Michigan state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky told a crowd of protestors at the Michigan state Capitol building earlier this week that she had elective surgery to remove her reproductive organs out of concern about contraception access.

State Rep. Laurie Pohutsky’s account was cheered by the left-leaning protestors and condemned by right-wing social media accounts.

The 36-year-old Democrat said the surgery was a personal decision she had been considering for a few years and was finalized by Trump’s election. She wanted to validate the fears other women might have about access to contraception by sharing it.

She told The Associated Press that she has received threats since speaking this week, referring at least one of them to Michigan authorities. The Associated Press reached out to Michigan State police for comment.

“I don’t fully grasp the level of animosity that people have about this,” Pohutsky said.

  • meowmeowbeanz@sh.itjust.works
    16·
    4 hours ago

    The outrage machine is in full gear, fueled by manufactured morality. A lawmaker makes a personal health decision, and the reactionaries lose their collective minds. Threats over surgery? Unhinged. These are the same people who scream about “freedom” while weaponizing it against anyone who doesn’t conform to their theocratic fever dreams.

    Pohutsky’s honesty is a mirror. It reflects the fear women face in a country where access to contraception and autonomy is under siege. That she tied her decision to Trump’s election? Poetic. It’s not just about her body—it’s about everybody under the shadow of regressive policies.

    Keep speaking, Laurie. Their threats are the last refuge of those losing control over a future they can’t stop.