Instagram Erupts Over Padma Lakshmi's Strong Political Stance
Padma Lakshmi wears many hats. She is best known for her role at the host, executive producer, and on many occasions judge on "Top Chef." She also created and hosts Hulu's "Taste the Nation," has her own jewelry and home décor lines, and is a New York Times best-selling author (via her website). And, of course she is a successful model and actor.
But outside of the world of entertainment and culinary delights, Padma is known for her humanitarian work and activism on behalf of women. Her work as an endometriosis activist has been monumental, as Bon Appetit notes. In her 30s, she started an organization called "Endometriosis Foundation of America" to help the nearly 200 million women suffering from the disease worldwide. She's also a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program, which confronts inequality and discrimination around the globe (via The Hindu), and has worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on immigration and women's rights issues (via Bon Appetit). Her latest stance, then, should come as no surprise.
Texas' new abortion bill is one of the most restrictive in the country
Recently, the news has been blowing up with coverage of new legislation enacted in Texas called Senate Bill 8. According to The Texas Tribune, the bill is "one of the nation's most restrictive abortion bills," banning abortions any time after six weeks into the pregnancy. Experts and activists say this would essentially ban abortion in the state, since 85% of procedures occur after six weeks, because most women don't even know they are pregnant within that time frame. There are many vocal critics of the new law, including Padma Lakshmi.
Padma took to Instagram and Twitter to air her grievances over the bill, with a quote from Gloria Steinham that reads: "The first step to every hierarchy is patriarchy in order to control reproduction."
She followed up the quote with her own comments: "Attempting to ban abortion is an age-old construct of consciously subjugating women (specifically Black and Brown women) to limit their upward mobility," she wrote.
Many fans supported her post, sharing stories of their own experiences with abortion and one follower even going so far as to say they're "never going to Texas again."