Trump and Vance backed anti-abortion activists in March for Life speeches yesterday.
There was a rally yesterday in Washington, it was the annual March for Life rally and the first chance to see what intentions as regards womens health are now the election is over.
Two points of interest: Firstly, there has been a Federal Act in place, the federal Free Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which
penalizes people who threaten, obstruct or injure someone who is trying to access a reproductive health clinic – or who vandalize a clinic.
Trupp/Vance are pardoning all those convicted under the act,
Trump dramatically declaring they were realising the "persecuted".
Secondly concerns about access to abortions and related aspects of womens health, including criminalising abortion. We know already its only possible in certain states
But there are changes which are not so obvious Mike Johnson, (house speaker) "did win big cheers from the marchers, though, when he mentioned a recent executive order that declared that people are divided into male and female “at conception”.
That language evokes the doctrine of fetal personhood, which holds that embryos and fetuses should be granted full legal rights and protections – and which, if fully enacted, would totally outlaw abortion as well as potentially criminalize abortion patients
Most of the marchers feel there should be no exceptions - ie no abortions at all - except for ectopic pregnancy.
"Human life starts at conception,” said Henry Cooper, an 18-year-old march attender from California. “An abortion is never medically necessary. Ectopic pregnancy is something else. That’s not considered an abortion. There’s always something you can do.”
“Besides ectopic pregnancies, there are no cases where abortion improves the likelihood of the mother surviving other than a non-abortion way would,” agreed Luc Lessard, 18, of Colorado. “There’s no real cause for it.”This is just ignorance.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the pre-eminent membership organization for US ob-gyns, has repeatedly emphasized the medical need for abortion access. At least five women have reportedly died after abortion bans affected their medical care.
As of January 8, 2025, 12 states have banned abortion Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.
Here is a state by state summary of restrictions. You'll see it's very widespread, complex, and punitive.
www.context.news/money-power-people/roe-v-wade-which-us-states-are-banning-abortion#
(Quotes on abortion rally from the Guardian)
Rosie51
Females should never have their value measured as breeding stock, that's repulsive. You have to wonder at the mindset of those who'd consider a reduction in the numbers of teenaged mothers as anything other than a positive outcome.
LizzieDrip could you also consider that blasphemy is offensive to many and find other ways to express yourself?
I agree with both of your statements!
Let America sort themselves out they don't dare what we think, why would they? We have more than enough doom and gloom with our government
Additionally I was reading an article detailing how they’ve cut or halted funding. To institutes investigating cancer research as well as backed a ruling making it no longer necessary for their health insurance to cover mammograms and routine cancer screenings. I can’t imagine living in such a state
Females should never have their value measured as breeding stock, that's repulsive. You have to wonder at the mindset of those who'd consider a reduction in the numbers of teenaged mothers as anything other than a positive outcome.
LizzieDrip could you also consider that blasphemy is offensive to many and find other ways to express yourself?
”In other words, uteri are state slush funds, and girls owe the state reproduction once they are capable of it.”
Jesus Christ!
Thanks Wyllow.
Girls as breeding stock.
quote from Article
"“Remote dispensing of abortion drugs by mail, common carrier, and interactive computer service is depressing expected birth rates for teenaged mothers in Plaintiff States,” the attorneys general allege in the complaint, which was filed before forced birth enthusiast Judge Matt Kacsmaryk in the Northern District of Texas’s Amarillo Division.
They claim that decreased births constitute “a sovereign injury to the state in itself,”
and causes downstream injuries like “losing a seat in Congress or qualifying for less federal funding if their populations are reduced.”
In other words, uteri are state slush funds, and girls owe the state reproduction once they are capable of it."
What's coming to teens in red states.
ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics/mifepristone-lawsuit-republican-ags-more-pregnant-teens/
Women should have reproductive rights, if men could get pregnant abortions would be given in every country, no questions asked.
Women the world over are dying due to a lack of reproductive rights, the time to draw line under this and consign it to the dark ages has long passed.
Trump and Vance both intervened just yesterday at federal - not State - level,
when they decriminalised people who threaten, obstruct or injure someone who is trying to access a reproductive health clinic – or who vandalise a clinic. So to say its all down to the states is simply disingenuous.
Baggs
As I understand it, the Roe v Wade case put the federal government in charge of abortion rights. The recent change (overturning) of this gave the problem (and the law-making) back to individual states where it had been originally in accordance with the US Constitution which was supposed to limit the powers of the federal government to things like defence of the nation.
So whatever is happening now is not down to Trump and Vance whatever their personal positions on the issues are. People should be targetting their state governments if they want to change the law on access to abortion (euphemistically called "right to reproductive health" or some such).
We can blame Trump 100 percent as he appointed the conservative judges that overturned Roe vs Wade . Don’t try to whitewash Trump from the travesty of his actions .
undines
Your language about terminations, murder the life within us, shows you have no understanding of the very real issues some women face.
