Sometimes ignorance can be bliss, but not when we’re being ignorant about the “politics” behind the right to our bodies. We fought hard and yelled even harder when Roe v. Wade was overturned and we as women gave up our bodies to the Federal Government. Now that the states have a say, our fight is not over.
On April 14, 2022, the law to ban 15-week abortions was signed by Ron DeSantis. Since its signing, we’ve already seen horrific effects. But here’s where the real kicker comes in: the ban doesn’t make exceptions for victims of rape, incest, or human trafficking. This law became an unfortunate reality last month as we began to see the ban’s real effects.
Laura Goodhue, VP of public policy for Planned Parenthood of South, East, and North Florida disclosed that a middle school girl who was a victim of incest was rejected approval for an abortion in early October. Because of the 15-week-abortion ban, the young girl was left with two options: to have the baby or to travel multiple states away to get help. With the help of Planned Parenthood, the girl and her family were able to travel to get an abortion in a state that allowed it.
This situation should be a wake-up call for all of us. Our politicians are not joking. They are not bluffing or talking big talk, they are taking action. They are hurting us with no protection for our children and victims.
With Florida’s Midterm Election Day around the corner, the situation became prevalent in a debate between our current governor, Ron DeSantis, and Democratic opponent Charlie Crist.
DeSantis made the argument that by week 15 of pregnancy, a child is fully formed to the point where they could feel pain. What he failed to address, however, was the situation of the middle school girl and why no exceptions can be made to this ban.
Opponent Charlie Crist went on to explain the importance of a woman’s choice and his criticism of DeSantis’ ideas. While this may or may not be something you applaud, it’s important to understand the wariness some have with Crist’s intentions. He received a storm of skepticism, being called a “flip-flopper” when addressing the fact that he used to label himself pro-life.
When this issue was brought to his attention, Crist explained that he adapts to society, just like a politician should. When asked if he’s still pro-life, Crist admitted “I’m for life, aren’t you?” He goes on to explain, “We all are. I’ve been pro-choice in every single decision I’ve made that affects a women’s right to choose.”
“When I say I’m pro-life, I mean I’m for life and I’m for a woman’s right to choose and make her own decisions about her body.”
Charlie Crist
If we didn’t think this debate could be any more controversial, wait ’til you hear about the falsity of DeSantis’ claims. The governor proudly stood by this 15-week-abortion-ban, defending it with the fact that a baby is fully formed and able to feel pain by the 15th week of pregnancy.
The Guardian, however, revealed that a fetus is in fact not fully developed at 15 weeks, and they went on to state that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has proven that scientifically “a human fetus does not have the capacity to experience pain until after at least 24–25 weeks.”
The political propaganda doesn’t die here, though. DeSantis went on to say that his opponent supports “abortions until the moment of birth” as well as “dismemberment abortions.” It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that abortions right before birth simply do not exist, and “dismemberment abortions” exist only in the cases of severe medical emergencies.
While it is unclear what further actions DeSantis plans to take if he is re-elected, he did vow to expand pro-life protections after Roe v. Wade was overturned. With skepticism towards both sides, I urge you to research, open your eyes and ears, and really listen to others. The future of our reproductive rights lies in our hands and everything relies on what we do with our vote.