by Honor Davis
The Heartbeat Bill being put forward today does not do so
in the interest of women’s health, but the abject opposite. Abortion is often
demonised as the only form of birth control used by irresponsible women. This
is in fact a gross misrepresentation, as a notable number of abortions take
place in order to support the physical health of pregnant people. In cases
where a patient is at risk of heart failure or develops preeclampsia (in which
they would have a very high blood pressure), but not at risk of dying - an
abortion could not legally take place under this legislation. The intricacies
vary from state to state but ultimately once a heartbeat can be found -which is
at six or twelve weeks depending on the method used- an abortion can not take
place. To be clear, death must be imminent for a person to receive healthcare.
By making that fact so, it causes women to be driven underground thus making
mortality rates of desperate pregnant people to rise.
Forced pregnancy also has the power to cause problems
beyond the physical. Pregnancy is a nine month long experience that can cause
or reawaken a range of mental health endangerments due to increased hormone
production. Conspicuously, the bill is devoid of ways it can support women with
pregnancy either financially or physically. Giving birth - without
complications - can cost between $10,800- $30,000. If a safe alternative is not
being provided to these women, why is there no support in place of it? Why is
the foster-care system under-funded and adoption agencies allowed to
discriminate based on sexuality, further depriving children of a family? Why
does pro-life stop once the life becomes viable?
These lingering questions depict the truth of
anti-choice- it is not about giving rights to a clump of cells, it is about
taking away women’s autonomy. The same people striding for small government are
keen to reach out and control individuals in this matter. The Heartbeat Bill
does more than represent divided America; it outlines the engrained and
systematic oppression ingrained in the political system held in place by the
patriarchy.
Yet one article on a school blog is not what is going to
have an affect. With intense media coverage on the bill it is easy to forget
about ignored rights in the UK and Ireland. On the first of January this year,
Ireland decriminalised abortion. In Northern Ireland, people still do not have
a right to abortion. Comfortingly, steps are being taken to include Northern
Ireland in the UK’s law.
Finally, I believe it would be a disservice not to
mention the unmistakable lapse in humility in the Heartbeat Bill regarding rape
survivors’ rights. Under the bill’s legislation neither rape nor incest are
plausible reasons to receive an abortion. More shockingly, in Arkansas a rapist
is entitled to sue if his victim is found with the intent of getting an
abortion. One rapist was given joint custody with a twelve year-old to their
biological child. An Ohioan girl of age eleven right now may be forced to carry
a reminder of her pain to term if the bill had been taken into effect earlier.
The new bill does not protect these children. They have heartbeats too. Doctors
found to have performed an abortion would be found guilty of a class A felony
and could face 10-99 years in prison. To compare rape is a class B felony and
could entail less prison time.
It is important to remember that this bill has not come
into effect everywhere in the United States and there are organisations such as
the ACLU fighting against this. However, that does not eliminate the fact that
this bill represents. The threat is all too real and lives are already on the
line.
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