Paxton Smith, Texas Valedictorian Who Advocated for Abortion Rights, Is One of Seventeen’s 2021 Voices of the Year

It’s been six months since Paxton Smith’s impactful valedictorian speech that called out Texas’ harmful anti-abortion legislation racked up more than 500,000 views. The 18-year-old Dallas native risked not getting her diploma when she criticized the “heartbeat bill,” which bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected as early as six weeks into pregnancy. “I am terrified that if my contraceptives fail, I am terrified that if I am raped, then my hopes and aspirations and dreams and efforts for my future will no longer matter,” she said during her speech. “I hope that you can feel how gut-wrenching that… Read Full Article