Whitney Fox: The Future of Reproductive Rights in Florida is also a Battle for National Freedom
By Whitney Fox
Not too long ago, I stood outside a women’s health care center alongside other volunteers, forming a human shield to escort women from their cars to the center’s entrance. Protesters screamed and hurled insults, their faces contorted with rage. Many of the women who we shielded were already at the end of a long journey, having traveled from neighboring states, seeking care they could no longer access at home.
Today, there’s no refuge for women left in the entire Southeast – and abortion access is in jeopardy across the country. This is why my election for Florida’s 13th Congressional District demands the nation’s attention.
The implementation of Florida’s near-total abortion ban back in April has created a healthcare crisis. Women are being told to travel to North Carolina for care – an impossible task for many. I’ve spoken with mothers who can’t afford to take time off work, arrange childcare, or pay for flights and hotels. Some, in desperation, have said, “I’ll go home and take care of it myself.” These words chill me to the bone.
Then, there’s Anya Cook’s story. When her water broke early, Florida doctors refused to help her because of the state’s restrictive ban. Anya was forced to deliver her dead fetus alone in a bathroom at work, nearly dying from blood loss. This is the horrifying reality for women in Florida right now.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, women are now three times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth in states with abortion bans. In Texas, infant and newborn deaths have increased by 13%. Public health experts warn this foreshadows what’s coming in other states with restrictive laws. These aren’t just statistics; they represent real lives at risk and real families torn apart.
As a mother of two girls, I think about my own pregnancies and the anxiety that came with each ultrasound. I also remember the fear and confusion of my miscarriage – waking up bleeding, not knowing why. Under today’s laws, women experiencing miscarriages face the terrifying prospect of being turned away from hospitals or investigated for potential crimes, instead of receiving the urgent care they may require. This isn’t pro-life. It’s forced birth, often accompanied by crushing medical bills and inadequate support.
But there’s hope. Women who’ve never been politically active are joining the fight. I met Abi, a local mother, at a playground. She shared her story: after her first child, she experienced a life-threatening miscarriage. Without prompt abortion care – a situation that so many women in Florida today – she wouldn’t have her second child. Abi’s experience underscores the cruel reality of these bans: women can’t wait for multiple physicians to decide if they’re “sick enough” or “near death enough” to receive care.
And it’s not just mothers who are rallying. Seasoned women’s rights activists who remember pre-Roe America are saying, “We aren’t going back.” Men, too, are speaking up, recognizing that reproductive rights affect entire families and communities.
My opponent, extremist Anna Paulina Luna, not only applauded the overturning of Roe v. Wade; she continues to support a national abortion ban without exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother. This isn’t just a Florida issue – it’s a threat to women’s rights across the entire country. If Luna and her extremist GOP allies remain in office, they will push for a national ban and put other crucial treatments like contraception, IVF, and abortion pills on the chopping block, overriding any state-level protections and forcing every woman in America to live under their draconian rules.
And what was Luna’s response to those unhappy with Florida’s new 6-week abortion ban? “Move somewhere else.” This dismissive attitude ignores that over 60% of Florida voters believe the ban goes too far. It’s not just politically tone-deaf; it’s a fundamental betrayal of what it means to represent the people. And remember, if Luna gets her way with a national ban, there will be nowhere left to move.
The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. Florida’s 13th District is one of the most flippable seats in the country. By winning here, we can help shift the balance of power in the House of Representatives and restore Roe as the law of the land, ensuring that health decisions are made by women and their doctors – not politicians.
For the sake of every woman, every family, and every young daughter, including my own, we must vote out those who threaten our freedoms.
Whitney Fox is a Democratic Candidate for Florida’s 13th Congressional District and a former Communications and Marketing Director for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.
