Q&A with former Texas Sen. Wendy Davis

Former Texas Sen. Wendy Davis, who achieved national fame after an 11-hour filibuster against a Texas bill to restrict abortion access, campaigned for Hillary Clinton in front of the Campus Y Friday.

Assistant State & National Editor Caroline Metzler spoke with her about issues of gender equality and the upcoming election.

The Daily Tar Heel: How does Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate appeal to you from a feminist perspective?

Wendy Davis: I’ve been watching Hillary Clinton fight for issues that elevate and provide women opportunity my whole adult life. She’s never shied away from her support for women’s reproductive freedoms, women’s access to the kind of health care that can assure our ability to plan our families and therefore realize our full potential. She has been a strong and long part of fighting for equality of pay, family medical leave and, of course, is talking a great deal on the campaign trail about the importance of affordable quality childcare, which can make or break a woman’s ability to lift herself up. I come from a place of poverty, and every one of these issues is an issue that had an impact on providing me an opportunity to advance. So I’m deeply invested in making sure that we have someone who understands what it means to live the life of a woman in this country.

DTH: How do you hope Clinton will influence policy on women’s rights if she is elected?

WD: If you look at her work as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton created the first ambassadorship for women and girls around the world, and she did it because she understands that when women are provided an opportunity to do better, it lifts up all of us, it lifts up our economies. In her platform are many policies that will be a part of that lifting up — from pushing for equality of pay to requiring family medical leave as other industrialized countries provide, to lifting up the minimum wage in this country because it so disproportionately impacts women and, of course, as I said, policies to support federal assistance to make childcare affordable for women.

DTH: Why did you choose UNC specifically to come campaign for Hillary?

WD: I think it’s the perfect place to have a conversation about what’s at stake in this election, and to encourage everyone on this campus to understand the power of their individual voices and that those voices can determine the outcome of this election if they will show up and participate.

DTH: Why do you personally advocate for women’s rights?

WD: I’ve lived firsthand the experience of knowing that I could not have realized my full potential if I hadn’t had access to affordable childcare, if I hadn’t had access to affordable higher ed., if I hadn’t had access to contraceptive care from Planned Parenthood so that I could plan when and whether I would have a second child. All of that provided me with the opportunity that helped me to realize my potential. And I believe very strongly that every woman needs that kind of policy support, but also more affirmative policies that help close the gap that we still have to gain. We’re almost 100 years from when women earned the right to vote in this country and yet we still are being held back by policies that don’t recognize the importance of our economic contributions to this country.

DTH: What do you personally see yourself doing in the future?

WD: I started a nonprofit organization called Deeds Not Words. It is aimed at trying to help more young women find their voice and find a way to become active on issues of gender equality. And I hope to leave an impact in that regard and to help that next generation of young women fight for the things that are ultimately going to bring us to full equality in this country.

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