Founder of Kanas Women for Kamala Harris Rebecca Yoder-Shetler addresses the crowd at the Kansas Women Vote Rally inside the Stringer Fine Arts Center recital hall on Wed., Oct. 30, 2024 CREDIT EMMIE BOESE
By Emmie Boese
“Don’t let them take your power” are the lyrics from The Lighthouse, an anthem sung by Stevie Nicks. The music video features women’s reproductive rights rallies, which started off the Kansas Women Vote Rally on Wednesday night at Stringer Fine Arts Center. The rally was presented by Reno County Democrats.
Several Kansas Democratic leaders and politicians spoke at the rally, including Rebecca Yoder-Shetler, founder of Kansas Women for Kamala Harris, “Vote No” Spokesperson Ashley All, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Jason Probst, Representative for House District 102.
“Protecting your rights and standing up for your rights cannot be left up to anyone else,” Probst said to those in attendance. “No one has the best interest in protecting your rights as you do.”
Yoder-Shetler told the audience at the rally about her personal reproductive struggles. She said before giving birth to her son, she had six miscarriages.
Yoder-Shettler said during the birthing process for her son, her midwife encouraged her to physically and mentally lean into the pain she experienced during contractions. “She said don’t let your pain be unproductive,” Yoder-Shetler said.
She said that piece of advice from her midwife became a driving force for the rest of her life. Yoder-Shetller said she does not subscribe to any idea that women are saints or the saviors of the nation. She said women are human beings who deserve to be treated with respect.
Yoder-Shetler also said that it’s important to like yourself amid misogyny and racism against everyone. She developed this concept based on an interview that featured former First Lady Michelle Obama.
”When you are raised in a world that finds a million ways to devalue you because of your gender… really and truly liking yourself is a form of defiance,” Yoder-Shetler said.
All, who was the communications director for the “Vote No” campaign, said the campaign’s success needs to carry on into this year’s election. The “Vote No” campaign essentially helped keep abortion legal in Kansas. This Kansas amendment was overturned after the national overturn of Roe V. Wade in the Supreme Court.”Yes I was one of many working on this campaign, but as I look out into this audience I am certain that most of you were also very busy working on this campaign,” All said.
All said, the day after Roe v. Wade fell in the Supreme Court, she made a promise to herself to do everything possible to win the race for “Vote No.” She said that in order to protect women’s reproductive health rights in Kansas, we must have uncomfortable conversations.
“When we wake up on the day after the election, we want to make sure we did as much as we did in 2022 and more to make sure our state and our country looks the way we want it to in the future,” All said.
Kelly spoke to the audience virtually due to poor weather conditions for travel. She said in order to continue the work to protect women’s reproductive health rights, there needs to be a change in the Republican majority in the Kansas Legislature.
“Clearly, we had huge success in 2022 when we were able to defeat that amendment, but that hasn’t stopped the extremes in the legislature from introducing and passing some of the additional restrictions on abortion in our state,” Kelly said. “I’ve had to veto those and by large have had to sustain those vetoes, but that’s because there were at that time a few moderate Republicans who, depending on the issue, would come over and help sustain a veto.
She said most of the moderate Republicans who helped balance the veto are not running again this year.
Probst also spoke to the audience virtually due to sickness. Probst said only two seats need to be held by a Democrat in the Kansas Legislature to break the supermajority.
“We protected those in Kansas in August 2022,” Probst said.”We came out to vote, but we have to make sure people understand that the issue is on the ballot every election, and it is on the ballot this election. If we are able to break the Republican supermajority, they will not be able to get these bad policies through, and they will not be able to violate your rights without coming up against stiff resistance.”
More information about the Reno County Democrats is available at renocountydems.com.
