By Katrina Custardo
[email protected]
Abortion rights across the country have come under fire recently.
With a Republican Congress and a soon to be “Republican” president and
Republican Supreme Court, it’s expected that Roe v. Wade will come
under fire. Donald Trump has stated that he intends to overturn Roe,
even though he has been pro-choice before (look it up, it’s true).However, before the federal government can really start on abortion
rights, states have already started to strip women of their right to
have an abortion.
In the past week, the Republicans in control of the Kentucky
Legislature decided that the government needed to be more in control
of what happens between women seeking abortions (their lawfully and
legally given right) and their doctors. They did this by introducing
bill HB2. This bill also includes an emergency provision, which means
that as soon as Republican Gov. Matt Bevin signs it, which he did on
Jan. 9, the bill becomes effective. So as of today, women have this
new undue burden on them while trying to exercise their right to have
an abortion.
The bill mandates that doctors give — key word there — women seeking
abortions ultrasounds, even if the women do not consent to the
ultrasounds. Specifically, doctors are now required to give those
women an ultrasound, describe the image, and provide the heartbeat of
the fetus, if there is one at that point, to the mother.
Now, the mother, who is already going through a lot by having this
emotionally and physically taxing procedure, can close or advert her
eyes when being shown the ultrasound. She can also request that the
sound be turned down or off when the doctor is making her listen to
the heartbeat — again, if there is a heartbeat (the heartbeat can’t be
heard until at least week eight or 10).
The biggest issue with this law, besides its clearly putting an
unfair burden on women trying to get an abortion, is that doctors are
having to do this without the women’s consent. Women in Kentucky are
now forced to be shown what they already know: There’s a fetus growing
inside them. Abortions are incredibly tough on women who choose to get
one. They are taxing emotionally, physically, and mentally. This
forced ultrasound just makes it that much worse for the women.
This ultrasound bill just makes it easier for Republicans to have a
say in what happens between women and their doctors. Legislators have
no place in doctors’ offices. They have no place in the right to
privacy that one gets in a doctor’s office. They have no right to
place this undue burden on women who are going through something
insanely tough.
And this won’t be the last time we hear about bills such as this.
Along with this HB2 bill, Kentucky also passed the SB2 bill, which
prohibits abortions after 20 weeks, and doesn’t include exceptions for
rape or incest. It wouldn’t be surprising to see bill after bill
similar to the two in Kentucky pop up throughout the United States.
It’s even been rumored that a bill such as the SB2 bill in Kentucky
has appeared in the House. *Roe v. Wade* is coming under attack.
Women’s rights are coming under attack, and these two bills in
Kentucky are just an example.