Really appreciate this. Having recently run for SC Senate, it became clear to me that many South Carolinian voters don’t really understand the Senate and part of that reason is that our state legislature does not expect any accountability requirements, especially coming from SC women. Strategically calling out Senators and Representatives whose votes are out of line with data or environment in their particular district enables us to keep the focus in the community and not expecting anything but retrenchment within the halls of the statehouse.
The lack of knowledge in our state about what our state legislature is doing and the impact on our lives is appalling. It was clear to anyone who watched the SC Senate debate several years ago on the abortion ban, that most of the men in the room had no clue as to the health care around women's reproductive health - despite - as you point out - countless hours of testimony by medical and health care professionals as well as women themselves. Our maternal mortality statistics are horrific - much worse for women of color. Great article - thanks for writing.
South Carolina wants the death penalty for women who have abortions. Not the men involved. Just women. WAKE THE FUCK UP AMERICA. We are targets b/c of fake Christian’s and their fake pro life stance.
Why do we keep talking about abortion when we talk about a woman having a difficult pregnancy that involves health issues? If a woman is pregnant and is having a difficult pregnancy that involves health issues it should be dealt with by a qualified doctor and nurse and a health institute. There is no reason for anyone in government, local or nationality to become involved. We all know how wonderful and amazing it is to see a new life created. When something goes wrong during a pregnancy it is very traumatic for those involved. Any decision is a difficult one to make and should be between the woman and her medical staff. No doctor, nurse, or patient should ever have to be concerned with being charged with a crime. To do so is a crime to humanity. If we believe in love, respect, and dignity a pregnant woman certainly qualifies for all. A woman needs all the support we can give her. It is time for all of us to change the narrative. Health Care, Health Care, Health Care
PS When a woman finds herself Pregnant because of Rape or incense do noy say GOD is punishing her. This is nonsense. No GOD I know would ever encourage this. I prefer to deal with these situations with Love and Compassion and common sense.
To your first point: we talk about abortion as part of reproductive care and in relation to pregnancy complications because bans on abortion increase our already high maternal mortality rates. Healthcare providers are delaying life saving care to ensure that said care cannot be perceived as providing an abortion, such as when a woman miscarries (medically known as a spontaneous abortion) in the first trimester after their state's cut off has occurred because the fetus still has a heartbeat despite the pregnancy no longer being viable. If the provider were to perform the medically standard D&C while the fetus still had a heartbeat, it would be considered an abortion and therefore illegal under the eye of the law but if the provider waits until the fetus no longer has a heartbeat it is no longer an abortion–or the mother has gotten sick enough that her life is in danger which is often where these cases lead–it is no longer considered illegal in states that allow for exceptions for risk to the life of the mother.
Several anti-choice groups are lobbying under the premise that abortion is never medically necessary and that in cases like these, a "maternal-fetal separation" is a more appropriate response–they are lobbying to force women into undergoing major abdominal surgery in the form of C-sections or lengthy induced labors rather than a 10 minute D&C with much lower risk to the mother.
To your second point: a woman does not "find herself pregnant" after being raped. Her rapist impregnated her. To qualify for rape and incest exemptions, a police report is required. I pray to every deity in existence that you never find out how grueling it is to file a police report or undergo a SANE exam after being raped. The SANE (sexual assault nurse exam) is a 2-3 hour process where they collect evidence from your body–your hair, under your nails, the clothes you were wearing are taken, a pelvic exam is performed so you can be swabbed for DNA and examined for injuries, pictures are taken from all angles, blood is drawn, etc. Obviously you have the right to choose what parts of the exam, if any, you want to participate in. They also bring in a police officer to take your report of events. We live in a world where people blame the victims of rape, so you'll likely be asked what you were wearing, what did you do to entice him, what were you doing out alone, why didn't you fight back? It's dehumanizing to have to defend why someone else chose to take away your autonomy. And then a couple of months later when you find out that your rapist got you pregnant, you have to go through a new gamut of shame while you make sure you have all of the appropriate documents to "prove you were raped" so you can divest yourself of the fetus you didn't want that came from the rape you absolutely didn't ask for only to have to walk through a crowd of protesters calling you a "slut" and a "murderer" to shame you further on the day(s) of your appointment.
