS Lindsey P. Horvath.
Oh, now people care again about “muh body muh choice”
Just not with medically unnecessary, mandatory covid vaccines, eh?
Does Lindsey have an inner monologue or is has the DNC installed her brain interface already?
Apples and oranges, bucko. When you can care about al the people walking around in society, then maybe we’ll get to those who haven’t yet entered it. See ya then.
Bodily autonomy for all!
*except when we want to rape you with needles
Don’t get the Johns of CC too excited now
“rape you with needles”? Wow. Really? You are so many different levels of wrong you need an escalator..
I too am enraged by what has occurred in Texas. But can this Mayor focus please on West Hollywood- the job she asked for, campaigned for and currently still occupies. I wish Horvath would have as much rage for the homeless problem here and the handicapeped that have been been displaced from the sidewalk due to the scooter program that she endorsed and the overruns on West Hollywood Park that required a bond measure and raised sales tax to 10.5% for West Hollywood. I wish she’d not use her office and current events out of state to raise her candidacy… Read more »
While I respect Ms. Horvath’s point of view and the work she has done on this issue, allowing her this platform for grandstanding in the midst of her campaign gives unfair media time/coverage. I hope her opponents for the County Supervisor’s race will address this.
Thank you. I totally agree.
Yep, the cameras were on so she got some free time. My guess is that the overwhelming majority of West Hollywood residents share the same sentiments and needed no grandstanding affirmation by our media-hungry candidate for supervisor, errr, titular mayor.
Why is this here and what does this have to do with governing West Hollywood?
Please, restricting reproductive rights in Texas is part of national debate and struggle; it is very relevant to a community that was founded on the notion that individual rights need to be preserved. The alleged “Pro-Life” folks are trying to legislate their religious believes. The Texas Taliban, I mean the Texas Republican party, is intent upon pushing its’ religious world view on the rest of us. When I came out as a gay man, my existence was illegal in a couple of dozen states so it is not like you need to be a weather man to see which way… Read more »
Dear Steve Martin, I respect you very much. But the mayor of West Hollywood should focus on West Hollywood. I understand the right wing abortion platform. I disagree with it beyond anything you can imagine, but this is West Hollywood – local government – and Lindsey Horvath has prostituted the mayor’s office for her political gain for far too long. She needs to stop and get to work for West Hollywood or shut up. Stop pimping out her office.
I generally agree with you, but historically West Hollywood has been taking national stances due to our progressive character and our large LBGTQ community; for many years if West Hollywood did not speak up there would be silence. But you are correct that we need to focus on the boring mechanics of making sure the city is clean and safe and that we are protecting tenants, maintaining parks, and the rest. That is more than a full time job. This is why people love the unpretentious Lauren Meister who keeps focused on City issues. The best gift the Council can… Read more »
There comes a point when taking progressive stands overshadows the work of municipal governance and in the olden days it seemed that members of council (you included) could do both. The current crop is all about performing to an audience beyond the borders of West Hollywood and the interests of the city seem to take a back seat. I remember when the council took a stand on the sale of Saturday night specials–it did so while also focusing on real-life issues of residents. That walking while chewing gum approach is lost on the current SHE Squad of political neophytes whose… Read more »
The Texas Taliban? Are you serious? Classless.
The Texas Taliban is classless, yes.
Obnoxious.
Yes I’m sure any self respecting Taliban would be completely offended at the idea of being lowered to the level of Texans!🤣
Restricting abortions to 6 weeks and a bounty of 10k for turning in people who help a woman with an abortion are now law in Texas. He’s very serious and it’s not classless. It’s forced religious views in government which is exactly how the Taliban rules. Just because you might agree with the agenda doesn’t make religious interference in politics right.
It was an inappropriate and classless comparison.
If this is a local news issue because it “is part of national debate and struggle” than why hasn’t Wehoville not covered any of the voting rights bills being passed nationwide, ie: Texas. Pick and choose carefully my dear, pick and choose carefully
Please be specific and defend what you seem to think are violations of voting rights that are being enacted in some states.
BTW if Republicans are the Taliban I guess that makes Democrats ISIS-K
Everyone should condemn these new restrictions. Horrible
You stop telling people what to think.
It’s all appropo when the Texas government thinks it deserves the right to tell women when to give birth. Don’t start none, won’t be none. Leave it to mama, not big government daddy.
More like he is encouraging people to think and, doing a good job of it ❗
Hello Cy. Welcome back.