Abortion Access Front with Lizz Winstead

A comic’s comic, writer, activist who actually acts on behalf of women and has taken an anti-abortion protester’s rusty nail to the thigh for you and me, the pride of Minnesota, our good friend Lizz Winstead joins us today on What We Thought Would Happen.

X:
@lizzwinstead
Insta:
@lizzwinstead
Website:
Abortion Access Front
Documentary:
"No One Asked You"
Book:
Lizz Free or Die: Essays

WWTWH YouTube Channel

Laura Kightlinger
Twitter: @KingKightlinger
Insta: @laurakightlingerlives
Web: laurakightlinger.com

Daniel Webb
Twitter: @thedanielwebb
Insta: @the_danielwebb
Web: thedanielwebb.com

Transcript

0:09

it is a pleasure to zoom in with, with ice sculptors. Incredible. Baker of of souffles, of apple pies. If I remember correctly. trapeze artist. Amazing. Amazing. Stand up and tireless crusader for women's rights. Lizz Winstead. Lizz, it's. I remember you came over. You were living on, like, 20th Street. I think I was. I was on 17th. And you would come over with treats, baked goods. Are we on 28th or. that's awesome. What would you bake? I did not know that. She's incredible. What's your forte? she's the pride of Minnesota, I forgot to say. Yeah, can. I can whip up some rhubarb. Very. It's like that. That's like the the state weed of Minnesota. So. But filming in from Minnesota today, correct? How are things? Did you watch the State of the Union? Of course you did, you know, he didn't screw up, Yeah. Yeah, that was not great. Yeah. yeah. Liz How do you keep sane and and everything with all the work you do with fighting for, you know, women's rights, reproductive rights, like how do you knock it down about 6 hours. This shit that you're up against like that, it changes constantly. know. I just see. The. But it was when things got really serious. Is that yours? Where do the balloons come from? From us. I don't. Know. wait. Roe v Wade has just been codified. I can't believe it. That's the balloons. Yeah, And. And you mentioned abortion access, right? Which is a huge organization. I did a job, did a show, and, like, a fundraiser or stuff in Texas, but there was a national it was a V from V just shining v Yeah. So I feel like you guys are approach of approachable as an organization to get involved, or at least because I'm also a huge consumer of news. My it's more just like addicted to the format and it's kind of a joke to me that I watch news all the time. Are you constantly plugged into what is being broadcast? I am plugged in and Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Yeah, yeah. I always think to like the one thing because I've been thinking about you in your work and just all of it. How women's rights are being taken away gradually. It's like the one thing that all religions have in common is downgrading. Women like women are here to procreate and serve men. And that's with every religion. We're second class. We're, you know, and what kills me is like when, when women aren't pro-women, you know, and it's usually because of religion. it's gotten to. These next level places that we're going. And I think like. When people ask me, like, what do you. Think the most horrible abortion bans are? It's it's Yeah. Like. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. it's so awful, And it's like, When you step outside of it like that, a person can't make a decision about their own body you know, without a bunch of old white guys weighing in, it's disgusting. Yeah. mean, I've had an abortion and I my my joke is that I had an abortion. And it's true what they say. It's it's how it's hard to outlive your kids. But I but Liz, I you know, I was lucky when I had mine. I did it at the OB-GYN, so and it wasn't I knew instantly I was pregnant or something's wrong. So I felt like I'd been kicked in the back by horses, like in the lower back was horrible. And I the pregnancy was terminated the same day that the doctor also delivered a baby, you know, the same obedient and so and know we were saying like in a medical circles that's called the leave a pen. I take a penny, but I keep working in my bits. No, but, but really, I it wasn't a big deal to get it, you know. It wasn't a big deal. It was like probably I was like three weeks in and I just said, God, I'm pain and I know this isn't going to work. And I was like, okay, we'll do it for you. Will make an appointment. That was it. While, you know, like the next couple of days I went in. Well, in Texas especially, that's where I'm from. And as a as a poor person in Texas, like Planned Parenthood were the only places that would take my work, insure that I could get medical. I can get a checkup there if I needed anesthesia. So, like men were there constantly, not even utilizing