Suppose you are 16 and pregnant via incest/rape (much more common than you’d think) You’d say this 16 year old is a murderer Would that also apply to the doctor carrying out this procedure?
undines
I am not sure that our finest right as women is to be able to murder the life within us. Many cultures believe that the soul enters the body at a certain point, at about six weeks of pregnancy, and I think they may be right. People have a right to pray for these unborn souls, outside abortion clinics. If our whole culture were turned upside down and motherhood were given the status it should have, fewer women would want terminations. The trend, which is apparently taking place in some areas, to abort later and later in pregnancy I find disgusting. I think we need to widen the discussion, respectfully and sensitively. Promiscuity and serial abortions are not a lifestyle choice to be encouraged. Many women are emotionally scarred for life by abortion. I am also wondering where the 'morning after' pill comes in all of this? Can't young women be encouraged to respect their bodies a bit more, and get sensibly prepared? Personally, I do not believe in abortion after the placenta has taken over, at about 14 weeks. There are times in life when you make a mistake and you have to live with it, and I've never heard anyone say they regret having a child (although I cannot know what they think) whereas many regret the abortion.
I think many many regret having both terminations and having unplanned/unwanted babies.
I don’t think there would have many circumstances where I would have had a termination, but I respect every other woman’s right to have one, irrespective of their reasons.
The issue is also that the reproductive health clinics which are being picketed etc., also deal with contraception and general female reproductive health such as smear tests etc. Is the next step banning the use of IUDs? Or banning sterilisation for women?
I am passionate about a woman's right to choose.
I will tell, once more, the story that I have told before.
Two women I know found , at a routine scan, that their eagerly anticipated second child had a condition that was not compatible with life.
One elected to terminate and one went through to delivery: the baby lived three days.
In the middle of this terrible experience, which have, I know, stayed with the families forever, who has any right to take away the rights of either woman?!
Oh, and had the baby survived a little longer, it would have had every medical need met by the NHS. This is certainly not true in the USA.
I respect anyone saying that it's not something they would do, but they should give the same respect for the autonomy of everyone over their body.
I would always support a safe medical and legal abortion. My sister, in the 50s/early 60s, worked on the wards were patients of botched back street abortion were taken. Despite being a devout Christian she was so shocked by what she saw that to this day she too supports safe abortion. That's not to say that abortion should be used lightly but it is necessary.
Thank you David Steel.
Baggs
As I understand it, the Roe v Wade case put the federal government in charge of abortion rights. The recent change (overturning) of this gave the problem (and the law-making) back to individual states where it had been originally in accordance with the US Constitution which was supposed to limit the powers of the federal government to things like defence of the nation.
So whatever is happening now is not down to Trump and Vance whatever their personal positions on the issues are. People should be targetting their state governments if they want to change the law on access to abortion (euphemistically called "right to reproductive health" or some such).
Trump could intervene as part of rights and funding for health provision in the broadest sense across the nation. I don't agree there is "nothing to be done". Vance has made many anti abortion statements and said at the rally
"At Anti-Abortion Rally, Vice President JD Vance Says He Wants "More Babies" In US"
www.ndtv.com/world-news/at-anti-abortion-rally-vice-president-jd-vance-says-he-wants-more-babies-in-us-7554444
Trump has changed what he says over time, basically I dont think he cares about women as long as he has power.
I view the democrats policies on gender issues as misogyny on steroids so for me it was a case of misogynists on the right and misogynists on the left and me in the middle.
I dont support Trump so I dont fall into Wyllows group on GN, but I would not have voted democrat either.
I am not sure that our finest right as women is to be able to murder the life within us. Many cultures believe that the soul enters the body at a certain point, at about six weeks of pregnancy, and I think they may be right. People have a right to pray for these unborn souls, outside abortion clinics. If our whole culture were turned upside down and motherhood were given the status it should have, fewer women would want terminations. The trend, which is apparently taking place in some areas, to abort later and later in pregnancy I find disgusting. I think we need to widen the discussion, respectfully and sensitively. Promiscuity and serial abortions are not a lifestyle choice to be encouraged. Many women are emotionally scarred for life by abortion. I am also wondering where the 'morning after' pill comes in all of this? Can't young women be encouraged to respect their bodies a bit more, and get sensibly prepared? Personally, I do not believe in abortion after the placenta has taken over, at about 14 weeks. There are times in life when you make a mistake and you have to live with it, and I've never heard anyone say they regret having a child (although I cannot know what they think) whereas many regret the abortion.
Barleyfields
And people on GN support these misogynists. Unbelievable in 21st century US.
iirc, from what I have read, GN supporters of Trump don't necessarily agree with these policies on Womens Health matters.
As I understand it, the Roe v Wade case put the federal government in charge of abortion rights. The recent change (overturning) of this gave the problem (and the law-making) back to individual states where it had been originally in accordance with the US Constitution which was supposed to limit the powers of the federal government to things like defence of the nation.
So whatever is happening now is not down to Trump and Vance whatever their personal positions on the issues are. People should be targetting their state governments if they want to change the law on access to abortion (euphemistically called "right to reproductive health" or some such).
Cossy
Shocking and horrifying.
It’ll simply lead to underground, back streets abortion, women dying, babies born into awful situations and many more babies in danger
Absolutely agree.
This will lead to untold hardship and misery for so many women.
Back to the 60's then. Let's hope there's another Gloria Steinem waiting in the wings .
Cossy
Shocking and horrifying.
It’ll simply lead to underground, back streets abortion, women dying, babies born into awful situations and many more babies in danger
Very true.
Taking away women’s rights like this is a backwards step that could lead anywhere, and nowhere good for women.
Shocking and horrifying.
It’ll simply lead to underground, back streets abortion, women dying, babies born into awful situations and many more babies in danger
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