Connecticut State Representative Treneé McGee (D-West Haven) told the thousands of pro-life activists at the March for Life rally Friday that black women of the pro-life movement are actively exposing the “systemically racist abortion industry.”
McGee, who was one of 14 state House Democrats – among them 10 people of color – who voted against a bill to expand abortion rights further in Connecticut, fired up the crowd in an address that bluntly accused the abortion industry and Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, of racism.
“Your work to educate our community was not in vain,” McGee said to the first black women of the pro-life movement. “Your knowledge and insight into the systemically racist abortion industry is being exposed.”
"The systemic racism of the abortion industry is being exposed."
-State Rep. Trenee McGee#WhyWeMarch #MarchForLife— March for Life (@March_for_Life) January 20, 2023
The Connecticut Democrat lawmaker continued praising those black women pro-life activists who came before her:
Your “no” to Margaret Sanger, the day she came to your doors and told you to abort your children, will be heard around the world. The younger generation of black, Latina, indigenous, and women of color are taking our rightful place to expose the mass genocide of our children and the stain of blood across the movement that says it’s standing to protect us.
“You use us as a shield to hide your trauma and tug of war in your own community,” McGee accused the abortion industry. “You mock impoverished communities – all while putting clinics in them. You’ve told me that I can’t be black and pro-life because black women need abortions more than anyone.”
Last April, McGee rose in the State House to speak against the Connecticut bill to expand abortion, which ultimately passed. She spoke of conversations she has had with black girls over the years about abortion.
“They were taught about abortion as a birth control method,” the Democrat said. “They were taught that at any point in time, when they were 13 or 12 or 15, they could go to a Planned Parenthood and receive an abortion without their parents knowing.”
McGee added at the time:
I want to speak to the history of this industry and why I think it’s destructive to my community. Black women make up 14% of child-bearing populations yet obtained 36.2% of all reported abortions. Black women have the highest abortion ratio in the country – 474 abortions per 1,000 live births.
During her address at the March for Life rally, the lawmaker continued to expose the abortion industry.
“You tell us that we are disproportionately impacted, never giving us our due proportions from the start,” she asserted, adding:
You have pocketed off the fear and pain of women and minors who don’t feel fit to parent. You’ve handed minors abortion pills and silence, and told them not to tell their parents. The aches and pains of … trafficking and fear mongering has made you rich.
McGee drew the contrast of her message today for all pro-life black women.
“I stand here today, and I proclaim life,” she asserted. “I proclaim that future generations will live and not die. They will be seen as enough to live. I stand in place of the pro-life black women across the globe who are suffering in silence. We resist the evil strategy to pluck us out like weeds.”
"I stand here today and I proclaim life! I stand in place of the pro-life black women around the world who are suffering in silence."
-State Rep. Trenee McGee#WhyWeMarch #MarchForLife— March for Life (@March_for_Life) January 20, 2023
The Connecticut representative called for unity in the pro-life movement:
The time is today and let it be forevermore that we resolve in our hearts that we are different, and yet the same, we bleed the same. Let us not use talking points to justify our arguments, but be effective listeners and create whole life – from the womb to the tomb – solutions. May we make room to hear black women speak and believe them in this movement!
“Let us understand that we must march hand in hand, that we must march together,” McGee proclaimed. “Because, in unity, there is strength. So, we must deal with our emotional prejudices and the things that we are committed to in order to not only protect life, but sustain life.”
"We must march together. In unity, there is strength. We must not only protect life, but sustain life. We care about moms, we care about families, we care about education."
-State Rep. Trenee McGee#WhyWeMarch #MarchForLife— March for Life (@March_for_Life) January 20, 2023
“Because we are gonna be different,” she concluded. “We’re not only pro- life, but we care about moms too. We care about families; we care about education. Pro-life for the whole life!”
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Susan Berry, PhD, is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Treneé McGee” by State Representative Treneé McGee. Background Photo “March for Life” by March For Life.
I applaud Rep. McGee. That was a very powerful and informative speech.
Yep most PP clinics in Minority areas IE E LA & So LA for So CA
Now if she would only see that the Democrats are not only wrong on this issue but mostly all issues. Maybe she will be able to see that it is the Democrat Party that is the racist Party who was the KKK, who passed the Jim Crow Laws, who enslaved the blacks and who hung the blacks along with white Republicans. Maybe she will see that it is the Democrat Party who continues to enslave the blacks with their false promises and handouts just enough to keep them on the Democrat Plantation. Maybe she will finally join the Party of Life.