Abortion, Every Day (2.29.24)

Missouri AG is accusing Planned Parenthood of 'trafficking'

Click to skip ahead: In Travel Bans, Missouri’s AG is laying the groundwork to stop teens from leaving. In the States, news from Alabama, Kentucky and more. School Indoctrination & Media Muck-Ups is self-explanatory. In Anti-Choice Strategy, conservatives are co-opting environmental justice. In the Nation, a Senate Budget Committee hearing on abortion bans’ impact on the economy. In Listen Up, I remind you about a terrific abortion rights podcast. Smart people writing about Alabama in Extra Credit. And finally, in You Love to See It, a pop star is raising money for abortion funds.

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Travel Bans

Some Missouri news today that isn’t a new travel ban, but is absolutely a precursor to one. Attorney General Andrew Bailey is suing Planned Parenthood, claiming that the group helped minors leave the state without parental permission. Incredibly, he’s using a video from Project Veritas—a group known for making deceptively edited videos—as evidence.

If you’re a regular reader, you know I’ve written a lot about Bailey over the last year or so; he’s been one of the worst offenders in the anti-abortion attacks on democracy. In addition to holding up a pro-choice ballot measure by refusing to sign off on a cost estimate (he claimed restoring abortion rights would cost the state billions), Bailey also said that he would refuse to do his job if voters passed the proposed amendment.

Now Bailey says he’s bringing the lawsuit in order to “eradicate” Planned Parenthood:

“This is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri. What they conceal and conspire to do in the dark of night has now been uncovered. I am filing suit to ensure it never happens again.”

This is, of course, part of the Republicans’ broader war on Planned Parenthood—Missouri Republicans have been trying to block Medicaid dollars from going to the group, for example. But the suit also speaks to something much bigger: the right to travel.

You all know Republicans have been using feigned protection of children as an excuse to ban travel for teens and criminalize the adults who help them. So what better way to pave the way for such a law than with false claims about Planned Parenthood aiding in the ‘trafficking’ of children? Definitely something I’ll be keeping an eye on.

In the States

Lets stick with Missouri a moment: A Democrat in the state has introduced a bill that seeks to clarify that the definition of ‘abortion’ doesn’t include birth control. Sen. Greg Razer’s Senate Bill 1095 specifies that contraception like IUDs and emergency contraception are not abortions—an important move in a moment when Republicans have been trying to classify those types of birth control as ‘abortifacients’.

Meanwhile, The New Republic reports that Alabama Republicans have introduced a bill they say would protect IVF, but that they fail to mention it would only be a temporary reprieve. That’s because the legislation would be automatically repealed in 2025, after the next election. What a coincidence!

Also out of Alabama, The Guardian reports that the driving fundraising force behind the state Supreme Court race is a group connected to Trump mega-donors.

Speaking of fetal personhood efforts: An Alaska Republican has proposed a bill that would change the definition of ‘life’ and ‘person’ in the state’s criminal law to include fetuses and embryos. Rep. Kevin McCabe says the bill is meant to “ensure fair treatment and protection for all individuals including those yet to be born.” (Remember, ‘equal protection’ has become standard anti-abortion messaging.)

As you can imagine, the bill has seen plenty of critics—especially in the wake of the Alabama ruling. A representative of the ACLU of Alaska called the legislation “wildly unconstitutional,” for example, while a board member for the Juneau Pro-Choice Coalition characterized it as “a backdoor attempt to overturn our rights, as protected in the Alaska Constitution, to obtain a legal abortion.”

In Kentucky, nearly 300 doctors and other health care providers have signed onto an open letter asking lawmakers to repeal the state’s abortion ban, which they say “puts patient’s lives at risk.” The letter also outlines how the abortion ban impacts all reproductive health care, pointing out that more than half of Kentucky counties have no OBGYN, that medical students and residents don’t want to live in a state with a ban, and that the maternal and infant death rates are already abysmal.

At a press conference yesterday, doctors spoke about how the law ties their hands—with one pediatrician recounting a 14-year old patient who was raped by her 60 year-old landlord and carried the pregnancy to term. Dr. Michelle Elisburg asked, “Is this what we want for our children?”

