A dreadful backward step

As someone said on twitter today, most red states in the USA will be like Gilead before long if the republicans take back the senate in the midterm elections. Possibly the whole of the USA will have banned abortion in one or two years. A majority of the Supreme Court are RC so watch out America. Some are also saying that contraception is likely to be banned.

It is worrying, women have fought hard and long to have autonomy over their bodies.

The fundamental right for a women is control over her body and that has been completely steam rollered over by Texas. Horrible decision.

Many women especially teenagers won't realise they are pregnant before six weeks. This means that they will be forced to have a baby causing more poverty for many.
I am not in favour of abortion for convenience but if it is on health grounds or for people who will struggle to look after a child then it should be allowed for the sake of the baby too.

I mentioned on an American Facebook page that many states still allow underage marriage and none of the Americans knew that. It’s so backward in some ways.

Its horrific but America I am afraid has never been at the forefront of rights for women, I dont know if that's because of the strong influence of religion there.

Scary retrograde step, the religious influence in some states is very strong. I know of places personally where the pastors preach sexism, racism and definitely encourage homophobia.

It's awful. It really does feel like the world is moving backwards where women's rights are concerned. After years of making progress in many areas, it's like there's been a backlash, and we are being swept aside.

While this has been passed in Texas, I can not see it spreading across America. The American's do not stand for their rights being taken away. Shame many people in this country don't feel the same. Texas may well suffer a backlash yet.

Isn’t it strange that once the babies that are so desired by the lawmakers are born, the very same people then want to wash their hands of them, affording the child and their family no statutory maternity leave, a lack of medical care, a minimal welfare social net, and an education that they begrudge paying taxes for. Heaven help them, too, if they’re black or disabled or a migrant.

Can Texans potentially travel out of state to get medical treatment like the Irish used to travel to England? Or is that an offence as well?
Some of these babies will be born into far less than ideal homes and families. In a worst case scenario, some may be born without medical care and unregistered or fall into the wrong hands.

I imagine they can travel but if they don’t the money and/or connections, it’s very difficult.

have the money

Anyone who reports someone having an abortion after five weeks' pregnancy or reports someone who helps her – a lift to the clinic, for example – can claim a reward. There are no exceptions – rape or incest, for example – allowed. Brought to you by Texas, home of freedom from mask mandates during a pandemic.

That is dystopian.

I saw Margaret Atwood on her UK tour just before lockdown (it was to promote The Testaments) , and she said that the US was slipping into Gilead-like ways. It looks like she wasn't wrong.

Oh no.
I had not considered rape and incest. I realise that because of a lack of money, many may not have the means to pay for a hospital birth or proper care. How awful.

It gets worse. The person who reports anyone connected to an abortion after about five or six weeks does not have to have any connection to the woman or other people involved. However, there is nothing to stop a rapist or a family member who has impregnated her from claiming the $10,000 reward.

And of course there will be women who will die either through attempting back street abortions or by taking their own life. When I was young a friend denied an abortion tried to take her own life she was saved purely by chance. She lost the baby anyway but she could have died. I always remember her whenever I see abortion being questioned or in this case made almost impossible.

At least Biden has now spoken out against it. Though what he can do, I have no idea. It’s like the Taliban have moved into Texas, keeping women down.

What apalls me most about this is that some women must have voted for it...

absent

Anyone who reports someone having an abortion after five weeks' pregnancy or reports someone who helps her – a lift to the clinic, for example – can claim a reward. There are no exceptions – rape or incest, for example – allowed. Brought to you by Texas, home of freedom from mask mandates during a pandemic.

That’s like it used to be in Iron Curtain countries, where reporting on your neighbours was a way of life for some.
Medical care costs so much over there, as you say Onwardandupward. So travelling out of state might be too much added expense.
Definitely a retrograde step.

MaizieD

What apalls me most about this is that some women must have voted for it...

Yes, it is appalling when women find ways to oppress other women.

I understand religious objections to abortion, and why some people would never do it themselves, but to force that belief onto others, particularly in such a punitive and indiscriminate way is just inhumane.

I'm not in favour of abortion at all but I completely disagree with this change. It is frightening what this means for some women and children.

I’m not in favour of abortion, either but it is up to those involved to make the decision not the government. As someone said, what about rape, incest or someone carrying a baby known to have a serious life threatening disability? So. I have for home of the brave, land of the free. Huh. Showing their true colours ?