New Abortion Laws Sweeping the Country

On Thursday, August 2nd, Arizona's new law regarding abortion goes into effect. According to this law, no abortion shall be performed past 20 weeks (20 weeks from the last missed period...an extreme that most states passing 20 week bills don't seek to pass). This includes abortions due to fetal abnormality. Therefore, if a woman goes in for her anatomy scan at 20 weeks, 1 day and finds that her precious baby has a defect that is causing him or her to suffer, or one that will not allow them to thrive outside of the womb, or worse...will kill them, she will be forced to carry the pregnancy to term, crossing her fingers that her child passes on their own or that he or she does not suffer for long after they are born. Even Georgia's new 20 week bill that goes into effect in January isn't this extreme (Don't get all giddy...it's 10 different kinds of effed up, as well. There is no exception for rape and incest past 20 weeks). Georgia's law will outlaw abortions past 20 weeks gestation, with an exception for pregnancies that our wonderful Governor (cough), Nathan Deal, calls "medically futile" (Side note: The definition of futile: incapable of producing any useful results. Pointless......just in case you were wondering).

It is so sad to me that women and their families are suffering because pro-life politicians have such an agenda to push. I wish that people could understand that this issue really does need to be considered on a case by case basis. For example, while I support abortion...I personally do not believe in using abortion as a form of birth control, over and over again. I think that it should be used as an absolute last resort. But because these politicians believe that they have an agenda to push, they see this issue in absolutes. There is no gray area. Because their supporters don't support abortion, they are putting restricting laws on the issue for EVERYONE. They're treating every issue exactly the same. It's unacceptable. And as women, we need to be standing up and raising hell.

Way to go, Nate!

Yesterday, on May 2nd, Georgia governor Nathan Deal signed into law, a bill that not only bans abortion after 20 weeks, but has no (I repeat, NO) exception for rape OR incest. This new law will go into effect January 1, 2013. Let it also be noted that the bill states that any abortion done AFTER 20 weeks, will be done in such a way that the fetus will be born alive. Good going, Mr. Deal! Because we all know that watching a 20 wk baby struggle and die is MUCH more humane than an injection to the heart with a peaceful, dignified death to follow.  And let's not even mention what a wonderful effect this will have on a mother. This will was passed because some people believe that at 20 weeks, a baby can start to feel pain. I won't pretend that I know when a baby is able to feel pain. I DO know that all of the neurological stuff has to be in order so that the brain can send pain signals to the nerves. Again, I'm not sure exactly when this happens. BUT, if a 20 weeker DOES feel pain, wouldn't it feel the struggle of an induced premature labor?

The only exception is for medically futile pregnancies.

The 12 year old who's uncle has raped her, yet she doesn't know what the signs of symptoms of pregnancy are, and her parents don't realize until she's 5 or 6 months along? No luck for her! I can't imagine the effects this will have on some of these women.

Of course, no one wants to have a 20 week abortion. NO abortion is ideal...especially one that is this far along for whatever reason. But it happens. There are reasons BEHIND them. And if you are one of unlucky ones to have your body violated and have it result in pregnancy and you live in Georgia, you're shit out of luck.

Call me a bra burning feminist but, I have a hard time believing that any woman would pass such a bill.