Ford playing part for women’s rights

MADISON — Republican state Rep. Jill Ford is helping to lead the charge with a “Women’s Bill of Rights” that she plans to introduce in January. 

“Our granddaughters’ futures are at stake, and I aim to fight with every ounce of my being to protect them,” Ford said.

Ford recently visited the Flowood home of Lesley Davis, president and CEO of Mississippi Advocacy Group, along with 12x All-American swimmer Riley Gaines and Paula Scanlan, teammate of Lia Thomas at the University of Pennsylvania, along with multiple female Mississippi lawmakers showing their support for a bill to protect women’s rights. 

Ford is playing a major part in passing the bill in the Mississippi House of Representatives and said she had no idea the country would be facing insane social issues when she was elected in 2019. 

“I will be proposing legislation in January that will protect women’s safe spaces in support of what Riley Gaines has brought to the public’s attention,” Ford said. “Women’s prisons, shelters, locker rooms, and bathrooms will no longer be an optional open door for those born a male.” 

As the president of the Mississippi Advocacy Group, Lesley Davis writes public policy in any area that deals with pro-life, pro-women, and pro-family, which includes Madison County. 

Davis is assisting Rep. Ford in getting the “Women’s Bill of Rights” passed in the Mississippi House and assisting state Sen. Angela Hill in getting the bill passed in the Senate. 

If the bill passes, traditional women’s spaces in places like locker rooms, bathrooms, sorority houses, prisons, and more will bar men and boys identifying as women from entering. 

Davis said Gov. Tate Reeves has recently shown his support for the bill, and while hosting Gaines, Scanlan, and other female Mississippi lawmakers, Davis thanked the governor for his support. 

“Riley and Paula were in Mississippi representing Independent Women’s Voice,” Davis said. “They visited my house on Sep. 25 and it was absolutely packed. While there, they announced they met with Gov. Tate Reeves. That night I thanked the governor, even though he was not at my home, for supporting a bill that would protect women and girls’ safe spaces in Mississippi.” 

Independent Women’s Voice (IWV) is the political arm of the Independent Women’s Forum (IWF), a conservative-leaning organization that focuses on policy issues related to women.

“Riley and Paula know what it’s like to have to compete against a man and to share a locker room with a man,” Davis said. “They are some of the most courageous female voices standing up for women in a way that, regrettably, is very much needed in 2023.”

Davis also played a part in trying to pass the Fairness Act in 2021 under the leadership of Sen. Hill, which failed to pass. She said the “Women’s Bill of Rights” is another shot at passing a bill to protect women’s rights in Mississippi. 

“I look forward to supporting such a bill next session and I am praying we will all be by Gov. Reeve’s side when he signs it into law next spring,” she said. 

To learn more about Mississippi Advocacy Group, join the MAG mailing list at www.us13.campaign-archive.com.