Anita Perry, Texas Gov. Rick Perry's Wife, Calls Abortion A 'Women's Right'; Governor Dismisses Comment

Texas Governor Rick Perry’s wife, Anita Perry, described abortion as a “women’s right” in an interview with Texas Tribune editor-in-chief Evan Smith on Sept. 28.

Speaking about women’s rights and the ‘war on women’ movement, Smith asked Mrs. Perry if she felt that the government had it “right” in terms of recent anti-abortion legislation.

“Well, that’s really difficult for me, Evan, because I see it [abortion] as a women’s right. If they want to do that, that is their decision. They have to live with that decision,” Anita Perry answered.

Clearly surprised by Mrs. Perry’s answer, Smith asked, “Are you saying that you believe that abortion is a woman’s right, to make that choice?”

“It is not mine. It is not something that I would say for them,” Mrs. Perry said, attempting to clarify her personal stance on abortion.

When pressed by Smith on whether or not anti-abortion legislation would be an oppression of abortion as a women’s right, Mrs. Perry skirted the question and answered that she believes it is an issue for every state to decide, and that the Texas government was deciding not to make abortion a women’s right.

Smith continued to ask if Mrs. Perry believed that abortion was a women’s personal decision and right “within the law,” to which Mrs. Perry answered, “I mean, I think that, yeah, that could be a women’s right. Just like it’s a man’s right if he wants to have some kind of procedure.”

Gov. Perry, who is known for his strict anti-abortion views, said on Tuesday that his wife had misspoke in the interview. However, Mrs. Perry has not indicated an intention to revise her statements.

“From time to time we’ll stick the wrong word in the wrong place, and you pounce upon it,” Perry told reporters while campaigning for Senate candidate Steve Lonegan in New Jersey.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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