something like Planned Parenthood. Right. Abortion resources and things like that. But I know Texas more just because that's where some of the laws they are currently are nuts, like the financial penalties, the criminal aspect of are you the doctor? Are you the person who drove to the clinic? Yeah, we are criminalizing these people and it's hundreds of thousands of dollars, I believe in some cases. Like, yeah, really life changing. For. Right? Yeah. Yeah. God. And the way that law was crafted is that there's no legal recourse for the person who's ratted out. So the Uber driver can't sue the person who reported him or any of that. They wrote it anyway. Correct? The wild. Yeah. Yes. God. Exac. But damn. But that was the whole reason they structured it that way was so it could not be knocked down through the normal. Because this is why Ted Cruz is such a monster, Right? Especially people in Texas. He's Supreme Court. He's well read when it comes to the Supreme Court and they. Correct. Wow. God. God, It's crazy. Yeah. yeah. God almighty. Yeah. It's so crazy. The woman, it was just in the house. Or maybe it was. Who's that horrible man from Louisiana? Is John Kennedy, right? That's the name. yeah. Yeah. When was that. And he. Yes. Yeah. he had like an atrocious approach to trying to and there was a woman in there who told a very traumatic story about having to have a late term abortion or 20 week I think. And then he was going on a 21 week and just just this very barbaric way to humiliate this woman. And it's wild that a mom would have to even jump through those hoops after going through that. Just yeah. It's so awful. I had a friend in Austin, Texas, who was a dual of also worked at an abortion clinic. And she actually loved both of her jobs. Yeah. She realized she was helping both, like you said, at both And. I would do that. And a second. I'd like to learn how to give abortions. I like to take a truck around. Wow. how do people get involved? Because it's it's obviously not just a woman's issue, obviously, but like what? What are ways that you look for people to volunteer and get activated other than voting and calling senators and all that and protesting? Yeah, sure, Sure. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. do you want to hold somebody's hand? Liz? Have you done escorting where they were the protesters or of the of the escorts into the abortion clinic like key do or anything. my God. Wait, Liz, where were you? Ozark. wow. Yeah. Yeah, that's. Yeah. That's crazy. Yeah. Wow. wow. Fantastic. wow. my God. Shut up. That's amazing, Liz. That's incredible. Because. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Wow. And Liz, is it mostly men? The anti-abortion? Jesus. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's what kills me. I mean, I just think. Okay. Women. Okay. Men who are pro-choice are pro woman. That's. That's everything. That's everywhere. It's always been everywhere. But when women aren't pro-women, that kills me. And I think what, you're not women aren't thinking is that you're and men you're you're not only are you taking away a woman's right, you're taking away, you know, to have an abortion, you're taking away their future, like whatever they had planned for themselves by making them have a kid. And what you know, it's just and I get really frustrated about this because my mom, you know, as I always say, was a single mom. And she felt like she had no choice. My dad was married. She was having an affair and got pregnant. But she had big plans that were then curtailed because, you know, she had to get she had to support me and herself. So she didn't get to do anything she wanted to do. And I won't let her do anything she wants now. You know. Still resentful that she's here. I used to ask my mom when I was like 12, can you get an abortion? Is it too late? Retroactive. Yeah, that's what I used to say. I said, say 12 years, not 12 weeks. And she'd say, It's too late. But like, given the current situation, this and like a macro question, like nationally speaking, because it's all over the states, they're doing everything in advance since Roe v Wade was overturned. What does like the the big long game solution or next chapter looked like? Because does there have to be a case that goes to the Supreme Court to get it back on the other side or does it stick to where it's just states rights and that's where we're going to leave is like, what do you see as the next steps after Roe v Wade was overturned? deserves the right to abortion. And also, if you're not going to vote out Yeah. Right. yeah. Yeah. Nick Wood yeah. Victorian. