I definitely think public perception of ivf is different from abortion. None of the people I know who have had an abortion are public about it. Everyone I know who has had a baby via ivf is open about it. Also ivf is more integrated into medical care than abortion. I just can’t imagine protesters being successful screaming at patients outside of hospitals about ivf like are at planned parenthood screaming about abortion.
Thanks, Jessica, for the links to the New Yorker piece on Dr. Bernard and the ProPublica piece on the hospital committees. Yes, very important reporting. And very glad to hear about your nephew. :)
Re the Missouri story - back in the late 1970s, I knew of a woman whose husband was convicted of murdering several sex workers. She hid her pregnancy when she filed for divorce because she knew even then they wouldn't let her divorce if she was pregnant.
The video in schools really stuck out to me today. I live in Texas where I had to "opt-in" my kids for sex education. Yes, "opt-in"! Teen pregnancy is on the rise in Texas for the first time in over a decade and we've decided getting any education to be taboo. Our school district also decided to not make Health class a mandatory class and thought maybe we could stick sex ed in some Ag classes.
On a similar note I was talking with my 80 year old mother a few days ago and we were talking about my uncles family. He (87 yrs old) is now supporting his great-granddaughter and her child. Every generation in his branch has had babies in high school. For some reason this story really struck me and I came to understand that for so many people they have normalized this situation and don't really see it as a problem. So voting Republican doesn't bother them b/c they don't see things like birth control, IVF (they are a fertile bunch), or abortion as issues they care about b/c they do what is "right" and take care of each other (probably with some government assistance).
“that Republicans will back some sort of protection for IVF and use that to pretend as if they’re willing to compromise or be ‘reasonable’ on reproductive rights. “
Absolutely going to happen because it’s (1) logically inconsistent with all their other arguments and (2) supports rich white people.
They're making it up as they go along. Trump wants to get pack in power, so he'll summon the minions and they'll try to hoodwink the electorate. The democrats better out this stuff.
The GOP can not say it's abortion in a "womb" but not in a test tube.
Before they’re done, pregnant people will be sneaking off in the night to visit the old wise women who’ll recommend pennyroyal tea. Of course that wise woman will be accused of being a witch and practicing witchcraft. They’ll kill her pet, or rather “familiar,” and she’ll be hanged unless the “Christian” tribunal instituted laws about burning witches in the USA.
The tribunal will be a court system created to judge the crimes against the Christian faith, like breaking the sabbath, practicing any form of religion other than the US government sanctioned one, having “recreational” sex, using any form of birth control or abortion or miscarriage, being LGBTQ+ or transgender, you get the drift.
That old wise woman with the pennyroyal might be me. I planted pennyroyal years ago although I was already postmenopause just as a “F you” to the anti-choice crowd and to honor the choices provided by nature. If they hurt my pets... oh you better believe I will curse them, and I think my curses would have effect. Not practicing much now but that would be incentive to get out the old supplies and books and such. Blessed be to all good witches and allies!
On second thought... I don't need more stuff on my task list now but maybe I'd better get on it... prepping the curses ahead of time. And setting them up to trigger when somebody intends harm to me or my loved ones... so the harm happens to THEM, and only to them, and stops them harming any innocents. Them Abrahamic/patriarchal/fascist assholes woke me up. Please all good Goddesses and Gods they will regret that.
There’s an article in today’s Washington Post about the Baby Olivia propaganda video that red states want to show in public schools. Unfortunately, it’s pretty both-sidey, using weak language like “controversial” “confusing” and “misleading” instead of coming out and saying “this video is lying to children and presenting medical misinformation in service of religious propaganda.” Fortunately, the commenters are calling them out.
My husband and I are sad about how much WaPo has gone downhill under Jeff Bezos and debate canceling our subscription, but it's our local. And it still has some really good columnists we like to support with clicks ad comments.
Same! I also get so frustrated by the measured language and "tactfulness" of public health professionals, even though (especially though?) I'm married to one! I hear what they say to each other in zoom calls (and after that third drink) before they craft the careful statements their institutions approve for them to make in public.
To go with my comment below. America is too sophisticated for some of these dumb and dumber Republican fuckers but there is a grifter class that is exploiting them of which trump is a master con (see the tweet Kelly is responding to).