Wisconsin pro-choicers and Democrats are raising the alarm about Eric Hovde, the bank owner running for a U.S. Senate seat. Wisconsin Sen. Kelda Roys spoke at a press conference outside the state Capitol yesterday, calling Hovde—who is running to take Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s seat—“another out-of-state multimillionaire trying to climb the political ladder on the backs of Wisconsin women.” Whew.

Sen. Roys also pointed out that Hovde was endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life, an extremist group that opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest. In response, Hovde’s campaign released a statement that hit on a few of our favorite anti-abortion BINGO words: “I believe the voters of Wisconsin can come together and find a common sense and compassionate solution that respects life while also safeguarding individual rights.” (Emphasis mine)

Georgia Democrats are pushing legislation to protect access to birth control and IVF. The two bills were introduced in the wake of the IVF ruling out of Alabama. From state Rep. Teri Anulewicz:

”We know that our reproductive rights are fragile. We know that IVF is on the chopping block, and we know that it is just a matter of time for contraception. It is not a question of if, but when.”

Finally, a Florida judge has ruled that a 16 year-old is not “mature” enough to have an abortion, reminding us of just how illogical anti-abortion ideology is: in what universe is someone not mature enough to consent to a ten minute medical procedure, but mature enough to raise a child?

Quick hits:

• Virginia’s General Assembly has passed two new reproductive rights bills to make contraception more affordable and protect abortion providers;

• Wyoming Republicans are pushing new TRAP laws through the legislature;

• How Iowa Republicans are tying birth control to abortion;

• And Jezebel points out that Missouri isn’t the only state where a pregnant woman can’t finalize a divorce.

School Indoctrination & Media Muck Ups

I just wrote yesterday about the bills being pushed in multiple states that would require an anti-abortion video be shown in public schools. The move is part of a broader effort by conservatives to indoctrinate children with anti-abortion propaganda as young as possible, and make a dent in the overwhelming support for abortion rights among young people.

Yesterday, the Iowa House passed a version of this legislation; it mandates children seventh grade and above be shown a video created by Live Action, a radical anti-abortion group. Similar bills are being considered in West Virginia and Kentucky; North Dakota passed the law last year.

Abortion, Every Day broke the news about this legislative campaign, and over the last week or so it’s been getting increased media attention—which is great. Or, it would be great if it wasn’t for the mainstream media obsession with both-sidesism.

Why, for example, doesn’t this Washington Post article about the legislation point out that Live Action is an extremist group known for making deceptive videos? And while I was glad to see the reporter noted that the medical ‘experts’ behind the video had views that are completely rejected by the actual medical and scientific community—there was no mention of just how radical these groups really are.

For example, the American College of Pediatricians is an anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ organization that’s been designated as a hate group. And the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that women should be given c-sections instead of abortions, and be forced into labor even when they have deadly pregnancies.

These are not just conservative groups who disagree about abortion; they are scary, dangerous organizations that are vastly out-of-step with nearly all Americans. They would have women die rather than have abortions.

The anti-abortion movement is depending on mainstream media to sanitize what they’re doing and give them credibility. It’s simply not enough to making a passing reference to the fact that they’re biased. It’s much bigger than that, and the coverage should reflect as much.

Anti-Choice Strategy: Co-opting Environmentalism

Speaking of extremist groups: I’m not sure there’s an anti-abortion organization more ridiculous than Students for Life—the group so radical they don’t even bother to hide the fact that they want to make birth control illegal.

Back in 2022, I told you about the organization’s effort to ban mifepristone by claiming abortion medication was poisoning the waste water. There’s no science, fact, rhyme or reason to that claim. But that hasn’t stopped the group from doubling down in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court this week—arguing that mifepristone in the waste water puts endangered species at risk.

Using terms like “environmental justice” and citing the Endangered Species Act, Students for Life claims that the FDA approved mifepristone without properly looking into how the drug would hurt animals.

Now, obviously they’re just throwing anything they can at the wall, and dubious science is at the heart the anti-abortion movement’s moves against mifepristone. (Two major studies were just retracted by their publisher.) But the other reason Students for Life is pushing this idea of protecting the environment from abortion medication is that their polling shows that younger people care deeply about environmentalism. Abortion bans, however, they really don’t care for.

