Today, America's democratic system almost failed. Texas Senate was terrifyingly close to passing a bill that essentially bans abortion - or at least limits access to it as much as Republicans can manage.
ONE of the bigger issues here lies in the way it was done. The beautiful monster that allows for a system like American democracy is honestly the bureaucracy of it all. It is awful, but it's there. It is also how people in the system fight for what they want to get out of it. I made my husband sit through the last five hours of live filibustering and debate aimed at stopping the vote that would no doubt pass because of the predominantly Republican senate.
It worked...until the Republicans decided it didn't, and they extended the opportunity to vote past the allowed time to compensate.
To better understand what that means, the bans would lead to the closure of almost all abortion clinics in Texas (37 of a total 42), and apply regulations that complicate the ability a woman has to chose at all.
They came close today. Even though the Dems have a victory for now, the fact is, it passed. That technicality of disputed timing is the only reason it didn't get handed over to a Governor who is itching to have abortion be nothing but "a thing of the past."
As an Arab, I am a part of a society that has always tried very hard to tell me what to think, feel or dress; what to learn about, what to ask and what to do with my own body. North America is by no means paradise, and believe me, I am unfortunately not naive enough to believe there won't be major flaws with any system we create. It was, however, at the very least supposed to work towards protecting the most basic of rights.
Egypt is becoming increasingly difficult for women. Girls are still dying after FGM procedures gone bad, and a month has yet to pass after a Salafi MP called for the dissolution of the National Council for Women. I wrote earlier on the widespread rejection of a declaration called 'End Violence Against Women,' and now - just for fun - we also get cleaner, female-free programming on Egyptian TV.
Every day, I live thinking more of what I have will be taken away by people I've never met. I feel blamed if anything happens to me. I feel restricted for no legitimate reason, and I am in a far better position than most of the women walking the streets of Egypt.
US policy was supposed to stand as an example of the potential of eventual progress. However idealistic that sounds, it should at the very least be an encouraging example.
Instead, it seems to have a beautiful way of putting decades of difficult work and fighting at risk in a matter of - in this case - hours.
The noise of people fighting tooth and nail to suspend the vote, the work and stamina of senators like Wendy Davis and Kirk Watson, and the pushing by many others, shows how serious the new bill is. It could lead to incredibly dangerous conditions for women trying to find any alternative.
Egypt is getting to a point where the government could stay or go. Either way, the damage to what could have been one of the more progressive countries in the region will stay behind.
Unfortunately, moments like this in the US make you feel very little confidence in the future. It isn't just a Texas-thing. It's a matter of a country with all the right resources still choosing the slow move backwards.
This is just one example where women could have been made unsafe very quickly because of a bill sponsored by a woman who doesn't even know that you can't get "cleaned out" by a rape kit.
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