Robert E Kelly
@Robert_E_Kelly
This 👇 nicely illustrates how often MAGA conspiracies are really just people who don’t understand process in a deep, complex, modern state like the US. Normal bureaucracy becomes the ‘Deep State’ when you don’t really know what’s going on.
That is so true, they were going on about Clinon destroying equipment with a hammer, well I looked up protocol, andf you were supposed to destroy it. Another was the howling about all the pristine equipment we abandoned in Afghanistan, again the military protocolis to decommision what they can, and destroy the rest SOP. Considering there were supposedly military guys like Tom Cotton, and live action figure Dan Crenshaw, whining they should have known this.
Thank you for all the work you do. I am proud to be a paid subscriber. I came of age when abortion was illegal. Roe came when I was 17. I volunteered at a free clinic in my town. The desperation I saw when the pg test was positive and then the relief when I calmly and compassionately explained the options, that included legal, safe abortion. Ever since Dobbs, I feel like I am living in an alternative universe, or some sort of time warp.
The backlash on the IVF ruling - enough for Mike “Covenant Eyes” Johnson to reverse his public position - needs to be understood within the context of privilege. Women and families who can afford IVF can travel for abortion care, but traveling for each step in the IVF process would be untenable for most. We, who believe in equal rights for everyone, have to keep these issues of access in mind.
I definitely think public perception of ivf is different from abortion. None of the people I know who have had an abortion are public about it. Everyone I know who has had a baby via ivf is open about it. Also ivf is more integrated into medical care than abortion. I just can’t imagine protesters being successful screaming at patients outside of hospitals about ivf like are at planned parenthood screaming about abortion.
Not public, no because of all the crazy violent fanatics that might hurt us if we mention it. We do talk among ourselves though.
Thanks, Jessica, for the links to the New Yorker piece on Dr. Bernard and the ProPublica piece on the hospital committees. Yes, very important reporting. And very glad to hear about your nephew. :)
Great news about your nephew! The scariest thing for any parent is to have a child in danger.
Re the Missouri story - back in the late 1970s, I knew of a woman whose husband was convicted of murdering several sex workers. She hid her pregnancy when she filed for divorce because she knew even then they wouldn't let her divorce if she was pregnant.
Remind the “good Christians” of Genesis 2:7 in THEIR BOOK that life begins with a breath from their Lord God.
They only cherry-pick what they are told is in that book, they don't actually read it themselves.
The video in schools really stuck out to me today. I live in Texas where I had to "opt-in" my kids for sex education. Yes, "opt-in"! Teen pregnancy is on the rise in Texas for the first time in over a decade and we've decided getting any education to be taboo. Our school district also decided to not make Health class a mandatory class and thought maybe we could stick sex ed in some Ag classes.
On a similar note I was talking with my 80 year old mother a few days ago and we were talking about my uncles family. He (87 yrs old) is now supporting his great-granddaughter and her child. Every generation in his branch has had babies in high school. For some reason this story really struck me and I came to understand that for so many people they have normalized this situation and don't really see it as a problem. So voting Republican doesn't bother them b/c they don't see things like birth control, IVF (they are a fertile bunch), or abortion as issues they care about b/c they do what is "right" and take care of each other (probably with some government assistance).
And think "it's okay when we get Gov help, just not those other people that we hate".
“that Republicans will back some sort of protection for IVF and use that to pretend as if they’re willing to compromise or be ‘reasonable’ on reproductive rights. “
Absolutely going to happen because it’s (1) logically inconsistent with all their other arguments and (2) supports rich white people.
They have a bill in Alabama legislation to protect IVF through the election, then it expires.
Classic. Civil rights with an expiration date.
Like the tax cuts for the non-rich!
Exactly -- the rich can abort but not the poor.
They're making it up as they go along. Trump wants to get pack in power, so he'll summon the minions and they'll try to hoodwink the electorate. The democrats better out this stuff.
The GOP can not say it's abortion in a "womb" but not in a test tube.
Before they’re done, pregnant people will be sneaking off in the night to visit the old wise women who’ll recommend pennyroyal tea. Of course that wise woman will be accused of being a witch and practicing witchcraft. They’ll kill her pet, or rather “familiar,” and she’ll be hanged unless the “Christian” tribunal instituted laws about burning witches in the USA.
The tribunal will be a court system created to judge the crimes against the Christian faith, like breaking the sabbath, practicing any form of religion other than the US government sanctioned one, having “recreational” sex, using any form of birth control or abortion or miscarriage, being LGBTQ+ or transgender, you get the drift.
