Life Without Baby

filling the silence in the motherhood discussion

Death Penalty for Women Who Miscarry

Ironic that, in this month of celebrating women who made history, this story should hit the headlines.

Kathleen Guthrie sent me this report:

As reported on MSNBC TV yesterday, Bobby Franklin, a Georgia lawmaker, has proposed a bill that would hold women criminally and legally accountable—and eligible for the death penalty—if they miscarry.

This isn’t just the case of one extreme politician. The bill has made it to the legislature, and similar bills are being considered in other states.

I am too stunned to be outraged yet; in fact the bill is so ludicrous that I find myself on the verge of laughing.

But really, it’s not funny.

The women who came before us fought hard for our reproductive rights, and yet it seems we are in constant danger of losing our grip on those rights.

I realize that this bill is a political vehicle to overturn abortion law, but what kind of a country do we live in where a law that would systematically wipe out women who are unable to reproduce make it any further than the first trash can?

Comments

  1. As someone who miscarried three times and had her life emotionally turned upside down, this makes my blood boil. How do monsters like this get elected????

  2. I am stunned as you were. Been silent a while as I’ve been reading on my phone, but I had to weigh in here. I was thinking at first it was the country of Georgia, but apparently we here in the US can no longer claim first-world status. Truly appalling.

  3. I actually thought as I hit “publish” that oh no, it must be April Fools and I’d just fallen for it.

  5. I saw reference to this on a US friend’s FB page. It is shocking. And crazy mad. Particularly concerns me (with a history of ectopic pregnancy) because someone who was misinformed could end up dying if they didn’t seek medical help, or who were turned away, or “counselled” away. I don’t want to offend anyone here – but this sort of thing makes me very pleased I don’t live in the US.

  7. I read this post yesterday and could not reply because I was so appalled.

    I get that this bill is piggy-backed with some of the anti-abortion stuff but are you kidding me?

    It scares me to no end that this thing has made it as far as it did – and that other states are also pursuing similar bills.
    I guess, as women in the US, holding on to our reproductive rights just became a bit more urgent.

    Still shaking my head here…

  8. You know what’s just as scary as the fact that this bill did not go right in the trash? People voted this guy in! You should google him and see some of the other crap this guy has proposed and the things he believes. Georgia should be embarrassed.

  9. I think what scares me the most is that this isn’t just one evil man. Enough people voted to elect him, meaning they believe in him and what he stands for.

  10. It is so ludicrous a concept that it’s hard to know what to say in response. The part that I find outrageous (and scary) is that there are enough like-minded people to allow this concept to actually make it to legislature. LEGISLATURE of a ‘first-world’ country!

  11. Horrific. And I don’t necessarily feel safe, living north of the 49th. There are certain elements of the current governing party who would just love to introduce similar legislation here, I am sure. 🙁

  12. Holy f****…..
    but actually, since today is Women’s Day: This is a great reminder why we still need to fight for our rights and how male dominance backlashes all the time to oppress women.