At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, vice presidential nominee Tim Walz delivered a powerful speech, promising to lead a government that “stays the hell out of your bedroom” if elected alongside Kamala Harris. Walz, 60, emphasized the importance of reproductive rights as a top priority for the Democrats, especially in the face of Republican efforts to restrict access to abortion.
In his address, Walz shared his personal struggles with infertility, describing the emotional toll of undergoing fertility treatments to conceive his daughter, Hope. He vowed to protect reproductive freedoms, including access to fertility treatments like IVF if elected to the White House.
“We also protected reproductive freedom, because in Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make, and even if we wouldn’t make those same choices for ourselves, we’ve got a golden rule: mind your own damn business, and that includes IVF and fertility treatments,” Walz declared, via New York Times. His words were met with applause, particularly when he noted that many people, even if they haven’t personally experienced infertility, know someone who has.
Walz became visibly emotional as he recounted the years of struggle he and his wife Gwen faced while trying to start a family. “And if you’ve never experienced the hell that is infertility, I guarantee you, you know somebody who has,” he said. “I can remember praying each night for a phone call, the pit in your stomach when the phone rang, and the absolute agony when we heard the treatments hadn’t worked. It took Gwen and I years, but we had access to fertility treatments.”
Reflecting on the birth of their daughter, he added, “When our daughter was born, we named her ‘Hope.’ Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire God on how we started a family because this is a big part about what this election is about. Freedom. When Republicans use the word freedom, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office.”
As Walz concluded his speech, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. His walk-off song, “Rockin’ in the Free World,” played as his family joined him on stage. The moment was made even more poignant when his son Gus, overcome with emotion, cried during his father’s speech, capturing the hearts of those in attendance.
Walz, affectionately known as “Coach Walz,” ended the night by accepting the nomination with humility and gratitude, calling it “the honor of my life.”