Everyone should be allowed to control their body and their body alone, however, legislation over the years has taken this right away from women across the nation. On September 17, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 7 (HB7), also called the Woman and Protection Act, that would allow individuals in Texas to sue anyone who they see providing, distributing, or manufacturing abortion pills. If the person who is suing the distributor or manufacturer is related to the woman who is attempting to obtain these pills, they will be rewarded at least $100,000. However, If the person who is suing is not related to the woman, they will only be rewarded $10,000 and the rest will go to charity.
This means that the woman will not be in any legal trouble if they are caught obtaining the pills. The bill was originally declared unconstitutional by a state judge, however, the bill proceeded to go through to the house vote. This bill is set to go into motion on December 4 of this year.
If HB7 successfully lowers the number of abortions in Texas, the bill will most likely be adopted by other states further tightening the restrictions on women’s reproductive rights.
The legislators who are supporting the passing of HB7 are not taking into consideration the full negative effect it will have on women across Texas. HB7 is unconstitutional, and should be restricted from going into effect, and prevented from spreading into other states.
Banning the distribution of abortion pills will not lower the amount of abortions in Texas, instead it will only push more and more women to resort to dangerous means of abortion. In a study done across the United States by PubMed Central, abortions done with medication supplement, or herbs were regarded to be the safest and most effective form of self-managed abortions.
Additionally, it was also found that the majority of self-managed abortions were done by using the methods that are considered safe. The remaining women used drugs, alcohol, or another physical method that resulted in harm to the woman. The passing of HB7 will only increase the percentage of woman who use these dangerous methods and put themselves at risk of harm or even death.
Additionally, guaranteeing those who report the selling or manufacturing of the abortion pills a reward encourages people to take advantage of the bill. Many people are concerned about those who may be motivated to put the women around them at risk just for the money, not because they have good intentions for the woman and the unborn child. Although lawmakers tried to combat this concern by lowering the reward for plaintiffs unrelated to the women, $10,000 is still a large sum of money.
Doctors who are caught and sued for distributing abortion inducing medication to women seeking it specifically for abortions will be sued at a minimum of $100,000. This aspect of the bill is leading many doctors to be hesitant distributing the medication at all, even in cases of miscarriages or sepsis. In many cases, women may need medication immediately, and cannot afford to face abortion accusations.
HB7 also extends to doctors outside of Texas if the pill is given to a Texas resident. In a specific situation, a woman in Texas named Shelley Hall experienced a tragedy, the baby she had been carrying had not survived. When the doctor told her that the next step was for her to obtain abortion pills, Hall had to prove through her heartbreak to a pharmacy that she needed the medication for a miscarriage when they wouldn’t give it to her in fear of getting in trouble and fined. On one of the worst and most tragic days of her life Hall had to beg the pharmacists to believe her that her baby was truly gone. Not only does this ban put women in physical danger, but it can also cause extensive emotional distress on women already going through extreme hardships.
The conservative legislators who are in support of HB7 claim that the bill is not a punishment for women and provides exceptions for miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and medical emergencies. Although these legislators claim these exceptions protect women, the bill ignores other possible needs for the pill including victims of sexual assault and children. Just because someone does not meet a legislator’s opinion of what kind of person should be allowed an abortion, does not mean that that person should be denied the right to have autonomy over their own body.
There are many things we can do to show support for the overturning of HB7, such as safely engaging in local protests, contacting your state representative, or even directly contacting Governor Greg Abbott to express your opinion. As a society, we need to fight against the government’s attempts to control women’s bodies and reproductive rights. Any act of protest has an impact in the fight to maintain the rights every human deserves.
We can also contribute to the fight by supporting organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Texas Women’s Health Caucus. Another organization supporting the overturn of HB7 is Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit that focuses on fighting for and supporting women’s reproductive rights. By signing petitions, donating, and volunteering to help out at Planned Parenthood, anyone can play a part in the future of women’s rights across America
The passage of HB7 is ignorant and disregards giving women the rights that they are entitled to. Women should have full autonomy of their bodies, and it should not be up to legislators to decide how they use them. The passing of bills, such as HB7, that affect women’s reproductive rights are just the government’s way of getting closer and closer to gaining full control of women’s bodies. HB7 needs to be repealed in order to keep the women of Texas safe.
