Across the country, conservative lawmakers continue a relentless attack on women’s reproductive rights.
On March 24, Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a measure making abortion a crime in Idaho if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, a decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
The legislation includes exceptions for rape, incest and saving the life of the mother, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Under the law, abortion is a felony and would apply to those performing abortions, not the women themselves. Doctors performing the surgeries could have their licenses suspended or revoked.
Also March 24, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves promised to take action against the state’s single abortion clinic in Jackson if it continues to provide procedures during the coronavirus pandemic, despite classifying department stores and restaurants as essential services.
That same day, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt reissued an executive order, including abortion in the state’s suspended elective surgeries.
On March 23, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a strict directive threatening jail time for abortion providers in the state who fail to postpone procedures.
On March 11, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sent letters to all of Ohio’s abortion clinics, ordering them to immediately stop providing the procedure.
While the U.S. now leads the world in confirmed COVID-19 cases, these governors have used the pandemic as an excuse to restrict women’s bodily autonomy.
Their attempts to make abortion inaccessible with the postponement of “elective” and “nonessential” procedures under the guise of freeing up hospital beds and preserving the supply of protective equipment for medical workers only serves their longstanding political goal of ending abortion, even if that means putting patients at risk.
Despite their attempts, the medical community appears unified.
Several major health care groups released a joint statement last week, “Abortion is an essential component of comprehensive health care. It is also a time-sensitive service for which a delay of several weeks, or in some cases days, may increase the risks or potentially make it completely inaccessible. The consequences of being unable to obtain an abortion profoundly impact a person’s life, health and well-being.”
To argue that abortion is a “nonessential” procedure that ought to be delayed is nonsense, and an attempt to keep the procedure from those who need it. Abortion requires comparatively few medical resources and is time-sensitive by nature.
With a large quantity of information being published every day, we don’t need to be bombarded with frightening messages about our lawmakers restricting access to reproductive health care.
In a time of unprecedented crisis, we need to ensure everyone’s health and safety is protected. Abortion is a fundamental human right – a pandemic doesn’t change that.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @apalermooo