Sometimes I have a love-hate relationship with my home state. The land is beautiful, the people are friendly, but there is no disguising it that Oklahoma has some issues with women, a lot of issues actually, but specifically I am just going to address the issues with women.
For the past few years, there have been many attempts to pass extremely restrictive, and invasive laws against women with regards to reproductive rights, specifically access abortion and birth control. Sadly, many of those ideas seem to originate from my state.
Some of my favorites: The attempt to remove informed consent from female patients, across the board, where pregnancy is involved. Basically if the doctor believes that information about your pregnancy, such as adverse test results, might cause you to decide to abort, then the doctor can legally withhold that information without fear of a future malpractice suit.
But there is more. Follow me through the orange phallic portal if this interests you.
Personally, between the constant barrage of similar, restrictive laws, the fake crisis pregnancy centers, and attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, I feel a sort of --Outrage-Exhaustion.
It's not that I don't do or say anything about these issue, it's just that it makes me tired just thinking about. I have spent so many years of my life being pissed off about women's issues, that I guess I am tired of being angry so I save my energy for votes, letters, or a diaries, etc.,
Well today the Huffington Post had a story covering the rulings by the state's supreme court, that rejected two very restrictive bills having to do with Reproductive Self Determination.
Basically, the Rape By Instrumentation Bill was thrown out as Unconstitutional. Go Figure. That was was actually sponsored by a female Representative, who stated at one point, that this law, would empower women undergoing the procedure by giving them more information. I don't know about you, but I needed hip boots after that pronouncement.
I had this procedure done for a different issue, and I can tell you that empowered was not how it made me feel. Sometimes women genuinely need this procedure due to an actual medical need, but don't go fooling yourself into thinking that it feels good, or that it isn't humiliating on some level.
Oh sure we all buck up, and try to remain stoic, like some little kid getting hazed into a club, but the reality is, that even under the best of circumstances, this isn't how one wants to spend their time.
Now imagine being pregnant, and having to undergo this for no other reason than to remind you that the state owns your body and all it produces.
My impression of this law was that if you can be a slut and get pregnant, then you won't mind or notice if we shove one more thing in there. And if you do, oh well, I guess that will show you!
The second bill had to do with restricting medications that are used for abortion.
As I check the Oklahoma news, I see that this covered by the Tulsa World, but not Newsok.com.
The state's high court found that House Bill 2780 was unconstitutional, agreeing with an Oklahoma County District Court.
The measure would have required any woman seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound within an hour of the procedure and have it explained to her before the procedure.
All judges concurred, with the exception of Justice Noma Gurich, who recused herself.
The authors of the 2010 measure were Rep. Lisa Billy, R-Lindsay, and Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore.
Lawmakers overrode then-Gov. Brad Henry's veto of the bill.
The state's high court also found House Bill 1970, which put restrictions on abortion-inducing drugs, unconstitutional. The opinion was unanimous.
The authors of House Bill 1970 were Rep. Randy Grau, R-Edmond, and Sen. Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City. Tulsa World
It's nice to know that there are people in positions of authority, who understand the concept of "Bodily Integrity" and that this concept applies to females as well as males.
Abortions should be safe and rare, because we as a country and a state should provide comprehensive medical care to all women in every stage of their life, and that includes birth control and family planning options, and in depth, sex education.
Right now, Oklahoma receives an F as a grade by NARAL with regards to laws governing women's reproductive rights.
Thank you Oklahoma Supreme Court for these rulings.