OPINION: Democrats Discuss — Senate Bill 8 (SB8)
Hailey Gifford is a junior studying political science. She is a third-year member of the Ohio University College Democrats. The following article reflects the opinions and views of the author and does not represent the thoughts of the Ohio University College Democrats.
This is a submitted column. Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.
Effective Sept. 1, it is illegal in Texas for any person to obtain an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. As many of us menstruating people know, that is barely fourteen days to realize you are pregnant. Then comes the decision of what to do in the next two weeks to determine your entire future. Unfortunately, many people do not have a regular menstrual cycle. Depending on what form of birth control a person is on, or even something as simple as how much a person weighs, could cause an irregular cycle or stop them from menstruating altogether.
This law is horrible enough as a six-week ban on abortions, but we know Texas, and it did not stop there. The state has essentially placed a bounty on those who will try and obtain an abortion. Everyday citizens can now sue physicians, clinics and others who aid the abortion process for violating the new law. For every illegal abortion case that can be proven in court, citizens can be awarded at least $10,000.
To send vigilantes out to get women and those seeking abortions is reckless, dangerous and frankly insane for lawmakers to believe it is acceptable to pass into law. Anti-abortion activists will have free reign over the state of Texas until this law is thrown out. This act is putting the law and countless people's lives directly into citizens' hands.
Well, what about Roe v. Wade? Enter the Department of Justice, which filed a lawsuit on Sept. 9.
"Texas enacted SB8 in open defiance of the Constitution by banning abortion at approximately six weeks in nearly all cases. The law violates individual's rights to have an abortion procedure prior to viability, which is usually around 24 weeks. Additionally, the law contains no exceptions for pregnancies that result from rape, sexual abuse, incest or for pregnancies involving a fetal defect incompatible with life after birth," according to the DOJ.
A person carrying a fetus that will not survive after birth will be forced to carry it to term, give birth and watch the baby pass away. I am appalled that anyone could claim this is about life. Thankfully, the DOJ is not the only organization to file a lawsuit. Shortly after the bill was signed into law, the ACLU filed as well. In addition, at least twenty abortion providers have taken legal action.
I was sitting in class on a random Tuesday, and my professor was talking about laws regarding the environment. She made an interesting comment about SB8 and how having an obligation to speak for those with no voice seems to be one of abortion ban proponents' favorite lines. This comment immediately struck me, as I have heard it so many times before from those who try to justify women's regulation and control but never once about the environment. It is so obviously not about life at this point. Republicans have opposed every life-saving, life-improving piece of legislation that has been laid out in front of them. I am exhausted, I am pretty certain we all are.