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. my God. Yeah. God. Right. Like legal argument, right? You know, but when you, when you think about it too, like was the senator who was most adamant against gay marriage and then like a month later, it was blowing guys in the bathroom stall of the Greyhound station. It is kind of, you know who I'm talking about. Those are my favorite kind of it. Is that what they did with gay marriage? Yeah. Yeah, they. Did the exact same thing When when the Supreme Court sided with gay marriage. Sorry. In the States were freaking out what they did in reference Ted Cruz again to her. He should have been disbarred for telling people to just ignore the Supreme Court ruling. But what they did was they looked at this old law that was on the books from slave days where the racist Southern states didn't want to recognize interracial marriages or out of state marriages where the laws were allowed in the north. So when a black and white couple came to Texas, they're like, We don't want to honor this. So they fell back on those laws, 1800. So they said, look, we don't have to because people are getting gay married in Boston and stuff, right? Yeah. So they were scared that but that's what they fell on. I was like, are we not recognizing the context of that law Was steeped in racism. Yeah. And inhumane actions and that's what your legal defense is. But that's how they play. Yeah. Coop Correct. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. my God. He married a wookie. That woman is the scariest person, and she's a goddamn Excuse me actress so much get into. She's an insurrection. It's like that stuff was totally glossed over. Yeah, Yeah. She even all that amnesty, like her. Organizing stuff. And that was really glossed over. And I think the insurrection in general has been sort of glossed over, but her participation in particular Yeah. How else could you be together so long? Here's what's crazy. Why aren't you pro-choice? That's what I want to know. Liz, you've gone a long way to then change your mind about God Almighty. Huck. Yeah, I. Liz. I thought you're, where you're going with that was It's easy for you to say it's fine for other women to have kids now that you can't to make other women have them just because you can't. Yeah, that kind of shit. I want somebody to be stuck with a kid. I can't be. No, I just feel like I'm talking about them here. Yeah. No, no, I was just asking about your, like, you're a comedian and a writer, but also an activist. Do those things have those always been hand in hand and together? Because I see you as all three of those things kind of simultaneously. Yes. She's always been incredibly smart, outspoken and funny. Or I don't know that word is you often. I know. In New York, right? shit. You're kidding me. It's a Boston. Yeah. that's maybe I'm. Wrong on that. But we were all. We were living in Chelsea. And just like, I just always loved. Laura and I always loved. Laura's work. And I was like, This is great. I felt like safe. That the future of comedy was going to be good if Laura Kightlinger was in it. good Lord. You're the sweetest. You, too. And you know, Liz, I was thinking, like, okay, you do benefits and stuff, and because I'm really lazy and can't drive, I mean, I could go to a clinic, I'm sure, and help. And I probably I probably I'm going to say I'm going to you know what I was thinking? You probably already are doing this, but I would like your East Coast ass to come out here and we'll do some big show event for abortion access front on Mother's Day. Thank you for not forcing me to be a mother event, So here's the thing. I don't know when Mother's Day is, but I'm going to be in in the West Coast from of may. We have to then? But we'll we'll definitely will co-host this thing and Daniel feature or do some will find a theater and raise some money. Is the ladies name Marsha Blackburn She's the rep from Tennessee I think right. hate the way she talks because the way she says because. Because she always says because while we can't get anything done but calls like Democrats, like I hate the way she says that word. She's she's atrocious. I'm sorry she makes me sick. How? my God. God. It gives me. It gives me a chill. Whoa! Show by the. Joe Biden did do. Garrett was saying. Nice. Joe Biden was one of the biggest assholes about that. Liz names thing. She knows where the bodies are buried because I like you have got like no call Wallace on MSNBC and all these kind of like defected Republicans who were trying to dig their way out of I cannot believe it. But you're so good at it. I mean, you know what's going on, too? I'm behind the times. Last night I was at a show the comedian performed in at Santa Barbara. The comedian before me was doing all political stuff because he was like an impressionist. Right. So George