Since Roe vs. Wade was overturned, there have been numerous stories of women whose lives were endangered due to abortion bans. Yet in those same states, a dog who needs an abortion due to a pregnancy complication can have one done, no questions asked, without fear the family pet will be sent to the pound as punishment, or the veterinarian will go to prison for saving her life. Apparently, anti-abortion states place more value on the life of an animal than it does on the lives of it's pregnant female citizens.
As it now stands, the outcome of the Supreme Court case regarding whether or not EMTALA permits women to have emergency, life-saving abortions brought by the Biden Administration against the state of Idaho seems to hinge upon Chief Justice John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett. They seemed to have tough questions for both sides during court hearing yesterday--but it is untelling how they will finally rule on the case. The court is not expected to make a final ruling until late June--around the same time they will be making a ruling on the abortion pill mifepristone. I will not be surprised at all if they rule in favor of letting women die.
Meanwhile, women in red states are suffering--especially poor women who need abortions and can't afford to travel. Over 64,000 women have been forced to carry rape induced pregnancies to term--and not even little girls are granted any mercy by these cruel laws and are being forced to give birth. And even before the Dobbs ruling, maternal mortality rates were a shocking 62% higher in states that banned abortion as of last year--now, the numbers are likely even higher. But the lives of women like Yeniifer Glick, a Texas woman whose life could have been saved by an abortion, mean nothing to the forced birth zealots. Women in these states are second class citizens--but what else would you expect, since the religious groups backing abortion bans seem to think a woman's only purpose in life is to be a broodmare and a household servant to a man.
We live in a very sick society, when 44% of the population will grant a woman less reproductive freedom that they would give to their dogs. If you think women should have more rights than dogs, get out there and volunteer for pro-choice causes and candidates!
Do you know a woman who needs help with an abusive relationship, or who needs help accessing abortion care? Visit my blog, plainoldjane.com—I have a couple of pages dedicated to providing a concise list of helpful resources.