Can we talk about abortion?

Specifically, the recent abortion ban in Texas, at 6 weeks or later, despite 6 weeks being incredibly early for someone to even know they're pregnant. I believe the law was passed in May but it just took effect on Wednesday (SB8, known as the "heartbeat bill"). The law now offers a $10,000 or more bounty for suing those who help aid an abortion. This is terrifying and will severely impact doctors, staff, clinics, and how I understand it, those simply wanting to help a friend by driving them to the clinic or paying for the procedure. Any private citizen can sue an abortion provider for whatever reasons I believe. A whistleblower website was set up and I swear, the only good news it that tons of people were outraged and started spamming it to try to take up their times/resources. This doesn't seem to be anything particularly new or surprising in terms of the overall fight for reproductive freedom, but I can't help feel these will just pave the way for more legal terms to get muddled and allow states to have these strict bans. Like the Handmaid's Tale, women are still being treated as property. (including non-binary people here also, since reproductive rights are not only a cisgender issue).

No matter your stance on abortion, if you would never have one for particular reasons... it becomes a whole different thing once you impose that on others and actively strive to take reproductive rights away. I saw someone post on Reddit that religious freedom should be "I can't do that because of my religion", not "you can't do that because of my religion".

So much of the focus is on pro-birth, not life as a whole, not the kids in foster care or those already living their lives who know that they don't want to bring a kid into the world. The focus switches from helping those already existing and instead, pushing them away by creating fear, shame, uncertainty and stigma around the abortion conversation. Even if there are those who claim they don't only care about the unborn, who try to provide more resources for women to have a healthy pregnancy, the focus is still on deciding for them. We can't possibly know someone's thoughts/feelings, if they're making the most responsible choice they see fit. Only they can know and we need to trust that. Also, the anti-abortion groups often push for choosing adoption instead, as if it's that simple. People aren't talking about the trauma unplanned or unwanted pregnancies can have, instead those people contemplating abortion are seen as cruel and not as "selfless" as they could be. Not to mention the hypocrisy when these lawmakers, a lot of them conservative, are obsessed with wanting to tell others what to do with their bodies... yet are continually up in arms about anything mandated or suggested by the government (like masks or vaccines let's say), and claim their rights and freedoms are in jeopardy.

Abortion should not be controversial. It's such a personal matter and choice, yet it's politicized and used to control autonomy time and time again. It's essential healthcare; banning abortion will only lead to more unsafe and desperate measures. Why would you not want to keep it safe, legal and accessible to all? Because it's about control and power for those who, mostly, will not have to make these decisions themselves.

On a personal note, a few years ago, the last Planned Parenthood in our city shut down, partly due to pressure and intimidation tactics from what I understood. The closest one then was almost 2 hours away, so at the time, some local activists were trying to plan (in a discrete manner) ways to let others know that they available and could offer support by providing a ride to that location. Not just for abortions, but for check-up appointments too, since Planned Parenthood offers birth control, STD tests, cancer screenings and other exams. At the time, I tried to think and plan a situation if I ever needed it, and I honestly didn't have anyone immediately I feel I could trust to tell or drive me except these friends who could openly talk about these issues without judging one another. You hear stories of people offering these rides and going with someone to their abortion because it is a big decision for some, and maybe not for others, but the stigma around abortion is real and dangerous. The fear of being yelled at from protestors, the whole ordeal, someone finding out, etc.

We need abortion, and proper discussion around it that is educated and helps people foster inclusive attitudes about it in order to make informed decisions that won't endanger their health.

To my mind abortion is never an easy decision and each case should be looked at individually. There are many reasons that a woman may be considering this path and a blanket law like this should NEVER be put in place.
What about the child who is the result of an abusive relationship or rape? Does the mental health of the mother not count?
What about the child whose parents can not afford to feed the family they already have let alone another?
Or the child expected by the woman undergoing treatment for cancer? Should she expected to stop treatment in order for the child to be born healthy?
What about the child who has disabilities incompatible with life? Should the mother be told she must prolong the pregnancy until the baby either dies within her or as soon s it is born?
Or the young teenager who falls pregnant after one night with the boy who said he loved her but turns his back when he is told? Should she have to leave school with no way to support the child and be robbed of the rest of her own childhood for one stupid mistake?
I could go on but you get the gist.
I would also say that I wonder if a law like this, which seem to me are purely about control, would ever be put in place if men became pregnant!!

Cassie, thanks for posting and yes, you are spot-on with those questions! They are important to ask because often times women get left out of these conversations and their well-being ignored.

I know there are people who oppose abortion except for specific circumstances, like you mentioned, and I can't help but wonder why it has to be those examples of trauma for people to grant others autonomy. Why it feels like abortion has to be "justified" then, which should never be the case. No matter the person's reasoning, even if they have a relationship that's healthy and they have resources available for the kid, but not the right timeline perhaps... that should be valid too. I'm of the opinion that it also plays into sex-shaming and shaming in general, this idea that it's a woman's fault for needing abortion, unless it's due to rape, and that they should have just chosen abstinence instead. There should be no shame in being sexually active, in being sex-positive, and I feel like continued education surrounding sex will allow women to feel empowered, especially if the resources available encourage the importance of condoms, STD testing, and offer additional resources. It really comes down to trusting women to do what's best for their bodies, and not thinking we know better.

Women, and non-binary people, should not have to feel pressured to defend or explain their choices, and should have the control no matter what their situation is.

I have strong feelings about abortion. Mainly that anyone against it does not and will not ever respect women the way they should.

I will not say anymore on the topic because I’ve said enough and have no interest in arguing against people who do not see women as humans who deserve bodily autonomy.

I watched a show over here in Australia last week called Planet America and one of the hosts ( Chas Licciardello) was talking about this new law. He said the bill was first introduced in 2013 but was not passed and had been 'sat on' for the past 8 years because they did not think there would be enough votes to push it though at the time. Is this fact? If so, have there been changes made recently within the members of cabinet who would now favour this when the previous members wouldn't have? Is this just another political move to gain votes at the given time?

A question to all people the people of Texas and other states who agree to this outrageous policy ..how come you are within your rights to kill a person (that's a living/breathing one) who you feel is threating you but you cannot kill a fetus that cannot survive at six weeks without you?

Can you justify that?

I am in Texas and Wholeheartedly DISagree with this bill.
The changes are not in the cabinet, but in the Supreme Court. Trump was able to appoint 3 ultraconservatives to the US Supreme Court and there is much concern that they may now overturn Roe v Wade. The Texas legislature is betting that this bill will be acceptable to the newly constructed supreme court.