SC Men Continue Trying to Pass a Complete Abortion Ban

Big thanks to women senators for standing up for our rights

Teachers and doctors share a few things in common: we’re usually trying to help people, and often they don’t listen to us. I have a lovely doctor and at my last annual checkup, we were commiserating about the frustration of being experts in our field and yet that doesn’t guarantee our patients or students will always take our recommendations to heart.  

Or, apparently, politicians. In a somewhat surprising move, the South Carolina Senate has fast tracked H. 3774, a total abortion ban outlawing the procedure from conception. It pretends to be compassionate, with amendments to fund birth control and “exceptions” for rape (to get the exception, victims would have to file a police report). I’m no legal expert, but I’m really confused why we’re wasting legislative time on this when I highly doubt they have the votes to pass it. There are five women in the SC Senate (only 5!!! of 46 total), including three Republican women, who all vow to oppose the ban. I’m also confused how a total ban would stand up to the state Supreme Court ruling that women have a right to privacy in regards to a six-week ban, but maybe these Republican men just really enjoy public speaking on how to make women’s lives in the state worse than they already are.

Regardless, if you’re in South Carolina, call your senator and ask them to vote no on H. 3774. And thanks to the women senators for having a spine, even though this anti-abortion group sent them an actual spine to try to get them to change their votes. Classy.

Y’all it’s all just so crazy. These laws make doctors into felons and worsen already dismal maternal and infant mortality rates. In really tragic news for the region, Desantis just signed the Florida six-week ban (in the middle of the night, with no press), which means South Carolina will be inundated with even more patients seeking care in the Southeast. If you can donate to an abortion fund, please consider our local Palmetto State Abortion Fund, who helps to support patients seeking care at the Greenville Women’s Clinic.

Regardless of your stance on elective abortion, these bans are exacerbating an already dire outlook for having enough OBGYN care nationally. When states enact these bans, it has a ripple effect that will overwhelm doctors and could potentially limit the care available to all women (see, Idaho). I’m grateful that the women in the SC Senate understand this. Thank you for listening to doctors and your constituents.

[And thanks as well to my English capstone and Honors students for taking my recommendations for their projects with such grace and determination this year… we’ve had 25 advanced research and creative writing projects in the department this year, and I’m just so impressed with their scholarship. I can’t wait until they’re all in charge of things. I also can’t wait to take a little break from grading. Bring on summer!]

P.S. And one more thanks, to artist Emma Sargent for the new HF logo and banner. Emma is a Greenville-based designer, intern architect, and hobby ceramicist working with McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, and you can contact her at Sargent.Emma.01@gmail.com if you’re looking for some art and design!