Childbearing is inherently dangerous, and it is time that the risks of pregnancy became a part of our national conversation about contraception and abortion.
Victims and witnesses to reproductive coercion, intimidation, and bullying must try to speak up, seek help, or intervene as the situation requires. When it comes to public and political behavior, calling reproductive coercion what it is the first step to ending it.
Rewire brings you the silenced testimony from the hundreds of Texans—many of whom had been waiting over 15 hours—who were denied the opportunity to be heard by their elected representatives.
Hundreds of pro-choice Texans gathered in Austin Thursday—and into Friday morning—to testify against a bill that would shut down all but five abortion clinics in the state. "Our words are not repetitive," testified one citizen, after a GOP lawmaker cut off testimony. "Our government's attacks on our choice, on our bodies, is repetitive."
I never quite understand how to answer that question. My immediate response is usually, "Sex—unprotected sex, to be exact." However, the real answer is far more complex, and some individuals may see my reasons as "excuses" so I usually don't bother to explain it. But I will now.
After Trent Franks flubbed his lines, Marsha Blackburn was brought in to manage passage of the bill, which was designed as a challenge to Roe. The floor debate included one Republican's interpretation of a fetus' hand movements as "Be patient; I’ll be out soon."
I have been asked to suggest how we constructively engage women in Maternal Newborn and Child Health issues as "more than patients," so I have come up with six suggested steps that we might all take together to achieve success.
