Reasons Women Wear White at the State of the Union
TL/DR –
During the State of the Union address, several Democratic congresswomen wore white, a color associated with suffragettes, as a statement about reproductive rights. The move comes in response to recent restrictions on abortion access across the country, following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and an Alabama Supreme Court decision that sparked concern over the future of in vitro fertilization. President Biden addressed reproductive issues in his speech, pledging to make Roe v. Wade the law again if the public elects a Congress that supports the right to choose.
Democratic Congresswomen Showcase Unity at State of the Union Address
As attendees filled the U.S. Capitol for President Biden’s State of the Union address, the chamber was awash with white, a statement on reproductive rights made by several Democratic congresswomen. This poignant show of unity comes amidst increasing restrictions on abortion access following the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and an alarming Alabama Supreme Court decision influencing the future of in vitro fertilization. The color white, historically associated with suffragettes, painted a powerful image.
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) expressed on social media that the color symbolizes the ongoing fight for reproductive healthcare. She emphasized that a united front is necessary to counter opposition from certain Republicans aiming to control women’s bodies and healthcare choices.
“We are advocating for your right to make your own health decisions including abortion,” Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) proclaimed on social media, underlining the solidarity message with a picture of House Democratic women in white.
The appropriation of white, a color symbolically linked to purity, by suffragettes was a way to refute anti-suffrage claims of moral corruption amongst women seeking voting rights, as outlined in a Library of Congress blog post.
In his address, President Biden pledged to reinstate Roe v. Wade as law if supported by the Congress. He also acknowledged guests like Latorya Beasley, an Alabama social worker whose IVF treatment was halted, and Kate Cox, forced to travel outside Texas for an abortion after a fatal fetal diagnosis.
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