On the Front Lines of the Abortion Wars
May 20, 2016 7:22 AM Subscribe
Marie Claire's two part series, "This Is What a World Without Reproductive Rights Would Be Like" and "On the Front Lines of the Abortion Wars" the state of women's rights in El Salvador, "where women are put in prison or risk death to avoid having a baby" and the Midwest United States, considered an "abortion desert."
Yesterday, Oklahoma sent a bill to the governor's desk that would make abortion a felony in that state, and would suspend the licenses of any doctor who performs one.
Yesterday, Oklahoma sent a bill to the governor's desk that would make abortion a felony in that state, and would suspend the licenses of any doctor who performs one.
Anitanola (may she rest in power) told this story here about her experience as a woman who needed an abortion in the pre-Roe days.
posted by rtha at 8:02 AM on May 20, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by rtha at 8:02 AM on May 20, 2016 [13 favorites]
If your religious beliefs are such that a fertilized egg is a unique, God's-hand-placed soul and any willful termination of a human life is murder, this level of distress that someone, somewhere is terminating a pregnancy is at least consistent.
Luckily, we Americans live in a nation in which every person has freedom of religion, including the rights of freedom FROM religion and protection from someone else's opt-in religious beliefs being applied as civil law over all.
...we do, right?
posted by delfin at 8:36 AM on May 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Luckily, we Americans live in a nation in which every person has freedom of religion, including the rights of freedom FROM religion and protection from someone else's opt-in religious beliefs being applied as civil law over all.
...we do, right?
posted by delfin at 8:36 AM on May 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
ReWire is doing excellent work (used to be RH Reality Check), with their podcast series Choice/Less.
The most arresting case for me right now remains that of Purvi Patel, who is appealing a sentence of 41 years for a. criminally inducing a miscarriage/feticide--even though they have no toxicology evidence that she did so and b. felony neglect of a dependent, despite there being no evidence that the fetus was ever alive outside the womb.
posted by emjaybee at 9:45 AM on May 20, 2016 [5 favorites]
The most arresting case for me right now remains that of Purvi Patel, who is appealing a sentence of 41 years for a. criminally inducing a miscarriage/feticide--even though they have no toxicology evidence that she did so and b. felony neglect of a dependent, despite there being no evidence that the fetus was ever alive outside the womb.
posted by emjaybee at 9:45 AM on May 20, 2016 [5 favorites]
If your religious beliefs are such that a fertilized egg is a unique, God's-hand-placed soul and any willful termination of a human life is murder, this level of distress that someone, somewhere is terminating a pregnancy is at least consistent.
Consistent it may be but if you really truly hold these beliefs you can fuck the right off as far I am concerned. If you use these beliefs as an excuse to deny women their bodily autonomy (to the point of imprisoning them for exercising it) or support people or organizations that do then you can double fuck off.
It's starting to look like more and more like Gilead and all because we are collectively too timid to say "fuck off with your Bronze Age bullshit" and keep saying it and saying it. So I'm done. Hey El Salvador: fuck off with your bronze age bullshit.
I am so goddamn tired of this. I really am.
posted by Soi-hah at 10:21 AM on May 20, 2016 [16 favorites]
Consistent it may be but if you really truly hold these beliefs you can fuck the right off as far I am concerned. If you use these beliefs as an excuse to deny women their bodily autonomy (to the point of imprisoning them for exercising it) or support people or organizations that do then you can double fuck off.
It's starting to look like more and more like Gilead and all because we are collectively too timid to say "fuck off with your Bronze Age bullshit" and keep saying it and saying it. So I'm done. Hey El Salvador: fuck off with your bronze age bullshit.
I am so goddamn tired of this. I really am.
posted by Soi-hah at 10:21 AM on May 20, 2016 [16 favorites]
If your religious beliefs are such that a fertilized egg is a unique, God's-hand-placed soul and any willful termination of a human life is murder, this level of distress that someone, somewhere is terminating a pregnancy is at least consistent.
I just want to know if God cares so much about a fertilized egg why would he design women so their bodies routinely refuse to implant the zygote, or routinely miscarry? Most people don't realize how common miscarriage is, and we may not ever know how common it is for a fertilized egg to fail to implant, and this lack of knowledge only helps pro-life activists who naïvely think willful abortion is the only way pregnancies don't end in birth.
I can see the pro-life mindset, that to them making a baby then disposing of it is unimaginably callous. What they don't think about how to a woman pregnancy permanently pushes her to give up what she wants and focus on what the baby wants. Crucially this push doesn't exist for men. A man is at best equally responsible, but there's no inescapable mechanism that forces him to deal with his actions. He can skip out and permanently alter a life (two lives). As long as this is the case, there cannot be equality between men and women.
