As of this moment last nights event raised over $54,000 for @lilithfund @WholeWomans @FundTexasWomen and @TEAFund! #TexasSolidarityForever
— Alison Turkos (@alisonturkos) November 19, 2013
Last night’s event out of New York, Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can Choose, was hilarious, well-planned, and was viewed by over 40,000 people at one time on the Ustream channel. The event was hosted by Lizz Winstead and Sarah Silverman and featured many star-studded guests including Heather Busby, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, and Jessica Luther, a blogger based out of Austin that helped spur the movement that happened at the Capitol this summer and beyond. As of today, we’ve raised over $54,000!
Here are some of our favorite things that happened from the night, including #vagnapkin and #orangeisthenewvag:
When Sarah Silverman shoved a napkin down her pants and then auctioned it off:
.@SarahKSilverman is now auctioning off #vagnapkin! Come and get it! #TexasWomenForever @Mariobatali
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) November 19, 2013
Or when the cast of Orange is the New Black auctioned off their call sheet from an episode they filmed earlier that day:
The ENTIRE @OITNB cast autographed a call sheet. Call 212-228-0228, talk to @realleadelaria & bid! #orangeisthenewvag #texaswomenforever
— New York Abortion Access Fund (@NYAAF) November 19, 2013
Last night, #TexasWomenForever was one of the top trends on Twitter.
#TexasWomenForever is one of the top trending things on Twitter tonight! pic.twitter.com/eQlRoCp7na
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) November 19, 2013
And a woman who was chronicled in New York Magazine for her story on abortion gave a moving speech:
Woman who appeared in @NewYorkMag to tell her #abortion story is on stage now. Here's the article: http://t.co/6VZyzkpX9M
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) November 19, 2013
Throughout the night, a person in a giant vulva costume would come up on stage and give an update on how much money was raised as well as a quote from an anti-choice person trying to take over the #TexasWomenForever hashtag on Twitter:
A giant vulva has walked on stage y'all! #TexasWomenForever pic.twitter.com/Q2VSQgfadL
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) November 19, 2013
Even Wendy Davis had something to say about the event:
Thank you for standing for women's access to healthcare in Texas. #TexasWomenForever
— Wendy Davis (@wendydavis) November 19, 2013
Mario Batali promised to match up to $5,000 in support of the event:
Hello Americans i am happy to match your donations for the next 30 minutes up to 5 grand in support of @TXWomenForever C'mon !!!!!
— Mario Batali (@Mariobatali) November 19, 2013
At the end of the night, Lizz and Sarah announced V to Shining V, a campaign to expose the anti-choice movement’s efforts to subvert women’s access to abortion care throughout the nation.
.@lizzwinstead announces V to Shining V, a website and movement to expose anti-choice actions. #TexasWomenForever
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) November 19, 2013
We are completely grateful for all of the work that’s been done from these fine folks and we can’t even begin to express how important they are in our fight to reclaim Texas. It’s events like these that keep us going (both mentally and financially). The women of Texas, especially, thank you the most.
"The last thing our opposition wants is for women to get together and be a force, so let's do that." @SarahKSilverman #TexasWomenForever
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) November 19, 2013