New abortion law

[YPestis]

There's an article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/us/27 ... ml?_r=1&hp that, as a medical professional, appalled me.

It's not so much that there is no medical basis for 'fetal pain' before 20 weeks (not really the focus of my ire). It's that the new abortion laws gives few legal recourse for abortion in cases of medical reasons after 20 weeks.

The women they showed was forced to carry a pregnancy that placed her life, not at *serious risk*, but only at significant risk for sepsis (and dying). I'm sorry, but I want to make the decision whether I want to place my life only at moderate risk of dying, I don't want to be denied access to a legal medical procedure because it wasn't guaranteed to kill me or seriously disable me....I thought I had more autonomy than that.

This isn't a debate about the merits of abortion. I think we can all agree that if there is a medical reason for an abortion, the doctors and the woman should be the primary medical decision maker, rather than those with a political agenda.

People sometimes forget that abortion is still a *medical* procedure and is used for therapeutic and medical reasons. They ban a procedure that is lifesaving because they disagree that some people choose it as an elective option.

I feel that this hits somewhat at what we here at FJ have been complaining about. The idea that a woman's reproductive organs displaces her rights as an autonomous decision maker. We stress patient rights all the time. Fundies love to talk about being deprived of liberty and crying persecution, yet they see no irony in denying women the right to make their own medical decisions when a pregnancy goes awry at an arbitary point in the process. Because a dead mother is still better than a live saving abortion?

Sorry, had to vent a bit.

[Rosa]

Here's the thing that kills me - it goes back to the "how is this supposed to work?" thread, too.

When laws are passed against abortion and enforced even against home-induced miscarriage, they end up enforced against people who just have medical events they can't control, or make bad decisions. So a woman who chooses to have a home birth of an at-risk pregnancy and loses the baby could be prosecuted under the laws that make killing a fetus a crime. Right?

[booksnbeats]

According to federal law, she still should have been able to have an abortion for medical (and that includes emotional) reasons, even in a state with an "abortion ban." It sounds like her doctors and the hospital were responsible for this--if I were her, I'd be filing for malpractice.

[Swamptribe]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/ ... pe=article

Interesting article from the UK on women who have had a miscarriage being charged with a crime in the US. It's just nuts. Women are being turned into second, or third class citizens again.

[Austin]

I think a lot of people think, "Oh, well I would never have an abortion", so it doesn't matter if these rights disappear. But they don't think of the ways it could affect them, such as being prosecuted for a miscarriage, a homebirth-gone-wrong, or having to put one's own life on the line. Women's lives are worth more than that, and while it sounds oh-so-noble to say, "Well, just save the baby", I don't agree. Not to mention that that decision may be leaving already-born children motherless.

The right is chipping away at our rights, as surely as the tide rises. This is a strategy they settled on years ago when they realized that a succession of GOP presidents was not going to probably do their endeavor that much good, and horrifyingly, it is working for them. Women need to join Emily's List, donate to pro-choice candidates, and get involved. Not only for ourselves, but for coming generations. :angry-soapbox:

[deelaem]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/24/america-pregnant-women-murder-charges?cat=world&type=article

Interesting article from the UK on women who have had a miscarriage being charged with a crime in the US. It's just nuts. Women are being turned into second, or third class citizens again.

Don't you mean, still? Because if we've ever been treated with first class status, I sure as hell missed it.

[Effie]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/24/america-pregnant-women-murder-charges?cat=world&type=article

Interesting article from the UK on women who have had a miscarriage being charged with a crime in the US. It's just nuts. Women are being turned into second, or third class citizens again.

I've also read about the miscarriage laws in U.S. It's upsetting. It makes me mad. It makes me hate U.S. a little bit more. Sorry, I'm sure there are great things with U.S. as well, but all the idiocy kinda outweighs it.

[Childless]

Makes me think twice about ever getting pregnant again. Especially considering I had to terminate an ectopic pregnancy in 2009.

[demgirl]

I can't imagine that once challenged these laws will be found constitutional. And they will be challenged. But it definitely seems like it may create nightmares during the long judicial process. And frankly, if we don't ensure we elect a president who nominates pro-choice Supreme Court justices, these laws may be upheld one day.

