What on earth is going on in America??

[Nanny0gg]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48275795

How can a supposedly 'civilised' society pass such a retrograde law?

And other states following suit?

[nancy75]

Sharia law - Christian style!

All the people that support this will bleat on about their freedoms, their right to have a gun, their right to free speech but they are happy to take away women's rights to body autonomy

[badlydrawnperson]

OP you might care to take a look at the UK before making such an assertion. Whilst I don't disagree with you sentiment, we can hardly cast aspersions when we have our own home grown example.

[Nesssie]

Disgusting. Cannot believe they are going backwards on this issue. Hopefully it'll get blocked at every avenue.

[AutumnCrow]

I'm bloody horrified. There will end up being a horribly dangerous black market in abortions. Wealthier women or girls from wealthier families will use clinics in Canada and Mexico or more progressive states; poorer women and girls will be thrown under a bus.

But let's not forget that within the UK a similar system exists in Northern Ireland, where women and girls must find money to travel for an abortion (and, mostly, keep it a secret).

[nancy75]

Particularly nice that they didn't pass the exemption for rape or incest.

The sperm of a rapist is worth more than the rights of a rape victim

[badlydrawnperson]

But let's not forget that within the UK a similar system exists in Northern Ireland, where women and girls must find money to travel for an abortion (and, mostly, keep it a secret

Exactly.

[nancy75]

Northern Ireland should be brought in to line with the rest of the UK without a doubt, however the laws there are preexisting and are being rallied against - in the USA they are actually going backwards

[TheInebriati]

They are also talking about banning some forms of contraception that work post fertilisation, such as the coil.

[HoustonBess]

The same people who are pushing hard right issues in the US are bankrolling brexit. We have plenty of work to do here without worrying about the US so much.

Many of the brexit party types are from spiked, a media source funded by the Koch brothers who are the worst of the right.

[Spinnaret]

Do women from NI get prosecuted if they come to Britain for a termination? (Not that they should have to etc).
Women in the US will risk prosecution if they go out of state. And it is rolling backwards. Whereas in NI, it 'just' hasn't rolled forward.

[Persimmonn]

The sperm of a rapist is worth more than the rights of a rape victim

Chilling.

[Nesssie]

We have plenty of work to do here without worrying about the US so much. I think we are all capable of worrying about multiple issues, and this one is a pretty major step back for women's right.

[JohnWolfenstein]

Gilead

[DaisiesAreOurSilver]

Frightening.

[GiveMyHeadPeaceffs]

Women from NI are not prosecuted for travelling for an abortion, so not quite the same. However it's about time NI was forced to come under the same laws as the rest of GB.

[DGRossetti]

OP you might care to take a look at the UK before making such an assertion. Whilst I don't disagree with you sentiment, we can hardly cast aspersions when we have our own home grown example.

The rape clause for child tax credits for a start. Barbaric and guaranteed to cause child poverty. People (including women) voted Tory knowing it was going to happen. And they wonder why they're contemptible.

[SemperIdem]

As I see it -NI’s abortion law is backwards but momentum being gained towards bringing them in line with rest of the UK.

The USA’s abortion laws are in line with the 21st century thinking of most Western nations but momentum is being gained towards going backwards and removing women’s bodily autonomy.

I find what is being actively worked for in the USA far more worrying than what is being worked for in NI, as a result.

[Karmin]

But why did Alabama vote for this?

[Karmin]

In 2018 some 58% of the US population thought abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 37% said it should be illegal in all or most cases

[Hopeygoflightly]

Yes bloody Americans! EXCEPT - oh, look there's a part of the UK that has neither abortion OR marriage equality, against the wishes of the majority of the people who live there. AND Westminister seem to give a flying F@ck about that. People in glass houses.

[BarbarianMum]

Gilead is what'shappening. Let's hope the response is a reopening of the underground railway.

[nancy75]

Hopeygoflightly just because Westminster don't care about NI doesn't mean everyone doesn't care.
America is actively going backwards on Women's rights when it comes to body autonomy & it's possible to be angry about both situations at the same time.

[Bentley111]

The sperm of a rapist is worth more than the rights of a rape victim

Truly sickening.

[badlydrawnperson]

I can't help feeling religion has a role in Alabama and NI. I know it's not fair to tar everyone with the same brush, but religious zealots are at least a part of the problem.

[nancy75]

You have to wonder if the wife of one of those men that voted for this became pregnant due to rape (which I sincerely hope never happens) would they stand by her and raise the baby as their own?
My guess would be not