Love, compassion, and common sense would be letting women make their own decisions on what is right for them–without involving the government, without involving the police, and without involving the general public.
I will not support people who enrich themselves on the backs of others. It has always been my central belief. I’m a supporter of labor since I was a child in WV and the mine workers union. It confuses me that those who were being killed immediately and gradually by the coal industry vote for the likes of djt.
I canceled my WaPo subscription and will not enjoin with any of Bezos’ products. I don’t want or need a billionaire to algorithm me into their preferred spaces.
A Democratic legislator in MS introduced a “conception begins at erection” bill to highlight exactly this—he proposed fines for men ejaculating wo intending to conceive lol
A little late to this post (and new to Substack) but I just gotta say that it's really refreshing to find your feed (Is that the word? Channel? No. Substack? Is it just a noon.) Whatever.
All that to say, it's hard living in this "reliably red" state sometimes, but it's nice to see that I'm not alone. Upstate SC resident over here just trying to stay sane.
How about the bill that they have brought TWICE in South Carolina trying to get the death penalty passed for women & girls seeking abortions?!? While rapists are not punished nearly enough!
Hasn’t ConOld the Clown and President Musk outlawed the word ‘women’? So these statistics won’t be kept and the bodies will be hidden away. B reminds me of the Taliban’s attitude to women; won’t be long in the US before women are not permitted out without a male escort. From their family of course ‘coz non-family males won’t be able to control themselves.
Really appreciate this. Having recently run for SC Senate, it became clear to me that many South Carolinian voters don’t really understand the Senate and part of that reason is that our state legislature does not expect any accountability requirements, especially coming from SC women. Strategically calling out Senators and Representatives whose votes are out of line with data or environment in their particular district enables us to keep the focus in the community and not expecting anything but retrenchment within the halls of the statehouse.
I live here and this pisses me off to no end😡
It’s infuriating
The lack of knowledge in our state about what our state legislature is doing and the impact on our lives is appalling. It was clear to anyone who watched the SC Senate debate several years ago on the abortion ban, that most of the men in the room had no clue as to the health care around women's reproductive health - despite - as you point out - countless hours of testimony by medical and health care professionals as well as women themselves. Our maternal mortality statistics are horrific - much worse for women of color. Great article - thanks for writing.
South Carolina wants the death penalty for women who have abortions. Not the men involved. Just women. WAKE THE FUCK UP AMERICA. We are targets b/c of fake Christian’s and their fake pro life stance.
This one is hysterical. They're so "pro-life" they'll kill you for not giving forced birth. The cognitive dissonance is astounding.
ABORTION ?????
Why do we keep talking about abortion when we talk about a woman having a difficult pregnancy that involves health issues? If a woman is pregnant and is having a difficult pregnancy that involves health issues it should be dealt with by a qualified doctor and nurse and a health institute. There is no reason for anyone in government, local or nationality to become involved. We all know how wonderful and amazing it is to see a new life created. When something goes wrong during a pregnancy it is very traumatic for those involved. Any decision is a difficult one to make and should be between the woman and her medical staff. No doctor, nurse, or patient should ever have to be concerned with being charged with a crime. To do so is a crime to humanity. If we believe in love, respect, and dignity a pregnant woman certainly qualifies for all. A woman needs all the support we can give her. It is time for all of us to change the narrative. Health Care, Health Care, Health Care
PS When a woman finds herself Pregnant because of Rape or incense do noy say GOD is punishing her. This is nonsense. No GOD I know would ever encourage this. I prefer to deal with these situations with Love and Compassion and common sense.
To your first point: we talk about abortion as part of reproductive care and in relation to pregnancy complications because bans on abortion increase our already high maternal mortality rates. Healthcare providers are delaying life saving care to ensure that said care cannot be perceived as providing an abortion, such as when a woman miscarries (medically known as a spontaneous abortion) in the first trimester after their state's cut off has occurred because the fetus still has a heartbeat despite the pregnancy no longer being viable. If the provider were to perform the medically standard D&C while the fetus still had a heartbeat, it would be considered an abortion and therefore illegal under the eye of the law but if the provider waits until the fetus no longer has a heartbeat it is no longer an abortion–or the mother has gotten sick enough that her life is in danger which is often where these cases lead–it is no longer considered illegal in states that allow for exceptions for risk to the life of the mother.