I personally don't think abortion is great, but until we live in a sci-fi world where every woman can only become pregnant if she chooses it it's literally the best option. I want to live in a world where nobody ever gets an abortion, but because it's not necessary, not because it's illegal.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:00 PM on May 20, 2016
I just want to know if God cares so much about a fertilized egg why would he design women so their bodies routinely refuse to implant the zygote, or routinely miscarry? Most people don't realize how common miscarriage is, and we may not ever know how common it is for a fertilized egg to fail to implant, and this lack of knowledge only helps pro-life activists who naïvely think willful abortion is the only way pregnancies don't end in birth.
I can see the pro-life mindset, that to them making a baby then disposing of it is unimaginably callous. What they don't think about how to a woman pregnancy permanently pushes her to give up what she wants and focus on what the baby wants. Crucially this push doesn't exist for men. A man is at best equally responsible, but there's no inescapable mechanism that forces him to deal with his actions. He can skip out and permanently alter a life (two lives). As long as this is the case, there cannot be equality between men and women.
I personally don't think abortion is great, but until we live in a sci-fi world where every woman can only become pregnant if she chooses it it's literally the best option. I want to live in a world where nobody ever gets an abortion, but because it's not necessary, not because it's illegal.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:00 PM on May 20, 2016
As long as this is the case, there cannot be equality between men and women.
Anti-Choicers desperately don't want equality between men and women.
posted by agregoli at 12:26 PM on May 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
Anti-Choicers desperately don't want equality between men and women.
posted by agregoli at 12:26 PM on May 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
Abortion desert, what a cute descriptor. In Southern Missouri the two "best" choices are, get a good broadband connection to complete the bullshit preliminaries mandated by dickhead Republicans.
Get up at zero dark thirty, drive three or four hours to get to K. C. Kansas, drive into a nicer light industrial/office neighborhood, the only sidewalk is in front of the building so the screaming zealots can't get to the parking lot or entrance. A bunch of people for the 7:30 AM lineup to get through distinctly unfriendly security (get out of line to put your cellphone back in the pickup), then enter a shit waiting room, crappy plastic chairs and it's dirty, my large animal vet's waiting room is better.
Line up again for the first of three times at the receptionist window (that's tougher than the average armory on Camp Pendelton). The only time someone smiled was here when I paid a months wages for a first term abortion with hundreds instead of twenties. Several hours later they shoved the cattle, I mean patient out a door at the loading dock, with instructions, if the bleeding didn't slow down or any other complications happen, follow up at an E. R.
Or you can start out a little after midnight, drive the width of the state, cross the Mississippi at St. Louis, wander awhile through industrial areas, to a town that except for the fast food joints apparently has no buildings newer than the 70s and you'll see a cop car about every five minutes.
In the parking lot a nice young volunteer will meet you at your car so you can see a friendly face because the screaming fanatics are on the sidewalk like 15 yards away. Professional and friendly security will get you inside to,a modern waiting room with comfortable chairs and free wi-fi. They are apparently used to people driving all night and have a procedure for security to wake you in your vehicle and escort you in if the patient wants to see you.
If there is a need for a D&C, they have an arrangement with a nearby motel, its good enough for getting 6 hours sleep, we bailed to a better one by the local truck stop 20 minutes away. Take a $1000 and a few $2000 cashier checks plus some hundreds because the two days for a late second term will cost about six months wages. If the bleeding doesn't slow down or any other complications happen, follow up at an E. R.
About the volunteers: they are nice, dedicated and obviously trained to deal with this shit. If you verbally object to being called vile names by some large male zealots one will come and stand with you, if you escalate to the point it seems like an eye gouging, ear ripping, nose biting throwdown is next, she won't abandon you no matter how frightened she looks. This ain't kind, its better to get in the pickup, roll the windows down and crank up "Beethoven's Ava Maria" it seems to bother the zealots to scream over it. Queens' "We are the Champions" was appreciated by the volunteers too.
posted by ridgerunner at 12:45 PM on May 20, 2016 [8 favorites]
Get up at zero dark thirty, drive three or four hours to get to K. C. Kansas, drive into a nicer light industrial/office neighborhood, the only sidewalk is in front of the building so the screaming zealots can't get to the parking lot or entrance. A bunch of people for the 7:30 AM lineup to get through distinctly unfriendly security (get out of line to put your cellphone back in the pickup), then enter a shit waiting room, crappy plastic chairs and it's dirty, my large animal vet's waiting room is better.
Line up again for the first of three times at the receptionist window (that's tougher than the average armory on Camp Pendelton). The only time someone smiled was here when I paid a months wages for a first term abortion with hundreds instead of twenties. Several hours later they shoved the cattle, I mean patient out a door at the loading dock, with instructions, if the bleeding didn't slow down or any other complications happen, follow up at an E. R.
