Twitter Applauds Padma Lakshmi For Marching In Texas

Padma Lakshmi makes her beliefs known in no uncertain terms. Sharing a candid pic on October 2nd, she expressed her objection to Texas abortion law S.B. 8 with the caption, "Abortion rights are human rights." Lakshmi included a link to help readers find their local Women's March on this day and the hashtag #rallyforabortionjustice (via Twitter). In her photo, she was joined by "Top Chef" co-judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. Not only was Lakshmi present at the march, but government officials such as Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo were reportedly slated to attend along with ED Shareeduh Tate of the George Floyd Foundation (via Culture Map). 

Lakshmi made her position clear in a statement received by Mashed: "I was proud to attend the first Women's March in DC in 2017. Four years later, we still have so much to achieve. Our reproductive rights are under attack, and I stand with Planned Parenthood and the ACLU and those who demand to be heard." Gail Simmons similarly shared, "It's imperative at this critical moment in history that we make our voices heard. Many women before us worked to secure our rights, our equality, and our bodily autonomy. It is incumbent upon us to fight for and defend these basic human rights from anyone who tries to take them away, for ourselves and our children."

The protest was part of a larger national movement with numerous marches across the U.S. (via Women's March).

People familiar with Lakshmi are no strangers to her activism. The Houston Mayor's office applauded her efforts, posting, "It was an honor to be joined by @BravoTopChef hosts @PadmaLakshmi & @gailsimmons" (via Twitter). Another supporter took to Twitter to say, "Thank you for showing up for #Houston and women across #TX!" (via Twitter). This sentiment was reflected in various tweets.

The Texas abortion law spurring these protests has angered some Texas residents who don't even personally support having the procedure, according to a string of interviews conducted by The Atlantic. So it might not come as a surprise that Lakshmi's position garnered support. Still, some supporters think Lakshmi should go further.

"Top Chef"'s next season is in Houston, TX (via Houston Chronicle), and some fans feel the popular show should rethink its location to put additional pressure on Texas lawmakers. A Twitter commenter suggested to Lakshmi, "Maybe you shouldn't do @BravoTopChef Houston until they do better." But while online support for Lakshmi and her fellow chefs' activism appears high, it must be mentioned that those in opposition to their views are still plentiful and highly vocal. We don't expect this discussion to die down soon.