W Bush came up and he was like, I liked him, which is such a bald joke anyway. Right? It's like 20 years too late. And then this one lady and the artist goes, He was fine. And I just remember I was like, That bitch doesn't even remember the Iraq war or like any of that. But they they were like. That was. Fun. I truly. I am truly, truly unsure of what's going to happen this year. And I'm not I'm not optimistic, but I totally think it's up for grabs. And I'm very, very, very afraid of of one of the outcomes. think what who's just. Yeah. Yeah. Probably. Yeah. Yeah. That's the sad. You know, Yeah. Right. Yeah. God damn it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I found out not too recently that I was working on this job. I found out I was getting paid less than the men, and it was I had the same job as they did, same title. And what I hear, what I kept hearing was, just be grateful you have a job. And so it's like, Okay, so you're saying by grateful you mean just shut up, Don't step, don't stick up for yourself. Don't say anything about it. Don't tell other women that we're getting paid less. Just be grateful you have a job. And in that context, I will say I am not grateful. You know what I mean? It's like I know what you mean by that. Be happy with laughs. Be happy that you're doing something, but you're never going to get what men get. And just like when they give the only other option is zero. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. That's a that's a great point. Yeah. You mix much in like, like TikTok and social media on like a political level. Do you see like the conversations and things that are happening in those circles with like there's, yeah, there's live debates with people I would have traveled by or just even Democrat. I whatever the issue is, they make it a black and white like it is now. that's great. You? Yeah. Did you? I didn't. I couldn't watch any of it really fast. Let me interrupt. So we were doing stuff at home and that would I would already watch this to you. But then she came on in the background. My boyfriend is not really that politically activated. And so he the major is he doesn't sound so I could just hear her. I couldn't I was like, she this sounds Looney Tunes, This is so cool. And so then I started tuning in and watching her, and then he came in and we're both looking at this. I was like, is one of those moment. Wow, I have to watch. I have to see it. But sorry I interrupted you. But yes, watching that. Actually was part of. What women are here in the kitchen where we're supposed to be. my God. it is. my God. my God. God. Yeah. Not even in the. Yeah, Yeah. yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is you saw the documentary, right? I'm Randy. 60 spins around the sun. I didn't remember if you saw it or not. Yeah, that's her talking about. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Liz, I'm impressed with your patience on yet another level. Now you're still in touch with Randy Credico. Yeah. What? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, when we did the when we did the documentary, at one point, a lot of a lot of his work with the Rockefeller drug laws without, I think, was out of guilt because he was a white person who could do coke and not go to jail. everybody of every other color, of course, goes to jail for that or did. And so at one point and well, I like pills, too. But at one point, Randy, when we were doing the the thing in Tulia, we were in Tulia, Texas, and it was. Yeah, that Danielle you know, but Brandi was kind of talking about the Tulia 46 where all these black people were arrested without evidence. No evidence. They were just taken out of their homes and arrested, you know, on drug charges with no evidence whatsoever. And it's an all white jury. And they said we didn't. You want to know if you know, the prosecutor is asking. Well, actually, the reporter was asking, didn't you want to know if what how these people were found? Yeah, with all these drugs, Like how how did they get them through? And they got. No, no, we trusted we trusted the lawyer. We, you know, like that. So they didn't want to anyway. But while we were there in our rooms, Randy storms into my room and this was we just got there just got to to hear. And he said the Texas Rangers are after us had the tapes and all the tape we had was of like an obelisk that said Tulia, you know, in a cowboy boot. And I'm like, he's got me like all of like hiding shit. I was like, Wait, we don't even have any we have no footage. Like he always has to trumpet up to like Jared to make it look bigger than it is, like all the intrigue and bullshit. And I said, We don't have anything they can come in. And at that point, I