Tit for tat
As the War on Women marches inexorably onward, Democrats are starting to fight back — cheekily.
In Virginia, state Senator Janet Howell attached a “rectal probe” amendment to the Virginia State-Sanctioned Rape bill. The amendment would have required men to have a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before obtaining a prescription for erectile dysfunction medication. (It failed to pass.)
In Oklahoma, Constance Johnson attached an “every sperm is sacred” amendment to the GOP’s Personhood bill. The amendment would have construed any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman’s vagina as an action against an unborn child. (Democrats voted to table the amendment in order to demonstrate that it was introduced in jest.)
And now Georgia Democrats are stepping up.
In Georgia, Republicans seek to pass HB 954, a bill that will tighten “life of the mother” exceptions to abortion by prohibiting abortions on women who are more than 20 weeks pregnant. (Current law prohibits abortions after the second trimester, or about 24 weeks.)
In response, Georgia Democrats led by Yasmin Neal (D-Awesometown) have proposed a bill that would ban Georgia males from seeking vasectomies:
House Democrats have scheduled a 3 p.m. Wednesday hearing at the state Capitol, to propose a bill that would ban Georgia males from seeking vasectomies. From the press release:
“Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies,” said Rep. Yasmin Neal, author of the bill. “It is patently unfair that men can avoid unwanted fatherhood by presuming that their judgment over such matters is more valid than the judgment of the General Assembly, while women’s ability to decide is constantly up for debate throughout the United States.”
House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams added, “The Republican attack on women’s reproductive rights is unconscionable. What is more deplorable is the hypocrisy of HB 954’s author. If we follow his logic, we believe it is the obligation of this General Assembly to assert an equally invasive state interest in the reproductive habits of men and substitute the will of the government over the will of adult men.”
Perfect.
[cross-posted at ABLC]Georgia Democratic Rep. Yasmin Neal Seeks State Ban on VasectomiesPost + Comments (49)