A state judge last week struck down a law requiring an ultrasound be performed prior to an abortion, and the following day a suit was filed to prevent a so-called personhood measure from landing on the November ballot. The ultrasound law, passed by the state Legislature in 2010 over the veto of then-Gov. Brad Henry, […]
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Showing women ‘who’s boss’
“The small proportion of women and girls who aren’t using contraceptives account for half of all abortions in America,” according to the Guttmacher Institute. One might suppose, then, that these men would work to prevent unintended pregnancy (hence some abortions) through use of contraceptives. Apparently not. But there are other ways to put “uppity” women in […]
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Fetuses, then and now
Remember the last time abortion matters consumed the state Legislature? It was 2010 — what a coincidence, another election year — when lawmakers overrode then-Gov. Brad Henry’s veto of a bill prohibiting a woman from getting an abortion unless she has an ultrasound of the fetus and either views the image herself or has a […]
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Protesters vs. ‘Personhood’
Dubbed the Oklahomans Against the Personhood Act Rally, the protest on the north side of the Capitol featured remarks from state Sen. Constance Johnson (pictured), D-Holdenville, who told the crowd she had a message for her Senate colleagues who passed the legislation earlier this month. “Women brought you into this world, and women will vote […]
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What is life
In that spirit, it’s worth noting that the first bill passed by the Oklahoma state Senate this session wasted no time diving into the so-called culture war. By a 34-8 vote, the Senate passed a measure Feb. 15 stating that life begins at conception. Senate Bill 1433 ensures that fetuses have the same full rights […]
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Deposit insurance
While it’s not hard to imagine the state Legislature holding a special joint session to sing that song with as much gusto as “God Bless America,” it had an opportunity last week to prove how sacred sperm can be. “Personhood” legislation is making its way through the Legislature. The measure grants all rights and privileges […]
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Perils of ‘Personhood’
If your hand is in the air, you are in luck. An Oklahoma state Senate committee last week passed Senate Bill 1433, “The Personhood Act,” as its first step toward becoming law. This measure states that life begins at conception, so a single-cell fertilized egg has “all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other […]