Several anti-choice groups are lobbying under the premise that abortion is never medically necessary and that in cases like these, a "maternal-fetal separation" is a more appropriate response–they are lobbying to force women into undergoing major abdominal surgery in the form of C-sections or lengthy induced labors rather than a 10 minute D&C with much lower risk to the mother.
To your second point: a woman does not "find herself pregnant" after being raped. Her rapist impregnated her. To qualify for rape and incest exemptions, a police report is required. I pray to every deity in existence that you never find out how grueling it is to file a police report or undergo a SANE exam after being raped. The SANE (sexual assault nurse exam) is a 2-3 hour process where they collect evidence from your body–your hair, under your nails, the clothes you were wearing are taken, a pelvic exam is performed so you can be swabbed for DNA and examined for injuries, pictures are taken from all angles, blood is drawn, etc. Obviously you have the right to choose what parts of the exam, if any, you want to participate in. They also bring in a police officer to take your report of events. We live in a world where people blame the victims of rape, so you'll likely be asked what you were wearing, what did you do to entice him, what were you doing out alone, why didn't you fight back? It's dehumanizing to have to defend why someone else chose to take away your autonomy. And then a couple of months later when you find out that your rapist got you pregnant, you have to go through a new gamut of shame while you make sure you have all of the appropriate documents to "prove you were raped" so you can divest yourself of the fetus you didn't want that came from the rape you absolutely didn't ask for only to have to walk through a crowd of protesters calling you a "slut" and a "murderer" to shame you further on the day(s) of your appointment.
Love, compassion, and common sense would be letting women make their own decisions on what is right for them–without involving the government, without involving the police, and without involving the general public.
I live in this shithole of a state and I can tell you that there are a whole lot of dupes here.
I live here too, can confirm. But there are also a lot of feminists :).
It’s nice to know that there are others here!
If you can still handle being on Facebook, I love the South Carolina Women Forward page! https://www.facebook.com/groups/556614628598030
Thank you, but I have never been on FB. I don’t see that this is a time to change that.
I will not support people who enrich themselves on the backs of others. It has always been my central belief. I’m a supporter of labor since I was a child in WV and the mine workers union. It confuses me that those who were being killed immediately and gradually by the coal industry vote for the likes of djt.
I canceled my WaPo subscription and will not enjoin with any of Bezos’ products. I don’t want or need a billionaire to algorithm me into their preferred spaces.
Thank you for writing this and for supporting women’s issues. I’m definitely sharing your work !
Thanks!
Where are the bills that punish men?
A Democratic legislator in MS introduced a “conception begins at erection” bill to highlight exactly this—he proposed fines for men ejaculating wo intending to conceive lol
Who believes his feigned ignorance? I surely don’t.
We need an emoji for “exceedingly pissed off” on Substack. The gaslighting and hypocrisy of Republican SC legislators makes me physically ill!
Yeah they are that stupid!
And of course men know everything about women's health issue
I’m in SC and this and Nancy mace piss me off to the max!
A little late to this post (and new to Substack) but I just gotta say that it's really refreshing to find your feed (Is that the word? Channel? No. Substack? Is it just a noon.) Whatever.
All that to say, it's hard living in this "reliably red" state sometimes, but it's nice to see that I'm not alone. Upstate SC resident over here just trying to stay sane.
*just a noun? (Geez, autocorrect. 🤦)
How about the bill that they have brought TWICE in South Carolina trying to get the death penalty passed for women & girls seeking abortions?!? While rapists are not punished nearly enough!
Hasn’t ConOld the Clown and President Musk outlawed the word ‘women’? So these statistics won’t be kept and the bodies will be hidden away. B reminds me of the Taliban’s attitude to women; won’t be long in the US before women are not permitted out without a male escort. From their family of course ‘coz non-family males won’t be able to control themselves.