The Texas Senate Gallery Thinks Tampons Are More Dangerous Than Guns

You’re allowed to carry a gun into the Texas Senate gallery, but not a tampon.

Many pro-choice activists arrived at the Senate gallery yesterday to witness the vote on the most restrictive abortion legislation Texas has ever seen. They were met with guards confiscating some interesting objects the security at the gallery apparently deemed “dangerous.” These objects included tampons, maxi-pads, condoms and glitter. They didn’t want protesters to carry objects that they may feel compelled to throw at lawmakers.

The gallery may be afraid of tampons and glitter, but it’s totally comfortable with guns. You can carry a firearm into the gallery if you have a concealed weapons permit – and that didn’t change yesterday. Even though I’m pretty sure you can usually bring a tampon with you, too – but that seemed like a dangerous enough policy for security to amend yesterday. Good lord. This stuff really happened.

They should have just taken it a step further and banned menstruating all together. No bleeding on the floor of the Senate! I mean seriously – why bother confiscating tampons?What’s the worst thing that could happen? God forbid one of these lawmakers gets hit in the arm with a piece of cotton. That could cause some real damage. A good-old, gun-toting American is perfectly safe, though.

Some conservative sites were claiming that pro-choice groups were threatening to throw tampons and feces in the gallery, but of course I can’t find any actual evidence of that. There is evidence that a lawmaker insinuated he might bring a gun though. From Think Progress:

Even though the Texas legislature may not be comfortable with feminine hygiene products, it’s a bit more relaxed when it comes to firearms. Individuals with concealed carry licenses are permitted to bring their guns into the Senate gallery. In fact, a Texas Republican recently insinuated he might do just that during the current special session.

In a recent interview with the National Review Online, state Rep. Jonathan Strickland (R) expressed concern over becoming the target of violence as thousands of angry pro-choice activists rally at the capitol. When asked whether those concerns would inspire him to carry a hidden gun this session, he said he couldn’t legally answer that question. But he did add, ”I very, very often do concealed-carry, I can say that.”

Yes – we should all definitely be more afraid of a tampon than a bullet.

(photo: Twitter)