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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2021
VOLUME 128, ISSUE 2
Texas’ Abortion Ban Doesn’t Just Affect Latinx Women in the State - It’s Being Felt Across UNR
Isaac Hoops / Nevada Sagebrush The Planned Parenthood located on 5th street as it stands on Sunday Sept. 19. Latinx individuals find it difficult to seek medical care, many on campus are concerend for their own and their families liveleyhood.
By Melanie Mendez Editor’s Note: This story has mentions of abortion and sexual assault that may be triggering for some readers. The passing of Texas’ heartbeat bill, in which women are banned from undergoing an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, has not only affected all women within the state but also Latinx students at the University of Nevada, Reno. In May of 2021, Texas lawmakers passed the heartbeat bill which prohibits women and anyone who helps them from giving or receiving an abortion. Cambrea Sosa, a biochemistry major at UNR, says the Texas abortion going into affect is terrifying for her as a Latina woman. “Even though it’s so far away people in our state can see ‘Oh well this is happening somewhere else let’s rally for it,’ and it can happen here and affect us too.”, Sosa said. Sosa said she recognizes the discourse surrounding abortion within the Latinx community, and wished there
With this new law, if I even tried to bring them here to Reno or help them I could put them and myself at risk for deportation,
“I know there’s a lot of stigma around it, even as a Latina, because of like religion and [other] stuff,” She said. “So when I see something like that happening in Texas where there’s a lot of Hispanic women, I feel like someone needs to get their back and support them.” Although the law was passed in May, it didn’t go into effect until Wednesday Sept. 1. The bill not only criminalizes abortions, but goes as far as criminalizing anyone who takes a part in the process. Section 171.208 of the Texas abortion bill states any Texas civilian may bring civil action against any person who helps perform the abortion and any person who aids and abets in the inducement of the procedure (including paying for it). “With this new law, if I even tried to bring them here to Reno or help them I could put them and myself at risk for deportation,” said a university student. The Nevada Sagebrush will refer to this student as Jill for concerns around See Latinx on page A2
Students, Faculty Reacts to Texas Abortion Bill, Discuss Womens’ Rights By Emerson Drewes Editor’s Note: This story has mentions of abortion, sexual assault, incest and other graphic details that may be triggering for some readers. Texas lawmakers passed a new bill, also referred to as the “heartbeat bill”, which makes all abortions illegal after a fetal hearbeat is detected. This will make abortions inaccessible to Texas residents after six weeks, and there are no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. This will also give citizens of Texas the ability to sue anyone they suspect is providing abortions illegally within the state. Alison Gaulden, a professor at the Reynolds School of Journalism and previous public affairs strategist for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, said she is frightened
due to the Supreme Court’s failure to act. “There are several states who have tried to pass similar kinds of legislation, but typically the Supreme Court will rule it unconstitutional,” Gaulden said. “In this case, the Supreme Court is more sympathetic towards people who are opposed to abortion as healthcare.” Gaulden stated that she has seen this coming for the past thirty years, but nobody believed her. She is confident in the fourth generation of feminists to awaken and realize that their rights of autonomy are at risk. “Until women fully are autonomous and own their whole body, meaning no part of their body is legislated, women are not free,” said Gaulden.
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She acknowledged that this is not a partisan issue and that there are people on both sides who are pro-choice or pro-life, or “anti-choice” as Gaulden refers to them. She encourages people to vote and make their voices heard from congress to the school board. “Students are paying attention and they are fired up which gives me hope,” Gaulden said. “I have seen more students who believe reproductive rights belong with the woman. It does not mean they are pro-abortion, they just acknowledge that it is not their business.” Celeste Dugger, a University of Nevada, Reno student from Lubbock, Texas, fears going back home due to the new bill. They state that they do not want to be See Campus Reaction on page A2
OPINION
President Sandoval Addresses Budget Cuts, Diversity, in First State of the University By Emerson Drewes Brian Sandoval, president of University of Nevada, Reno, gave his first State of the University address on Sept. 28 where he addressed the current climate of the university and what plans are in place for the future. The State of the University comes after a two year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous address was given in 2019 by former president Marc Johnson, who was also present at the event. Jeffrey Thompson, provost and Vice President of the university, started off the event by acknowledging the Indigenous lands the university is built upon. The tribes Thompson mentioned are the Numu, Wašiw, Newe and
Nuwu. Future Plans Due to COVID-19, SandoSandoval announced that val originally declined a for- he is drafting a strategic fivemal induction as university year plan to help guide the President. Cathay McAdoo, university down a path of succhair of the Nevada State cess for the years of 2022 to Board of Education board of 2027. He said that to be able regents took to the podium to enact this plan, he must and properly inducted San- have input from the commudoval as the seventh presi- nity. dent of the university. To provide input on what Sandoval first took the should happen during this stage whilst clutching his wife time of strategic planning, he Lauralyn Sandoval’s hand to encouraged students, faculty accept his President’s Medal- and staff to go to scheduled lion. listening sessions . To provide Sandoval stated that while further insight one can also the university is facing some fill out a True North Form. of the most challenging times Two plans were announced in its 146 years of existence, in conjunction with each oththe state of the university is er, referred to as the 23 by 25 strong and rests with our stu- and the 25 by 30. Essentially, See State of the University on page dents. A2
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