Oklahoma had a bill struck down recently, because it combined four abortion-related topics in one bill, contrary to Oklahoma's one-subject law. So what did the antis do? Split it up and passed each one individually, that's what! W'ev. The four bills are mostly standard anti-choice/pro-forced-birth stuff: requiring a doctor to be present when RU-486 is administered, thus adding extra and unnecessary hassle and expense for abortion clinics providing medical abortions; adding an ultrasound+explanation requirement to abortion procedures; a provider opt-out for those who object to abortion; and the scariest one, mandating personal information be gathered on every woman seeking abortion, which will be gathered and published on a state-run website. They like to say it's non-identifying information, but when you have to report the date of the abortion, how far along you were, what county you're from, your age, race, marital status, and how many children you have...put all that together and you can really narrow a list down, especially in a small or rural community. And what with the stigma surrounding abortion these days - thanks, pro-forced-birthers! We love you too! - having to give all this information has the potential to be a significant deterrent for women who would want abortion, but be afraid to be identified. Which is, of course, the point. Not that they'll admit that.
The panel also passed HB 2780 by Rep. Lisa Billy, R-Lindsay, which would require women who seek an abortion to have an ultrasound and have its contents explained to them.
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Billy responded: “This bill is about choice for women. It is an opportunity for her to understand what is growing inside of her and the consequences.”
Anyway. As fucked-up as the reporting requirements bit is, I wanted to highlight the quote from the writer/sponsor of the ultrasound bill. Because that? Is misogyny, pure and simple. From a woman, no less! Love that. So here it is, Lisa Billy: women are actually quite aware of what is growing inside them, when they are pregnant. That is, in fact, the entire point of getting an abortion! Because when you know what is growing inside you, you then may or may not want it to continue growing inside you. Amazingly enough, when women seek to get an abortion, they are actually wanting to get an abortion! I know, it's a staggering concept, that idea that women might have the intelligence lurking in their delicate, pink, ruffly ladybrainz to know that they are pregnant, and this means that they are going to have a baby, and that an abortion will mean they will not have a baby, all without someone mansplaining it to them. Here, have some smelling salts, and clutch these pearls while you contemplate the consequences of the revelation that women might actually know exactly what the fuck they're doing when they get an abortion, and still get one anyway.
