Weekly News: 1/11/20 – 1/17/20

A group of “artists” has created an art exhibit in New York City to show that “Abortion is Normal” and to raise funds for Planned Parenthood. Art pieces include a t-shirt that says “Thank God for abortion”, paintings of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and pictures of topless women with pro-abortion messages written on them. The event’s website explained the title of the art exhibit by saying, “This title is meant as a statement of camaraderie and caring that in short says: What you choose to do with your body is OK — it is normal.”

The United States’ Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, encouraged representatives from over 30 countries to join in the fight against abortion. At a recent meeting, in Washington D.C., Azar said in a speech, “I stated this fact at the United Nations this past September, and I’ll repeat it here: there is no international human right to abortion. On the other hand, there is an international human right to life.” Azar pushed for other countries to agree to collaborate with the United States on the abortion issue in upcoming international meetings like the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Republicans in Iowa recently introduced a resolution that would amend the state constitution, saying that there is no right to abortion in Iowa. The proposed resolution comes after a state district court judge struck down a fetal heartbeat bill in 2019.  Governor Kim Reynolds stated, “We must protect life by making clear, through an amendment, that our constitution does not grant a right to an abortion. It’s time, and unfortunately it’s necessary.” Meanwhile, in Kansas, lawmakers are launching a campaign to amend the state constitution by saying that it “doesn’t require government funding of abortions” and that it doesn’t “create or secure a right to abortion”. The proposed constitutional amendment comes after the Kansas Supreme Court ruled, last year, “that the state constitution protects a woman’s right to end her pregnancy.”

Politicians in the Indiana House of Representatives just recently introduced House Bill 1089, which would ban abortion in the state. The bill would change references of fetus to unborn child and would change the definition of human being from “an individual who has been born and is alive” to “having human physical life, regardless of whether the individual has been born”. Abortion advocates are obviously not happy with the bill. Chief Legal Counsel of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Hannah Brass Greer stated, “Today, Rep. Curt Nisly filed HB 1089, an unprecedented and illegal bill that would decimate abortion rights in Indiana and criminalize abortion, allowing abortion providers and people seeking abortion to be charged with murder. It’s clear Rep. Nisly is emboldened by the Trump administration and the spate of anti-abortion attacks across the country and will stop at nothing to strip Hoosiers of their rights and freedom. HB 1089 goes so far as to demand that the state ignore any court rulings that strike down the law – a blatant and outrageous disregard of separation of powers and legal precedent. It also redefines when life begins, which would have tremendous repercussions, including potentially restricting access to contraceptives, emergency contraception, and fertility treatments. This bill is not only unacceptable and immoral, it is illegal.”

A recent study, which was published in the Social Science & Medicine journal, states that the majority of women don’t regret having abortions and many feel relief. The research itself is flawed though, relying on a previous study that was done. “The vast majority of women who were contacted to participate in the study chose not to. From a potential eligibility of 3,000 women, the full study only encompassed the views of 667, about 22% of the total.” It is clear that the researchers had selection bias in the study, proving a point that they wanted to prove instead of shedding light on the truth.

Kentucky officials are allowing a Louisville Planned Parenthood to apply for a license in order to perform abortions. This invitation comes after former Governor Matt Bevin’s administration denied Planned Parenthood the license. If the license is approved, it would be the second abortion clinic in Kentucky.