South Carolina women senators who fought abortion ban to receive JFK Profile in Courage award

Source: Associated Press

South Carolina women senators who fought abortion ban to receive JFK Profile in Courage award

BY STEVE LEBLANC
Updated 2:03 PM EDT, September 19, 2023

BOSTON (AP) — Five women state senators from South Carolina who formed a bipartisan coalition to filibuster a near-total abortion ban in their state have been chosen to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award this year.

A special International Profile in Courage Award will honor South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for working to improve relations between their countries despite domestic opposition.

During the filibuster the senators - Republicans Katrina Shealy, Sandy Senn, and Penry Gustafson, Democrat Margie Bright Matthews, and independent Mia McLeod — took turns “describing the complexities of pregnancy and the reproductive system, the dangers of lack of access to contraception, and inadequate privacy laws,” award officials said in written release.

Officials noted that members of the coalition, who became known as the “sister senators,” were heckled by anti-abortion activists and the three Republicans were also met with strong opposition from their own party – including censures and promises of primary challenges in 2024.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/profile-courage-women-senators-south-carolina-kennedy-54d3a0fa2f82708415695516be352f67