Women in politics: ‘It makes me feel helpless.’ SC’s two female state senators discuss the future.
Originally published by Matt Hall for The State
A year ago, all five female state senators from South Carolina won the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their bipartisan effort to block a near-total abortion ban in the state. That it’s cause for celebration and condemnation shows how tough it was and how tough they are.
A death in the 46-member state Senate led to the election of a record sixth woman in January, but it’s been downhill from there for female representation and reproductive rights in the state.
In May 2023, South Carolina lawmakers banned abortions about six weeks after conception — before many women know that they are pregnant — and in June 2024, voters ousted the three GOP female state senators at the heart of the debate — Katrina Shealy, Sandy Senn and Penry Gustafson.