Shockingly, not all “women’s clinics” are created equal.  Many (Planned Parenthood being the most famous) provide legitimate comprehensive reproductive medical services to women and men, including annual exams, STI testing, family planning counseling, and yes, abortion.

Then there are crisis pregnancy centers, sometimes referred to as “pregnancy care centers.”  These are centers that pose as legitimate sexual health clinics, purporting to provide “abortion services.”  They aren’t neutral parties providing information to women about *all* of their reproductive options.  They exist to persuade unwitting women out of terminating pregnancies, using any coercive tactics they deem necessary.  In South Dakota, this is places like the Alpha Center and Bethany Christian Services.

So, when I saw a resolution come up this week that “honors pregnancy care centers,” I wasn’t thrilled.  Granted, resolutions don’t have the full force of law, and are purely symbolic, so honoring them doesn’t entirely “do” anything.  It does, however, provide legitimacy to centers that exist largely to lie to women.

The resolution passed 33-1.  The roll-call record is here.  I was the 1 nay vote, and Senator Jim Hundstad left the floor.

Ultimately, several of my Senate colleagues who voted for the amendment identify as pro-choice, and many more are willing to have a conversation about most anything.  They’ve all been around longer than I have, and probably decided that a resolution wasn’t worth picking a fight over.  I can sort of see that.

At the same time, I feel pretty strongly that my job here in the Senate is to represent those who don’t have a voice, people (especially women) who can’t spend 2 months a year in Pierre because they’re working or going to school or raising kids on their own.  They deserve to have someone stand up and say no, even if it’s to a symbolic gesture.  Sometimes, when my colleagues are simply posturing, it’s my job to posture back.

It was a lonely vote today, but I’m proud to have stood up for the women of South Dakota.  When the rubber meets the road and we have actual anti-choice bills, I trust I’ll have more people standing with me.