Or you can start out a little after midnight, drive the width of the state, cross the Mississippi at St. Louis, wander awhile through industrial areas, to a town that except for the fast food joints apparently has no buildings newer than the 70s and you'll see a cop car about every five minutes.
In the parking lot a nice young volunteer will meet you at your car so you can see a friendly face because the screaming fanatics are on the sidewalk like 15 yards away. Professional and friendly security will get you inside to,a modern waiting room with comfortable chairs and free wi-fi. They are apparently used to people driving all night and have a procedure for security to wake you in your vehicle and escort you in if the patient wants to see you.
If there is a need for a D&C, they have an arrangement with a nearby motel, its good enough for getting 6 hours sleep, we bailed to a better one by the local truck stop 20 minutes away. Take a $1000 and a few $2000 cashier checks plus some hundreds because the two days for a late second term will cost about six months wages. If the bleeding doesn't slow down or any other complications happen, follow up at an E. R.
About the volunteers: they are nice, dedicated and obviously trained to deal with this shit. If you verbally object to being called vile names by some large male zealots one will come and stand with you, if you escalate to the point it seems like an eye gouging, ear ripping, nose biting throwdown is next, she won't abandon you no matter how frightened she looks. This ain't kind, its better to get in the pickup, roll the windows down and crank up "Beethoven's Ava Maria" it seems to bother the zealots to scream over it. Queens' "We are the Champions" was appreciated by the volunteers too.
posted by ridgerunner at 12:45 PM on May 20, 2016 [8 favorites]
If your religious beliefs are such that a fertilized egg is a unique, God's-hand-placed soul and any willful termination of a human life is murder, this level of distress that someone, somewhere is terminating a pregnancy is at least consistent.
The belief that a fertilized egg is a child is only consistent if the rest of your actions and beliefs are consistent with it.
For example, what are you doing to prevent miscarriage and stillbirth, which kills even more children? Are you campaigning to fund medical research, expand access to prenatal care? What about medical care for already-born children?
For another example, if you think women should be legally required to let their children use their bodies against their will for the duration of a pregnancy, what is your opinion on requiring parents to do something like donate blood or kidneys or bone marrow to their children?
I haven't yet met anyone who is consistent on this. I'm sure there are a few out there--people who have deep care for children, and who also believe that eggs are children are bound to exist. But for the most part, the anti-choice movement is focused on children's wellbeing only so much as it can be used to put women back in their proper place as childbearers.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 12:52 PM on May 20, 2016 [14 favorites]
The belief that a fertilized egg is a child is only consistent if the rest of your actions and beliefs are consistent with it.
For example, what are you doing to prevent miscarriage and stillbirth, which kills even more children? Are you campaigning to fund medical research, expand access to prenatal care? What about medical care for already-born children?
For another example, if you think women should be legally required to let their children use their bodies against their will for the duration of a pregnancy, what is your opinion on requiring parents to do something like donate blood or kidneys or bone marrow to their children?
I haven't yet met anyone who is consistent on this. I'm sure there are a few out there--people who have deep care for children, and who also believe that eggs are children are bound to exist. But for the most part, the anti-choice movement is focused on children's wellbeing only so much as it can be used to put women back in their proper place as childbearers.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 12:52 PM on May 20, 2016 [14 favorites]
This week I attended an orientation to start volunteering with Midwest Access Coalition . Apparently women have been traveling to Chicago from as far as South Dakota because it's the only option if you can't jump through all the hoops fast enough.
posted by velebita at 1:17 PM on May 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by velebita at 1:17 PM on May 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
This is the case that will overturn Roe v. Wade if Trump wins and gets a Supreme Court appointment.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:28 PM on May 20, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:28 PM on May 20, 2016 [3 favorites]
Mary Fallin actually vetoed the Oklahoma law.
posted by T.D. Strange at 3:15 PM on May 20, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by T.D. Strange at 3:15 PM on May 20, 2016 [7 favorites]
She probably only vetoed it because the state is so short on revenue thanks to tax cuts she has approved (including after the oil price crash..I disagreed but didn't consider it blindingly stupid when there was still money to be had from dino juice taxes) they can't afford the legal bills to defend the ban.
posted by wierdo at 9:45 PM on May 20, 2016
posted by wierdo at 9:45 PM on May 20, 2016
She probably only vetoed it because the state is so short on revenue thanks to tax cuts she has approved (including after the oil price crash..I disagreed but didn't consider it blindingly stupid when there was still money to be had from dino juice taxes) they can't afford the legal bills to defend the ban.
She vetoed it because it's bad law that will get kicked even if there's another Scalia. Kennedy was pretty iffy on Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.
posted by Talez at 10:08 AM on May 21, 2016
She vetoed it because it's bad law that will get kicked even if there's another Scalia. Kennedy was pretty iffy on Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.
posted by Talez at 10:08 AM on May 21, 2016
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posted by Damienmce at 7:38 AM on May 20, 2016