state of oklahoma mandates vaginal probes for women
My sorry assed fucking state just passed one of the most regressive anti-abortion bills in the country. In order to freely determine what happens to her body once SB 1878 goes into effect in Oklahoma, any woman who has made the decision to terminate a pregnancy will have to undergo an ultrasound an hour before the procedure.
This is a trans-vaginal ultrasound, which requires a probe to be inserted into the vagina. This will be mandated by the state. Along with this physical violation, "medical personnel must then provide an explanation of the ultrasound. They also must display the ultrasound so the woman can view it, although she may avert her eyes."
She. may. avert. her. eyes. Really? Doesn't the state fucking own her goddamned eyes too??? I have written about abortion before and I know from my own experience that it is a rare woman who makes that decision lightly.
This fucking law intrudes into the private life of a woman at what is, for most, a vulnerable and difficult time of life. I am outraged. I really can't believe it. Our democratic governor, Brad Henry, vetoed the bill, but only because he thought it didn't provide exceptions for rape/incest victims.
His veto was overriden by the legislature, including dozens of democrats. And it's them I'm most pissed off about. It's one thing to have some fuckheaded right wing lunatic like Sally Kern blathering on about gays and hate. At least she is what she is and it's evident for all to see. These fucking democrats are selling us out at every level of government, everywhere. I am sick. Furious. Disgusted. I hate my state today.
This is a trans-vaginal ultrasound, which requires a probe to be inserted into the vagina. This will be mandated by the state. Along with this physical violation, "medical personnel must then provide an explanation of the ultrasound. They also must display the ultrasound so the woman can view it, although she may avert her eyes."
She. may. avert. her. eyes. Really? Doesn't the state fucking own her goddamned eyes too??? I have written about abortion before and I know from my own experience that it is a rare woman who makes that decision lightly.
This fucking law intrudes into the private life of a woman at what is, for most, a vulnerable and difficult time of life. I am outraged. I really can't believe it. Our democratic governor, Brad Henry, vetoed the bill, but only because he thought it didn't provide exceptions for rape/incest victims.
His veto was overriden by the legislature, including dozens of democrats. And it's them I'm most pissed off about. It's one thing to have some fuckheaded right wing lunatic like Sally Kern blathering on about gays and hate. At least she is what she is and it's evident for all to see. These fucking democrats are selling us out at every level of government, everywhere. I am sick. Furious. Disgusted. I hate my state today.
Labels: abortion, anti-woman legislation, fuckheads in oklahoma, SB 1878
posted by BigAssBelle at 12:41 PM
19 Comments:
I was SO glad to get out of Utah when I did at 28. Your post reminded me why. I know moving's not always an option when you're family's close to you needing help.
Still THIS is suffocating, and you don't know who you can even talk to when Democrats are siding with the Right Wingnuts.
It is truly an outrage to have read your post and know that in 2008, some humans can even pass laws like this and look anyone in the eye.
I imagine these are the same people who don't believe in evolution. Maybe there's reason they believe this way. THEY have NOT evolved. My heart aches for you knowing your surrounded by this mind-set.
Wow, I'm just shocked to hear a law like that passed...
Cindy in Colorado
Oh my god, that's just ... staggeringly awful and stupid and anti-woman and ... WRONG.
I hate Oklahoma today too, and I've never even been there.
I just can't believe this. I'd have to move out of the state before I went postal in the state capitol.
I, unfortunately, live in Oklahoma. I hate this new abortion law as much as you. It's damn ridiculous. If we want to terminate a pregnancy, it's our own choice. Plus, the damn procedure itself is going to basically "rape" anyone wanting an abortion.
I had to read this twice - the state has the right to violate a woman's body? They put people in jail for exactly that. In Canada this could be challenged under our Charter of Rights but I'm not familiar with US Right legislation. Is there any way a woman can challenge this or even bring the state and the medical practicioners doing the "probe" to court for violation?
So the "victim" can avert her eyes - can she also cover her ears so there will be no sound?
I am disgusted.
Barbaric.
Where is the ACLU?
Morally nauseating..
I now begin to question the theory of evolution.. because as a species we have regressed in the past decade. Keep us updated on the lawsuits!
Unbelievable! What next?
This is just so disheartening to hear. I am outraged that the women in your state will have to suffer a law which was probably introduced and passed by a male majority. This is entirely regressive, anti woman, draconian, and unbelievable. How symbolic that a woman, in a fragile and possibly distraught frame of mind, will have to be raped by a phallic ultra sound probe, in order to have a pregnancy terminated. This is just morally inconceivable, disgusting, and typical of the Taliban embracing, right wing fucktards. I hope all the males in your State Legislature will have to be anally probed when they decide to have a vasectomy. Hell, I hope they all get anally probed period, and I hope the probe is really really LARGE AND THICK.
Lynette:
First of all thank you for your posts on my blog. Like you I find this to be beyond outrageous. But there's some additional information I added to your original post that you and your readers might find interesting - especially the legislator who voted for the bill because he knew the women in HIS family could get an abortion regardless:
http://tinyurl.com/4gbzrk
Don't worry. Women can always just fly to Switzerland to have abortions. What? Some women can't afford that? Well, the important thing is that this law won't really effect rich people.
I understand your rage. I don't think I could ever live where you live and retain my sanity.
I know how how you feel. I hate how the government thinks they own my paycheck. That's why I won't vote Democrat. Just as it's your body and you should be able to do with it whatever you want, it's my money, and I should be able to do with it whatever I want.
I'm surprised they didn't insist on eye opening clamps and forced viewing ala A Clockwork Orange.
Who are these people? They're hardly recognizable from my liberal left coast perch.
My heart goes out to you and all the women of OK who've been so terribly wronged by this barbaric law.
I have mixed feelings about this law. I think some women are not informed about fetal development and should be fully aware of the stage of development the fetus is at before terminating her pregnancy. Showing an educational video of other fetuses at different stages would be sufficient to accomplish this.
While many women are determined to have an abortion and feel no sorrow afterward, there are those who do have regrets years later, once they realize what they did not understand at the time of their abortion. Informed consent is important for any operation.
As for being violated by a probe, are you kidding me? Don't you think the actual abortion is a violation of the woman's body--ripping a growing life out of the womb? If a woman is prepared to have this operation, she should be emotionally strong enough to handle having a probe inserted into her vagina. Most women allow the gynecologist to insert tools into her for an ob-gyn exam--what's so different here, except the anger at being forced to do something that you don't want to do?
Number 1 Goal: Keep on promoting sex education and personal sexual responsibility. Consistent and proper use of birth control and/or abstinence is the best way to reduce the number of elective abortions. Abortion should be the last resort for avoiding childbearing.
I was once completely against abortion, when I was younger. Now I don't like the human species as much and it doesn't hurt my heart the way it used to to think about it. There is so much sorrow in the world, caused by humans to other humans, to other life on earth, to our ecology, that reducing our numbers on earth, overall, is a good thing. We are an infestation.
BTW, I live in Oklahoma, am only slightly younger than you, and have never had an elective abortion, but did have the sad experience of a miscarriage at the end of the first term of one of my pregnancies.
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oh my god. Scary stuff ... slippery slope and all that. This is horrible, sad, and outrageous.
You know, I've often been in those debates about which is worse, living in a blatantly blue/progressive area, where racism/sexism is subtle, harder to recognize, sneaky, worked into the systems while covered by a liberal veil ... or living in a red/conservative area where at least you "know where folks stand", can see more clearly what you're up against.
No thanks, I'll stay in Seattle and take the undercover crap any day.
And I can't even begin to address the 3rd paragraph of Jolie's first comment.
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