Abortion Rights Limited Across the Country
In the last year, the states of Texas, Florida and Idaho have passed legislation restricting abortion access and reproductive rights.
In the last year, the states of Texas, Florida and Idaho have passed legislation restricting abortion access and reproductive rights. The Guttmacher Institute found that since Texas’s anti-abortion legislation went into effect, at least one abortion clinic in 12 states which do not border Texas reported seeing additional patients from Texas. Additionally, organizations including Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights have organized protests against the anti-abortion legistlation.
A woman holding a coat hanger with an attached flyer saying “March 8 International Women's Day” at the International Women’s Day March on Tuesday, March 8 in Los Angeles (Forrest Flanders | The Corsair)
Texas - Sep. 1, 2021
A restrictive abortion bill went into effect in Texas on Sep. 1, 2021. Approved by Gov. Greg Abbott on May 19, 2021, the bill known as the Texas Heartbeat Act bans abortion after the detection of a “heartbeat” from a developing fetus. That cardiac activity can occur as early as six weeks. Opponents of the bill, such as the ACLU of Texas, have argued that this law is an outright ban on abortions in Texas, as six weeks has the same timeframe as two missed menstrual cycles, at which many women may not even know they are pregnant.
Idaho - March 14, 2022
On March 14, the Idaho State House approved Senate Bill 1309 (SB 1309), a law similar to Texas’. Like the Heartbeat Act, SB 1309 effectively bans abortion after the fetus has a dectable “heartbeat.” In the case of a successful abortion, the bill also allows the fetus’s family members to bring legal action against the person who chose to have the abortion, as well as the medical professional who performed the procedure.
California - March 8, 2022
Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights organized protests across the United States on March 8 in honor of International Women’s Day. The rallies, which were held in cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, arose in reaction to the recent anti-abortion and anti-reproductive rights legislation.
Activist and author Sikivu Hutchinson proposed ways to get involved with local and national politics to fight the anti-abortion bills that Republican legislators continue to promote. Some methods she suggested include coalition-building, protests, voting, holding anti-abortion politicians accountable, supporting abortion funds, and training people with uteruses to self-determine on their own reproductive health care.
Hutchinson believes that the Republicans legislators passing anti-abortion measures have been emboldened by former President Donald Trump and his acolytes. “These are all part part of a more systematic white conservative agenda to dismantle many of the gains people of color, queer folks, and women of all ethnicities have made over the past few decades,” she said.
Florida - July 1. 2022
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk awaiting his signature is House Bill 5, which the Florida House voted to pass on Feb. 17. If signed, the bill would go into effect July 1. The bill bans access of abortions after a 15 week period. The law allows exceptions for cases of fatal injury to the mother or for fetal abnormalities that would result in death.