Thimesch: Standing strong for women despite attacks

By Kronda Thimesch, State Representative, House District 65

During the legislative session, I came under attack alongside many of my colleagues for our beliefs around protecting the rights of women and girls. We were accused of being intolerant, of being hate-filled, and of intentionally taking actions that would cause harm to others. I knew in my heart this was not true.

I felt more resolute with every vote – on bills such as SB15, the “Save Women’s Sports Act.” Standing with Senator Mayes Middleton and Rep. Valoree Swanson (bill authors), even serving as co-author, I strongly supported their bill to protect female college athletes from the dangers inherent in biological males competing in women’s sports.

National Women’s Equality Day is August 26, and the holiday recognizes the pioneering Americans who fought for suffrage so that women would have the right to vote. Over a century ago, those women were fighting so their daughters and granddaughters could have the same rights and opportunities as their sons and grandsons. I am reminded how hard women have worked to be fairly considered true competitors and participate on their own merits — in arenas to which men have always been entitled.

So I was proud to be in Denton at Texas Woman’s University in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame on August 8, surrounded by female athletes and women supporting women’s rights — when Governor Greg Abbott signed SB15 into law.

My pride soon turned to frustration, when a group of protesters surrounded the campus building, chanting and screaming profanities. They accosted our group, throwing water bottles and spitting – at the dignitaries, athletes, students and even children in attendance. Fortunately, local police were present and were able to restore the peace, but not before some assault charges had to be filed.

There is an extraordinary hypocrisy on display here from the “woke army.” If you insult female legislators and athletes – as they fight for biological females to have the same rights in collegiate sports as biological males, just like suffragettes fought 100 years ago for women to have the same rights to vote as males – then you must not truly care about women’s rights.

If you accuse a lawmaker of hate and violence but then you scream profanities at children and violently attack people you disagree with in public – then you don’t truly care about actions that cause harm to others.

I’m not going to be swayed by the hypocritical actions of violent carpetbagging protestors who spew vitriol and hate, attacking anyone who doesn’t fall in lockstep with their radical woke ideas. I represent the people of Denton County and HD-65, and I am going to stand strong to defend all of them – especially the women and girls who have the right to compete as athletes on a level playing field without having to fear their safety, security or privacy.