[SquirrelySquirrel]

I read this article this morning from the Indianapolis Star and wanted to cry. :angry-banghead:

We already knew that women are being lied to. Legislators openly admit in this article that no fucking research was done, and few professionals were consulted, yet they still may get the appeal. I'm so sick and disgusted over this that I can't even convey it into words.

[Childless]

I was driving across town yesterday and I saw a man in a car (with the windows rolled up) smoking away while his children were in the back seat. I want to know when I'll see him in a jail cell.

I won't. You know why? Because these stupid laws aren't meant to protect children. These people don't give a rat's ass about children. It's all about controlling women. There's no way in hell a man's autonomy over his body will ever be taken way no matter what he's doing to his kids. But for some reason, these idiots think they can control what a woman does with her body. Well, it's going to backfire in their faces because they're going to create a situation in which women choose not to have children for fear of being jailed should something go wrong. It's going to be hard to keep our super power status with a dwindling population.

[Gizmola]

Childless, you have been fed feminist lies. Don't you know that if abortion were illegal then only heterosexual, married couples would have children? One of the genius posters at Alte's blog pointed out the obvious: abortion encourages promiscuity. If there was no abortion then no one would have pre-marital sex. And if they have sex within the godly bonds of marriage then they will be prepared for the children, no matter any special needs, etc. because God will provide. Besides, as Texas pointed out, if a woman REALLY knows that the fetus is a real baby then she'd never have an abortion. Abortion was only used by women because no one forced them to hear the heartbeat and see a sonogram. Now that we can force women to see/hear then no one will choose to have an abortion anyway. And if you don't like a man smoking in his car you need only pray for God to lay upon his heart. Even if he is not your headship it's not your place to criticize him. Haven't you learned anything from Free Jinger?? :dance:

eta: because legal & illegal have two different meanings

[Mommy22alyns]

Childless, you have been fed feminist lies. Don't you know that if abortion were illegal then only heterosexual, married couples would have children? One of the genius posters at Alte's blog pointed out the obvious: abortion encourages promiscuity. If there was no abortion then no one would have pre-marital sex. And if they have sex within the godly bonds of marriage then they will be prepared for the children, no matter any special needs, etc. because God will provide. Besides, as Texas pointed out, if a woman REALLY knows that the fetus is a real baby then she'd never have an abortion. Abortion was only used by women because no one forced them to hear the heartbeat and see a sonogram. Now that we can force women to see/hear then no one will choose to have an abortion anyway. And if you don't like a man smoking in his car you need only pray for God to lay upon his heart. Even if he is not your headship it's not your place to criticize him. Haven't you learned anything from Free Jinger?? :dance:

eta: because legal & illegal have two different meanings

Oh, SO well said! And your comment to Alte went through, so double kudos!

[Blonde not dumb]

Hello, new here but very long time lurker so I feel like I know you all in a strange, albeit creepy, way. :whistle:

I read that article this morning and was torn between my intense desire to scream and cry at the same time. I wanted to cry for the woman who was forced to consult with hospital lawyers for a difficult decision that involved her health! For crying out loud, that is the epitome of a private decision that should be between her and her doctors!!! It is disgusting and just another example of how the right wing wants to do everything they can to protect a fetus until it is actually born.

[dianapavelovna]

I think a lot of people think, "Oh, well I would never have an abortion", so it doesn't matter if these rights disappear. But they don't think of the ways it could affect them, such as being prosecuted for a miscarriage, a homebirth-gone-wrong, or having to put one's own life on the line. Women's lives are worth more than that, and while it sounds oh-so-noble to say, "Well, just save the baby", I don't agree. Not to mention that that decision may be leaving already-born children motherless.

The right is chipping away at our rights, as surely as the tide rises. This is a strategy they settled on years ago when they realized that a succession of GOP presidents was not going to probably do their endeavor that much good, and horrifyingly, it is working for them. Women need to join Emily's List, donate to pro-choice candidates, and get involved. Not only for ourselves, but for coming generations. :angry-soapbox:

PREACH! :clap:

/just got home from volunteering at Planned Parenthood