Bodily Freedom for Everyone
I recently had the opportunity to respond to The Womxn Project’s 2026 Bodily Freedom Forever Index (BFFI) questionnaire. As Steve Ahlquist explains in his piece on the BFFI, the BFFI serves as a transparency tool, as many voters do not know where their local candidates stand on these critical issues because they are rarely addressed directly at the town level. Candidate BFFI ratings are based on their position on two issues: reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights. You can see the full BFFI on the TWP website, and the responses that I submitted below.
Are you in favor of reproductive rights?
By this we mean that everyone has the right to have a child or not, and to parent any children they do have in a safe environment. This includes access to safe and affordable abortion care.
I am fully in favor of reproductive rights. I am childfree by choice and I believe that everyone deserves to make these decisions free from pressure or influence. Freedom of choice and bodily autonomy also means ready access to primary and reproductive health care, birth control and sex education, child care and family support, among others resources. Though reproductive care choices and legislation associated with them are typically made above the municipal level, I will always be in favor of reproductive freedom and work with our state delegation to protect these rights for all people.
Are you in favor of LGBTQ+ rights? By this we mean that LGBTQ+ deserve to live free from hate and discrimination, and be free to make their own choices about their gender identity, expression, and sexuality, as well as have access to gender affirming medical care.
All people are welcome in Newport. Our LGBTQ+ neighbors deserve to live fully as their true selves in our community, safely and without fear. We have seen in recent years a rise in discrimination and attacks, particularly in relation to transgender children in our schools and health care system. There can be no question of whether we will stand up for and protect trans kids. As a councilor, trans kids can count on me - as can all members of our LGBTQ+ community. I will always speak up for our LGBTQ+ community and push back against any bad policies in the strongest possible terms. Newport is a welcoming and inclusive community, and I will not give an inch on that.