In the Nation

Another one for “the cruelty is the point” files: Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana decided to graphically (and falsely) describe what he said was an abortion at 21 weeks—and did so just minutes after a woman testified about ending her pregnancy at 20 weeks.

Allie Phillips—the Tennessee mom who was denied an abortion despite her fetus having a fatal abnormality and is now running for office in the state—testified at the Senate Budget Committee yesterday about her experience. After her comments, Sen. Kennedy pulled out a large illustration of what he said was a 21-week fetus while falsely describing an abortion. From Phillips:

“Senator Kennedy came to this hearing knowing that there was going to be a mother here who had to make the difficult decision to terminate a 20-week pregnancy, and he decided it was in his best interest to show a 21-week fetus. And his testimony was nothing but fearmongering.”

Truly, what a piece of shit he is.

In other less rage-inducing news from the hearing—which looked at the economic impact of abortion bans—professor Caitlin Myers testified that “the decision of whether and when to become a mother is the single largest economic decision many women will make in their lifetimes.” Democratic Committee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse pointed out state bans cost the national economy about $173 billion per year, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. And Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said, “It's pretty clear that Republicans want women to stay pregnant, but won't lift a finger to help new parents.”

In an opinion piece at the Los Angeles Times, writer Jill Lawrence lays out how abortion rights could help Democrats take back the House, pointing to recent test case races in New York and California:

“A few hundred or thousand more voters concerned about reproductive freedoms would be enough to shift tight races like these at every level. And even a handful of House wins could shift control of the chamber to Democrats and ensure there’s no national abortion ban.”

Finally, Business Insider reports that the cost of abortions are going up—largely because of the logistical hurdles required to get care in post-Roe America. The costs of abortions themselves are going up too, because of the delay in being able to obtain care. Chicago Abortion Fund, for example, says that before Dobbs, they paid an average of $175 per person in medical costs—now that number is up to $450.

Quick hits:

• POLITICO has an interview with law professor Mary Ziegler about what the Alabama ruling means for all of us;

• Mother Jones on the new data showing the rise of telehealth abortions;

• The New Republic on how the anti-abortion movement relies on voter supression;

• And in international news, France just got one step closer to enshrining abortion rights in the constitution.

Listen Up

If you haven’t been listening to the terrific podcast, “The A Files” from The Meteor, make sure to remedy that immediately! The last episode went up yesterday, which means you can binge the entire season.

Extra Credit

Let’s read some smart people on shitty things. Moira Donegan wrote at The Guardian about the Alabama Supreme Court decision, pointing out that if embryos are children, ‘slippery slope’ doesn’t begin to cover it:

“Could a woman who is pregnant, or could be pregnant, have a right to do things that might endanger her embryo in a situation where an embryo is her legal equal, with a claim on state protection? Could she risk this embryo’s health and life by, say, eating sushi, or having some soft cheese? Forget about the wine. Could she be charged with child endangerment for speeding? For going on a jog?”

This is something that groups like Pregnancy Justice been warning about in their work for years—and it’s absolutely on the horizon.

Also on Alabama, Linda Greenhouse at The New York Times, makes this astute observation:

“Abortion is generally portrayed as a woman’s issue; an unwanted or even dangerous pregnancy is her problem. Infertility, by contrast, is seen as a couple’s problem. That means there is a man involved (even if, for lesbian couples, for example, or for single women, that man is only a sperm donor). And when men have a problem, we know the world is going to snap to attention.”

I’ve never thought about it that way, but I buy it. I’d also add that women seeking IVF are adhering to the gender roles conservatives agree with; they’re seeking out motherhood.

You Love to See It

I think we could all use a little bit of good news, and this is cool: singer Olivia Rodrigo announced this week that a portion of proceeds from her ticket sales will be going towards abortion rights!

Rodrigo’s new initiative, Fund 4 Good, “will partner with local chapters of the National Network of Abortion Funds to ensure those most impacted by systemic racism, misogyny, and healthcare barriers can get the reproductive care they deserve.”

This isn’t the first time Rodrigo has come out in support of abortion rights—back in 2022, she sang a duet with Lily Allen, dedicating “Fuck You” to the Supreme Court. Love it.