That is the world they want, "The Handmaid's Tale" was supposed to be dystopian fiction, not an inspiration!
That old wise woman with the pennyroyal might be me. I planted pennyroyal years ago although I was already postmenopause just as a “F you” to the anti-choice crowd and to honor the choices provided by nature. If they hurt my pets... oh you better believe I will curse them, and I think my curses would have effect. Not practicing much now but that would be incentive to get out the old supplies and books and such. Blessed be to all good witches and allies!
On second thought... I don't need more stuff on my task list now but maybe I'd better get on it... prepping the curses ahead of time. And setting them up to trigger when somebody intends harm to me or my loved ones... so the harm happens to THEM, and only to them, and stops them harming any innocents. Them Abrahamic/patriarchal/fascist assholes woke me up. Please all good Goddesses and Gods they will regret that.
Blessed be
There’s an article in today’s Washington Post about the Baby Olivia propaganda video that red states want to show in public schools. Unfortunately, it’s pretty both-sidey, using weak language like “controversial” “confusing” and “misleading” instead of coming out and saying “this video is lying to children and presenting medical misinformation in service of religious propaganda.” Fortunately, the commenters are calling them out.
Yes, that is WaPo under Sally Buzbee. She is always normalizing the forced birthers.
My husband and I are sad about how much WaPo has gone downhill under Jeff Bezos and debate canceling our subscription, but it's our local. And it still has some really good columnists we like to support with clicks ad comments.
And the commenters are intelligent professionals with the ocassional russian bot or brain-dead maga, like that "from the desk of an american" guy.
I doubt its's going to improve since the new publisher came from the national Review. I miss Marty Baron.
oh annoying - I'll go look for it. The both side-ism makes me BANANAS
Same! I also get so frustrated by the measured language and "tactfulness" of public health professionals, even though (especially though?) I'm married to one! I hear what they say to each other in zoom calls (and after that third drink) before they craft the careful statements their institutions approve for them to make in public.
To go with my comment below. America is too sophisticated for some of these dumb and dumber Republican fuckers but there is a grifter class that is exploiting them of which trump is a master con (see the tweet Kelly is responding to).
Robert E Kelly
@Robert_E_Kelly
This 👇 nicely illustrates how often MAGA conspiracies are really just people who don’t understand process in a deep, complex, modern state like the US. Normal bureaucracy becomes the ‘Deep State’ when you don’t really know what’s going on.
https://twitter.com/Robert_E_Kelly/status/1763049023957807586
That is so true, they were going on about Clinon destroying equipment with a hammer, well I looked up protocol, andf you were supposed to destroy it. Another was the howling about all the pristine equipment we abandoned in Afghanistan, again the military protocolis to decommision what they can, and destroy the rest SOP. Considering there were supposedly military guys like Tom Cotton, and live action figure Dan Crenshaw, whining they should have known this.
So glad to hear the good news about your nephew. What a trooper! Whisking him a long, healthy, and happy life!
Seconded!
Thank you for all the work you do. I am proud to be a paid subscriber. I came of age when abortion was illegal. Roe came when I was 17. I volunteered at a free clinic in my town. The desperation I saw when the pg test was positive and then the relief when I calmly and compassionately explained the options, that included legal, safe abortion. Ever since Dobbs, I feel like I am living in an alternative universe, or some sort of time warp.
Vote blue, up and down the ballot in November!
Thank you for being one of those compassionate women's healthcare workers, who inspired me to become one, too.
🙏
Very glad to hear about your son. I wish the other news was as good.
He's my nephew, but thank you!
Hooray for your nephew Sam ringing the bell ! Strong boy!
Must feel very good to have typed that paragraph. :-)
It felt GREAT
The backlash on the IVF ruling - enough for Mike “Covenant Eyes” Johnson to reverse his public position - needs to be understood within the context of privilege. Women and families who can afford IVF can travel for abortion care, but traveling for each step in the IVF process would be untenable for most. We, who believe in equal rights for everyone, have to keep these issues of access in mind.
I just read in The New Republic that the Alabama legislature is considering passing a bill supporting IVF, BUT only until the election is over.
I wrote the same upthread.
Sorry, forgot the link: https://newrepublic.com/post/179363/alabama-republicans-hypocrisy-ivf-bill-election?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the_ticker_rss