realized that he took my wallet, I had my pills in my little pill caddy. He took all of the pills out of my pill caddy and took them. And I said, And by the way, if the Texas Rangers are after us, you, they can you and you won't get pregnant because you took my birth control pills, you asshole. He took all my pills out of my thing. you outlaw. God almighty. But just the stress anyway. Doesn't matter. I'm sorry that going to make any sense to anybody. But you think they're like. I mean, it's a national issue with the states issue, but like, what States are kind of in the most desperate shape right now in regards to access to abortion and and laws and policies being passed to restrict rights. Wow. man. yeah. Yep, yep. Right, right. Right. Because of medication? Abortion with 5.2 million people using it? None. 100 and. Wow. Yeah. You. So what? Liz, this is. Are you 486 that we're talking about now? I think that should be. in, gum machines outside pharmacies and stores and and in cereal. But anyway. Yeah, it's crazy. I don't know that I answered your question Danielle Yeah, Who are your heroes? Who, who motivates you? Who inspires you? I know you work with lots of, like, real people on the ground, but who are the people that Lizz Winstead referred to that know? damn. I remember that. Fantastic. Yeah. Holy shit. Why? Yeah. Sure. Did you ever read your movie? Molly Ivins? I want to, Fantastic. I, I, I bought in a couple conversation. I believe my way in just a meter. A couple of to. I got to wait on her. I was a server at a restaurant. She'd come in, so I got to serve. Yeah, She was always read. She was always alone and she was always reading. And it was pre cancer. But then also when she was going through chemo, so she had no hair, couldn't be nice, like everything was just f She inspires me a lot because I know you work with Cecile Richards, obviously, who we were talking about earlier. When did you meet and that you whenever you met with your for the first time? No. No, I was in Austin. Yeah. yeah, Yeah. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Yeah. wow. Ha ha ha. Ha. That's really brave to Liz. It's commendable. It's incredible to do that because it also seems dangerous. I saw it in the background. I saw Puppy Mill. cute. Well, that's a good name, Mr. Fogg. I love that name. Yeah. yeah. well, I. You're such a hero to me. I feel like you. You are in the same lineage of the people I love and respect that I mention Ann Richards in my actors all the time because they're truly like heroes. They're such great writers. Yeah, well-spoken activists and can political, I find, without being, like, divisive. I'm an escalator, so I'm not always the best messenger, but I do. Have. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, And, you know, I think we have to bring the word abortion into the vernacular. It has to be more common. And what do you think about this abortion? The musical? Yeah, and I want plug your book to go. good God. Well. That's amazing. E I would love that. That's great. That's great. But mean, Liz. Look, I'm serious about this. Jesus. I was behind. I was behind this. I mean. by the way, too, I think it's never like, such a it's not like it's a easy, like, fun decision to get an abortion. Of course people know that. But I was behind a van that said I heart abortion. And I was like, I kind of want to follow them because I appreciate that. Like, you know, just being out there and saying that. But listen, serious about this. Let's yeah, we need to do well. May 12th is Mother's Day, so we could do a thank you for not forcing women to be mothers on Mother's Day event or I was saying or even a you can be a mother without giving birth by adopting the 64,000 orphans that are here because of. 400,000. Or is it. my God. Yeah, there's more. Yeah. Foster care. That's kind of a long title. Yeah. Right, Right. On Mother's Day. know. We'll work it. Well, okay, well we'll go over. I'm going to email you and arrange all this stuff so you can say you're here when you were like, okay, that's amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now. Okay. Yeah. Definitely good. Low left. Yeah. Well, you're amazing. Liz. Thank you for thank you for talking with us. I'm so glad I got to get to see you Look, I'm so excited, because here's the deal. I did yeah. Yeah. Well, you're. You're awesome. You're amazing. You're an amazing. I'm. And and I'm so glad we get to reconnect, too. Big time. Thank you for being here with me. Thanks. wait, Liz, Where do we get your book? yeah. Tell her to stick around to. yeah? Amazing. Great. Wonderful. That sounds. That will be terrific. Good. Good day. Thank you, Liz. Listen, I will text you, okay? Love you. Thanks, Liz. Hey, Okay.