Many bills becoming laws with each one more restrictive than the previous; sort of like a legislative, “hold my beer.” I think it’s time to take away the beer before the rest of us switch to whiskey or worse.  The hope here is apparent; to end the 1975 decision of Roe v. Wade, thus ending an era of medically safe abortions. If you don’t think abortions will stop…

I posted an article from Harper’s Bazaar on the Facebook page that I read that really got me thinking, more than I usually do. The term pro-life is a complete misnomer for the antiabortion movement. I’m not even sure where the concept of life comes here. They don’t give a damn about the mother who has health issues, financial issues, was raped or molested, doesn’t want a child, was just having sex, or insert any other reason here. They don’t give a damn about the child after they are born. They don’t give a damn about the addict that that child grows up to become. I don’t give a damn about rehabilitation from that addiction. Many of the same picketers at abortion clinics are at state penitentiaries cheering on executions. Face it, gentle reader, the term pro-life is bull shit.

From where I sit pro-life pretty much anti-woman.  I should take a moment here to mention when I say women, it is also probable that the pregnant person could be a Female to Male transgendered person. If you think women get treated like shit, as a transgendered person (We suck as a society). So yes, Karen, a male, could have an abortion. There is no emphasis on the person or the care they receive.  Pro-lifers are in such a rush to make sure that a conceived embryo at some point becomes a child they steamroll over the woman’s situation.  Not one single bill provides any assistance or guidance on prenatal care, just pop the kid out and lay down for the next.  If you think this sounds ludicrous, Oklahoma State Rep. Justin Humphrey said he viewed a pregnant woman as a “host” for the fetus she carried. It’s this kind of crap that we as providers have to fight to care for women. It’s also a significant symbol of the constant struggle women have to maintain body autonomy from people like Mr. Humphrey.  Personally, if I were his wife, I would have asked for half and walked out.  At the very least he would live on the couch with his only sexual outlet being the sin of Onan (or his mistress who can probably get an abortion on demand).

Lack of prenatal care means, a woman by some circumstance may end up pregnant and may not be in a position to bear that child. Her health may be in danger. She may have a pre-existing condition such as hypertension or diabetes. She may live in poverty and cannot adequately afford to care for that child. Which is ironic because in a society that is “pro-life,” pro-lifers and their political allies in the past two years, have made great efforts to cut well-child programs. If you’re pro-life why the hell are you cutting programs to make children healthy? Especially when the good ole USA is the highest of the “first world” countries on both fetal and maternal mortality.

The pro-life response to this statement above as well, maybe she shouldn’t have sex. These are the same pro-lifers who have Congressman, judges, and even a president who seem to love the fire their DNA in every woman they get a chance to. Yet, the woman should abstain from sex and thus the usual double standard we’ve come to know and love from folks who try to use a 2000-year-old (plus) text. A text written by men to enforce some moral standard on women that they, themselves, cannot even live up to. No one gets a bye here religious influence and magical thinking are seriously oppressing women and women’s health. Women’s health is my concern; however, the oppression of women also can degrade both physical and mental health (also my concern).

This leads to a very antisex (except for the purposes of conception) attitude. We don’t need the population, what we do need is healthy women who can have a healthy pregnancy (or terminate that pregnancy) without legal interference. Here is where we need to draw the line in healthcare.  We exist to keep people well and healthy.  It is our sole mission, and yet so many societal things get sucked in because, like these abortion bills, they try to interfere with our job or how a patient takes care of themselves. Sex is a natural body function, just like breathing.  Yet most people learn that they shouldn’t breathe in, in a particular situation and to avoid contaminated air and what we don’t learn about breathing in the wrong way, we are taught.  An educated and enlightened populace will realize the meanings of sex, protect each other from disease and the possibility of pregnancy, and finally grow to respect our bodies and ourselves.

You don’t believe me that people don’t equate their bodies and self-respect?  Look at the tube.  Every advert pushes a body image and sexuality on someone that is entirely unhealthy.  We need to take the time to educate our populace on the fact that they are desirable as they are. That sex is not so a woman, or Transgender Female to Male is a “host.”  If they are a “host,” it should be a willing and prepared “host.”

You know that “host” thing just cracks me up. Really? You must be Mr. Big Man to pull that shit off.  Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had to pay his hand to give him the time of day.  Of course, I am sure all the good ole boys at the water cooler in the Oklahoma legislature thought it was a hoot, just like running their state government into the ground…Guess they are the wrong boys to ask about “planning” anything.

Speaking of that, by enforcing more and more draconian laws regarding abortion we are taking away the option of not only safe abortions but many of these bills seek to kill any kind of family planning because, survey says, they talk about abortion. We’ve gone so far as to impose a gag order on providers receiving federal funding from talking about abortions as a solution to pregnancy.

So here we sit on the precipice of one of the most real crises we have had besides violence, and we need to decide what to do.  What do you do?  Well first off you stand on their desks and demand that they pass reasonable laws and leave the uterus the fuck alone.  Second, Justin Humphrey and folks like him that will not change their attitude about this, vote them out.  Oh, and conservative women, you know you Aunt Tomette types? These laws have a lot of impact on you as well.  No matter how good a Republican or conservative woman you are, you will fall to this kind of regulation as well.  I am pretty sure when your health is on the line, you will care much more about that than supporting the likes of Mr. Humphrey.

So vitriol aside, what do we really need for women (transgender included)? On-demand abortions? On-demand birth control? Free family planning? Free abortions? Yes, all of it and more.  We have to start with adequate sex education and reproductive education and not just from some dude named “coach,” but from real educators who work through questions and dispel myths.  We seem to be on the short list of countries that do not provide that. We need not only contraceptives available and with little or no intrusive questioning (the birth control pill does have some contraindications that should be checked).  Tubal ligations should be on demand as well. You don’t want kids? Well, why have them? Abortions need to up front, include sane discussions (not some religious crap) and allow the woman to make her own informed decision and should be free. Bottom line, when it comes to the reproductive system of a female body, the question we should ask as providers is, “what do you need me to do for you?” not tell that person everything we can’t do.  Do better, this is very unsafe for women in health care and puts them at an incredible risk.

Be good to each other and take care of each other out there.