The “Woman’s Right to Know Act” sounds so innocuous, doesn’t it? Of course women have a right to know! Alas, when it comes to restricting abortion access, it’s never innocuous.
The “woman’s right to know law,” passed by a subcommittee of the Florida House on Tuesday would require women to view an ultrasound of the fetus before an abortion, or sign paperwork saying she had been offered an ultrasound, but refused to see him. Rape and incest victims would have to provide proof that a crime has been committed against them if they wanted to retire. Because, you know, make some poor teenage daughter was impregnanted prove that his father is so compassionate and all.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Elizabeth Porter, used the typical line about how women need to see an ultrasound because somehow that, and only that, makes them understand the gravity of an abortion. “This is about the right of a woman considering the termination of a pregnancy to possess all of the relevant information made available to her so she can make a fully informed decision,” she told the Miami Herald. “Knowledge is never a bad thing.”
Last year, the bill all the way to FL office Republican Governor Charlie Crist, but he was vetoed because of the extra cost of an ultrasound would require a woman when he was not “medically necessary”. Bill ultrasound is one of 18 bills on abortion – yes, 18 bills – introduced in the State Legislature. (This sounds impressive until you discover that West Virginia is facing 30.)
My hope is that if this bill makes throughout the House and Senate FL Governor Crist office Rick Scott, he will veto it. Bills requiring women to view ultrasounds before an abortion is intentionally trying to inflict trauma on women in the already emotionally charged, often under very sad. The additional expense of having to pay for an ultrasound also creates a barrier prohibitive for low-income women – who are those who would have difficulty providing the care the most prenatal and potential cost of raising a child anyway. Fortunately, Governor Crist realized that (or a version of this) last year.
But will the people of Florida realize it? Or will they eat up this line — and that’s what it is, a line — about women needing to be “fully informed”? Oh, you know us ladies: we’re just la di da, la di da … oops, how did my feet get in these stirrups?! Have a little respect, people.
