Texas bans all abortions beyond six weeks

[HardStareBear]

Absolutely horrifying that women's rights are being trampled on again. The U.S.A. is going backwards in denying women the right to choose what to do with their own bodies.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58424249

Incredible how individuals can apparently sue anyone who has helped someone arrange an abortion. To get a large sum in "compensation ".

I am a firm believer that countries end up with the politicians they deserve, either by supporting them or by being too cowardly to openly oppose them. I would put the USA on the second group. I can't get myself too excited by what happens there.

It's outrageous. But presumably the majority of people who voted in state elections supported candidates whom they knew were anti abortion. It would be interesting to know how many of the anti abortion voters were women! I feel it should be possible to fight this as a human rights issue.

I'd guess that, like here, the young aren't bothering to vote and are being massively disadvantaged by that.
It's very stupid, but they don't deserve this, no.

So what happens if they actually manage to find out they’re pregnant by the 6 week mark and go to the doctor or whatever, but the nearest appointment for a termination takes you over 6 weeks? I went to the doctors when I was 6 weeks for a termination, I ended up getting one when I was over 12 though as that was the nearest appointment

It's a war on women.

They should make everyone against abortion watch the Call The Midwives episodes that feature backstreet abortions, because this is what will happen.

It is a massive step backwards IMO.

@SukonthaM

So what happens if they actually manage to find out they’re pregnant by the 6 week mark and go to the doctor or whatever, but the nearest appointment for a termination takes you over 6 weeks? I went to the doctors when I was 6 weeks for a termination, I ended up getting one when I was over 12 though as that was the nearest appointment

That's a feature not a bug.

@Mummasdiary2021

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

@Mummasdiary2021 Although you disagree with the Texas laws, as someone living in a Red state, you're repeating the exact arguments that are used to get more moderate people to vote for these sorts of laws.

Re: people being "careless" and not using contraceptives. Access to contraceptives is not a given. There are women without insurance, women with no immigration status, women who were taught abstinence-only and to whom contraceptives were demonized (many evangelicals believe the pill is an abortifactant). Or there are women whose lives are unstable due to mental health issues, addiction etc.

Re: second trimester abortions- these are only 1% of abortions. Most of them are due to abnormalities not compatible with life found at the anatomy scan. However, they are also more likley to be sought by marginalized women and women who live a long distance from an abortion clinic.

I strongly recommend you read some of the Guttmacher Institute's fact-based articles on abortion issues: www.guttmacher.org/evidence-you-can-use/later-abortion#

The picture on the news with the all male, all white politicians or whatever they're called there sold it's own story.

I won't type what I think about it, but this just so wrong in so many ways.

I had surgery last week for incomplete miscarriage. Presumably this would class as abortion in Texas?

Initiated by trump, but biden also hates women so sadly not surprising, but fucking depressing.

I just hope there's some way to help the women that need one.
Whether that be a charity offering transport, funding for wage loss to travel to another state.

It's fucking horrific.

You'd barely know you were pregnant at 6 weeks - that's only the date of your missed period isn't it?
Horrifying, depressing, yet another example of the rollback of women's rights.

And access to contraception in the US has more barriers than here. It's like they want people to have unwanted pregnancies. Inhumane.

If upheld the law will stamp out all abortions, because even a clinic that stays within the restrictions will be sued into oblivion. The anti-abortion lobbyists are doubtless doing so right now.

I also fully expect Texas courts will manage to interpret the law as applying to anyone who "aids and abets" a woman to travel out of Texas for an abortion.

@RampantIvy

They should make everyone against abortion watch the Call The Midwives episodes that feature backstreet abortions, because this is what will happen.

It is a massive step backwards IMO.

Exactly this. All you do is outlaw safe, clean abortions.

Agreed but I'd add that access to abortion is also about wealth. Wealthy women have always been able to get safe abortions, either by paying doctors privately or travelling.

Indeed, poorer women of course impacted more.

Technically a rapist in Texas could earn $10,000 if his victim has an abortion after becoming pregnant from the rape.

@MabelSable

Technically a rapist in Texas could earn $10,000 if his victim has an abortion after becoming pregnant from the rape.

Yes, that is horrifying. Are we to believe certain types of men won't resort to his in order to make money?

I also think there's a lot more to it than just purely controlling women's bodies & autonomy.

It's horrific. Abortion is healthcare. They have condemned women and girls to death with this legislation.

Will miscarriage also be treated as a crime?

It also condemns very poorly babies, who would otherwise have been born peacefully and in a controlled environment where their parents have the chance to grieve and do memory making. They are condemned to be born and potentially, be subjected to pain, distress, suffering and medical interference which will do no good. Its heartbreaking.

Can they go and get it done in another state?

It's disgusting, a complete war on women. The removal of body autonomy is completely disgraceful. Oh and to a pp, if a woman has a miscarriage, she has to prove it wasn't her fault. She can be thrown in jail if she can't. There's no justification for them doing this.