Gov. Scott Walker has pledged to sign an abortion ban bill that will simultaneously restrict women's healthcare options while allowing men to sue physicians who perform the procedure for "emotional and psychological distress." Ahiza Garcia
reports:
The bill, which bans abortions 20 weeks after fertilization or in the 22nd week of pregnancy, would reportedly allow the father of the unborn child to sue, regardless of whether he has a relationship with the woman having the abortion.
If the physician gives or tries to give an abortion after the 20-week mark, the father would be able to sue for damages, which include "personal injury and emotional and psychological distress," according to HuffPo. The site reported that the right would be provided to the father so long as the pregnancy was not the result of rape or incest.
Well, that rape/incest exception is a real relief, because there's no rape or incest exception for the woman seeking the abortion—she'll
be prohibited from getting an abortion after 20 weeks no matter how she got pregnant.
The bill also reportedly allows women to sue a physician who performs an abortion after 20 weeks. So it's totally equitable in that sense—except that most women who have an abortion likely wouldn't want to sue the person who performed it for them.
So for the most part we're just talking about a way to expand rights for the oppressed—men, in this case. The women, on the other hand, Scotty couldn't care less.
Last week, Walker defended an abortion bill he signed into law in 2013 that required women to get ultrasounds before having an abortion. He described the ultrasounds as “pretty cool.”
Just guessing he hasn't talked to any women about how "cool" it was.
Wisconsin lawmakers have yet to schedule a vote on the 20-week abortion ban bill but are expected to act on it next week.
