Oh, no, askye, I'm sorry!
I find the second law, the one protecting doctors who decide to withhold information about the fetus, to be a much bigger problem.
I don't know about much bigger, but it does feel like just as huge a problem, for a whole different set of horrifying reasons. It's really just fascinating, how much disregard and utter contempt for women both bills show, in such different but complementary ways.
I only wish I had ever planned to visit Oklahoma for any reason at all, so that it would mean something to boycott it.
See, and the thing is, I think it would be totally interesting to gather statistics on why women are choosing abortion, and use that to try to get the rate of abortions down, if that's what you want to do--Is it that they are experiencing birth control failure? Need more contraception? Need access to the morning after pill? IS someone terminating due to a diagnosis of the fetus? Etc etc. But gather in bulk, not all "oh, a 27 year old married woman in tiny city got one last week! Wonder who THAT was.."
I am increasingly furious that the same demographic who insist on this shit is the same demographic that wants decreased funding for early childcare assistance in any and all forms. They care about the living until they can breathe on their own. After that, it's a big "FUCK YOU!"
Kinda like a prolife governor with a pregnant teenage daughter slashing funding for homes for unwed mothers? Yeah, it's a lot like that.
Good point, meara. I think that information should be used to help girls and women make responsible, healthy choices, and stats and research that would be gathered with respect towards privacy (and, yo, medical ethics) is just fine. Let's work towards making contraception healthier, more user-friendly and safe; let's focus on education and decision-making; let's work towards empowering women and men, girls and boys, on being healthy and happy.
This legislation does NOT work towards that end.
Sorry for all of the swearing. Well, I am not sorry, but if it's uncool to swear this much on b.org, I trust you'll tell me.
So if the lawmakers in OK and AZ got together, would they still want every undocumented pregnant person to keep her baby? And have it born on American soil?
I find the second law, the one protecting doctors who decide to withhold information about the fetus, to be a much bigger problem. I mean, would they consider it at all appropriate for a doctor to do in other circumstances? To not inform a patient of the risks of surgery, or withhold information regarding the patient's diagnosis?
ABSOLUTELY THIS.
The problem with the first measure isn't the ultrasound itself - I assume most doctors would want to do one anyway, just to confirm pregnancy before scheduling surgery - it's the mandatory paternalistic lecture afterwards. Why don't they just write it so the law says "AND HENCEFORTH ALL OB/GYNS MUST ACT LIKE POMPOUS ASSHATS WHO CHOSE THEIR PROFESSION BECAUSE THEY HATE WOMEN ALL THE TIME."?
